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Our project seeks to analyze the interactions and exchanges between China and India in this age of decolonization through the pages of the Nehru Papers. Although the members of our group have all been engaged in the study of China and India, for many of us, the types of documents that comprise the Nehru Papers vary significantly from the kinds of materials we otherwise work on. Some years ago, the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) in New Delhi declassified the post-1947 materials within the Jawaharlal Nehru Papers collection. [Extracted from the article]

Crop raiding has been reported in many parts of Punjab as a result of an overabundance of nilgai antelopes (Boselaphus tragocamelus) and farmers are constantly battling to save their crops. In the present study, various management strategies such as physical deterrents (nylon rope, nylon net and garden net), visual repellents (scarecrow and reflective ribbon), chemical repellents (different concentrations of Neelbo and Ecodon (based on ricinoleic acid) applied by spraying, soaking jute rope, soaked in wood shavings packed in plastic bags and paper cups) and biological deterrents (bioacoustic device and different concentrations of faecal solution of horse, tiger and Himalayan black bear) were evaluated to minimize the damage caused by nilgai. Nylon net was the most promising method, providing complete protection against nilgai, which can be used for protecting crops at vulnerable stages with a one-time cost. The nylon rope and garden net provided partial protection from nilgai damage. The bioacoustic device and reflective ribbon were also effective for a short period of time. Neelbo was found more effective as chemical repellent against nilgai. The faecal solution of horse and Himalayan black bear remained effective as repellent for 10 days. It is thus concluded that while comprehensive damage prevention may be difficult, animal management devices can help reduce nilgai damage at vulnerable stages of the crop. The employment of a range of management devices at the proper time can be part of a cost-effective system to keep nilgai damage at acceptable levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper intends to contextualise the life of Christianity in British India through the developments in military theology in the late eighteenth and through the nineteenth century that put forth the image of the 'soldier saint'- a true Christian soldier, British in blood and in faith. This discourse intensified after the military turned civilian Indian rebellion of 1857 which was immediately coloured in Christian vs heathen terms, and following which, the spiritual needs of Christian soldiers came into focus with the East India Company. The deaths, rituals and continued traditions of burial of the Christian soldiers, officers, and civilians have been marked through some prominent cemeteries and war memorials in India. While studies of these sites of memory have focused on the graves, tombs, and memorials in parts of north, west and south India, the frontier region of northeast India has remained outside the focus of most studies. This paper has chosen the eastern Himalayan territories comprising Sikkim and Kalimpong that fall on or near the Silk route to bring attention to the history of territorial aggression and the resulting material memory of lesser-known cemeteries and memorials Further. This paper analyses lesser discussed fiction to bring into focus the region's human geography. This paper recognises the need to study inter-religious relations through materiality and afterlives of Christianity in India that was shaped to a large extent by the soldiers-both British and native, and the chaplains, gravediggers, priests and nurses and caregivers whose lives are recorded in the memory of death. By doing so, this study hopes to bring new dimensions to the study of Christianity in India with the inclusion of the materiality of religion, the postcolonial gothic imaginary and military theology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper studies a copper coin type issued during the reign of the Kuṣāṇ king Kujūla Kadphises (ca. 40/50–90 AD) called "Roman Emperor Type". These coins, dated towards the end of the first century AD, present on the obverse the image of a ruler recalling the imperial iconography of the Julio-Claudian period, and on the reverse Kujūla himself seated. The coin is a real innovation in the history of ancient Indian numismatics and can be the starting point to understand the political choices of Kujūla in a context still embryonic for the Kuṣāṇs. This paper, through the literary, epigraphic, and archaeological sources at our disposal, aims to demonstrate that the issuing was influenced not only by the halo of authority that the Romans had in India, but mainly by the economic and religious context of the city, which the sovereign used as a place of experimentation for this particular hybrid type of coin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper concerns itself with the study of changing dynamics of herder-bovine relationships in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. By exploring the affective lives of Tamil-speaking herders of South India in their interaction with native Pulikulam breed bovines and foreign bred milch cows, this paper maps the sensuous ways in which these three beings make and unmake each other. At a more abstract level, this paper intends to improvise dialogue between new materialist and deconstructive techniques by exploring Karen Barad's conception of intra-action, and Derrida's hauntology in the context of human-animal relationships. The central argument this paper exposes is that our nuanced moments of interactions with animals are already mediated by visceral absences which we fail to take into consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is an attempt to explore the two prominent populist moments in post- colonial India, namely Indira Gandhi's and Narendra Modi's politics, to understand the formation, transformation, and repercussions of populism at different historical conjunctures. To move beyond the existing accounts that have either tended to reduce populism to a rhetoric style or a campaign strategy or failed to address the dynamic relationship between populism and nationalism, the paper draws on the discursive- theoretical approach developed by Ernesto Laclau and scholars influenced by him, which sees populism as a political logic, with a specific focus on the distinction and articulation between populism and nationalism. Through a nuanced analysis of Gandhi's and Modi's populist politics, the paper hopes to shed light on the entanglement between populism and nationalism, or between "the people" and "the nation" in different forms that has continued to characterize the political landscape of India until today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sri Lanka and India are desirable surrogacy destinations for various reasons. Although surrogacy can generate greater foreign revenue, it raises ethical and legal difficulties. India