Prof S Sivakumar, Dean of Research and Professor of Physics at SIAS, and Dr Vikash Pandey, Assistant Professor of Math Modeling and Physics at SIAS, provided a comprehensive analysis of ISRO’s lunar missions. Their article published in The Hindu delves into the significance and far-reaching effects of Chandrayaan-3 for both India and the global community. The article discusses India’s lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3, which aims to further explore the Moon and demonstrate the country’s capabilities for safe landing and roving on the lunar surface. Chandrayaan-3 aims to learn from the lessons of its predecessor, Chandrayaan-2, which encountered challenges during its landing attempt.
Our very own Kreator, Naga Satish Pasupuleti, from SIAS, Cohort of 2025, has achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the world’s youngest person to conquer Mount Kilimanjaro twice in just three days. The feat has also been covered by The South First and The New Indian Express.
Gender and Growth Gaps in South Asia – Research and Policy Workshop
Date: Thursday, August 3, 2023
Co-organisers: Inclusion Economics India Centre at the Institute for Financial Management and Research, Yale Economic Growth Center, Yale Inclusion Economics, the Udaiti Foundation, the Asian Development Bank Institute, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Location: Infosys Science Foundation, No. 2, 2nd Block, 14th Cross Road, Jayanagar East (Ward 153), Bengaluru- 560 011, Karnataka, India
Recent research has built on earlier analyses of women’s participation in economic development, to yield nuanced empirical insights on the interplay of institutional features and economic growth processes impacting women’s participation in the workforce and their overall economic well-being. These observations are particularly pertinent in the context of South Asia, which has some of the lowest women’s labor force participation rates globally, alongside important variations in gendered labor market dynamics across countries in the region.
Inclusion Economics India Centre (IEIC) at the Institute for Financial Management and Research (IFMR) is organizing an in-person research and policy workshop on August 3, 2023 in Bengaluru, in collaboration with the Economic Growth Center (EGC) and Inclusion Economics at Yale University, the Udaiti Foundation, the Asian Development Bank Institute and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). The workshop will be held at the Infosys Science Foundation and aims to address the current policy needs through research insights concerning gender gaps in the economy, specifically in the context of South Asia.
The workshop in Bengaluru will consist of three panel discussions, a keynote address and working sessions and is open to anyone working in and interested in facilitating inclusive policy making and programming. Policymakers, civil society and researchers will participate in facilitated discussions on the drivers and implications of gender inequality in the economy and how policy can address this.
Speakers at the workshop include Rohini Pande (Yale University), Renana Jhabvala (SEWA Bharat), Ashwini Deshpande (Ashoka University), Priyank Kharge (Government of Karnataka), R Prasana (Government of Chhattisgarh), Rosa Abraham (Azim Premji University), Gaurav Chiplunkar (University of Virginia), and Dr. Kajal, IAS (Government of India).
As part of Prarambh, the Orientation Programme for the MBA Class of 2025 at IFMR GSB, Krea University, various clubs and committees conducted a diverse range of activities, fostering an inclusive and engaging environment for the incoming cohort. Here’s a summary of events that happened over the last couple of weeks:
Photo Courtesy: Shutterbugs – The Photography Club
Team Raga, the Music Club, brought together over 200 students from different states, showcasing their vocal talents through a medley of old and new songs in various languages on 7 July.
Storyteller Vikram Sridhar conducted a storytelling session, emphasising the importance of storytelling in leadership on 6 and 7 July.
The Sports Committee conducted nostalgic childhood games and regular sports, promoting camaraderie and physical activity among the students on 9 July.
Analytics, the Data Analytics Club, hosted a case study competition, inspiring innovative solutions and promoting teamwork among MBA students.
Abhinay, the Drama Club, held a play and act competition where seventeen teams showcased their creativity by presenting diverse plays based on popular themes.
