Profiles
Claude Alvares
Dr Claude Alvares is a 1976 Ph.D from the Technische Hogeschool in the Netherlands. He is now 68 years old.
As an international scholar, Dr Alvares coordinates the Multiversity Project which seeks broadly to decolonise thinking and academic curricula in our universities. The project involves Iranian, Indian, Malaysian and African scholars and seeks a permanent exit from the tyranny of Eurocentrism over academic life.
Alvares is best known for his book Decolonizing History which severely knocked down Western interpretations of societies like India and China. Other books include Science, Development & Violence, Fish Curry and Rice and The Organic Farming Sourcebook.
With Shad Saleem Faruqi, he edited Decolonising the University, published by USM Press, Malaysia. He has edited two additional books on the subject of decolonisation of university curricula. One is titled, Multicultural Knowledge and the University (Other India Press) and the other, Changing the Narrative (under publication).
Over the past decade, Dr Alvares has coordinated seven international conferences on redesigning non-Eurocentric curricula, the last three with the active support of Malaysia's Department of Education.
In the State of Goa, India, Dr Alvares has headed the Goa Foundation (an environmental action group) as Director for 25 years, moving the High Courts and Supreme Court of India over several environmental issues in public interest. He has managed waste dump sites and brought in innovations to deal with market wastes. He also directs the all-India office of the Organic Farming Association of India (OFAI). OFAI will be hosting the Organic World Congress in November 2017 at New Delhi.
He is also editor of Other India Press, a publishing house dedicated to bringing out books on organic farming, alternative health, free learning and homeschooling, wildlife conservation and environmental issues. For several years, he wrote for a wide basket of Indian newspapers and magazines including the Illustrated Weekly of India, India Today, Outlook, The Times of India, and others. He blogs at www.typewriterguerilla.com
Dr Claude Alvares is a 1976 Ph.D from the Technische Hogeschool in the Netherlands. He is now 68 years old.
As an international scholar, Dr Alvares coordinates the Multiversity Project which seeks broadly to decolonise thinking and academic curricula in our universities. The project involves Iranian, Indian, Malaysian and African scholars and seeks a permanent exit from the tyranny of Eurocentrism over academic life.
Alvares is best known for his book Decolonizing History which severely knocked down Western interpretations of societies like India and China. Other books include Science, Development & Violence, Fish Curry and Rice and The Organic Farming Sourcebook.
With Shad Saleem Faruqi, he edited Decolonising the University, published by USM Press, Malaysia. He has edited two additional books on the subject of decolonisation of university curricula. One is titled, Multicultural Knowledge and the University (Other India Press) and the other, Changing the Narrative (under publication).
Over the past decade, Dr Alvares has coordinated seven international conferences on redesigning non-Eurocentric curricula, the last three with the active support of Malaysia's Department of Education.
In the State of Goa, India, Dr Alvares has headed the Goa Foundation (an environmental action group) as Director for 25 years, moving the High Courts and Supreme Court of India over several environmental issues in public interest. He has managed waste dump sites and brought in innovations to deal with market wastes. He also directs the all-India office of the Organic Farming Association of India (OFAI). OFAI will be hosting the Organic World Congress in November 2017 at New Delhi.
He is also editor of Other India Press, a publishing house dedicated to bringing out books on organic farming, alternative health, free learning and homeschooling, wildlife conservation and environmental issues. For several years, he wrote for a wide basket of Indian newspapers and magazines including the Illustrated Weekly of India, India Today, Outlook, The Times of India, and others. He blogs at www.typewriterguerilla.com
Ashis Nandy
Prof. Ashis Nandy, sociologist and clinical psychologist, has over the years strayed into areas outside formal social sciences and normal academic concerns. His research interests centre on the political psychology of violence, cultures of knowledge, utopias and visions, human potentialities, and futures. Presently he is working on genocide. The running themes in his work have been concern and respect for marginalized categories and systems of knowledge and a robust scepticism towards expert-driven, packaged, professional solutions to human problems.
Nandy's books include Alternative Sciences, At the Edge of Psychology,The Intimate Enemy, The Tao of Cricket, The Illegitimacy of Nationalism, The Savage Freud and Other Essays in Possible and Retrievable Selves, An Ambiguous Journey to the City, The Romance of the State and the Fate of Dissent in the Tropics, Time Warps, Time Treks, and Traditions, Tyranny and Utopias. He is also a co-author of The Blinded Eye: 500 Years of Christopher Columbus and Creating a Nationality; editor of Science, Hegemony and Violence and The Secret Politics of our Desires; and a co-editor of The Multiverse of Democracy and The Future of Knowledge and Culture: A Twenty-First Century Dictionary.
