Indian Reality Research Articles

“Digital Personal Data Protection Act”—A Strudel Served Raw!

The good news is that personal data privacy law has become a reality in India. The bad news is 95% of the public is ignorant of the same, 3% do not know what it entails and the rest 2% are voraciously engaged in an intellectual feud. Privacy as a concomitant of natural or inalienable rights has been recognized in the western hemisphere since the 18th century. In India, the legislative history of the doctrine can be traced to the trilogy of cases during the 1950’s. It was only post 1978, that the apex court of the country passed a slew of judgements recognizing the right to privacy as an essential part of the right to “protection of life and personal liberty” embodied under the Indian Constitution and thereby bestowing the fundamental right status. On August 24, 2017, a nine-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court of India (Puttaswamy judgment) re-wrote history as it not only recognized and reconfirmed the fundamental right status of “ right to privacy” but also laid the foundation of data protection law in the country. August 11, 2023, marks a historic date in the legislative annals of digital India, as the country enacted the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (“DPDP Act” or “Act”) after more than half a decade of deliberations. At a time when technology has become the defining paradigm of every business, the DPDP Act seeks to lay the foundation for developing a strong data privacy regime in the country. The Act in its new avatar is quite different from its predecessors proposed earlier. Ironically, the regulations themselves have set ajar a host of challenges, issues and steeplechases, which can barely be fathomed at this moment. In addition, the DPDP Act is yet to be notified or implemented by the Central Government. The key question this paper discusses is whether this seemingly endless period of deliberations culminated into a robust and comprehensive law or is it simply a Strudel served raw! To answer this question, the paper first charts the history of the concept with a chronological approach on a global platform. The second part of the paper charts the pre-DPDP era in India. The third part recapitulates the DPDP Act (in the present form) in a nutshell, while the fourth part dissects the DPDP Act highlighting certain potentially problematic features of this law. Lastly, the paper will examine what can be done to influence the development of a robust and sustainable data protection regime in the country in the years to come. Keywords: Data Privacy, DPDP Act, Indian Privacy Law, Origin of Privacy Laws

The Role of Political Skill in Bigg Boss: Strategies for Survival and Behavioral Competencies in Reality Show

This study investigates how political skill turns into success on Bigg Boss, an Indian reality TV show. Political skill, involving adaptability and influence, is known to be valuable in organizations, but its reach beyond business is unexplored. This study analyzes Bigg Boss Season 14 to address this gap. A purposive and convenience sampling method was utilized. Housemates’ behaviors were analyzed through content analysis with a summative approach, identifying five key aspects of political skill: influencing, sincerity, deceitfulness, social astuteness, and networking. Housemate statements were translated and analyzed to identify recurring themes and patterns. Correlations between these behaviors and success in the game were examined. Results showed a link between all five behaviors and success, suggesting housemates who exhibited them more often lasted longer. The winner displayed the most social astuteness, followed by sincerity, networking, influencing, and lastly, deceitfulness. These findings highlight that political skill, characterized by a strategic combination of social behaviors, is key to winning Bigg Boss. The study offers a broader understanding of political skill by demonstrating its applicability beyond business and emphasizing the importance of using these behaviors skillfully and adaptively. It also suggests connections to other academic fields, opening doors for future research.

Exploring Narrative Techniques in Chetan Bhagat’s The Three Mistakes of My Life: A Critical Analysis

Chetan Bhagat's novel, The Three Mistakes of My Life, has garnered significant attention for its narrative intricacies and thematic depth. This paper delves into an in-depth examination of the narrative techniques employed by Bhagat in crafting this compelling story. Through a critical analysis, this study explores the use of various narrative devices such as point of view, plot structure, character development, and thematic elements. By scrutinizing these techniques, this paper uncovers the underlying narrative strategies that contribute to the novel's overall impact and resonance with readers. Furthermore, this analysis offers insights into the broader literary significance of Bhagat's work within the contemporary Indian literary landscape. Additionally, this paper seeks to investigate into the thematic depth of the novel, exploring its portrayal of societal issues, cultural dynamics, and individual struggles. This study promises to provide readers with a thorough understanding of Bhagat’s narrative craftmanship and the enduring relevance of his storytelling within both literary and societal contexts. Through this analysis, readers will gain insights into the novel’s thematic complexities and its reflection of contemporary Indian realities.

Globalization in Indian sociology: The invisible and the hypervisible

AbstractThis paper seeks to examine the new empirical realities in India that globalization has ushered in and to explore the reasons for the hypervisibility of some of these realities and the neglect of others. The two interrelated questions that this paper asks of Indian sociology are: Why did a globalization propelled by the rise of new urban spaces, an expanding middle class, and a culture of consumption draw so much attention from Indian sociology? And why was the simultaneous crisis of rural society, the precarious nature of labor, and the rise of cultural nationalism and its parochial bigotry so little taken into account? I suggest that the answers to these questions may be found in (i) the dominant intellectual traditions of Indian sociology; and (ii) its everyday local practices. This twofold approach stems from an understanding that Indian sociology’s tryst with globalization cannot be understood by a restricted focus on intellectual ideas alone but through the convoluted ways that the concept of globalization travelled into our classrooms, our syllabi and our common sense.

