Into the Light

With David Letterman

Why this story needs to be told

I was excited to visit India to learn of the country, the people, and the culture.

David Letterman
Photo: National Geographic/Ismail Ferdous
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David Letterman and the Prime Minister
September 13, 2016

David Letterman and the Prime Minister

A behind-the-scenes look at how David Letterman prepares for an interview with Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India.

David Letterman and the Prime Minister

A behind-the-scenes look at how David Letterman prepares for an interview with Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India.

Introduction

In his first television project since retiring as host of CBS’s “The Late Show,” David Letterman travels to India to find out how this country—soon to be the world’s most populous—will power all its people. Will they continue using dirty fossils fuels like coal or lead the way with the renewable energy program they’ve promised? Letterman interviews the prime minister, travels to rural villages where 300 million people live without power, and finds out why the U.S. may play a key role in India’s energy future.

National Geographic Feature Story: How Climate Change is Hitting India

PHOTOGRAPH BY ERIK TANNER

Meet The Characters

Narendra Modi  Prime Minister of India
Richard Verma  US Ambassador to India
Arunabha Ghosh  CEO, Council on Energy Environment and Water
Iqbal Kidwai Filmmaker
Inderpreet Wadhwa CEO of Azure Power
Anil Raj Managing Director, OMC Power

Behind the Scenes

David Letterman and the U.S. Ambassador

In this YEARS OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY web exclusive, David Letterman sits down with the then-US Ambassador to India, Richard Verma, to learn how two of the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitters are working together to fight climate change. Since the video was filmed, the United States elected a new president, Donald J. Trump, who is putting important partnerships like these in jeopardy.

Play
David Letterman and the U.S. Ambassador
September 1, 2017

David Letterman and the U.S. Ambassador

In this YEARS OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY web exclusive, David Letterman sits down with the then-US Ambassador to India, Richard Verma, to learn how two of the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitters are working together to fight climate change. Since the video was filmed, the United States elected a new president, Donald J. Trump, who is putting important partnerships like these in jeopardy.

David Letterman and the U.S. Ambassador

In this YEARS OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY web exclusive, David Letterman sits down with the then-US Ambassador to India, Richard Verma, to learn how two of the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitters are working together to fight climate change. Since the video was filmed, the United States elected a new president, Donald J. Trump, who is putting important partnerships like these in jeopardy.

Play
David Letterman Meets Iqbal Kidwai
February 23, 2017

Letterman Meets Iqbal Kidwai

In this behind-the-scenes clip, David Letterman meets filmmaker Iqbal Kidwai. Iqbal is Letterman’s guide to the rural areas of Uttar Pradesh, where some villages aren’t connected to the electrical grid.

Letterman Meets Iqbal Kidwai

In this behind-the-scenes clip, David Letterman meets filmmaker Iqbal Kidwai. Iqbal is Letterman’s guide to the rural areas of Uttar Pradesh, where some villages aren’t connected to the electrical grid.

Play
David Letterman Goes To The Bank
May 20, 2019

David Letterman Goes to the Bank

Renewables are changing lives in rural India, as small businesses replace expensive, dirty, and unreliable diesel generators, with cheap, clean, sustainable solar energy. David Letterman visits one such business.

David Letterman Goes to the Bank

Renewables are changing lives in rural India, as small businesses replace expensive, dirty, and unreliable diesel generators, with cheap, clean, sustainable solar energy. David Letterman visits one such business.

Play
David Letterman Learns About India’s Energy Future
May 11, 2017

David Letterman Learns About India’s Energy Future

David Letterman talks with energy expert Arunabha Ghosh, about the future of electricity in India.

David Letterman Learns About India’s Energy Future

David Letterman talks with energy expert Arunabha Ghosh, about the future of electricity in India.

Play
David Letterman: Why I Care
February 3, 2017

David Letterman: Why I Care

The retired talkshow host shares why he started to care about climate change.

(Esther Williams was a competitive swimmer and actress who appeared in a number of Hollywood films in the 1940s and 1950s.)

David Letterman: Why I Care

The retired talkshow host shares why he started to care about climate change.

(Esther Williams was a competitive swimmer and actress who appeared in a number of Hollywood films in the 1940s and 1950s.)

Play
David Letterman Gets a Trim
October 5, 2016

David Letterman Gets a Trim

David Letterman takes a trip to the barber shop while filming with YEARS of LIVING DANGEROUSLY in India.

David Letterman Gets a Trim

David Letterman takes a trip to the barber shop while filming with YEARS of LIVING DANGEROUSLY in India.

Play
David Letterman Off the Grid
October 31, 2016

David Letterman Off the Grid

In this behind the scenes clip, David Letterman visits a village in India that’s not connected to the electricity grid. He also learns about a climate-friendly solution for places like this.

David Letterman Off the Grid

In this behind the scenes clip, David Letterman visits a village in India that’s not connected to the electricity grid. He also learns about a climate-friendly solution for places like this.

Play
David Letterman Goes to India
October 19, 2016

David Letterman Goes to India

Behind the scenes in New Delhi, India with David Letterman and energy expert Arunabha Ghosh.

David Letterman Goes to India

Behind the scenes in New Delhi, India with David Letterman and energy expert Arunabha Ghosh.

Play
From Coal to Solar in New Delhi
October 31, 2016

From Coal to Solar in New Delhi

David Letterman visits the Azure Solar power field in New Delhi.

From Coal to Solar in New Delhi

David Letterman visits the Azure Solar power field in New Delhi.

Play
David Letterman visits Uttar Pradesh
October 31, 2016

David Letterman visits Uttar Pradesh

David Letterman traveled to Uttar Pradesh to learn about India’s energy future. Always the joker, see what else he did in this behind-the-scenes look at the making of Years of Living Dangerously.

David Letterman visits Uttar Pradesh

David Letterman traveled to Uttar Pradesh to learn about India’s energy future. Always the joker, see what else he did in this behind-the-scenes look at the making of Years of Living Dangerously.

David Letterman visits an OMC plant solar plant in India.

What is the potential for solar energy in India? YEARS of LIVING DANGEROUSLY travels there to find out.

The YEARS team scouts for locations in Delhi.

David Letterman in India for season 2 of YEARS of LIVING DANGEROUSLY.

David Letterman interviews Prime Minister Modi for YEARS of LIVING DANGEROUSLY.

David Lettermanand Narendra Modi.

SHARE YOUR STORY

The YEARS team is committed to covering stories about how we’re all impacted by climate change. Let us know if you see something you’d like us to investigate.

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