enacted the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act 2021 after decades of effort, whereas Sri Lanka continues with unregulated practice. This paper assesses to what extent Sri Lanka may learn from India. To that end, this paper investigates (i) the signifigance of Sri Lanka as a surrogacy destination and the surrounding ethical and legal issues; (ii) the legal validity and the legal framework governing surrogacy in Sri Lanka; (iii) the main characteristics of the legal landscape of surrogacy in India; and (iv) the adequacies and inadequacies of Indian legal approach to the surrogacy to determine the extent to which the Indian model can serve as a template for Sri Lanka. This paper concludes by proposing certain guiding principles for Sri Lanka in developing a legal framework for surrogacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Indian diaspora plays a crucial role in developing strong bilateral synergies between India and the UAE. The collaboration includes remittances, trade, connectivity, tourism, education, health, culture and cuisine, among other things. The quantum of investment and trade cooperation between both countries explains the depth of their relationship. This penetration is linked to the Indian diaspora, which shapes the constituents of meaningful cooperation. The Indian migrant inflow into the UAE started to increase in the 1970s, drawn by the oil economy, coupled with global events such as globalisation and economic liberalisation. The UAE's political dispensation, albeit conservative, has allowed the diasporic communities the space to pursue their aspirations in myriad fields. The Indian diaspora capitalises on this scope for shared success. Therefore, this paper examines the constituents of bilateralism, the India–UAE partnership and their mutual dependencies, and the role of the Indian diaspora as a significant factor in the bilateral exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses three aspects of Majid Daneshgar's monograph Studying the Qurʾan in the Muslim Academy. The first part looks at the complexities around the lack of coherence between the Muslim Academy and so-called "Western" Institutions. Drawing on some examples from my own life, I will address the hesitance to embrace sources from the West as highlighted by Daneshgar. Then, I will present an example from the "Western Academy" that speaks to a broader audience across this divide. The second part of this paper will address the phenomenon of trying to find scientific proofs in the Qur'an and the issues around those attempts in the field of the history of science and religion. Drawing on my own research, the third part of this reflection will draw on the example of Islam in India to show the complex nature of the so-called Muslim Academy and its ties to colonial encounters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Finally, the third part focuses on China's and India's actions in the field of population control and utilizes Nehru Papers, newspaper articles from I Renmin ribao i (People's Daily) and the I Times of India i and other sources primary and secondary to excavate information on China-India comparative contraception policies. The 1877 famines in China and India, according to Matthew Connelly, launched the population control movement in Europe and the US.[8] How exactly this Western comparative lens colored China-India contact in the 1950s begs further research as well.[9] This article consists of three parts. One of the items on the agenda of the first independent government of India was the reforming of women's rights, particularly with the goal of raising female literacy levels and encouraging participation in the workforce.[18] As diplomatic relations between India and China became closer, Indian government officials paid particular attention to the roles women assumed in the People's Republic of China (PRC). "Our Women Should Certainly Emulate": China-India Gendered Exchanges. [Extracted from the article]

This paper offers an extended introduction to the Kavikaṇṭhapāśa (or "Leash for Poets"), an anonymous text on the metaphysical qualities of poetry. By way of an annotated translation of key passages, the essay argues that the Kavikaṇṭhapāśa was likely composed sometime in the twelfth or thirteenth century, and that it is closely connected to the earliest Tamil pāṭṭiyal s. This suggests that it is one of the earliest witnesses to the metaphysical analysis of poetry in the Deccan and southern India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

U Maung explained to Nehru that the Burmese government had to recognize the PRC owing to a disturbing situation on Burma's northeast border with China. On December 18, 1949, Jawaharlal Nehru, the prime minister of India, received a telegram from Clement Attlee, the British prime minister, inquiring as to whether the Indian government would take parallel action with Britain to recognize the People's Republic of China (PRC) on January 2, 1950.[1] Nehru then told Krishna Menon, the Indian high commissioner to the United Kingdom, that India would recognize the PRC on December 30, 1949. Realizing that India had not recognized the PRC and that their surprising announcement would very possibly enrage Nehru, who had long called for mutual consultation before taking any action with the recognition, the Burmese Foreign Minister U Maung paid a visit to New Delhi on December 17. [Extracted from the article]

In a fourth- or fifth-century narrative known as the Acts of Thomas and his Wonderworking Skin , Jesus sells the apostle Thomas as a slave to the governor of India. When the governor's wife converts to Christianity, dumps all her earthly riches outside her front door, and turns celibate, the governor has the apostle tortured and his skin flayed off, but Thomas survives, and uses his peeled-off skin to raise the dead. This paper uses Kathryn Tanner's concept of culture to compare the ideals advocated by this story – servitude to Christ, voluntary poverty, sexual abstinence, readiness to suffer, and zeal for evangelization – to ideals expressed in first-century Christian literature. The subculture expressed by the narrative is found to consist entirely of ideals also expressed in the New Testament, which are updated, recontextualized, and radicalized in order to reach an audience of fourth- or fifth-century Christians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Periodicals played increasingly an important role, particularly from the nineteenth century, within missionary circles. This paper focuses on the American Presbyterian Periodical, nur-e afshan (the refulgent light). The initial evidence presented here supports the argument that there were changes in its ownership and use over the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Initially edited by the Presbyterian missionary, Wherry, by the turn of the nineteenth century, the periodical reflected the broader change from missionary to native leadership in the Presbyterian Mission. The policy to gradually 'indigenise' the periodical went hand in hand with the native Christians replacing the