Abstract: India, a nation perched precariously on one of the most active seismic belts in the world, faces a curious paradox: despite mounting geological evidence and rising urban vulnerability, public understanding and policy responses remain dangerously inadequate . In this compelling episode of Disaster Diaries, Dr. Sulagna Chattopadhyay speaks with Dr. O.P. Mishra, Director of the National Centre for Seismology, on the science of earthquakes, the complexities of prediction, and the unseen relationship between tectonic stress and climate change. From Himalayan seismic gaps to microzonation maps, the discussion traverses the deeply interconnected systems of earth science, engineering preparedness, and societal readiness.