Arthasabha, the Finance Committee, introduced the new batch with an exciting event combining adventure and intellect, featuring a thrilling treasure hunt and a business and finance quiz.
The Futurepreneurs, the Entrepreneurial Club, organised a unique product pitching extravaganza, where the incoming batch presented innovative, humorous, and entrepreneurial ideas.
Genesis, the Admissions Committee, conducted Network Nexus, strengthening mentorship, friendship, and networking bonds between junior and senior batches.
Markaholic, the Marketing Committee, presented a challenging and entertaining dodgeball game, testing multitasking and memory skills through logo recognition.
The Q-team, the Quiz Club, arranged a refreshing quiz competition with a theme focussing on OTT series, web series, and movies, creating an enjoyable and fun atmosphere.
Edge, the Consulting Committee, hosted two thrilling events: Riddle Route, where teams deciphered riddles to locate specific places on campus, and Brand Detective, challenging participants to identify brands from displayed slides.
Sanchalan, the Operations and IT Committee, organised OP-TECHWiZ to gauge newcomers' interest in IT and tech, featuring rounds of multiple-choice questions and pictionary-based challenges.
Srinidhi Pennathur, SIAS Cohort of 2025 shares her story, of interweaving art with University life, set against the backdrop of the learning tapestry at Krea. Srinidhi, most recently performed at Krea University’s Convocation 2023.
Srinidhi, you are a violinist and a vocalist; almost like a double major in the context of Krea; how do they co-exist in harmony and how does one affect and influence each other?
Within the context of Carnatic Music, I’ve found that being a violinist has only broadened my horizons as a vocalist, and vice versa. When I learn to sing a song that I perform on the violin, I develop a clearer understanding of the lyrics or ‘sahithyam’ and its meaning. Knowing the exact words that I play is really important because it delivers the intended emotion or bhava of the song, even though the words aren’t being sung. It would be as though I were playing what I would sing, and that marks a good violinist. Singing also allows for more in-depth clarity with regards to nuances and intricacies that become much easier to play on the violin. Similarly, learning the violin has especially shaped my comprehension of core concepts in Carnatic Music such as Shruti, Tala and Laya Shuddha. (pitch, beat and rhythm) Learning to physically play in different speeds, with different ‘pitches’ has helped me sing the same with more ease and precision. All this to say that, instrument and voice co-exist in harmony because together they display a beautiful symbiotic relationship that constantly benefit the other.
You’ve spent a year at Krea; has the landscape and the learnings at Krea contributed to your journey as a musician?
The very arts-oriented environment at Krea has given me plenty of opportunities to showcase my talent on the violin and through singing. Performing different genres for different events has exposed me to the wonderful niceties of vast, yet soulful musical forms. I’ve also been able to further my understanding of my own art and reduce my stage fright. I would also say that the kind of discipline and work ethic that the academic trajectory of Krea demands in terms of punctuality and time commitment has urged me to make for myself a practice routine that is as, if not more time-consuming and intense.
What was it like for you to share/perform your music at the institution’s convocation?
To be given the opportunity to perform in the presence of esteemed dignitaries, professors, graduates, parents and other guests for such a milestone event was truly an honor, to say the least. I was greatly humbled by the praise I received for this performance and thankful to the Vice-Chancellor for noticing my talent and allowing me to showcase it.
What is your take on the role of arts/artistes in building the culture of an institution and how would you like to contribute and inspire the incoming batch?
The thing about art is that, it’s transformative. It contributes to building a culture by advocating self expression, bringing people from different backgrounds together, and acts a common medium of understanding between individuals. Furthermore, it is a way to learn about and explore its plethora of forms. I would like to contribute by representing Carnatic Classical Music whenever I can. To the incoming batch, I would tell them to take initiative and do things outside of their comfort zone. I would also want to reassure them that they will be okay, and that they will survive college. No seriously, they will!
To view Srinidhi’s performance from Convocation 2023, please click here.