missionaries as lead contributors and consumers. Nur has been dismissively described as a 'semi-secular' magazine, which undermines its significance as a forum for native agency and thought in the changing socio-political context of India. Under this agency, the periodical surrendered the traditional triumphalist polemics for a more reflective discourse leading up to India's independence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking from, and critiquing, both the scholarship on the Indian "middle class" as well as the scholarship on the 'labour aristocracy', this paper argues for the reformulation of the Indian "middle class" as a labour aristocracy or worker elite. We define the distinctive characteristics that set the Indian worker elite apart from the broader working class and highlight, through the case studies of international migration, patterns in urban living spaces and domestic service employment, the stark differences between the worker elite and the poor working masses in India, and the exploitative relationship that exists between the two. The analysis points to the semi-periphery being the locus of the largest inequalities in the capitalist world-system today, where the bourgeoisie and the worker elite both gain tremendously from the exploitation inherent to capitalism. Resultingly, the task at hand in India and the semi-periphery broadly remains to organize the poor, marginalised working masses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the beginning of civilisation the Indian culture promoted, preached and practiced diversity; a land which has accommodated and embraced racial, cultural, linguistic and religious diversity. The doctrine of VasudhaivaKutumbakam 1 – the world is a family – is entrenched in Indian philosophy; it is one of the basic tenets of India's spiritual and cultural heritage. The intrinsic value of this philosophy is that it has no discrimination, does not play favourites and has no class or hierarchy. India has a great tradition of hosting people who were in the fear of being persecuted by their government much before the adoption of international legal framework for the protection of refugees. This paper examines the history of India's approach towards people seeking protection, by invoking doctrine of humanitarian consideration, despite the non-existence of a refugee policy at the time. Then, the paper proceeds to evaluate the massive inflow of the people into India upon partition of India and how effectively these new population were integrated and rehabilitated into our society, and how the practice has evolved to its current form. The study also carefully looks into the development of jurisprudence on refugees in India, by analyzing various judgments of the Supreme Court, Courts, and lower Courts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of the new comparative theology in the west has greatly benefitted from Indian Vedic texts and related ones. Despite their extensive use for western theological reflection, comparative theology, however, has not come to the limelight in India, since most of the western initiatives have been perceived to be camouflaged missionary efforts. This paper proposes the cognitive metaphor theory as a fitting supplement to comparative theology. I argue that combining both has much to offer to study, learn, and relate religions in the multi-religiously coexisting context of India. I explore its possibilities and challenges and address how new comparative theology stays distinct from its nineteenth-century efforts in terms of bridging religious traditions by learning from them. This paper draws much from my own experiences, insights, and studies as a native of Indian culture, brought up in Christian tradition. My studies and researches are focused on comparative theology developed through the lens of cognitive metaphor theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the Jung-India continuum which encapsulates many centuries of transcultural history. At the centre is Germany's role in advancing Sanskrit scholarship, the Sacred Books of the East being one of Jung's primary sources of readings on India. Jung's notions about India were guided by German romanticism and enclosed many layers of cultural interactions between the two countries. They reflect historical moments of how notions about race and culture were formed through various interconnected movements. Jung's long engagement with and his journey through India, at many points held indeterminate ideas about culture and feelings of otherness about India, its people, knowledge, religious goals etc. This paper elaborates on Jung's notion of 'cultural other' with reference to India. India was also the ground for his discovery of his own psychological standpoint different from the East and the dream of the Grail. Jung had many divergences with Indian philosophers and spiritualists which made these transcultural exchanges complex. For example, the concept of unconscious psyche is absent in Indian philosophical knowledge. This paper examines these issues in understanding the notion of 'cultural other' in Jung, and the various ways by which he carried and expressed his differences, that facilitated a relational pathway between Jung and India, critical for future inquiry and dialogue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Indian Supreme Court's judgment in Navtej Singh Johar, delivered in September 2018, decriminalizing same-sex relations in India, generated a storm of discussion and debate, in both India and in the world beyond. Apart from its clear and sharp verdict that held that the Indian Constitution protected the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, the decision was also noteworthy because it reversed the Court's own prior judgment, delivered a mere five years before (in 2013), that had upheld the constitutional validity of the law that penalized same-sex relations. In this case comment, we set out the chronology of judicial decisions that led to the final judgment in Navtej Singh Johar: the judgment of the High Court of Delhi in 2009, which first decriminalized same-sex relations, the 2013 judgment of the Indian Supreme Court that reversed it, and the various judicial proceedings that continued to rumble on in the Court--an additional round known as the 'curative hearing', and separate litigation on the constitutional status of the right to privacy. Within this context, the paper then discusses the multiple opinions that were delivered by the Bench in Navtej Singh Johar, and examines the reasons on the basis of which the Court held that Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code--insofar as it criminalized same-sex relations between consenting adults--violated the fundamental rights to equality, nondiscrimination, freedom of expression, and life and personal liberty, guaranteed by the Constitution of India. The article will conclude by setting out some possibilities for the way forward, in light of the judgment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1993, India adopted the neoliberal World Bank model for the electricity sector, which endeavoured to