Jumble Sale at Lifeline Hospital Perungudi

Lifeline Hospitals Perungudi is working with some young social workers to raise funds for heart surgeries for Children. These people are holding a Jumble Sale in the Hospital Premises
from 1 to 3 May 2009.

The reason for this drive is that the Government has a project in which they screen and identify young children with specific heart diseases that can be cured through a surgery. They offer to fund a part of this and Lifeline Hospital is trying to do their bit to raise the remainder for each case.

Please read the report in Chennai Chronicle (29 April 2009), which gives the details of this.

MK fasts for Lankan Peace.... Oops! It's over!

In a sudden move, Mr M Karunanidhi went on a fast in a last ditch effort to win Peace for innocent victims of the Sri Lankan atrocity. Tamils and Tamil-tolerant audience glued on to their TV sets and waited with bated breath... Surrounding the patriarch on the spartan cot were the security members, close family - wives and children and cousins and then the extended family of non-blood offspring - the DMK cadre. Quick announcements followed of fasts started by cadre in support all over TN. "What's in store? Now what..." Before you could say "Ring Tone!" three phone calls and teh mandatorily brief conversations later, Ceasefire and Peace were declared in Sri Lanka and the Patriarch smiled into the waiting microphones and recorders to declare his happiness that the war had been stopped!

Thus runs the report in Delhi's Indian Express...
"Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President Karunanidhi went on a sudden fast early Monday morning demanding ceasefire in Sri Lanka and called it off after six hours once the island government announced that combat operations have concluded.
'The fast has come to an end in view of the fact that the Sri Lankan government has announced an end to the war', said Karunanidhi reading from a statement from a bed at the fast site at the Anna memorial on the shores of Marina."

For a full report see the page...
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/karunanidhi-ends-fast-after-sl-concludes-hostilities/451671/

Dilli Chalo

Here is an interesting tidbit for the "Da Vinci"s of the twenty-first century. A cross-over from music to art and design! But it's in Delhi... so sorry, Chennai - you just aren't ready for it yet!!!

Sultana Hasan and Anil Srinivasan at the Emporio

"Ritu - Sama is a crossover project displaying a synergy between the artist and a designer. The artist is Sultana Hasan, and the designer Puneet Nanda of the Satya Paul fame. Using their exquisite creations, artist Sultana Hasan has created dramatic portraits with collages of Satya Paul prints along with their designer Puneet. To add to the canvas to this interesting collaboration, classical pianist Anil Srinivasan displayed his skill at the piano.

The exhibition is being held in the foyer of the Emporio Mall, Vasant Kunj. All of 16 pieces of art and about eight mannequins draped in the Satya Paul fabric that add the glamour element, forms the main content of the event.

Lilavati's Daughters- My review in TNSIE

This review i did of, "Lilavati's daughters: Women in Indian Science," has been published in the New Sunday Indian Express.

Ninety-eight women who shattered myths

First Published : 26 Apr 2009 11:23:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 26 Apr 2009 11:15:33 AM IST


In India, women in science face all kinds of hurdles to their progress. This is seen in many ways: despite women having enrolled in higher studies since early 1900s, the fraction of women among scientists fluctuates around only 13 per cent–15 per cent. Many talented women drop out of science, at penultimate stages of obtaining their PhD or even later. Women in science in India resist taking each other’s side and often end up on opposite sides. Some women would not apply for awards given particularly to women scientists, for the reason that they feel this is setting their work apart as if it does not deserve to win in the general category.

Lilavati’s Daughters: The Women Scientists of India is a bouquet of biographical sketches of ninety-eight Indian women scientists, edited by Rohini Godbole and Ram Ramaswamy. It is a long-overdue acknowledgement of the contribution of women to Indian science.
How is this book a very fine first step towards achieving an antidote for this social poison of women dropouts? What does it contain that makes it different from the average biographical book? How does it work against existing prejudices?

The book’s format is very simple and straightforward and is often more of a personal story-telling about one’s own life and happenings, sometimes narrated by a close friend or relative. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that each one deserves to be read for its own worth. After reading this book, young women scientists won’t have to look to Marie Curie or Sofia Kovalevsky or Emmy Noether or Sophie Germain to model their own decisions and behaviour on, they would see there are examples closer home!.