Policymakers, researchers and civil society members converge to discuss building resilience through safety nets
Inclusion Economics India Centre (IEIC) at IFMR, in collaboration with JEEViKA, a rural livelihoods initiative of the Government of Bihar, held a roundtable discussion in Patna on ‘Building Resilience Using Effective Safety Nets’ on 9th May, 2023. The roundtable was an opportunity to share insights with, and promote discussion between, policymakers, academics, and stakeholders working to expand economic opportunity in Bihar. Over 40 people from 17 organisations joined us in an insightful conversation. They specifically spoke about the evidence and nature of collaboration that is needed to design and deliver effective safety nets in the face of increasing and complex crises.
The presentation focussed several key questions.
The Changing nature of shocks and promoting community resilience through data and collaboration
Charity Troyer Moore, Scientific Director, Inclusion Economics at Yale University spoke about the many compounding shocks that Bihar has faced in recent years, including Covid-19 and the return of migrants from major cities across the country and floods.
Many of India’s policy investments made before Covid-19 have helped India support its vulnerable citizens through has become a global leader in shock response, having invested deeply in social protection infrastructure. For example, there were direct benefit transfers to the Aadhar-linked accounts of 98 crore households, opened under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, and the MGNREGS absorbed an increase in employment demand, illustrate the magnitude of India’s social protection programming. Bihar has designed a variety of initiatives that support the vulnerable to prepare for, and respond to, shocks – including the Jal -Jeevan-Hariyali Abhiyan, which provides rural work through plantations; construction of pucca households; and establishment of Self Help Groups, where crores of women make their voices heard.
As Bihar continues to experience economic growth and expand its social protection programmes, how can we design safety nets that could offset future economic and social shocks?
Based on IEIC’s research studies in Bihar and other states across India, Moore presented four insights into design and implementation of inclusive safety nets that could aid in preparing for future shocks:
1.Inequities in social protection access needs to be addressed prior to the crisis:
Evidence shows that directing women’s MGNREGA wages to their own bank accounts, complemented with basic financial literacy training, increases work force participation and increased earnings, this held true for the most vulnerable women, even during the Covid-19 pandemic.
2.Vulnerable people need to be recognised and considered while designing policy:
The ‘Invisible Vulnerable’ are those individuals whose vulnerability is not seen in available data, that is often documented only at the household level. There is a need to understand who the ‘invisibly vulnerable’ actually are in order to develop targeted and intentional programming.
3.Real-time data can inform decision making during crises:
In 2020, IEIC collected data to understand returned migrants’ demand for MGNREGA work; it led officers to increase MGNREGA work in locations where officers had just been transferred.
4.‘Optimal’ data best supports government officials:
IEIC’s work with a mobile application that automates wage payments in Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand has shown significant improvements in payment delays, increased the number of person-days worked and reduced rejected payments.
How did the audience engage with these insights?
The audience showed a keen interest in bridging existing information asymmetries between the heads of the Panchayati Raj Institutions and the communities they serve, leveraging data from studies done by IEIC and other research organisations. Throughout this discussion, several key themes emerged:
Understanding the pathways to MGNREGA participation is key
Attitudes towards MGNREGA vary across communities, with some households reluctant to take up manual work and some others eligible for MGNREGA work, but employed with the private sector. Ensuring that IEIC’s data captures this information will help to shape policy responses.
Need for gender-disaggregated and individual-level data across key indicators
To gain better visibility into individual vulnerabilities, intra-household poverty needs to be better captured in surveys. Re-evaluating the level at which we ask questions, ensuring that data is gender-disaggregated, and capturing other lines along which vulnerabilities are formed – such as disability – will produce more informative data for addressing inequity in social protection programming.
Need to include adaptation to weather events in portfolio
A key function of safety nets is to protect against shocks, and there is strong demand to expand programming and evidence generation into other types of climate shocks. While IEIC currently has focused on flood alerts, policymakers felt that including drought alerts could also be an important extension benefiting many citizens, especially farmers. There was a demand to study post-disaster government assistance and its effect on marginalised communities.