Nandy is a Distinguished Fellow of the Institute of Postcolonial Studies, Melbourne, and a member of the Global Scientific Committee for Higher Education (UNESCO). Over the years, he has been also associated with initiatives such as the Centre for Ecology and Food Security, New Delhi; People’s Union of Civil Liberties, the Committee for Cultural Choices and Global Futures, Delhi; Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, and the Intercultural Institute of Montreal.
Nandy received the Fukuoka Asian Culture Prize in 2007 and was chosen one of 100 top public intellectuals in the world in 2008.
Prof. Ashis Nandy, sociologist and clinical psychologist, has over the years strayed into areas outside formal social sciences and normal academic concerns. His research interests centre on the political psychology of violence, cultures of knowledge, utopias and visions, human potentialities, and futures. Presently he is working on genocide. The running themes in his work have been concern and respect for marginalized categories and systems of knowledge and a robust scepticism towards expert-driven, packaged, professional solutions to human problems.
Nandy's books include Alternative Sciences, At the Edge of Psychology,The Intimate Enemy, The Tao of Cricket, The Illegitimacy of Nationalism, The Savage Freud and Other Essays in Possible and Retrievable Selves, An Ambiguous Journey to the City, The Romance of the State and the Fate of Dissent in the Tropics, Time Warps, Time Treks, and Traditions, Tyranny and Utopias. He is also a co-author of The Blinded Eye: 500 Years of Christopher Columbus and Creating a Nationality; editor of Science, Hegemony and Violence and The Secret Politics of our Desires; and a co-editor of The Multiverse of Democracy and The Future of Knowledge and Culture: A Twenty-First Century Dictionary.
Nandy is a Distinguished Fellow of the Institute of Postcolonial Studies, Melbourne, and a member of the Global Scientific Committee for Higher Education (UNESCO). Over the years, he has been also associated with initiatives such as the Centre for Ecology and Food Security, New Delhi; People’s Union of Civil Liberties, the Committee for Cultural Choices and Global Futures, Delhi; Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, and the Intercultural Institute of Montreal.
Nandy received the Fukuoka Asian Culture Prize in 2007 and was chosen one of 100 top public intellectuals in the world in 2008.
Shiv Visvanathan
Prof. Shiv Visvanathan is an Indian public intellectual and social scientist best known for his contributions to Science and Technology Studies, and for the concept of cognitive justice a term he coined. He is currently Professor at Jindal Global Law School, Sonipat and Director, Centre for the Study of Knowledge Systems, O.P Jindal Global University. He is Adjunct Professor at Raman Research Institute, Bangalore. He was Professor at Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology (DA-IICT), Gandhinagar. He was Henry Luce Professor at Smith College Massachusetts. He was also Visiting Professor at Stanford University and Center for Cultural Studies, Goldsmiths College, University of London; Center for Science Policy, Arizona State University; University of Maastricht, Holland; National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras and Mudra Institute of Communication (MICA), Ahmedabad. He has also taught at the Delhi School of Economics and was Senior Fellow at Centre for Study of Developing Societies.
He is author of Organizing for Science (OUP, Delhi, 1985), A Carnival for Science (OUP, Delhi, 1997), Theatres of Democracy (Harper Collins, Delhi 2016) and has co-edited Foulplay: Chronicles of Corruption (Banyan Books, Delhi, 1999). He is a regular columnist at Hindu, Asian Age, Sunday Mail, Daily O, Scroll.in, BBC and Outlook. He is also as a frequent commentator on TV programmes.
Prof. Shiv Visvanathan is an Indian public intellectual and social scientist best known for his contributions to Science and Technology Studies, and for the concept of cognitive justice a term he coined. He is currently Professor at Jindal Global Law School, Sonipat and Director, Centre for the Study of Knowledge Systems, O.P Jindal Global University. He is Adjunct Professor at Raman Research Institute, Bangalore. He was Professor at Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology (DA-IICT), Gandhinagar. He was Henry Luce Professor at Smith College Massachusetts. He was also Visiting Professor at Stanford University and Center for Cultural Studies, Goldsmiths College, University of London; Center for Science Policy, Arizona State University; University of Maastricht, Holland; National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras and Mudra Institute of Communication (MICA), Ahmedabad. He has also taught at the Delhi School of Economics and was Senior Fellow at Centre for Study of Developing Societies.
He is author of Organizing for Science (OUP, Delhi, 1985), A Carnival for Science (OUP, Delhi, 1997), Theatres of Democracy (Harper Collins, Delhi 2016) and has co-edited Foulplay: Chronicles of Corruption (Banyan Books, Delhi, 1999). He is a regular columnist at Hindu, Asian Age, Sunday Mail, Daily O, Scroll.in, BBC and Outlook. He is also as a frequent commentator on TV programmes.
