Smita Prakash, Editor of ANI (Asian News International), India’s biggest news agency, is the latest guest on ‘India, Russia and the World,’ the weekly podcast hosted by Runjhun Sharma, Head of News, RT India. Smita reflects on ANI’s journey from producing news packages for foreign broadcasters to becoming the backbone of Indian newsrooms after liberalisation opened up the market.

She explains that much of the Western media captures only one face of India, and says the country should stop worrying about being liked and focus on becoming successful instead. Drawing on ANI’s decades of covering Indian prime ministers since Jawaharlal Nehru, she reveals which leaders were the easiest and most challenging to work with. On the Modi-Putin relationship, she says the two share an unusually strong vibe of their own. The veteran journalist wraps up with a confession, saying never interview someone you have a crush on before revealing who’s on her podcast wish list.