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Cooking Under Pressure: The Gendered Transmission of Culinary Knowledge

Yasmin Soni From childhood, I can recall sitting in the kitchen with my mother, asking me to taste her dishes and give a thumbs up. Young as I was, I wondered why my mother could not eat what she cooked herself. Eventually, it occurred to me that certain foods were forbidden for her due to …

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A Room of One’s Own? A Muslim Woman’s Search for a Home in the City

Yasmin Soni Shakespeare famously asked, “What’s in a name?” Well, dear Bard, if you were house hunting in Ahmedabad, the answer would be: everything. My name isn’t just a name; it’s a full-blown identity marker, a flashing neon sign that makes landlords pause, brokers cough awkwardly, and listings suddenly become “unavailable.” “Only Hindu.” “Non-veg not …

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Economics of Waste Crisis in India: A Confluence of Population, Economics, Caste, and Global Exploitation

Sanket Waghmare India’s waste crisis is not just an environmental issue but a reflection of deeper systemic failures. With a population of over 1.4 billion, India generates approximately 62 million tons of municipal solid waste annually, projected to reach 165 million tons by 2030. Yet, only 75-80% of this waste is collected, and less than …

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Who gets to be “cool”? The politics of counterculture aesthetics

Ruth Chawngthu  In 2013, the MET Gala adopted PUNK: Chaos to Couture as its theme of the year. The title itself suggests that punk is intrinsically chaotic when associated with its original immigrant and Black working-class identity in the U.K., yet becomes refined or “coutured” once it enters the largely white elite ecosystem. This metamorphosis …

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The Ritualistic Hypocrisy of Caste Hindus: The Kumbh Mela and the Myth of Purity

Vaibhav Kharat The ongoing Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj presents a remarkable case study to understand the ritualistic hypocrisy of caste Hindus, particularly in relation to the myth of purity that governs the Hindu psyche. This grand religious spectacle, where millions gather to bathe in the Triveni Sangam (Ganga, Yamuna, Sarasvati confluence). This act of spiritual …

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Enduring Relevance of Periyar’s Fight Against Caste Discrimination: A Lesson for DEI in Corporates

Periyar

Tamil Gramsci Periyar E.V. Ramasamy remains a polarizing figure in Indian history, particularly for the Brahmin community, due to his relentless exposure of their deeply entrenched caste-based practices. His work has left an indelible mark on Tamil society, and its relevance extends far beyond regional boundaries, resonating even in today’s conversations about Diversity, Equity, and …

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How Political Agendas Distort Marginalized Histories?: Lessons from the Debate on Fatima Sheikh’s Legacy

Dr. Govind Dhaske History writing is an academic endeavor; however, in India, it is equally an active political field. Dilip Mandal’s recent confession-style posts have sparked intense debates regarding Fatima Sheikh’s association with Jyotirao and Savitribai Phule and her contributions to their educational work. These discussions have surfaced more fundamental questions about how histories are …

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Birth anniversary of Babu Mangu Ram Mugowalia

Kuldip Chand Dobhetta  Due to the social structure and the caste system, Indian society has been divided into different classes and some classes, especially the Shudras, the fourth class Shudras were suffering from slavery. To end this system and give equal status to all people many social reformers have launched movements from time to time, …