Sharmila Samant
Sharmila Samant is a visual artist from Bombay, India. She graduated in Sculpture from the Sir J.J. School of Arts in 1989 and a Diploma in Interior Design and Decoration at the L.S. Raheja College of Architecture, 1990, a fellowship at the Kanoria Center for Arts, Ahmedabad, 1992-93 then a Residency at the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten, Amsterdam, in 1998- 2000 which was followed by a residency at the Gasworks, London, 2001
She works with a variety of mediums and forms such as installations, performance, and photography. Globalization, identity and consumer culture are issues central to her works. Samant has worked with activist groups and communities engaging in both collaborative and participatory art projects expressing her deep sensitivity towards suppressed and marginalized voices.
She is the co-founder of a Mumbai- based collective called the Open Circle, which aimed to create a platform for meaningful dialogue among artists on an intercultural level and sought to address and engage with contemporary socio-political issues via an integration of theory and practice. Negotiating in both private and public spheres, Samant has engaged in collaborative and participatory art projects with various communities while exploring ideas of exchange, accessibility and authorship. Her installations and video works have been part of many prominent exhibitions in biennales, museums, artist-led spaces and alternative venues in India and abroad.
Samant has curated international events, screenings and exhibitions individually and in collaboration. Since 2011 she is an advisor to Art1st Foundation, that has been working towards strengthening visual literacy, creative skills, cultural awareness and art pedagogy for children and educators. She is on the academic council of the G5A Foundation for contemporary culture, Mumbai which supports contemporary art and culture, good governance and sustainability since 2013.
She was invited to join as the core faculty, at the Department of Art, Design and Performance of the Shiv Nadar University, to set up the MFA programme since 2013.
Sharmila Samant is a visual artist from Bombay, India. She graduated in Sculpture from the Sir J.J. School of Arts in 1989 and a Diploma in Interior Design and Decoration at the L.S. Raheja College of Architecture, 1990, a fellowship at the Kanoria Center for Arts, Ahmedabad, 1992-93 then a Residency at the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten, Amsterdam, in 1998- 2000 which was followed by a residency at the Gasworks, London, 2001
She works with a variety of mediums and forms such as installations, performance, and photography. Globalization, identity and consumer culture are issues central to her works. Samant has worked with activist groups and communities engaging in both collaborative and participatory art projects expressing her deep sensitivity towards suppressed and marginalized voices.
She is the co-founder of a Mumbai- based collective called the Open Circle, which aimed to create a platform for meaningful dialogue among artists on an intercultural level and sought to address and engage with contemporary socio-political issues via an integration of theory and practice. Negotiating in both private and public spheres, Samant has engaged in collaborative and participatory art projects with various communities while exploring ideas of exchange, accessibility and authorship. Her installations and video works have been part of many prominent exhibitions in biennales, museums, artist-led spaces and alternative venues in India and abroad.
Samant has curated international events, screenings and exhibitions individually and in collaboration. Since 2011 she is an advisor to Art1st Foundation, that has been working towards strengthening visual literacy, creative skills, cultural awareness and art pedagogy for children and educators. She is on the academic council of the G5A Foundation for contemporary culture, Mumbai which supports contemporary art and culture, good governance and sustainability since 2013.
She was invited to join as the core faculty, at the Department of Art, Design and Performance of the Shiv Nadar University, to set up the MFA programme since 2013.
Manu V. Mathai
Dr. Manu Mathai is an Assistant Professor in the School of Development at Azim Premji University in Bangalore, India.
Knowledge-Action Interests and Orientation: Manu researches and teaches about the intersection of energy, sustainability and human development policy questions. He focuses on the norms guiding human well-being and economic development objectives and the political economy context of their negotiation, as manifest in technology and infrastructure preferences and investments. He orients himself toward an understanding of sustainability as the pursuit of greater fairness in human well-being on a shared and finite planet. He was trained in the natural and social sciences.
Key Themes: End-means in development discourse; ecological modernisation and its limits; extending end-use approaches to development planning and technology choice; political economy of technology/ infrastructure choice; alternative development praxis; governance for sustainability.
Representative Publications:
PhD Dissertation
Mathai, M.V. (2010). Beyond Prometheus and Bakasura: Elements of an Alternative to Nuclear Power in India’s Response to the Energy-Environment Crisis. Newark, DE: University of Delaware.