privatise the state owned sector. The move to privatise was prompted by sectoral losses owing to politicisation of provision and inefficient management of the state owned utility. This transition from a 'welfare state' to a 'regulatory state' was sought to be achieved through legislative enactment. By tracing the province of Andhra Pradesh's implementation of the reform legislation, the paper evolves an alternate narrative of the reform process, as opposed the World Bank's narrative of legislative enactment signalling the reception of its regulatory model. It argues that focussing on resistance to reform and actual 'reception' as opposed to formal enactment will counter the assumption of triumph of the neo-liberal worldview of the role of the state in economic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is a theoretical paper that has analysed more than 55 publications to draw comparison between Pakistan and India non-profit sectors. The two countries share their history under British rule before 1947 partition. Before the partition the non-profit sector saw a rise under different religious umbrellas, however after the partition the sectors saw a rise in nonreligious, non-political organizations in both countries. The paper draws the similarities and differences among the types of organizations, funding sources, giving and legal framework. The paper debates the reasons for different evolutions of the sectors in post-independence era and its reasons. The findings show that both sectors evolved different due to differences in religious influence, political instability and check and balance systems. The paper aims to contribute in depth analysis of the both sectors in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the mid-nineteenth century movement towards Christianity in Chotanagpur in central India, the missionary Constant Lievens (1856–1893) played a pioneering role in the establishment of the Catholic Mission among the Adivasis (indigenous peoples). Through Lievens' legal advocacy, Adivasis not only adopted a faith, but also began to reclaim their lands and their indigeneity. Drawing on ethnographic research around the intercessory prayer for the beatification of Lievens, this paper analyses the present-day lived contestations of Adivasi Catholic identity-making. The paper argues that Adivasi Catholic identities are lived in contestation and continuous negotiation with their present realities, while also borrowing from the legacies of their own past struggles and their intermediaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The devadasi community of south India are originators of a popular dance form called bharatanatyam. This paper explores several dimensions of this community including legal and social angles. A misjudged and misunderstood community, the modern-day devadasi 's circumstances can be described as fraught with social disabilities ranging from a lack of economic opportunities and the resultant poverty to an increased propensity for delinquency. The paper presents an unbiased view of the history of the devadasi system that attempts to use a varied range of sources so as to paint a clear narrative. The paper proposes a mechanism to move forward through truth commissions as a form of restorative justice that is likely to help both policymakers as well as artists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a study of the three most famous skeptical thinkers of classical India, examining both their commonalities and unique differences. Adepts of the controversial debate methodology called vitaṇḍā , "negative debate," these thinkers manage to challenge the very possibility of knowledge, while espousing (at least nominal) allegiance to distinct schools of thought. They also pass negative judgement on the possibility of certainty while appealing to rational persuasion. This paper explores these paradoxes and possible contradictions, with a culminating reflection of the role of the "two truths," ultimate vs. everyday perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reconsiders the long-held view that Chapter 36 of the Nanhai jigui neifa zhuan or "Record of the Inner Law Sent Home from the South Seas" written by the Chinese pilgrim Yijing is a translation of a long passage from the Cīvaravastu of the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya. Through comparing Chapter 36 with the Gilgit Sanskrit text of the Cīvaravastu , the Tibetan translation of the Cīvaravastu , and Yijing's translation of the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinayasaṃgraha , this paper reveals, on the one hand, significant differences between Chapter 36 and the extant versions of the Cīvaravastu , and, on the other hand, substantial overlap between Chapter 36 and Yijing's translation of the Vinayasaṃgraha. It argues that Chapter 36 was not translated from the Cīvaravastu (or at least not from a version of the Cīvaravastu identical with or similar to the Gilgit Sanskrit version), but rather seems to have been composed by Yijing through drawing largely (though not entirely) from the Vinayasaṃgraha. This paper therefore demonstrates anew that Yijing's travel record cannot be simply taken as his eyewitness report of Buddhist monastic practices in ancient India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India's connections with Southeast Asia are rooted in history in terms of geography, civilization, culture, economy and strategy. These connections became deeper since the 1990s as India initiated the policy of 'Look East' that resulted in manifold growth with ASEAN and Singapore. The initiation of 'Look East Policy' opened the door for Singaporean Indians for investments and interaction with their motherland. Through the 'Look East Policy' the distance between India and ASEAN ended and India was connected with this region and especially Singapore through trade relations. With this policy, India was able to enter this region and this was the chance for the Indian people to revitalize and energize their social and cultural bonds with their motherland (Pande 2017). These relations were further intensified after 2014 as Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially launched 'Act East Policy'. While 'Look East Policy' was launched by India in the backdrop of the critical economic situation, the 'Act East Policy' is aimed at strengthening our relations in terms of cultural, political and strategic dimensions. Therefore, this paper aims to study and analyse the role of the Indian diaspora as a soft power for making strong bilateral bonds between India and Singapore with special reference to the political and economic scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper I suggest that Roman Catholic theologians in India take a second look at the distinction between western and Indian secularisms. Blurring the lines between western and Indian secularisms may help the theological reflection on the so-called crisis of Indian secularism. The key point is the non-ontological, historical character of secularism. A look at the growing literature on western post-secularization, in fact, may offer