Some poisonous prejudices against women are that they are not as productive as men; they show stereotypical behaviour; they are unwilling to relocate and face challenges, and so on. All these myths are shattered by reading even within the first nine stories in this anthology:
Janaki Ammal, from Kerala, was the first woman Oriental Barbour Scholar and D.Sc (1934), a botanist and a pioneer! Then is the story of B Vijayalakshmi’s heroic struggle against cancer of her stomach and abdomen, to carry out research in high-energy physics. Another pioneer is Asima Chatterjee, the first woman to receive a D.Sc. from any Indian University (Calcutta). Her work on ayurvedic drugs is the story of untiring and path-breaking research which led to the development of the anti-epilepsy drug, Ayush-56, which is patented and sold even today. Anandibai Joshi’s, Mumbai of 1865, is a story of struggle against the confusing marital complex- being educated and discouraged by the same person, her reformist-husband. Who can say that women fear controversy, if only you read the story of Iravati Karve, who was the pioneer in advocating statistical studies based on caste divisions – a theory that is controversial even now. Bearing testimony to the stolid undeterred labour of women, Anna Mani is a beacon of a physicist from CV Raman’s lab. Her thesis did not get her a degree in physics for some bureaucratic reason, causing her to shift her field to meteorology subsequently becoming Deputy Director General of the Indian Meteorological Department.

The short index of contributors at the end is a useful reference to put a face to the names. The earthy colours in the cover and the glossy pages add an aura of antique art and a touch of nostalgia. The contributors are listed alphabetically, which also underlines that all their contributions are valuable and important.

Is there any strategy to reach this book to the people who will appreciate and benefit from reading it?

Dr Rohini Godbole, an editor of this volume, and a leading particle physicist, says that the grant from Department of Science and Technology is being used by Indian Academy of Sciences, which has started the work of distributing 1000 copies among those who will benefit. Further, abridged versions of these essays, translated into Marathi, have been appearing in Marathi news paper, “Loksatta,” every Saturday from January 2009. There are suggestions and offers to translate the book into different regional languages.

India in the world of physics- reviewed by R.Ramachandran

On 14 April this year, there was an excellent review of

INDIA IN THE WORLD OF PHYSICS — Then and Now

(Edited by Asoke N. Mitra; General Editor - D. P. Chattopadhyaya; History of Science, Philosophy and Culture and Indian Civilization (Vol. XIII, Part I), Project of History of Indian Science, Philosophy and Culture (PHISPC), Centre for Studies in Civilization, Pearson Longman, 482 FIE Patparganj, Delhi-110092. Rs. 2200.)

by science writer R Ramachandran.

It speaks much for Ramachandran's knowledge of science and scientific policy that he has brought out the strengths of the book and also pointed out glaring gaps in it. I give a kind of annotated extract below for friends (most of whom would perhaps have read the full text)

He praises Mitra's masterly introduction to the volume:

"...That he could condense all of physics — from Newton’s Laws to the emergent nanoscience that is sure to bring soon Feynman’s dream of bottom-up building of tailor-made materials to fruition — in mere 13 pages, with remarkable clarity and lucidity, only recalls to this reviewer his lucid lectures in classical and quantum electrodynamics at Delhi University nearly four decades ago. "
And goes on to point out the highlights among the essays included and then points out the lacunae :

"The inclusion of detailed individual chapters on scientific infrastructure established by the Indian nuclear and space agencies seems somewhat out of place in the volume as these largely cover aspects of technology. "

It is quite disturbing to see the favouring of technology over science by publishers and editors. It just seems to be a reflection of the chronic decay and slavish mindset at the heart of the Indian Scientific Establishment.

And more specifically:

"One significant area that has been omitted in the volume, where Indian scientists have made very significant contributions, is meteorological and atmospheric science ... with important contributions from scientists such as K. R. Ramanathan and L. A. Ramdas."

Other giants who have been overlooked (my words not his) are:

"Harish Chandra;.... [Homi] Bhabha; C. L. Mehta and Girish Agarwal; ... D. S. Kothari’s path-breaking work on the `Harmful Effects of Atomic Explosions', a work that predates Samuel Glasstone’s classic volume by a year."

And those who wish to read the full review, go to:

http://www.hindu.com/br/2009/04/14/stories/2009041450031800.htm

Total Bandh

Yes Everything shut down for the day to protest the Lankan massacre and Human Rights Violations...

By that I mean even the British Council and The American Library apparently..

