A heritage all by himself Lanky, tall, an untucked shirt always open, a book in hand, a shoulder bag full of books, straight hair, black framed glasses, and excessively media-averse and simple. That was Virchand Dharamsey , a selftaught Gujarati scholar who amassed a great body of knowledge on art topics, including archaeology, anthropology, architecture, etc., acquired merely through discussion, collaboration, and a gentle, sincere inquiry. Books were his genuine buddies and he became a scholar dilettante. His favourite hangout was the Asiatic Society of Mumbai’s TownHall, Horniman Circle library, where he would spend entire days. Dharamsey uncovered the historical crumbs that…
Author: shubhangi
Oppressed turned crusader! Omprakash Valmiki, a poet and pioneer of Dalit literature, (30 June 1950 – 17 November 2013) was born in Barla village of Muzzafarnagar district, U.P. Valmiki’s early years were marked by social, psychological, and financial challenges. He struggled with caste prejudice while attending Barla’s Inter College. He was not permitted to sit with upper class classmates. Because he was a Dalit, his headmaster made him sweep the schoolyard when he was a boy. He was made to feel debased. His chemistry teacher failed him in his 12th grade by giving him poor marks in practical and viva;…
Hero of the Gurez encounter Navneet Singh was born on 8 June 1985 in Gurdaspur, Punjab. He was a third-generation soldier to serve in the Indian Army. His grandfather was a junior commissioned officer while his father Joginder Singh served as Subedar-major in the Bengal Sappers for 30 years and retired as Honorary Captain. He completed his schooling from Army Public School, Tibri and completed his graduation in B.Sc. in Hotel Management in 2006 from Institute of Hotel Management (IHM) Gurdaspur and post-graduation in the Army Institute of Management, Kolkata in 2009, where he received his MBA degree. Singh shunned…
Manu Shrivastava says India has been working towards its climate change commitments slowly and steadily. For example, in the last three decades, forest and tree cover are increasing alongside economic growth and development. In 2016, India’s trees were absorbing 15 per cent of the world’s CO2 emissions. India is well on track to fulfilling its NDC commitment of 2.5 – 3 billion tonnes of additional carbon sequestration by 2030. Climate change and environmental degradation are global issues that cannot be treated in isolation. India’s leadership under G20 Presidency has raised expectations of many nations amid failure of international agreements in…
Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Western Ghats display a rich diversity of woody plants nestled in its mountain ranges. Ruchi Sharma elaborates with various studies that among other things, the need to increase the protected areas in the zone to mitigate the effects of stress caused by human activity. The importance of the region is underscored by the fact that it is home to unique biophysical and ecological processes. One of the most ecologically diverse regions in India, and the world, the Western Ghats are a chain of mountain ranges that form the western rocky barrier of…
Sketching an ominous picture of the fallouts of climate change – a striking reality – Niyati Thakur points out that while ecological balance around human life and habitation remains threatened, habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, species extinction, species decline are distinct possibilities what with the impacts brought about by changing climate patterns. Until a few years ago, climate change was a threat but not immediate, it was something that was looming in the future. However, the sharp increase in the number and intensity of extreme weather events and the huge economic losses incurred as a result of these anomalies has brought…
As the World Ocean Day is round the corner, Anushka Singh explains its significance and how it promotes and furthers interest of members of the public in the protection of the world’s oceans. Also, it fosters their interest towards sustainable management of the ocean’s resources and the by-products of related processes and activities such as food, recreation, livelihoods, etc. On 8 June every year, the world observes World Ocean Day – an international day that celebrates the importance of oceans for life on Earth and raises awareness about the threats it faces from human activities and climate change. It was…
Dwelling on the causes leading to the water crisis in the country, Anand Ahuja observes that among the main causes of the water crisis in India is the continual overexploitation of groundwater resources by stakeholders. Owing to a lack of effective regulations and policies, farmers and industries have been using more groundwater than is being replenished, but there is hope nevertheless. India is currently facing a severe water crisis which affects millions of people across the country. While the situation is so dire that several states are facing acute water scarcity, the scourge leads to a range of problems, from…
While India stakes its claim to rich flora & fauna and huge biodiversity, the disconcerting fact that emerges is some of this nature’s bounty stares at extinction and many other vulnerable and endangered. Suman Singh debates on this impact of climate change on forests and natural vegetation to elaborate how rapid urbanisation is a causative factor in damaging the ecosystem. India happens to have some of the most diverse species of plants and trees in the world. With climatic conditions as diverse and varying from hot to cold weather, the zone is rich in vegetation of all kinds. The rich…
Observing that those in the rural areas and belonging to indigenous communities show a far better climate change adaptation, Nandini Rao buttresses it by saying they possess traditional knowledge and practices compatible with the phenomenon. As climate change issue becomes graver, it is time to take a leaf out of their book and use their strategies and implement them for sustainability. In India, people in rural areas and those from indigenous communities are leaders when it comes to combating climate change. In the first place, their lifestyle, customs, practices, beliefs and activities are environment-friendly and sustainable that don’t put any…