Preview

Free with 30-day trial
Prime logo New to Audible Prime Member exclusive:
2 credits with free trial
1 credit a month to use on any title to download and keep
Listen to anything from the Plus Catalogue—thousands of Audible Originals, podcasts and audiobooks
Download titles to your library and listen offline
₹199 per month after 30-day trial. Cancel anytime.

The Nanda Devi Mystery

Written by: Asiaville
Narrated by: Sashi Kumar
Free with 30-day trial

₹199 per month after trial ends. Cancel anytime.

  • Summary

  • The Nanda Devi Mystery: How India and America Lost a Nuclear Device is the thoroughly riveting and sometimes bizarre story of how India and America tried to install a nuclear-powered surveillance device on top of the Himalayas to snoop on China and then lost it forever. Narrated by Sashi Kumar and produced by Asiaville, it is the dramatic story of Cold War geopolitics and how the frenzy of the nuclear arms race pushed two nations to do the unthinkable. But, it is also the awe-inspiring tale of some of the world's finest mountaineers who doubled up as high-altitude spies and put themselves at unimaginable risk to execute a wild idea.

    Written by Angshuman Choudhury and Directed & Narrated by Sashi Kumar.
    ©2023 Asiaville Interactive Pvt Ltd. (P)2023 Asiaville Interactive Pvt Ltd.
    Show More Show Less
Contemporary Fiction
Show More Show Less
Episodes
  • Episode 1: The “Machine”

    Episode 1: The “Machine”
    Jul 20 2023
    As a race between the world’s two biggest superpowers to develop the most powerful atomic bomb intensifies, so does their mutual desire to spy on each other. Strangely, that mind-boggling history is linked to rumours about a recent avalanche in the valley overlooking the Nanda Devi.
    Show More Show Less
    36 mins
    Free with 30-day trial
  • Episode 2: The Dragon Enters the Room

    Episode 2: The Dragon Enters the Room
    Jul 20 2023
    Even as the US continues to obsess over the Soviet Union, the so-called “Far East” gives birth to two formidable communist empires. The Americans would quickly realise that they had underestimated Mao’s China and Kim Il-Sung’s North Korea.
    Show More Show Less
    30 mins
    Free with 30-day trial
  • Episode 3: The Dragon Breathes Fire

    Episode 3: The Dragon Breathes Fire
    Jul 20 2023

    Mao makes it clear that he wants the atomic bomb. Zhou Enlai says China wants “peaceful existence”. The doublespeak confounds both America and the Soviet Union. But, a third major power sits up and takes notice - India. The stage is set for one of the strangest and most intense Himalayan adventures.
    Show More Show Less
    28 mins
    Free with 30-day trial

What listeners say about The Nanda Devi Mystery

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    36
  • 4 Stars
    7
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    38
  • 4 Stars
    7
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    38
  • 4 Stars
    6
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Audible.in reviews

Amazon Reviews
Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile image for Harshad P

Wonderfully researched, written and narrated

Hats off to the writing and research by Angshuman Chaudhary and Sashi Kumar's inimitable narration. A true masterpiece of a podcast putting history in such a wonderful perspective.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile image for Anonymous User

astounding!

Terrific narration by Shashi ji and storytelling was perfect. Meticulous background score and sound make it a cocktail of mellifluous original.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile image for Vishal D.

great story with best sound design

a lot of context. so interesting would hear twice. give it a try u will enjoy.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Profile image for Uzair Sait

Shashi kumars delivery

Great precedent to the new age Cold War . Great narration and engrossing background score. Look forward to many more asiaville productions

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile image for Srinidhi

Comprehensive and eye opening !

A very detailed exposition of the entire saga. Great narration. Great research. Repetitive at times, but engaging none the less. Kudos !

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Profile image for Aditya Sreenivasan

An enthrallingly narrated obscure Indian spy story

Was quite intrigued when this popped up in my Audible catalogue recommendations, and decided to give it a try. I had vaguely read about this topic in a subReddit about Indian legends and was looking forward to learning more about this mystery from this audiobook.

Besides the story being quite gripping, I felt the standout aspects were the script and the narration. They managed to keep me hooked throughout the episodes barring the last one - which I felt ended abruptly, as if the CIA & IB did not want the last part of the story to be revealed. The BGM is also pretty good, but that sudden volume increase in the end credits is jarring and annoying.

The good: Narration and script
Could be improved: that music volume of the end credits BGM

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile image for vanija

mind blowingly chaotic and insightful

what a wonderful journey through history and human ambition. what a epic storytelling. wonderful

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile image for Placeholder

Mystery solved in detail

Great narration. Equally great was the presentation of the story, no stone was left unturned to make this series what it is... marvellous.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile image for Placeholder

Good podcast. Informative

One needs to listen for the way it is presented spoken and for the history itself.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile image for Anonymous User

Grasping story

I listened to this series while walking to and fro from office. I, in general follow mountaineering related content and hence got intrigued by the title. I had never heard of this mishap otherwise. The series touches upon the nuclear race between India, US and China, geopolitical aspect of it, politics behind espionage, logistics involved during mountaineering expeditions etc.

Wonderful story telling and narration. Each episode would end by creating curiosity, leaving the desire to start the new episode.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!