Reducing opaqueness of data
Policymakers mentioned that while data was supposed to lead to transparency and aid prioritisation for government officials, who often juggle implementation of multiple programs, it has somehow made the system more opaque. There is a need to strengthen the bridge between academic research and policymaking, to transfer high-level insights into actionable policy recommendations with fewer and targeted indicators to support decision making across departments. This may help develop an overall ecosystem fluent in data, so that all levels across government could be proficient in using data in their work.
Inter-sectoral coordination is key to build effective safety nets
Officials pointed out that there are multiple government departments involved in building safety nets at a household level. While households might associate safety nets with ‘the government’, it was observed that coordination across a variety of stakeholders and convergence on priorities is critical for effective and widespread service delivery.
Prioritising and consolidating insights to aid decision making
In programs with complex programs and a wide variety of indicators – like MGNREGS, which has approximately 150 indicators – systematically organising insights and degree of potential impact will allow for policymakers and programme administrators to effectively prioritise their decisions.
The goal of bringing voices from across levels of Government administration and civil society was to drive a culture of evidence to equip both policymakers and administrators in Bihar. Continuous dialogue and strategic communication of insights with various Government departments will continue to be a central part of IEIC’s work in building an ecosystem of resilience and strength and advancing inclusive governance in the state.
Policymakers, researchers and civil society members meet in Raipur to discuss how to improve women’s wellbeing and empowerment through policy-engaged research and programming
The Inclusion Economics India Centre (IEIC) at IFMR, in collaboration with the Government of Chhattisgarh, held a roundtable discussion on ‘Women’s empowerment and wellbeing – A Policy-engaged Research Perspective’ at the State Secretariat, Mantralaya, in Raipur on 13th December, 2022. The roundtable was a part of IEIC’s mission to have dialogues with policy makers based on evidence from recent studies.
Since 2017 IEIC has been doing research in multiple districts in Chattisgarh to understand the drivers of women’s engagement with mobile phones. Conversations with policymakers in Chhattisgarh and other stakeholders in the region has been crucial, and has been key to ensure we create actionable and useful insights for policy making.
What do we know about women’s access to and use of mobile phones in Chhattisgarh?
Mobile internet use among men was a little above 25% and a little below 10% among women (GSMA 2018). There is clearly a gender gap. We wanted to investigate if digital literacy training could help more women access the internet and relax norms around phone usage for women .. We conducted digital training camps on basic phone usage for women aged 18-45 years across 180 villages in Chhattisgarh. IEIC affiliated researchers conducted a randomised control trial to understand the causal effect of such a training. Six months after the training, women’s attitudes towards female phone usage were less restrictive among those who received training. An increase in phone usage by women was also observed. Overall, results indicated that training helped to close the gender gap in phone ownership and showed increased social connectedness and improved mental health.
Mor Awaaz programme
Following these training camps, over 10,000 women from rural Raipur district were enrolled in the Mor Awaaz programme, launched by the government of Chhattisgarh. Women were sent weekly recorded calls that shared information on health and nutrition practices and government welfare schemes IEIC’s research found this led to a 11 percentage point increase in women’s knowledge about JSY amount from a 29 percentage base. Further, there was an 8 percentage point increase in utilisation of the scheme (but not statistically significant) in the group that received the messages.
Engaging policymakers to enable women empowerment
This roundtable was a significant step in engaging with the Chhattisgarh state government. With IEIC’s work in the state falling under the purview of multiple state departments, the roundtable was an opportunity to communicate with various ministries on a single platform. Shri. R Prasana, Secretary, Department of Panchayat and Rural Development, Government of Chhattisgarh, chaired the round table, and underscored the importance of research collaborations that inform policy making and noted IEIC’s commitment to, and initiative in, engaging with the Government. Dr Rohini Pande, Professor of Economics and Director of the Economic Growth Center, Yale University and Harsh Jaiswal, Research Manager, IEIC presented research findings from Inclusion Economics’ research work in the state related to mobile phone use and women’s empowerment and well-being.