some suggestions about how to deal with the nationalist mooring of Hindutva philosophy. A possibility exists that both the West and India are eventually entering simultaneously, but not necessarily on the same terms, a post-secular phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a critique of India’s highly selective current foreign policy engagement among its diaspora populations, with special reference to medical graduates from the South African Indian diaspora. It begins from the realistic position that India cannot possibly be expected to accommodate the needs of all of its 25 million diaspora spread out in the different countries in which they are resident. But they can, as respondents for this project emphasized, possibly be more creative in the ways that they engage with intellectual and innovative potential from the diaspora populations that are not from the elitist entrepreneurial segments. In South Africa for instance, people of Indian origin (PIOs) medical graduates continue to suffer consequences of the inhibitive affirmative action policies in the country. Restricted to the African majority, affirmative action and budgetary restraints in health care delivery are denying hundreds of PIO graduates from acquiring Registrar posts that will lead them towards specialized medical qualifications. Against the background of such restraints many graduates are considering finding alternative relief outside of South Africa, and are raising questions about what the Indian state could do to nurture their talents. In view of this reality, this paper will engage in a brief overview of the non-resident Indian and PIO contributions to India’s foreign exchange reserves and development; how the state of India can possibly consider this situation for its longer term benefit, and how Goran Hyden’s theory of the ‘economy of affection’ can be implemented to develop a more inclusive nexus between the diaspora populations and their ancestral homeland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on exploring dhvani as a hermeneutical tool for reading Christian devotional literature. Dhvani is a theory of poetic suggestion proposed by Ānandavardhana in the eighth century and elaborated upon by Abhinavagupta in the eleventh century that posits layers of semantics in poetic language. By focusing on the devotional poetry of the seventeenth-century religious poets of England, this paper argues for Ānandavardhana's proposed poetics of suggestion as an enabling way of reading and cognizing devotion as a psycho emotive process. In the context of Indian Christianity, dhvani has been suggested by certain scholars as also enriching the possibilities of interfaith dialogue. This paper argues for incorporating poetic frameworks like dhvani as modes of interfaith dialogue, especially when reading Christian texts in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several theories emerged, based on the Christian conversion of lower caste communities in colonial India. The social and economic aspects predominate the study of religious conversion among the lower castes in Kerala. Most of these studies only explored the lower caste conversion after the legal abolition of slavery in Kerala (1855). The existing literature followed the mass movement phenomena. These studies ignore the slave lifeworld and conversion history before the abolition period, and they argued, through religious conversion, the former slave castes began breaking social and caste hierarchy with the help of Protestant Christianity. The dominant Dalit Christian historiography does not open the complexity of slave Christian past. Against this background, this paper explores the history of slave caste conversion before the abolition period. From the colonial period, the missionary writings bear out that the slaves were hostile to and suspicious of new religions. They accepted Christianity only cautiously. It was a conscious choice, even as many Dalits refused Christian teachings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the latter half of the 19th century the Indian subcontinent was wrought with frequent famines. The colonial state provided relief to the affected population through employment on public works such as roads, canals and railways, in addition to charitable relief. Discussing working conditions, wages, and recruitment, this paper argues that famine labour was characterized by informality under a state regulated employment system, and explores how informality can be conceptualized in a historical context. Coinage of and the distinction between the terms formal and informal is fairly recent, being defined by degrees of state regulation and precarity. This paper, through the case of famine construction workers, offers evidence of practice and adds to the corpus of literature that challenges the distinction between the two terms. Therefore, the paper holds implications for current discussions on interpenetrations between formal and informal economies in the global south. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper traces the conception of "guarding the One" (shou yi 守一), an equivalent to "one-practice samādhi " from the East Mountain Teaching (dong shan fa men 東山法門) in early Chan Buddhism, back to the Zhuangzi 《莊子》. "Guarding the One" and "nurturing the shen " (yang shen 養神) appear frequently in the context of Daoist spiritual training for longevity. In early medieval Chinese Buddhism, with the influence of the discourse of Daoist spiritual training and the karma theory from India, the concept of shen 神 generally developed into a pure substance of the mind. This substance of the mind also echoes the theory of Buddha-nature, and played a significant role in "Fourth Patriarch" Daoxin's interpretation of "guarding the One". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article situates the Enrica Lexie award's stance on the Tribunal's jurisdiction over the marines' immunity within the broader debate on the scope of the jurisdiction of international courts and tribunals over incidental questions. After illustrating the Tribunal's approach to the question at hand, the paper appraises those instances where an international tribunal with limited jurisdiction can decide issues and apply rules that are "external" to its principal jurisdiction. It then focuses on the question of the jurisdiction over incidental issues, which is the most debated avenue for an international tribunal to engage with substantive matters falling outside the scope of the tribunal's ratione materiae jurisdiction. Finally, the Tribunal's approach in the Enrica Lexie award is critically assessed against the above debate. It is submitted that, although the award arguably put an end to the longstanding dispute between India and Italy, the Tribunal's reasoning does not seem to be in line with the conditions for the exercise of jurisdiction over incidental questions as roughly sketched in relevant case law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phenomenon of interreligious patronage on the Indian subcontinent in the pre-modern period is best attested in royal inscriptions recording religious