Books
Mathai, M.V. (2013). Nuclear Power, Economic Development Discourse and the Environment: The Case of India. New York and London: Routledge. <> Dale, G., Mathai, M.V., & Puppim de Oliveira, J.A. (Eds.) (2016). Green Growth: Ideology, Political Economy and the Alternatives. London: Zed Books. [Details of the project and international symposium funded by APN are here].
Representative Papers/Chapters
Mathai, M.V. (2004). Exploring Freedom in a Global Ecology: Sen's Capability Approach as a Response to the Development-Environment Crisis. 4th International Conference on the Capability Approach: Enhancing Human Security, University of Pavia, Italy. [Received the HDCA Young Researcher Award in Environment and Development] <> Mathai, M.V. (2009). Elements of an Alternative to Nuclear Power as a Response to the Energy-Environment Crisis in India: Development as Freedom and a Sustainable Energy Utility. Bulletin of Science, Technology and Society, 29 (2), 139-150. <> Mathai, M.V., & Parayil, G. (2012). Toward Equity and Sustainability in the "Green Economy." In Jose A. Puppim de Oliveira (Ed.). Green Economy and Good Governance for Sustainable Development: Opportunities, Promises and Concerns. Tokyo: UNU Press. <> Mathai, M.V. (2012). Towards a Sustainable Synergy: End-Use Energy Planning, Development as Freedom, Inclusive Institutions and Democratic Technics. In Ilse Oosterlaken and Jeroen van den Hoven (eds.). The Capability Approach, Technology and Design. Philosophy of Engineering and Technology Book Series. Vol. 5, pp 87-112. Dordrecht: Springer. <> Mathai, M. V. & Kartikasari, K. (2015) Institutional Framework for Low-Carbon Urban Infrastructure Investment: Some Evidence and Lessons from DKI Jakarta, Indonesia. Journal of Comparative Asian Development, 14(2), 319-349. Full CV here.
Dr. Manu Mathai is an Assistant Professor in the School of Development at Azim Premji University in Bangalore, India.
Knowledge-Action Interests and Orientation: Manu researches and teaches about the intersection of energy, sustainability and human development policy questions. He focuses on the norms guiding human well-being and economic development objectives and the political economy context of their negotiation, as manifest in technology and infrastructure preferences and investments. He orients himself toward an understanding of sustainability as the pursuit of greater fairness in human well-being on a shared and finite planet. He was trained in the natural and social sciences.
Key Themes: End-means in development discourse; ecological modernisation and its limits; extending end-use approaches to development planning and technology choice; political economy of technology/ infrastructure choice; alternative development praxis; governance for sustainability.
Representative Publications:
PhD Dissertation
Mathai, M.V. (2010). Beyond Prometheus and Bakasura: Elements of an Alternative to Nuclear Power in India’s Response to the Energy-Environment Crisis. Newark, DE: University of Delaware.
Books
Mathai, M.V. (2013). Nuclear Power, Economic Development Discourse and the Environment: The Case of India. New York and London: Routledge. <> Dale, G., Mathai, M.V., & Puppim de Oliveira, J.A. (Eds.) (2016). Green Growth: Ideology, Political Economy and the Alternatives. London: Zed Books. [Details of the project and international symposium funded by APN are here].
Representative Papers/Chapters
Mathai, M.V. (2004). Exploring Freedom in a Global Ecology: Sen's Capability Approach as a Response to the Development-Environment Crisis. 4th International Conference on the Capability Approach: Enhancing Human Security, University of Pavia, Italy. [Received the HDCA Young Researcher Award in Environment and Development] <> Mathai, M.V. (2009). Elements of an Alternative to Nuclear Power as a Response to the Energy-Environment Crisis in India: Development as Freedom and a Sustainable Energy Utility. Bulletin of Science, Technology and Society, 29 (2), 139-150. <> Mathai, M.V., & Parayil, G. (2012). Toward Equity and Sustainability in the "Green Economy." In Jose A. Puppim de Oliveira (Ed.). Green Economy and Good Governance for Sustainable Development: Opportunities, Promises and Concerns. Tokyo: UNU Press. <> Mathai, M.V. (2012). Towards a Sustainable Synergy: End-Use Energy Planning, Development as Freedom, Inclusive Institutions and Democratic Technics. In Ilse Oosterlaken and Jeroen van den Hoven (eds.). The Capability Approach, Technology and Design. Philosophy of Engineering and Technology Book Series. Vol. 5, pp 87-112. Dordrecht: Springer. <> Mathai, M. V. & Kartikasari, K. (2015) Institutional Framework for Low-Carbon Urban Infrastructure Investment: Some Evidence and Lessons from DKI Jakarta, Indonesia. Journal of Comparative Asian Development, 14(2), 319-349. Full CV here.