Unraveling the tapestry of diverse Indian realities: A study of Amitav Ghosh’s The Hungry Tide

Unraveling the tapestry of diverse Indian realities: A study of Amitav Ghosh’s The Hungry Tide

Unveiling the Recall Power of Covert Advertising A Study on Stealth Advertising in Indian Reality Shows

Unveiling the Recall Power of Covert Advertising A Study on Stealth Advertising in Indian Reality Shows

From Socialist Realism to a More Radical Poetic Discourse: Indian Context

The aim of this paper is to look at poems in Indian languages to explore how the idea of socialist-realist poetics was received in these languages and how it played a crucial role over time. The Indian poets, inspired by the idea of socialist realism, tried utmost to convert the oppressed peoples’ voice into poetic aesthetic. How did they address the conflicting space between the middleclass-centered morale, values, class consciousness and the desire of a working-class revolution? How did they apply a prototyped optimism of the socialist-realist model in the caste-based, religion-tormented Indian reality? Was the socialist-realist poetics insufficient to represent the voice of the oppressed? Did the socialist-realist critics misjudge the poetic aesthetic and the progressive elements? Sometimes the line between mere propaganda/slogan and the poetic aesthetic became blurred and sometimes artificial optimism failed to look at the real reactions of the working class. The point at which this paper would conclude is the transition of poetry from a propagandist tool to a more radical poetic discourse on the Indian reality.

Indian Reality in the Fictional Works of Ruskin Bond

Indian Reality in the Fictional Works of Ruskin Bond

A Holistic Study on India’s Currency Revolution: E-rupee

In the realm of digital revolution and advancement, the subject matter of currency had been evolved to many different scenarios. From coins to notes to plastic money and finally to digital currency, our traditional medium of exchange had gone through a big transition in the past decades. In the economic concept of going for paperless and cashless, man has developed several different modes like Debit card and credit cards (Plastic money) as meeting economic settlement of exchange. But unfortunately, due to environmental commitment of cutting the utility of plastics and centralization of chips manufacturing ability to some few nation’s only, the concept of plastic money can’t be a one fix permanent solution to this currency revolution initiatives. Therefore we have many economies today who are concentrating their efforts towards making their currency digital. The concept of Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) is the new concept in this story of currency Revolution. If we check out the global scenario, there are close to 10 countries around the world who have digital currency, as per the reports of India times. To a surprise of the world, we had littoral and islands nation’s too, who are really doing a good job to channelize their currency towards a digital shift. The Bahamas, Jamaica and Singapore like island nation’s too had taken a massive step towards currency digitalization. In the bid to make Indian Currency also adapt with this digital shift, we in India too had successfully running our currency digitalization for the E-Rupees. Although, E-Rupees success in India is yet in the pilot stage and its full-fledged implementation is yet to be put in place. But the point of the matter is that India very soon is going to be in e rupees market. E rupee will going to be in every pocket very soon. Thanks to the digitalization, and demonetization of 2016 that E-Rupees will be the new reality of India. E-Rupees will be in every hands very soon. Point of the matter is that we all must push our self for this currency revolution. India is hopeful That the pilot project of E-Rupees will chase the full-fledged success and very soon India will chase economic triumph. The introduction of E-Rupees will initiate a new dawn of economic growth for the Indian people. Indians will be going to be more empowered in the financial terms as Indian Central Bank i.e. will be making better initiatives for strengthening the businesses as well as Indian citizens. In this research paper, we will be analyzing all the aspects about E-Rupees and how it can be a game changer for Indian Economy in the coming years. Also we will be focusing on its potential merits and demerits of aggregate economy as a whole as well as for the ultimate users. This research paper is prepared from the secondary data sources, and after taking references from like-minded journals, magazines, articles, editorials and research papers. The aim of writing this research paper is to highlight the fact that How Indian Currency is stepping ahead towards digital revolution in this digitalized world.

Commodity trading and inflation: ground reality in India using bivariate GARCH models

PurposeThe nexus of commodity prices with inflation is one of the main concerns for a nation's economy like India. The literature does not have enough volatility-based study, especially using the multivariate GRACH family of models to find a link between these two. It is the main reason for the conduct of this study. This paper aims to estimate the volatility effects of commodity prices on inflation.Design/methodology/approachFor ten years (2011–2022), future prices of selected seven agriculture commodities and inflation indices (wholesale price index [WPI] and consumer price index [CPI]) are gathered every month. BEKK GARCH model (BGM) and DCC GARCH model (DGM) are employed to determine the volatility effect of commodity prices (CPs) on inflation.FindingsThe authors find that volatility's short-term (shock) impact on agricultural CPs to inflation does not exist. However, the long-term volatility spillover effect (VSE) is significant from commodities to inflation.Practical implicationsThe study's findings have a significant implication for the policymakers to take a long-term view on inflation management regarding commodity prices. The findings can facilitate policy on the choice of commodities and the flexibility of their trading on the commodities derivatives market.Originality/valueThe findings of the study are unique. The authors do not observe any study on the volatility effect of agri-commodities (agricultural commodities) prices on inflation in India. This paper applies advanced techniques to provide novel and reliable evidence. Hence, this research is believed to contribute significantly to the knowledge body through its novel evidence and advanced approach.