endowments. It is striking that most pre-Islamic Indian rulers patronised priests, monks, ascetics, and religious establishments of multiple faiths. The personal religious affiliations of the kings often contrasted remarkably with the patronage patterns followed by them according to the testimony of their epigraphs. The strongest indication for the individual confessions of rulers is given by the religious epithets among their titles. While the ambivalent relationship between the personal beliefs of the kings and their donative practices has been repeatedly described as an expression of Indian religious "tolerance" or of the specific character of Indian religious traditions, this paper emphasises that there were several reasons for the dichotomy. This will be investigated on the basis of the epigraphic material of the Maitraka dynasty, which ruled in Gujarat from the 5th to the 8th centuries. The article also contains an edition and translation of the hitherto unpublished Yodhāvaka Grant of Dharasena IV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper, an homage to B. Laufer's "Asbestos and Salamander" (1915), adds South Asia to the story of a remarkable Eurasian cultural meme meant to explain the presence of fire-proof cloth after its manufacturing technology was forgotten, namely that asbestos was the fur of a mythical animal. I argue that none of our Sanskrit dictionaries contain the correct meaning of the term agniśauca , which does indeed mean asbestos. The widely shared motif explains why in Sanskrit literature too we have animals (a nondescript mṛga) by the same name. I examine textual passages from kāvya , purāṇa s, as well as Buddhist sūtra s and śāstra s, to elucidate this topic. I also cite some evidence that in the period between the 9th and the 11th c. some areas of India still possessed knowledge of asbestos manufacturing. However, as for where and when the correlation was first made, I must leave the question open. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the cultural context and ecological implications of two menstrual festivals in northeastern India: Rajaparba in Orissa and Ambuvaci in Kamakhya, Assam. We argue that these festivals are extremely fruitful sites to explore questions of women and power in religious communities where the Goddess is a central focus as well as their ecological implications for an integral worldview. These festivals, usually held at the beginning of the monsoon when the Hindu Goddess menstruates, are times when the earth is regenerated, when the body of the Goddess is regenerated, and when women and communities are regenerated in various ways. Participants report that pilgrimages to these festivals are indeed transformative and have positive impacts on their lives. As a result, we critique feminist arguments that claim that Hinduism is the basis for women's social disempowerment, and as a result, the only meaningful social change must occur on a secular basis. We also use these festivals to critique contemporary feminist developmentalist ideologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article centers on an Urdu-language manual on lithography, published in 1924 by the Nizami Press in Budaun (United Provinces), to explore how a Muslim printer-publisher in a North Indian qaṣbah tried to reform educational methods in his trade. It introduces the Nizami Press (est. 1905) and compares the manual with similar European and Indian instructional handbooks. How did Indian printers and publishers learn their craft? What were the tools and materials used for lithographic printing in colonial India? And given the popularity of lithography, why were such manuals rarely published in Indian languages? By examining the material and technical aspects of the lithographic printing process explained in the Urdu manual, this article engages with larger scholarly debates revolving around knowledge production, pedagogy, and technological developments in South Asia. Furthermore, it analyzes the manual's language to demonstrate how printers and publishers were engaged in discourses about nationalism, modernization, and social reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pandemics are associated with exponential mortality rates, creating heavy burdens on communities. The high death rates affect how societies traditionally conduct funerary practices as governments impose regulations on the preparation of bodies and the conduct of the funerals to stem the transmission of the virus. In societies associated with deeply entrenched customary funerary practices, such limitative measures attract defiance. The tensions between public health objectives and funerary traditions have played out in a number of societies resulting in litigation. At the core of the disputes is whether the right to manifest religion or belief can be upheld, and relatedly, whether the dead have rights to dignified burials irrespective of pandemics. During the COVID-19 pandemic, some courts had to grapple with these difficult questions. In this paper, I take a jurisprudential excursion on some disputes in Kenya, India and Sri Lanka to assess the adjudication of conflicts which arose from COVID-19 pandemic deaths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethiopia is witnessing new twists and turns both in its domestic and foreign policy domain of late with the incumbent government in power adopting political and economic reforms aimed at fostering changes to bring about development. This has invariably provided an opportunity for India to consolidate its relationship with Ethiopia further. The new domestic political and economic reforms and the friendly gestures that the present government under Abiy Ahmed has made with its neighbors has drawn the attention of the international community to the extent of awarding him with Nobel Peace Prize. Such reform measures of Ethiopia have given India with wide scope to engage itself constructively and extend political and economic support in areas where both countries stand to gain. India's active engagement with Africa in general and Ethiopia in particular is all the more important given the China factor that has been competing with other countries of the region. This paper describes the domestic political developments in Ethiopia during the post Cold War era and its struggle to maintain the intricate ethnic balance that has characterized its nation-building process by tracing it from the days of King Haile Selassie I. It further analyzes the steps taken by the government to remove obstacles to peace and development through adopting economic liberalization measures and foreign policy changes. These are discussed in a chronological manner starting with a conceptual framework and using predominantly secondary sources and relying on personal observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The medical work carried out by Dr. Anna Sarah Kugler in the town of Guntur (1880–1930), which was a part of the Telugu speaking region of the erstwhile Madras Presidency, as a foreign medical missionary associated with the mission field of the then General Synod of the Lutheran