Lourthusamy Arokiasamy
Dr. L.A.Samy is the founder director of Association of Rural education and development Service – AREDS is a sociologist involved in various rural development initiatives and development alternatives. He is the vice President Asia for the International Partnership on Human Economy- DCLI-Irfed. He was involved in conducting Dialogue of civilizations and development of peoples in Lebanon, Prague, India and Indonesia. He has done research study on Dalit- caste system. He is co convener of Tamil Nadu Land Rights coalition that campaign against land grabbing. He is Co -convener of Tamil Nadu Sanitary workers’ Forum, convener of Tamil Nadu Forum for Livelihood Rights.
Taken up action research in many rural development issues and programme to help develop action for lobby and advocacy to bring necessary changes in the policies viz. MNREG, labour conditions in textile exporting companies, Impact of Globalization on women economy and presently on the reality of Primary education in Tamil Nadu and informal labourers reality on social protection and living income in India.
Written and writes critiques on development issues in many international magazines. Undertakes evaluations and organizational development Programmes to various national and international development organizations and also to the Government bodies. He is guides PhD students both national and international universities. Has been mentor in the research study on social protection of informal workers in India. More actively involved in development alternatives and dialogue of civilizations to help make the North South relationship and partnership to move forward for a sustainable development in realizing the Human centered Development Process. His belief “development with Spirituality sustains and leads to a sustainable development.”
“The centre of all development is Human.”
Dr. L.A.Samy is the founder director of Association of Rural education and development Service – AREDS is a sociologist involved in various rural development initiatives and development alternatives. He is the vice President Asia for the International Partnership on Human Economy- DCLI-Irfed. He was involved in conducting Dialogue of civilizations and development of peoples in Lebanon, Prague, India and Indonesia. He has done research study on Dalit- caste system. He is co convener of Tamil Nadu Land Rights coalition that campaign against land grabbing. He is Co -convener of Tamil Nadu Sanitary workers’ Forum, convener of Tamil Nadu Forum for Livelihood Rights.
Taken up action research in many rural development issues and programme to help develop action for lobby and advocacy to bring necessary changes in the policies viz. MNREG, labour conditions in textile exporting companies, Impact of Globalization on women economy and presently on the reality of Primary education in Tamil Nadu and informal labourers reality on social protection and living income in India.
Written and writes critiques on development issues in many international magazines. Undertakes evaluations and organizational development Programmes to various national and international development organizations and also to the Government bodies. He is guides PhD students both national and international universities. Has been mentor in the research study on social protection of informal workers in India. More actively involved in development alternatives and dialogue of civilizations to help make the North South relationship and partnership to move forward for a sustainable development in realizing the Human centered Development Process. His belief “development with Spirituality sustains and leads to a sustainable development.”
“The centre of all development is Human.”
Kiranmayi Bhushi
Dr. Kiranmayi Bhushi is currently an Associate Professor in the faculty of Sociology, School of Social Science, IGNOU. She obtained her doctoral degree from Jawaharlal Nehru University. She has had brief teaching stint in Columbia College, Chicago, USA. She also taught in Ambedkar University, Delhi. She was a visiting fellow at Ca’Foscari University of Venice, Italy. Her main academic research interests lie in the area of diaspora studies, transnationalism, food studies, popular culture, and pedagogy. Her recent book on Culture and Politics of Food in Contemporary India is being published by Cambridge University Press
Dr. Bhushi’s interests and involvements are wide ranging, besides her academic engagement. She started out with a deep commitment and engagement with the open and distance learning mode. She still continues to work in Open University set up, albeit with many deviating trajectories. Her work also covers inter-disciplinary and trans-disciplinary concerns.
Her research interests in Indian Diaspora, and the transnational setting of home-abroad, offered a vantage point and a lens with which to view social life and the issues thereof. Dr. Bhushi’s ever abiding interests in all things food led her to an involvement in running and cooking in a restaurant, and to grow food in an organic farm in the foothills of Himalayas. The aesthetics of food haven’t escaped her, which she attempts to capture through photography. She is also recipient of ICSSR grant for Photographic Documentation of Manual Scavenging in NCR Region of Delhi
Dr. Kiranmayi Bhushi is currently an Associate Professor in the faculty of Sociology, School of Social Science, IGNOU. She obtained her doctoral degree from Jawaharlal Nehru University. She has had brief teaching stint in Columbia College, Chicago, USA. She also taught in Ambedkar University, Delhi. She was a visiting fellow at Ca’Foscari University of Venice, Italy. Her main academic research interests lie in the area of diaspora studies, transnationalism, food studies, popular culture, and pedagogy. Her recent book on Culture and Politics of Food in Contemporary India is being published by Cambridge University Press
Dr. Bhushi’s interests and involvements are wide ranging, besides her academic engagement. She started out with a deep commitment and engagement with the open and distance learning mode. She still continues to work in Open University set up, albeit with many deviating trajectories. Her work also covers inter-disciplinary and trans-disciplinary concerns.
