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Every year, the month of June now comes associated with the colours of the rainbow. It’s celebrated as Pride Month to commemorate the struggle for equal rights for the LGBTQ+ community. In recent years, companies big and small have used the occasion to release creative campaigns focused on LGBTQ+ people. While the recognition is a welcome step forward, many from the LGBTQ+ community wonder if there is any real acceptance. So, do these companies simply cash in on moment marketing? Are they guilty of rainbow washing, or are they really making meaningful change? Should brands avoid the rainbow onslaught and come up with strategies throughout the year? And what about looking inwards to see if their policies are inclusive or discriminatory? In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we discuss how brands can avoid rainbow washing. Presenter: Devina Gupta Contributors: Harish Iyer, equal rights activist; Sunny Sharma, beauty and makeup YouTuber, Mua Sunny; Neeraj Bassi, strategic advisor, Branding and Marketing

In India, reports of rising Islamophobia and hyper-nationalism are posing serious concerns. The past few weeks have been particularly tense. Several Islamic countries have confronted India over offensive comments against Prophet Muhammad by a spokesperson of the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party. The Indian government has been trying to limit the damage from the controversy. But critics say the situation has worsened because of a studied silence by the country’s top leadership over increasing cases of Islamophobia and hate speech in the country. Is this polarisation now affecting India’s interests on the global stage? In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we discuss whether India’s global image is taking a hit over rising Islamophobia. Presenter: Devina Gupta Contributors: Hamid Ansari, former vice president, India; Seema Chishti, journalist and author; Ashok Sajjanhar, former ambassador

Acid attacks remain a big issue in India. In most cases, the perpetrators are men, who throw acid on women for rejecting their advances. According to official statistics, there were nearly 200 cases in 2020 - but campaigners say the actual number of attacks is much higher. There are tough laws in place, but implementation has been inadequate, and conviction rates are abysmally low. So what happens to someone who has survived an acid attack? What does it take to recover from the shock, the trauma and the hatred associated with such a crime? In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we discuss the resilience of India’s acid attack survivors. Presenter: Devina Gupta Contributors: Tania Singh, CEO and co-founder, Make Love Not Scars; Anshu Rajput, acid attack survivor; Sneha Mukherjee, lawyer, Human Rights Law Network

As the Russia-Ukraine war continues with no end in sight, countries across the world are imposing new restrictions on food exports. Many countries have banned essential items such as edible oils, poultry and grains. Now experts fear this protectionist move by governments could lead to the worst food crisis the world has seen in decades. India too, recently announced curbs on its wheat and sugar exports. The decision came after an unseasonal heatwave in the country affected crops and drove domestic prices to a record high. But critics say it could lead to further food inflation and price fluctuations. Is India prepared to face the consequences of export bans from other countries as well? Will this move trigger further disruptions in the food supply chain? And do export bans have a larger geopolitical impact? In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we discuss the cost of India’s food nationalism. Presenter: Devina Gupta Contributors: Dr Avinash Kishore, research fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute; Devinder Sharma, food trade and policy analyst; Anu Meena, founder and CEO, Agrowave

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is one of the richest leagues in the world. It’s also among the most-followed sporting events. Over the last few years, the tournament has been known to shatter viewing records. But this year, television viewership dipped by more than 30% in the first few weeks of the season. What led to this fall? Experts point out many reasons, from cricket overdose, to post-Covid lifestyle, to a variety of viewing platforms. But companies are worried about the fall in viewership, as it curtails the reach of their advertisements. Is IPL cricket losing its sheen and crowd-pulling power? Does the game need to overhaul its format? Or is it just a phase until the next season begins? In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we discuss whether the IPL needs to reinvent itself. Presenter: Devina Gupta Contributors: Rammohan Sundaram, country head - Integrated Media, DDB Mudra Group; Shradha Agarwal, CEO and co-founder, Grapes; Arani Basu, sports journalist, Times of India

India is the world’s third-largest producer of electricity, and three-quarters of this electricity comes from coal-based thermal power plants. But despite having one of the world’s largest coal reserves, the country is often teetering on the brink of a power crisis. Last year, it was an unexpected surge in demand as the economy picked up after a deadly Covid wave; this year, it’s been an earlier-than-expected intense heatwave coupled with the war in Ukraine that is making coal imports costly and unaffordable. In fact, the power crisis rose to such a level that over 100 passenger trains had to be cancelled to make way for coal carriages. So, does India’s coal shortage stem from a lack of proper risk allocation, inefficient coal production, or a failure to anticipate a surge in demand? In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we discuss what’s behind India’s power crisis. Presenter: Devina Gupta Contributors: Partha Bhattacharya, former chairman & managing director, Coal India; Manmohan Gaind, vice-president, Manesar Industries Welfare Association; Karthik Ganesan, fellow and director, research coordination, CEEW