The 3-hour roundtable was attended by senior officials from the Government of Chhattisgarh including Shri. Rajesh Singhi, Joint Director of the Women and Child Development Ministry, Ms. Kartikeya Goyal, Director of Panchayat, Shri Bhoskar Vilas Sandeepan, MD of National Health Mission and Ms. Alice Lakhra, Chief Operating Officer of the National Rural Livelihoods Mission. In addition, academicians from Hidayutallah National Law University, and professionals from civil society organisations, such as Transforming Rural India Foundation and Indus Action, who work in the area of women empowerment in Chhattisgarh also attended.
How did policy makers engage with the insights
Government stakeholders were interested in understanding how they could apply features of the training in digital literacy to other government training across the state. Kartikeya Gopal, Director of Panchayat, was interested in taking some of the insights that surfaced in the roundtable discussions to government training programmes at the district and block levels as well. The Ministry is interested in training beneficiaries on using mobile phones to access other government schemes, and would like to glean insights from Inclusion Economics’ experience on digital literacy trainings. In addition, they were intrigued by the participation of women in the training and the programme and were eager for Inclusion Economics to share the methods used in facilitating women’s participation.
Officials also expressed a desire for the weekly recorded calls to be translated to languages other than Chhattisgarhi, to broaden reach of these messages across states
April is here, and the temperatures are soaring, summer has announced its arrival. As first of our series in offering the Krea community with simple and actionable tips to sail through the summer, we bring to you five commandments from holistic nutritionist,author, and entrepreneur Shiny Surendran.
This summer especially have been predicted to be intense and taking care of yourself would be important.One good note about this season is we never run out of Vitamin D levels. You might be worried that tanning might be there if you try to get the dose of vitamin D naturally but, to prevent that, you can get the daily dose from the early morning sun. Few of the other tips to manage this burning summer are as follows.
1. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate
Hydration is very essential because due to rise in temperature and humidity, you might be losing a lot of water and electrolytes through sweat. To restore the amount of water lost through sweat, you need to step up your hydration level between 3 to 5 litres. If you are involved in any kind of sports, then your requirements increase furthermore. If you don’t rehydrate yourself, then chances of dehydration symptoms such as poor concentration, lightheadedness, urinary infections, fatigue, and much more can be experienced. The requirements for water can also be met by consuming alternatives such as tender coconut water, fresh fruit juices, diluted buttermilk, rasam, or any infused water.
2. Eating lighter foods
Summer season can directly influence the gut. Your body tries to cope the summer by increasing the blood flow which maintains the body temperature. This results in increased blood flow to the intestine as well results in a lot of gastrointestinal discomforts. So, to prevent this. knowing what you should eat is very essential. Avoiding foods that can cause bloating such as foods rich in sugars, dairy and its by-products including cheese and paneer, and any foods with gluten content and improving the consumption of rice, vegetables, fruits, whole meals, legumes can help in reducing the discomfort.
3. Including plenty of vegetables
As the risk of dehydration, indigestion and deficiencies for vitamins and minerals increases during summers, eating a variety of vegetables plays a key role. Vegetables not only provide you with essential vitamins and minerals but also helps in meeting your overall fluid requirements as well with the hydration that it has. For example, keerai is a super food as it can give your body with enough iron and folate in addition to helping in hydration.
4. Including seasonal fruits
Eating fresh, seasonal fruits are essential as you will be able to enjoy them only during the fruit bearing season. Fruits such as mango, ice-apple, watermelon, kiwi, guava, muskmelon etc can help you to get high amounts of vitamins, mineral and hydration. They not only help in meeting the bodily requirements but also helps to keep your body cool thereby preventing any heat boils from appearing.