Her research interests in Indian Diaspora, and the transnational setting of home-abroad, offered a vantage point and a lens with which to view social life and the issues thereof. Dr. Bhushi’s ever abiding interests in all things food led her to an involvement in running and cooking in a restaurant, and to grow food in an organic farm in the foothills of Himalayas. The aesthetics of food haven’t escaped her, which she attempts to capture through photography. She is also recipient of ICSSR grant for Photographic Documentation of Manual Scavenging in NCR Region of Delhi
Kabir Arora
Kabir is a geographer with further training in urban development. Having lived in eight different cities of India, he is trying to make sense of prevailing urbanity. To earn his livelihood, Kabir coordinates Alliance of Indian Wastepickers– an informal network of organizations, cooperatives, and companies working on waste management with the help of wastepickers. He is based in Bangalore.
Kabir graduated with B.A. (Hons.) in Geography from Jamia Millia Islamia (National Muslim University), New Delhi. Post his graduation; he had a brief stint in primary education sector as a Gandhi Fellow. As a fellow, he worked in both rural and urban areas (Jhunjhunu- Churu, Udaipur and Mumbai) as a teacher, facilitator of School Excellence Programme and assistant to Headmasters. He has done his Post Graduate Diploma in Urban Environment Management & Environment Law, offered by WWF-India & National Law University, Delhi. Continuing his interest in studying cities he was a learner in Indian Institute for Human Settlements, Bangalore as a part of their course Programme for Working Professionals in Urban Development (PWP-UD). At present Kabir is doing his Masters in Public Policy from National Law School of India University, Bangalore.
In addition to his interest in informal economy, Kabir follows the discourse on sustainability quite thoroughly and was a Board Member of Indian Youth Climate Network (IYCN) – torchbearer of nascent climate movement in South Asia. He writes regularly on the issues of informal economy, waste management and climate change.
Kabir is a geographer with further training in urban development. Having lived in eight different cities of India, he is trying to make sense of prevailing urbanity. To earn his livelihood, Kabir coordinates Alliance of Indian Wastepickers– an informal network of organizations, cooperatives, and companies working on waste management with the help of wastepickers. He is based in Bangalore.
Kabir graduated with B.A. (Hons.) in Geography from Jamia Millia Islamia (National Muslim University), New Delhi. Post his graduation; he had a brief stint in primary education sector as a Gandhi Fellow. As a fellow, he worked in both rural and urban areas (Jhunjhunu- Churu, Udaipur and Mumbai) as a teacher, facilitator of School Excellence Programme and assistant to Headmasters. He has done his Post Graduate Diploma in Urban Environment Management & Environment Law, offered by WWF-India & National Law University, Delhi. Continuing his interest in studying cities he was a learner in Indian Institute for Human Settlements, Bangalore as a part of their course Programme for Working Professionals in Urban Development (PWP-UD). At present Kabir is doing his Masters in Public Policy from National Law School of India University, Bangalore.
In addition to his interest in informal economy, Kabir follows the discourse on sustainability quite thoroughly and was a Board Member of Indian Youth Climate Network (IYCN) – torchbearer of nascent climate movement in South Asia. He writes regularly on the issues of informal economy, waste management and climate change.
Dev N Pathak
Dr. Dev N Pathak teaches Sociology and heads the department, at South Asian University, New Delhi (India), and was a Charles Wallace Fellow at Queen’s University, Belfast, UK. He has a doctorate in Sociology from Jawaharlal Nehru University and his research interest consists broadly of cultural performances, art, music, and popular cinema in the region of south Asia. He has contributed significantly to journals and books, and his forthcoming titles are: Living and Dying: Meanings in Maithili Folk songs (Primus), Performative Comunication: Culture and Politics in South Asia (Routledge), Another South Asia (Primus). He is Reviews Editor & Editorial Member of the journal ‘Society and Culture in South Asia’ (a journal of the South Asian University, published by Sage India) . His publications are available atacademia.edu.
Dr. Dev N Pathak teaches Sociology and heads the department, at South Asian University, New Delhi (India), and was a Charles Wallace Fellow at Queen’s University, Belfast, UK. He has a doctorate in Sociology from Jawaharlal Nehru University and his research interest consists broadly of cultural performances, art, music, and popular cinema in the region of south Asia. He has contributed significantly to journals and books, and his forthcoming titles are: Living and Dying: Meanings in Maithili Folk songs (Primus), Performative Comunication: Culture and Politics in South Asia (Routledge), Another South Asia (Primus). He is Reviews Editor & Editorial Member of the journal ‘Society and Culture in South Asia’ (a journal of the South Asian University, published by Sage India) . His publications are available atacademia.edu.
