तिश्ना—लब

In October 2016, Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft organized an exhibition to discuss a famous sculptor of 20th century, Eric Gill. The theme of the exhibition was to discuss Gill's art from a fresh perspective of that of an abuser. Later next year, Kevin Spacey was written off House of Cards where he played the lead role following sexual harassment charges. These, among many others, are attempts of art industry to address some uncomfortable questions -  should art of an abuser be appreciated? or rather,  can art be separated from the artist? On this issue, Ed Siegel compared artists to scientists suggesting that it is crucial to evaluate art separate from the artist just as science is evaluated separate from scientists. This is an interesting observation. It implies that the work matters more than the individual. It also implies that with one or more good results, everything uncomfortable about you, all of your personal or professional misdemeanors, can be brushed under the ca...

Following my rant on scientists being quiet on the unconstitutional Citizenship Amendment Act, here are a few examples from history in a hope to stir their conscience to act now and stop this hegemonic brutality against students and academics. You see, they call it "brain drain" when academics and researchers leave India. I am hoping not lose next Obaid Sidiqqui, APJ Abdul Kalam or Salim Ali as a minion to this ugly and divisive politics and stop this "brain purge" before happening. Dr Abdus Salam: Dr Abdus Salam obtained his PhD in Theoretical Physics from Cambridge in 1950. He returned to his home country of Pakistan in 1951 for a lectureship position. He left Pakistan in 1954 but continued to work with government on vital projects. He finally resigned from his post with Pakistani government when in 1974 a law declaring Ahmadis to be non-Muslims and depriving them of their rights was passed, a religion to which he belonged. He was the first Muslim to...

In the wake of dystopian events that unfolded last evening at Jamia Milia Islamia, students all across India have organized protests and marches today. IIT Bombay organized a march late in the night, TISS-Bombay, IIT-Madras, BHU, Hyderabad's MANU, AMU along with IISc have reverberated dissent against this barbarism. This is different from the protests civilians are holding all across India. Evidently, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) - 2019, passed with majority in both houses is simply unacceptable by the general public. And why not? Week before last, news was filled with stories of rape and murder of women. In the following week, the parliamentary houses passed the CAA in a rush I wish they'd show for the safety of women or/and climate change! Although I should blame everyone equally for their silence on this, my maximum disappointment lies in silence of scientists. CAA categorically excludes Muslims from seeking Indian citizenship if they have migrated from any nei...

I had an interview recently at a renowned lab here in India. I admired her work and simply couldn't wait to talk to the PI, tour the lab and telling her that I am a big fan. After the interview, the PI told me about how they are little frugal about lab supplies (and the practice apparently served them well), the 11-12 hour commitment to the lab and their high drop-out rate. All of this was to signify how science-y they are probably. However, I found these practices very uncomfortable. Especially her complacency about the drop-out rate. Indian scientists seem to find a merit in the high drop-out rate from their lab. It is like a badge of honor. Why do you have to assume the reason for them leaving is because you are demanding and/or the student is incompetent? That is stupid. There are numerous reasons a student can quit working with someone. It doesn't necessarily have to be something wrong about the student!  Why do you have to showcase it like a crown? It ...

One little trick I use on my mum is sing a line or a stanza from a ghazal or a song she likes while she is cooking and leave. She goes around the house singing in her sweet, Hindustani- classical trained voice, chirping  for next 2 hrs. It's like my home comes to life! What a joy! I inherited this love for Urdu poetry from my mother and unfortunately enough, not her voice (that doesn't prevent me from singing anyway). I certainly can't write because of so many rules for it. You see, it requires special talent to look at the world in most basic forms and metaphorize with something completely different. Like here, the poet calls himself as useless as a handful of dust,'musht-e-gubaar', Irshaad!! na kisī kī aañkh kā nuur huuñ na kisī ke dil kā qarār huuñ jo kisī ke kaam na aa sake maiñ vo ek musht-e-ġhubār huuñ  -Muztar Khairaabadi Rekhta offers an excellent database for Urdu related things- especially the dictionary! Yes! Being a native Hindi speaker, I...

Indians have always had a great pride in their ancestral heritage, be it individualistic or collective. It sure is worth and there is much more in India that one can be proud of, for instance, the area of arable land available to Indians or biodiversity profile of India or something more under one's control - saving our economy from financial crisis in 2008 (and more). That is OK. That is acceptable. What is not acceptable is bad science, complacence and fake pride in the bad science. Now, I don't have to list out all the instances defying scientific temper here. They are all over the place -news, internet, social network. They have invoked a lot of criticism from the scientific community in India and abroad (for example, this ).  The point I want to stress here is the great divide between the general understanding of people about science and what it actually is. Now, being brought up in a family in which some believe in the origin of varnas from various parts of Brahma...