5. Snack smart and avoid unhealthy fats
As the digestive system is very sensitive during this period, choosing healthy snacks like seasonal fruits, fresh fruit juices, makhana, popcorn (without any toppings), nuts, drinking nut milk such as almond milk or soymilk or coconut milk, etc will have a positive effect. Unhealthy snacking such as deep fried and fatty foods can impact your body in a negative way leading to frequent bowel opening and discomfort, bloating, nausea thereby affecting your daily routine and quality of life. Summer season is a season for a variety of fruits and vegetables. Eating the seasonal foods can itself serve the highest benefits for your body. Additionally, taking frequent oil baths, maintaining hygiene, maintain lifestyle by keeping yourself active, sleeping on time and waking up for an early sunshine can all help you to have a good quality of life, improve concentration and have good energy levels overall.
Eat fit and stay healthy.
About Shiny Surendran
Shiny is an internationally acclaimed sports nutritionist and is the first Indian to be certified with Graduate Diploma in Sports Nutrition by International Olympic Committee. She is a certified Level 2- Kinanthropometrist from ISAK New Zealand and also an accredited Sports Dietitian from Sports Dietitian Association – Australia. With her profound knowledge in the field of sports nutrition, she has helped 100s of athletes globally, both elite players who have participated in top International Championships as well as young budding athletes, optimize their athletic performance. With her specialisations in sports nutrition, preventive nutrition, Kinanthropometry and Nutrigenomics has helped high profile athletes, celebrities from film industry and several individuals deal with a wide range of nutrition related health problems including competitive athletes and recreational athletes obesity, PCOS, diabetes, cardio-vascular disease, digestive disorders, infertility, food allergies etc.
In the context of International Women’s Day, we present to you a compilation of compelling narratives, from across publications, on women and the spaces they occupy in society
The President’s subtle calls for policy changes reverberate through power corridors-Read More
Starting in the middle of the 19th century, they laid the foundation from which gender equality would enter the Indian consciousness-Read More
This Women’s Day, the entertainment business can perhaps make a pledge to do away with character stereotypes that have no place in 2023-Read More
Photo Essay: Bridging the Digital Gender Divide in Uttar Pradesh’s Chitrakoot-Read More
International Women’s Day 2023: History, marches and celebrations-Read More
On International Women’s Day, septuagenarian Sunalini Menon talks about foraying into the male-dominated world of Indian coffee more than 50 years ago-Read More
For years now, we have all been saying there’s so much to read and so little time, right? But every year, we hope to return to what we love doing the best – to read. So, as part of All Things Under the Sun that we recently kicked off, we present to you a compilation of this week’s best news/features thoughtfully sourced from across publications from across the country and the world, to make your weekend worth it! We hope to cover ground and raise a toast to best reads that are often also about the best writing! Stay tuned and watch this space!
We often expect our friendships to be easy—but sometimes, a breakup is inevitable. This piece suggests how to identify a friendship that has run its course-Read More
. Five image-makers peruse their photographic oeuvres for Vogue India to present portraits of quiet pleasure for a project that captures women in various states of fun and frolic-Read More
For 20 years, Sania Mirza blazed a unique trail through world tennis. This article walks us through her incredible journey to the top of her sport and what lies beyond.-Read More
Movies and shows to watch out for in 2023-Read More
. This piece offers answers to why we can dream in more than one language.-Read More
Another month of books, another month of book covers. This piece offers some favourites from February. -Read More
The burden of undertaking an additional evaluation for algaiarism, that is algorithmic plagiarism, may undermine the evaluation process in many ways. Here’s how: -Read More
All That Breathes: Shaunak Sen’s Oscar-nominated documentary speaks in poetry-Read More
The article throws light on why India’s push to use sugar for fuel may create more problems than it solves. -Read More
Gen Z may be digital natives, but young workers were raised on user-friendly apps – and office devices are far less intuitive, says this piece. -Read More