Jinan K.B.
Explorations on SENSITIVITY CREATIVITY ORIGINALITY : My concern originality, authenticity, conditioning, lack of creativity in general and more so in the educational institutions etc. led me to explore deeply various aspects of modern as well as indigenous knowledge systems. I have worked in schools, with non- literate artisans, rural youth, rural children, educated parents, teachers of schools and architecture, design and management students and teachers in various parts of the country.
My exploration had been around various aspects related to knower, knowing and knowledge and the conditions that enable or disable learning. Fortunately my interest in this was more than mere academic and it was almost like a 'tapas. It was purely for existential reasons that I embarked on this journey and due to that it was an open, deep, honest, responsible and free flowing exploration. This also led to what can be called a wholistic search/ research covering cognition, children, indigenous knowledge, aesthetic sense, creativity, culture, biology, psychology, politics, philosophy, schooling, modernity etc, but without placing them in to compartments. More importantly it was an attempt to reclaim my authentic way of knowing.
Focus of Present Work
<> Initiating rethinking at all levels to foster sensitivity, authenticity, creativity and originality with schools, colleges, institutions and explorers/ deschoolers/ parents. <> Reimaging schools is an initiative to raise some fundamental aspects that hinder creativity and sensitivity and authentic sense of beauty. <> Reimagining beauty is an initiative to work with design and architectural students and practitioners to question the homogenization and standardization of beauty happening in present educational setup.
Research, Explorations, Experience
There are two somewhat distinct phases to my explorations. The first phase took for granted the teaching paradigm with the teacher, knowledge and schools as the givens. It dawned on me that modern schooling was set up based on the question ‘how to teach children’. The second phase began on seeing that in indigenous communities there is no teaching but only learning. So the second phase addressed the question ‘how children learn’. This made the crucial difference to the search as the first question involves psychological conditioning and the second question centers around biology and natural propensity. The first one, like most people in the alternative education, tries to improve teaching methods, content delivery, learning environment etc. which is basically trying to teach children in all kind of methods. But unlike most people involved this search, along with studying the context of schools, I also began to study how learning takes place in society especially among the non-literate communities. How knowledge is created, how is it learned, transferred etc. Again this happened due to an attitude shift. Instead of trying to save the non-literate I soon realized their potential to save us, the so called educated and ‘developed’.
The second phase which began around 1998, while working with a potter’s community. Inkling that beauty has biological basis is what made me look at knowledge as a biological response of the organism to survive and I found evidences after evidences to support this assumption in my interaction with non-literate people and children. The most important breakthrough has been the finding that cognition, beauty, love etc. has biological basis.
Based on these insights I have been exploring the deeper and hidden cognitive damages of schooling and the biological foundations of learning/ being. Based on these findings I have been doing workshops, retreats, courses for parents, teachers, children, college students doing design, architecture, management etc and other institutions.
SITES : http://sadhanavillageschool.org < > http://re-cognition.org; BLOGS: http://reimaginingschools.wordpess.com
http://designeducationasia.blogspot.in/ <> http://awakeningaestheticawareness.wordpress.com/ <> http://awakeningtheaestheticawareness.blogspot.com/ ; VIDEOS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNFM-uUzqE8 <>
Biology of Knowing Links: http://www.vimeo.com/8026239 <> http://www.vimeo.com/8214350 <> http://www.vimeo.com/8430320
http://www.vimeo.com/8355866
Explorations on SENSITIVITY CREATIVITY ORIGINALITY : My concern originality, authenticity, conditioning, lack of creativity in general and more so in the educational institutions etc. led me to explore deeply various aspects of modern as well as indigenous knowledge systems. I have worked in schools, with non- literate artisans, rural youth, rural children, educated parents, teachers of schools and architecture, design and management students and teachers in various parts of the country.
My exploration had been around various aspects related to knower, knowing and knowledge and the conditions that enable or disable learning. Fortunately my interest in this was more than mere academic and it was almost like a 'tapas. It was purely for existential reasons that I embarked on this journey and due to that it was an open, deep, honest, responsible and free flowing exploration. This also led to what can be called a wholistic search/ research covering cognition, children, indigenous knowledge, aesthetic sense, creativity, culture, biology, psychology, politics, philosophy, schooling, modernity etc, but without placing them in to compartments. More importantly it was an attempt to reclaim my authentic way of knowing.
