Baroness Sandip Verma says decision-making is still controlled by a small, largely unchallenged group, with women’s voices missing—resulting in more aggressive approaches instead of more balanced, dialogue-driven leadership. Watch the full interview here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7iMjLlqbkQ

Baroness Sandip Verma shares that seeing young Ugandan Asian refugees face displacement and abuse in Leicester deeply impacted her as a child, driving her to stand up for others and shaping her strong, resilient character. Watch the full interview here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7iMjLlqbkQ

Baroness Sandip Verma says the digital/AI era creates inequality and unchecked power for a few (bad), enables global connectivity and opportunity (good), but also fuels misinformation and interference across societies (ugly). Watch the full interview here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7iMjLlqbkQ

In this episode of Common Grounds: India–UK Series, Lakshmi Kaul, Contributing Editor, sits down with Baroness Sandip Verma for a wide-ranging and thought-provoking conversation on leadership, identity, and the evolving global landscape. From the journey of the Indian diaspora in the UK—particularly the legacy of Ugandan Asians who rebuilt their lives from scratch to the realities of navigating public life as a woman of colour, this discussion reflects on resilience, ambition, and breaking barriers in business and politics. The conversation also explores pressing contemporary themes: the changing world of work, sectoral shifts in the economy, and the opportunities and risks presented by artificial intelligence. With a unique vantage point from Parliament and across industries, Baroness Verma shares insights on governance, innovation, and the responsibility of leadership in times of rapid transformation. At its core, this episode is a reflection on how societies evolve and how individuals and communities find strength, purpose, and resilience through change. Chapters - 0:00-1:20 Opening 1:45-5:47 Migration to the UK and Political Activism 6:16-10:27 Navigating Business, Politics and Identity in the UK 11:32-14:32 The Indian Diaspora: Challenges and Opportunities 15:19-18:23 Reflections on Current Political Climate 19:22- 23:17 Growth Sectors and Future Opportunities 24:27-28:01 Governance and Ethics in AI 28:55-32:24 The Changing World of Work: Technology, Talent, and Transition 33:06-35:41 Future Endeavour 35:43-36:34 Closing #CommonGrounds #IndiaUK #Leadership #IndianDiaspora #WomenInLeadership #FutureOfWork #ArtificialIntelligence #UKPolitics #BusinessInsights #GlobalConversations

M. J. Akbar, former Minister of State for External Affairs and eminent author, said that India’s diplomacy is rooted in a philosophy of balance rather than power politics, giving it credibility with all sides—including Iran—and positioning it to play a constructive role in shaping the global order. Watch the full interview here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjueiC7Fk9U

Watch the full conversation - https://youtu.be/J5pLxfgd8_Y #Iran #UAE #MiddleEast #WestAsia #Geopolitics #GlobalOrder #ForeignPolicy #StrategicAffairs #InternationalRelations #SecurityStudies #RegionalSecurity #WorldPolitics #PolicyAnalysis

Watch the full conversation - https://youtu.be/J5pLxfgd8_Y #Iran #StraitOfHormuz #Geopolitics #WestAsia #MiddleEast #GlobalOrder #ForeignPolicy #StrategicAffairs #InternationalRelations #SecurityStudies #IranCrisis #WorldPolitics #PolicyAnalysis

M. J. Akbar, former Minister of State for External Affairs and eminent author, said that India has significant goodwill and a key opportunity through BRICS leadership to shape a new global order, arguing that institutions like the United Nations and alliances such as NATO have weakened, making way for a new architecture of global stability. Watch the full interview - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjueiC7Fk9U