Science Fiction that fed into Science

In a blog on Oxford University Press's Dictionary Project on science fiction Jeff Preacher has listed nine words that made their way from science fiction into science

robotics, gas giant, zero gravity are some of these ...

read full entry at


http://blog.oup.com/2009/03/science-fiction/

Fast in France for Peace in Sri Lanka

Here is a description of a fast organised in Paris. A protest for Peace in Sri Lanka. http://www.tamilkathir.com/news/1430/75//d,video.aspx

nanopolitan: Geeky blog names

For want of ideas, or flashes of imagination, I haven't put in any of my own writing today. Instead, I'm displaying here two posts by an interesting blogger. Here's something on -
nanopolitan: Geeky blog names

nanopolitan: Mistakes in JEE question papers

The mistakes in last year's IIT JEE question paper are by now public. To know about the magnitude of the mistake and how mant could be affected read this link:

nanopolitan: Mistakes in JEE question papers

Social reform in Students' hostels needed

Co-ed hostels must be brought into use within institutions of higher learning. A small part of the existing hostels must be converted into co-ed hostels and the option of staying in such places must be offered to those who would benefit


Pro-active approaches are needed in all aspects of our democracy. The fact that it has been working to satisfaction is not necessarily a reasonto relax. Let me write about two events that bear witness to the need for social reform within the student community. One happened eight years ago when I was a research assoc. in an IIT and the other was narrated by a friend and took place just a few months ago.

There was a transgender student, I think a BTech, in this IIT where I was enrolled as a researcher, who wished to be accomodated in one of the the women's (girls') hostels because she self-identified as a woman, However, following lack of co-operation from various people involved/or owing to unwillingness to face a new situation, this student had to stay in a separate single room apartment, which is usually given to Research Associates and Junior faculty.

The other happening is when one friend of mine, a muslim girl, wished to go to Bangalore to take up a job at the end of her PhD, in physics. She was accomodated in a guest house, as a paying guest. She had to share a room with four/five other women. These would never talk to her in a friendly or courteous way, mostly tell her how to arrange her stuff and pass veiled comments about her presence and so on. One day one of the room-mates lost her gold chain and while no one openly accused this girl, they brought the warden in and made her check everyone's baggage and later, continued to cold shoulder thsi one, acting as if she were alien, and made further pointed veiled remarks.

My friend holds strong suspicions that the culprit was the other occupant who projected an image of being a close friend of the one who lost the chain.

I think in both these situations, the problem is because one group felt an ownership of the territory, due to their being the majority in that instance. There is a suggestion I have for hostel reform. Institutions likethe IITs that offer professional and higher educations should have, in addition to the present hostels, a co-ed hostel where accomodation can be taken up voluntarily by students who understand India's diversity. Letters of acceptance can be sent to parents/guardians/former teachers for approval/endorsement. Further, initially, if the institutions think they need to test out the concept, it can be offered for final and pre-final year students only. Those students who have established trust with the institute. Rules governing this hostel must be framed so that they will work towards nurturing a bias-free environment within the educational system.

Debate in Vijay TV

Following the success of NDTV's "Big Fight," Vijay TV has tried to get people together and organise debates. Vijay TV has the reputation of being a channel that innovates and invests in imaginative and entertaintaining short half-hour to one-hour long programmes, rather than the usual soaps and Cinema-related fare and News offered by most other TV channels.

In doing this they have suffered many challenges, in fact, whole teams have been hijacked by other, rival channels, when the ratings of certain programmes shot up. However, though the concepts have been innovative and bold in the lines of the entertainment forms being projected -- these range from reality shows on dance to debates, to soaps centering around school and college-going youth rather than sob stories and dynastic clashes -- the content has almost always, except in dance shows - been very status-quo and supportive of the lethargy in society.

Take the debate show I happened to see today. It was a debate between two sets of women. One that was "progressive" voting that woen should take care of their appearance and dress, should be ready to remarry if a marriage breaks down etc etc. The other set opposed all this.

Of course the thoughtful part, characteristic of Vijay TV was that all participants including the judge were women.

But the inevitable downside is that all this again rivets to the point of view that women's freedom is arrived at by consensus of some kind - albeit among women.

The whole notion of freedom and spontaenity and pleasure as deriving from one's personal philosophy and taste, without having to obtain the support and aggrement of one's neighbours, has not been considered at all. The content is always chosen from topics that are personal and can only suffer from being made into common public choices!