Streaming is now the main growth driver for music revenues worldwide. In India, music streaming is estimated to cross $870m by 2025. According to a recent study, Indians also listen to more music than the rest of the world - over 19 hours a week, compared to 18 hours globally. And nearly 67% of this music is consumed through social media sites or apps. With those kinds of figures - what kind of effect is this having on young artists, who are often told, told, “It’s the future of music” or, “It’s here to stay, so learn to work with it.” How does this affect their creativity, and how do they deal with the pressure to gain more followers on social media? We discuss the perils and pitfalls of social media for aspiring artistes. Presenter: Devina Gupta Contributors: Nikhil Chinapa, DJ, anchor, music festival curator; Chintan Kalra, producer, musician, co-founder - Indie Band Parikrama; Lekha Raman, fashion model, disc jockey Photo: Watching a concert on a mobile phone Credit: Getty Images

Encouraging a quick transition to electric vehicles (EVs) is at the heart of India’s efforts to overhaul its transportation industry. It’s also because transport accounts for more than 140 million tonnes of carbon emissions - making it the third-largest emitter of CO2 in India. Sales of EVs have been going up consistently in the last few years, leading to suggestions that the industry is about to hit a turning point, but a recent spate of fire incidents in electric two-wheelers has raised severe safety concerns and experts say it’s time for the government to bring in proper regulation and safety standards in the EV industry. How hard has consumer confidence been hit? Would incentives to buy EVs fuel its adoption, or would people rather wait for the technology to become more reliable and opt for ICE (a conventional vehicle, powered by the internal combution engine) vehicles instead? Presenter: Devina Gupta Contributors: Rajiv Kumar, economist, former vice chairman, Niti Aayog; Sulajja Motwani, founder and CEO - Kinetic Green Energy, vice chairperson - Kinetic Group; Kedar Soman, chief technology officer, eBikeGo Photo: A worker on an Electric Bike assembly line Credit: Getty Images

We live in a world with constantly mounting standards of beauty and fitness. For many, it turns into a rollercoaster of feeling anxious and getting reassurance from other people that they look good. Often, it turns into negative self-image; if left unchecked, it can become a serious disorder. But is there just one way to be fit, or one ideal look? How important is it to be neutral about the diverse range of body shapes and appearances around us? And what can be the different ways to tackle body image concerns and disorders? In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we discuss ways of dealing with body shaming. Presenter: Devina Gupta Contributors: Nimrat Kaur, Bollywood actress; Khushi Jain, founder, DefEating Disorders; Neha Parulkar, plus-size model, body positivity influencer; Diksha Chhabra, nutritionist, fitness expert

Often referred to as the next big thing in the digital space, the metaverse has caught the fancy of big tech firms around the world. The belief is that soon we will all be hanging out in different digital worlds to work, play, attend concerts, watch movies, or catch up with a friend over coffee. The concept is now also finding firm ground in India, where many companies have begun exploring the space. Some have launched retail stores inside a metaverse shopping mall, while some have opened up office complexes. Some have even organised weddings. But does it all sound much like a souped-up version of virtual reality? Does India have the right technology and bandwidth to develop the metaverse, or is it just a fad that is likely to pass after some time? Presenter: Devina Gupta Contributors: Rajesh Dhuddu, VP and practice leader - Blockchain, Tech Mahindra; Manish Maheshwari, founder and CEO, Invact Metaversity; Sai Srinivas, CEO and co-founder, Mobile Premier League; Pushpak Kypuram, co-founder and director, NextMeet

A bizarre controversy over food has grabbed the spotlight in India recently. Calls for a meat ban by right-wing politicians during a Hindu religious festival sparked a fierce debate about unwanted interference in people’s food choices. Many see this as an assault on secularism - one of the key principles on which independent India was founded. Experts also point out that despite common beliefs about India being a largely vegetarian country, research has shown that only about 20% of Indians are actually vegetarian. Hindus, who make up 80% of the country's population, are major meat-eaters. While the Hindu nationalist government has reasserted its commitment to secularism, there is rising fear that the call for a meat ban is just another part of the process, which aims to gradually undermine the freedom of choice that minority communities have so far enjoyed. And what about the Constitutional rights to food and livelihood? In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we discuss whether the state should be policing people’s food choices. Presenter: Devina Gupta Contributors: Zainab Sikander, writer, columnist; Dr Manoshi Bhattacharya, clinical nutritionist, food historian; Rahul Easwar, author, right-wing activist Image: A view of a meat shop, at INA market on April 6, 2022 in New Delhi, India (Credit: Raj K Raj/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

Over the last few decades, India has seen a consistent rise in heatwave conditions, and this March was the hottest India has seen in over 120 years. Weather experts say the situation can only get worse as global warming heats up the planet. There are serious long term consequences but for many, living through India’s frequent heatwaves itself is a question of survival. A majority of India’s workforce from the low-income community works outdoors or lives without proper shelter from the heat. What can be done to save lives and prevent heat-related illnesses? Is this an irreversible change, or can appropriate policies and measures make a difference? In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we discuss the solutions to deal with India’s heatwave challenge. Presenter: Devina Gupta Contributors: Ulka Kelkar, director - Climate, World Resources Institute India; Anshu Sharma, co-founder, SEEDS; Sachii Tripathii, founder, Terracotta by Sachii; Deepa Subramaniam, co-founder, Woody Grass Photo: A worker in Delhi, India, takes rest during a sweltering summer's day Credit: Getty Images