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A discussion on the philosophy of Sri Narayana Guru in the context of consciousness studies
No full textSub-segment-based approach for assessing growth and energy transition trajectories of Indian two-wheelers
No full textThe transition trajectory of India's two-wheeler (2W) vehicle segment is studied using a sequential modelling framework for projecting sub-segment-wise 2W fleet, energy demand, and associated CO2 emissions. Road density per capita was identified as a more significant explanatory variable than GDP per capita in estimating 2W fleet size in India. The elasticity method was used to evaluate the 2W vehicle saturation level based on five different indirect parameters. It was found that population density had the highest impact (48%), followed by urbanization (31%) and adult population share (16%). The impact of the total cost of ownership was negligible. The mean 2W vehicle saturation level was calculated to be 314 while the ownership was found to be 207, 265, and 297 vehicles per 1000 people by 2030, 2040, and 2050, respectively. Scooters were found to be leading the e-transition of 2Ws but a successful e-transition of India's 2Ws would not be achieved without transitioning the motorcycles. Two motorcycle clusters were identified that offer economies of scale towards e-transitioning. Closer scrutiny of six plausible e-transition scenarios showed that a 50% penetration of E−2Ws is unattainable before 2045. The biggest obstacle in achieving high E−2W penetration in India would be the limited capacity to supply indigenously produced vehicles. A high import dependence on battery technology and critical raw materials would limit the energy transition and diversification of the Indian road transport sector. India should follow the mass adoption-driven diffusion pathway in the short-to-medium term and the affordability-constraint diffusion pathway in the long term to achieve the best results in terms of reduction in energy demand and associated emissions for the 2W segment. The gains from the e-transition of the road transport sector would not be substantial without a simultaneous transition in the country's electricity generation mix away from coal-based thermal power
Migration, Food Security and Development: Insights from Rural India
No full textThis book examines the role of migration as a livelihood strategy in influencing food access among rural households. Migration forms a key component of livelihoods for an increasing number of rural households in many developing countries. Importantly, there is now a growing consensus among academics and policymakers on the potential positive effects of migration in promoting human development. Concurrently, the significance of food security as an important development objective has grown tremendously, and the Sustainable Development Goals agenda envisages eliminating all forms of malnutrition. However, the academic and policy discussions on these two issues have largely proceeded in silos, with little attention devoted to the relationship they bear with each other. Using the conceptual frameworks of 'entitlements' and 'sustainable livelihoods', this book seeks to fill this gap in the context of India - a country with the most food-insecure people in the world and where migration is integral to rural livelihoods
Indian metals heritage and some common damages
No full textThe paper explores some of the commonly observed damages due to corrosion and deterioration in Indian metals heritage with respect to prospects for conservation
Dispossession without displacement: Producing property through slum redevelopment in Bengaluru, India
Get PDFThe paper examines the role of slum redevelopment in the production of private property in land in a fast-growing city of southern India. Drawing on an in-depth case study in Bengaluru, we show that the tenurial rights of slum residents were eroded when the contested land on which they lived – which was layered with multiple rights and claims of various actors – was confirmed by the court as the sole property of an individual who claimed to be its owner. The transformation of the plot into private property and therefore into a fungible asset, free of encumbrances, allowed the landowner, the political entrepreneurs who spearheaded the redevelopment project, and various intermediaries to capture most of the rapidly escalating value of the land. The exchange of recognized land tenure rights for small flats carrying conditional titles further excluded slum residents from ‘proper’ urban citizenship based on property ownership and exacerbated the precarity of their lives in the city. In this case, in-situ (on the same site) slum redevelopment is shown to operate as a modality of enclosure in which the urban poor are displaced even while remaining in place – or a process of dispossession without displacement
The Varieties of Contemplative Experiences and Practices
Get PDFWhile the diverse contemplative techniques are employed across a plethora of traditions around the world, contemplative research over the years has not reflected this variety. Despite growing interest in research on meditation, studies in contemplative science have largely focused on a narrow selection of practices (e.g., mindfulness, compassion, etc.) and traditions (i.e. Buddhism, Transcendental Meditation etc.). By choosing this topic, we hope to broaden the scope of contemplative science
Metal Mirror Marvel From Aranmula, Kerala:A Rare Specular Delta Bronze Craft
Get PDFMirrors are usually synonymous with glass in modern times. Metal mirrors are rare to find in the
contemporary age. Yet, Aranmula is a place in Kerala, south of India which is famous for making
metal mirrors from the alloy of copper and tin. It is a traditional art practiced by local communities
of that village where the entire mirror is handmade. The best part is that the metal mirror is highly
polished and carved out in such a manner that it gives an absolute point image with the highest
quality of reflectance. This chapter takes its readers to a journey to unveil the history of Aranmula
mirrors, its specifications, method of casting, and most importantly the science behind all these
spectra to popularise this dying traditional craft of India
Decadal growth in emission load of major air pollutants in Delhi
Get PDFThe Indian capital megacity of Delhi is reeling under deteriorating air quality, and control measures are not yielding any significant changes, mainly due to a poor understanding of sources of emissions; hence, priority option in mitigation planning is lacking. In this paper, we have made an attempt to develop a spatially resolved technological high-resolution gridded () emission inventory for eight major pollutants of the Delhi region where high-resolution activity data of all possible major and unattended minor sources are generated by organizing a mega-campaign involving hundreds of volunteers. It is for the first time that we are able to estimate the decadal growth in emissions of various pollutants by comparing newly developed 2020 emissions with SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research) emissions of 2010 using the identical methodology and quantum of activity data. The estimated annual emissions for PM2.5, PM10, CO, NOx, VOC, SO2, BC, and OC over the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR) are estimated to be 123.8, 243.6, 799.0, 488.9, 730.0, 425.8, 33.6, and 20.3 Gg yr−1, respectively, for the year 2020. The decadal growth (2010–2020) in PM2.5 and PM10 is found to be marginal at 31 % and 3 %, respectively. The maximum growth is found to be in the transport sector followed by the industrial and other sectors. Maximum decadal growth found for the pollutants BC, OC, and NOx is 57 %, 34 %, and 91 %, respectively. The decadal shift of sectorial emissions with changing policies is examined. The complete dataset is available on Zenodo at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7715595 (Sahu et al., 2023)