Debates on the things that really involve a consensus - policies, political attitudes, what is violence and how to prevent it etc are totally absent.

Young India! Switch off that Television and show off that you have intelligence, kiddos!

Lecture by K K Venugopal

In a thought-provoking lecture on democratization of electoral politics, Mr K K Venugopal said it was important to prevent criminals and history sheeters from contesting the elections. Accused persons, including sitting MPs, should see that cases against them were discharged within a year before they were allowed to contest in elections. Further, corporates should not be allowed to generously disburse funds for campaigns and that the governement should itself allocate funds for campaigns by the parties and prevent them spending inordinate amounts for each election. He indicated the examples of England and France...

It seems to me that within the constitution and the law, everyone is not judged equally. The constitution bears distinct traces of descending from vedic forbears, which is not as secular as it professes to be. Plus, even the points that have been put in of reservations and minorities and tribals acts, are not being enforced.

I raised a question: What can the law do to enable marginalised people rather than speak of preventing the ones with criminal records from contesting...?

The question finally came back to me. Do you have any ideas? So I throw this open to readers... do you have ideas?

Mayavati and Maneka

Today's Television had a fantastic report about Mayavati's retort to Maneka's accusation. ( Yesterday, Maneka had said that Mayavati could not understand her pain about the Varun Episode as she (maya) was not a mother herself.)

Today in a fitting retort Mayavati replied: (if her accusation about Mayavati's maternal instincts were justified...) "As a mother, Maneka should not only feel the pain of her son, but also of the sons of other mothers!"

On Varun Gandhi.... I couldn't say it better!

I could not say it better - Here is a post from nanopolitan, who got it from calcutta chromosomes...

One of the best comments on the Varun Gandhi outburst
If Varun Gandhi had said that he would slaughter a chicken instead of Muslims, his mother would have put him behind bars herself, pronto!
Interesting sense of priority we have in this country...

A Fine Distinction - Journalistic Work Ethics

I do not know if this is a situation peculiar to India, but scientists and others working in science have to answer many questions regarding what is ethical in their work. For many, especially the more sensitive workers, this conflict never gets resolved. People in this situation either just leave and take up work elsewhere or divide their time and personalities, perhaps, to accommodate the clamour within. But all said, I always thought ethics meant keeping intouch with the "innervoice" or "conscience" ... I was surprised to read about this different definition of Work-Ethics... and thought I'd share it on the blog...

In a conference on Ethics in Science and Science Journalism, held in Barcelona in July 2008 , James Cornell of International Science Writers Association speaks of one such conflict - Advocacy journalism - the fatal act of "taking sides" in sociological problems, instead of "reporting "objectively.

In his speech he flays two really well-known Indian journalists, Pallava Bagla and Daryl D'Monte, and Sunita Narain of Down-to-Earth. Here is an extract of his talk:

`Still, it is clear that major changes are occurring in how science journalists see their roles in countries like China, with a gradual shift from serving as “advocate/adjuncts” to behaving more as “advocate/adversaries.” '

`In truth, the term “advocacy journalism”—at least as used in the United States—has usually applied to those journalists who pursue a single point of view, promoting a cause or an issue, not always but quite often, at odds with establishment viewpoints or official policies.Let me cite two Indian colleagues—both members of ISWA—who exemplify this type of advocate/ adversary. Darryl D’Monte and Pallava Bagla.....'

(He continues later) `....But both men are also highly opinionated and subjective writers, who are deeply committed advocates for protection of the environment. As such, they are often in conflict with powerful governmental, political, and industrial interests and their reporting—I should say, writing, for it is often more akin to editorializing than reporting—is not ambiguous in any way. It is squarely on the side of the environment.

Even more opinionated--and adversarial--are the activist journalists of India’s Centre for Science and Environment. Founded in 1982 by the late Anil Agarwal to address the specific problem of air pollution caused by New Delhi’s diesel-guzzling buses, the CSE is now headed by Agarwal acolyte Sunita Narain. Her group’s focus has expanded to five areas of concern: air pollution, climate change, water management, pesticides, and poverty eradication.

Well that's the general drift - plenty of food for thought....!

(For those who don't know...Darryl D'Monte writes for the Times of India, among other outlets, and Pallava Bagla for Science magazine and NDTV.)