This week the President of India conferred one of the highest civilian awards to one of the first women in the armed forces Air Marshal Padma Bandopadhyay who joined the force in 1968. We speak to her as the armed prepares for the first time to receive women NDA cadets. What advice does she have for the new entrants?

Smriti Irani: Minister and novelist?

In this podcast, politicians and policymakers talk to Hindustan Times' national political editor Sunetra Choudhury about the big issues of the day. Listen to these interviews and you'll get a rare insight into all that's making headlines.
This is a Hindustan Times production, brought to you by HT Smartcast.