Church in America, constitutes a significant phase in the history of medicine and gender in South India. Despite bringing about visible changes in gender perceptions of medical professions, strangely, she or her work finds no mention in the social science literature on history of medicine in modern South India in general and coastal Andhra Pradesh in particular. This paper explores the nature and patterns of definitive changes that gender roles and patriarchal structures among the Telugus residing in coastal Andhra Pradesh have undergone after coming under the influence of a mission hospital in Guntur established by Dr. Anna Sarah Kugler. By doing so, it also brings out an analysis on how this medical institution transformed the firmly-held traditional perceptions and stereotypes on the sources of illness, disease, and treatments, and in turn laid the foundation for modern medicine to establish itself in South India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper contrasts the important economic parameters during the last few decades of colonialism in India with those during the first few decades after independence. In doing so it questions the colonial position that colonialism led to development in the colony and further argues that it was the breaks from colonialism, rather than the continuities, which explain the post-colonial developments. The paper also critiques the Orthodox Left and the Dependency school argument that all post-colonial developments in the colony would lead to further underdevelopment or dependency unless the post-colonial country broke away from the capitalist system into socialism. Finally, it is argued that the continuities with colonialism are not so much in the economic sphere but in the social and intellectual sphere. The longest lasting legacies of colonialism have been that it has left behind a divided people and a people who are yet to fully overcome the colonization of the mind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Instead of exploring 'smart cities' as future utopias, this paper concentrates on historically constructed, yet actively contested socio-spatial inequalities. Drawing upon Chandigarh's master-planning experience, it explores epistemic, material, and civic dimensions of Chandigarh's Smart City Proposal to ask whether vernacular reinterpretations of 'smart citizenry' help the subaltern reclaim their 'right to the city'. Thus, following a critical genealogy that shifts attention from 'smart cities' towards 'citizen centeredness', this research focuses on the construction and contestation of 'smart citizenship'. Overall, technocratic and city-branding discourses, which legitimate restricting funds to a 'smart enclave' at the cost of evictions and banning 'encroachers', are confronted by housing rights activists. This motivates scholars to theorize a subversive identity, in which 'smartness' gains new meaning. However, epistemic contestations are not enough to create recognition for the needs and rights of the working poor, who work for but cannot reside in Chandigarh. Further alliances and political will are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we investigated how succession has altered soil properties in relation to plant biomass and litter characteristics in mid Himalayan region of India. The natural forest with four succession phases were identified. The early stages are (1) pure Pinus roxburghii forest of coniferous shade intolerant species (2) middle stage is a Pinus roxburghii + Quercus leucotricophora (60: 40) forest with combination of coniferous and deciduous species (3) later stage is a Quercus leucotricophora + Pinus roxburghii (60: 40) and (4) climax stage is a Pure Quercus leucotricophora forest of shade tolerant deciduous broadleaf species. The soil samples were collected from surface (0–15 cm) and subsurface (15–30 cm and 30–45 cm) levels. The soil properties showed gradual improvement with progress in succession phases. Our study shows that, there was a substantial increase in level of soil organic carbon and nitrogen from early to climax phase. Soil pH was significantly lower in early succession phase. The highest available nitrogen was under climax (pure oak) and least in early phase (pure pine) (402 and 347 Kg ha–1 in surface soil, respectively). The concentration of very labile carbon (fraction 1) was highest in climax and least in early stage. The highest biomass accumulation was in climax (pure oak, 420.6 Mgha–1), followed by oak + pine (348.7 Mgha–1) and least in pine + oak (299.3 Mgha–1). Out of 4 stages, shrub biomass was maximum in early (pure pine) (20.5 M Mgha–1), being 6.57% of total biomass and least in climax (pure oak) (10.7 Mgha–1), being 2.54% of total biomass. Further, the labile carbon pools showed a strong positive correlation with total biomass at different succession stages. The recalcitrant carbon pool had significant negative correlation with biomass. Hence, the study suggests that, this increase in soil organic carbon, nitrogen and soil fertility parameters are in accordance to changes in biomass and litter fall characteristics with progress in forest succession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distinct tradition of Indian shadow puppetry has been the subject of much interest among scholars, focusing mainly on its origin, the mutual exchange between different regions across Asia, and the relationship between theater performance and popular culture. This study discusses the similarities of shadow puppets with temple mural painting and loose-leaf paintings, and shows how puppets may have shifted technically from narrative paintings on loose-leaf folios toward motion pictures, in order to create a more interactive link between the audience and the storyteller. The first part of this paper explores the archetypal and psychological meanings of shadow in Indian culture and religion, as well as its relationship with the origins of painting. The main issues include archetypal references to the shadow of Hindu gods described in Vedic, epic, and Purāņic sources, the use of prototypes to transmit knowledge to humankind, and the analysis of shadow puppets as moving pictures. Secondly, the paper analyzes the materiality of puppets and their consistency with Indian aesthetics and art criticism in the form of theoretical principles found in classical texts and art treatises such as the Nāțyaśāstra, the Viṣṇudhārmottāra, and the Śilpaśāstra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increased complexity in the current business environment connected with the globalisation of economies and rapid technological developments makes firms depend on innovation and, in the process, develop dense networks of relationships, making collaboration an essential requisite for innovation. Thus, collaboration develops based on complex social networks from which innovation emerges. From this perspective, collaboration takes a systematic approach, where social relationships are crucial. This article describes the innovation behaviour of firms operating in India and introduces collaboration as a system drawing from the systems theory and