Focus of Present Work
<> Initiating rethinking at all levels to foster sensitivity, authenticity, creativity and originality with schools, colleges, institutions and explorers/ deschoolers/ parents. <> Reimaging schools is an initiative to raise some fundamental aspects that hinder creativity and sensitivity and authentic sense of beauty. <> Reimagining beauty is an initiative to work with design and architectural students and practitioners to question the homogenization and standardization of beauty happening in present educational setup.
Research, Explorations, Experience
There are two somewhat distinct phases to my explorations. The first phase took for granted the teaching paradigm with the teacher, knowledge and schools as the givens. It dawned on me that modern schooling was set up based on the question ‘how to teach children’. The second phase began on seeing that in indigenous communities there is no teaching but only learning. So the second phase addressed the question ‘how children learn’. This made the crucial difference to the search as the first question involves psychological conditioning and the second question centers around biology and natural propensity. The first one, like most people in the alternative education, tries to improve teaching methods, content delivery, learning environment etc. which is basically trying to teach children in all kind of methods. But unlike most people involved this search, along with studying the context of schools, I also began to study how learning takes place in society especially among the non-literate communities. How knowledge is created, how is it learned, transferred etc. Again this happened due to an attitude shift. Instead of trying to save the non-literate I soon realized their potential to save us, the so called educated and ‘developed’.
The second phase which began around 1998, while working with a potter’s community. Inkling that beauty has biological basis is what made me look at knowledge as a biological response of the organism to survive and I found evidences after evidences to support this assumption in my interaction with non-literate people and children. The most important breakthrough has been the finding that cognition, beauty, love etc. has biological basis.
Based on these insights I have been exploring the deeper and hidden cognitive damages of schooling and the biological foundations of learning/ being. Based on these findings I have been doing workshops, retreats, courses for parents, teachers, children, college students doing design, architecture, management etc and other institutions.
SITES : http://sadhanavillageschool.org < > http://re-cognition.org; BLOGS: http://reimaginingschools.wordpess.com
http://designeducationasia.blogspot.in/ <> http://awakeningaestheticawareness.wordpress.com/ <> http://awakeningtheaestheticawareness.blogspot.com/ ; VIDEOS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNFM-uUzqE8 <>
Biology of Knowing Links: http://www.vimeo.com/8026239 <> http://www.vimeo.com/8214350 <> http://www.vimeo.com/8430320
http://www.vimeo.com/8355866
Conrad A. Saldanha
- Post Graduate in Business Management (Marketing) from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies – 1977
- Has 32 years of professional working experience in senior positions in Multinational companies like J&J, Colgate – Palmolive, and Indian managed companies like India Today, Times of India.
- Retired in October 2009 as Vice-President (Training & Market Research) from The Times of India Group.
- Is currently Principal Advisor to Don Bosco Centre for Learning, Kurla, Mumbai. Was instrumental in launching their Post Graduate Degree Management Program in 2010.
- Has conducted Vision, Purpose and Values Workshops for various Religious Institutes and Congregations, Dioceses and Catholic Educational Institutions in India, Sri Lanka and Korea.
- As Founder member and part of Asian Communication Network, conducted International Seminars and workshops in the area of Communication for Seminarians, Priests, Religious and Youth in Asia.
- Played a major role in the Mumbai Archdiocese for the Archdiocesan Synod of 2001, the Archdiocesan Education Consult, 2004, and the Archdiocesan Consult 2012. Spearheaded the Research on Catholic Youth for the Youth Consult 2015, Mumbai Archdiocese. Was Vice President of Archdiocesan Pastoral Council, Mumbai Archdiocese.
- Completed a comprehensive Re-visioning for Salesian India exercise together with an Evaluation of SPCSA (Salesian Provincial Council for South Asia), 2017.
- Is a certified online Trainer of IICA (Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs) in CSR.
- Advisor to Xavier Institute of Communication, Mumbai. Was involved with the St. Xavier’s College campus, Mumbai for various initiatives. Advisor to Times Pro, the educative arm of Times of India, and Metanoia, a start up in the Alumni – Institution space. On the Governing Board of other Educational institutions.
- Is on the Ethics committee of Asian Heart Institute, Mumbai
- Is a Trustee of Consumer Guidance Society of India
- Married to Mercian Saldanha, who is actively involved in various Civic initiatives like AGNI (Action for Good Governance), Citizen’s Forum, Dialogue and Reconciliation Cell, Church in the City, Justice and Peace Commission and many others.
- Have helped many children in the neighbourhood who were experiencing family problems and were economically disadvantaged. Our objective was to give these children a second chance in life.