triple helix innovation model. The results of the mixed methods study conducted pointed toward a fragile collaboration framework. Triangulation was employed to provide a deeper understanding. Furthermore, limited understanding of collaboration as a social system has constrained social interactions, leading to limited knowledge production, application, and knowledge sharing, with technological development and innovation delays. The article lists crucial factors from the perspectives of industry and academia to foster a collaboration framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 1990s, India and Myanmar have sought rapprochement through geo-economic strategies and discourses. The results, however, have been largely underwhelming. This paper offers an explanation for why this has been the case. We argue that the two geo-economic strategies deployed—sub-regionalism and diaspora-driven trade and investment—require the emergence of particular types of deterritorialised and denationalised citizenship regimes which facilitate the mobilisation of provincial capital and diasporic capital. The development of such social forces in India and Myanmar have been stifled by the persistence of older 'regimes of citizenship' associated with geopolitical strategies based on territoriality and pre-existing social hierarchies. In Myanmar, the emphasis on ‘Bamar' identity has led to a hierarchical citizenship regime which marginalises people of Indian origin. While deterritorialised forms of citizenship have emerged in India as the government seeks to harness the economic power of the Indian diaspora, the target of its policies has been the more socially privileged diaspora settled in the West. Moreover, India's Northeast has long been constructed as being culturally distinct and prone to ‘disloyalty' which hinders sub-regionalism. Hence, transforming the relationship requires not just greater political will or technocratic policy changes, but addressing the long-held national anxieties and social hierarchies which underpin India and Myanmar's regimes of citizenship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 1990s, India and Myanmar have sought rapprochement through geo-economic strategies and discourses. The results, however, have been largely underwhelming. This paper offers an explanation for why this has been the case. We argue that the two geo-economic strategies deployed-sub-regionalism and diaspora-driven trade and investment--require the emergence of particular types of deterritorialised and denationalised citizenship regimes which facilitate the mobilisation of provincial capital and diasporic capital. The development of such social forces in India and Myanmar have been stifled by the persistence of older 'regimes of citizenship' associated with geopolitical strategies based on territoriality and pre-existing social hierarchies. In Myanmar, the emphasis on 'Bamar' identity has led to a hierarchical citizenship regime which marginalises people of Indian origin. While deterritorialised forms of citizenship have emerged in India as the government seeks to harness the economic power of the Indian diaspora, the target of its policies has been the more socially privileged diaspora settled in the West. Moreover, India's Northeast has long been constructed as being culturally distinct and prone to 'disloyalty' which hinders sub-regionalism. Hence, transforming the relationship requires not just greater political will or technocratic policy changes, but addressing the long-held national anxieties and social hierarchies which underpin India and Myanmar's regimes of citizenship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past 75 years of our Independence from the British, India has experimented with a variety of publishing models. These have been effective and usually worked as a response to the environment. This article documents the variety of choices that exist in the Indian languages for readers using new digital technology. For India, in particular, it has been the standardization of Unicode that helped transform communication in the languages apart from English. This paper outlines some of those innovations in an ever-changing digital publishing landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herpetology in India took off during the British colonial rule with the documentation of herpetofauna. Several studies have outlined the early history of Indian herpetology; however, few have traced the growth of this field since India's independence. We analyse trends in Indian herpetology focusing on taxa, subfields, and authorship over the last 70 years. Of the 1177 published articles we analysed, 64.9% studied reptiles, 26.5% studied amphibians and 8.6% were general herpetofaunal studies. Frogs, lizards, and snakes being the most diverse herpetofauna groups, each accounted for 20-21% of the published articles and significantly outnumber publications on caecilians (2.3%), salamanders (0.4%), chelonians (12.6%), and crocodiles (4.4%). We found a significantly greater number of publications on Diversity & Distribution (34.2%), Taxonomy & Systematics (21.6%) and Ecology (19.4%) compared to other subfields, and detected a decline in Development, Physiology & Cytology and Evolutionary biology studies over the last four decades (1980-2019). The gender ratio among co-authors was dominated by men with only 29.7% of publications containing women authors. The overall proportion of women authors has not changed significantly over decades, but our analyses detected a significant decrease in women first authors and the proportion of women authors when the corresponding authors were men. Women authors were substantially lower in the subfield of Taxonomy & Systematics, and women published significantly more on amphibians compared to reptiles. Overall, we highlight the growth of herpetology in India from two key viewpoints, scientific pursuits, and gender parity among herpetologists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gig Economy platforms have become enmeshed in the fabric of urban sociality. While they have substantially disrupted conditions of labouring, participating in the platform economy has also changed social and moral norms globally. Importantly, what constitutes normative moral and prosocial interpersonal behaviour is key to making platforms function as social environments, but these norms are also constantly challenged and rearticulated through everyday practice among different stakeholders. By drawing on long-term fieldwork across gig economy platforms in urban India, we offer a typology of dynamic social and moral norms around tipping, gratitude, politeness and more that sustain platform interactions. The paper's aim is to re-centre the vitality and dynamism of everyday media practice, social relationships, and cultural values in shaping platforms. Relatedly, moving beyond binaries of exploitation/empowerment, we show how negotiations between agents with differential power contribute to shifts in platform culture that cannot be fully explained through notions of intentionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]