Reproductive Autonomy of Women in India: A Socio-legal Analysis

Indian reality pertaining to pregnancy and reproductive justice is different as the traditional values, myths and patriarchal role assumed by the society paves way for undermining the decision-making capacity of the women within a family setup. They are considered subordinate to their male counterparts and are having less power in relationships due to many factors like economic, political, and socio-cultural status and at times, not in a position to protect themselves from gender-based violence. They are considered incapable to decide on their own even in a matter pertaining to their own reproductive choices. The concept of autonomy in healthcare in general has a full-fledged acceptance by the judiciary as it affects the bodily integrity of a person. Likewise, the same idea must be reiterated in the pregnancy decision making, as women are the sole person who undergoes the physical and mental transformation during the process. Women should therefore, have the right to choose when and under what circumstances they should bear a child. So, the interest of the woman is a determinant and she should be mentally prepared to conceive, continue the same and give birth to a child. There are various social and ethical factors that pose a hindrance to pregnancy decision making of women in India. Family and social pressure forms the key factor that knocks upon the decision-making capacity of women.

Class-Caste Politics, Hierarchy, and Hindutva in Indian Cinema and Protest Theatre

Caste-based atrocities and discrimination have been an unfortunate reality in India for centuries. Although the administrative and structural implementation of an affirmative action system in the mid and later part of the twentieth century helped in the process of upward mobilisation of the lower castes and Dalits in India, the socio-cultural aspect of caste and thus the exclusionary politics that is associated with it has long been imbibed within the fabric of social memory of the subcontinent. Upper caste monopoly over intellectual and academic space have furthered the epidemic of marginalisation of lower caste communities for centuries. Simultaneously, the rise of Hindu nationalist politics in neo-liberal India has resulted in brutal segregation of the Dalits as well as the religious minorities. The origins of such alternative movements and methods of cultural resistance have often been rooted in social movements led by students, activist and leftist intellectuals. This paper is an attempt to explore the portrayal of caste and religious identity based violence, the idea of ‘Hindutva’ and the socio-cultural resistance against such forces through the lens of alternative/parallel cinema and protest theatre in India.

A novel multiplex qPCR assay for clinical diagnosis of non-human malaria parasites-Plasmodium knowlesi and Plasmodium cynomolgi.

The imminent risk of zoonoses of non-human malaria parasites is not far from reality in India, as has been observed in the case of Plasmodium knowlesi (Pk), and so is possible with P. cynomolgi (Pc), already reported from South East Asian countries. Therefore, a novel multiplex qPCR assay was developed and evaluated for detection of non-human malaria parasites- Pk and Pc in populations at risk. The qPCR primers were designed in-house with fluorescence labeled probes (HEX for Pk and FAM for Pc). DNA samples of Pk and Pc were used as templates and further the qPCR assay was evaluated in 250 symptomatic and asymptomatic suspected human blood samples from malaria endemic areas of North Eastern states of India. The qPCR assay successfully amplified the target 18S rRNA gene segment from Pk and Pc and was highly specific for Pk and Pc parasites only, as no cross reactivity was observed with P. falciparum (Pf), P. vivax (Pv), P. malariae (Pm), and P. ovale (Po). Standard curves were generated to estimate the limit of detection (LOD) of Pk and Pc parasites DNA (0.00275 & 0.075 ng/μl, respectively). Due to COVID-19 pandemic situation during 2020-21, the sample accessibility was difficult, however, we managed to collect 250 samples. The samples were tested for Pf and Pv using conventional PCR- 14 Pf and 11 Pv infections were observed, but no Pk and Pc infections were detected. For Pk infections, previously reported conventional PCR was also performed, but no Pk infection was detected. The multiplex qPCR assay was observed to be robust, quick, cost-effective and highly sensitive as compared to the currently available conventional PCR methods. Further validation of the multiplex qPCR assay in field setting is desirable, especially from the high-risk populations. We anticipate that the multiplex qPCR assay would prove to be a useful tool in mass screening and surveillance programs for detection of non-human malaria parasites toward the control and elimination of malaria from India by 2030.

Historicizing Hindutva Ideology

Historicizing Hindutva Ideology

Dramatic Theology: A Hermeneutical Framework for Discerning the Cultural Realities and the Role of Christianity in India

This article explains how dramatic theology can discern, evaluate, and interpret critically different cultural institutions and bring forward the uniqueness of Christian revelation in a pluralistic world. It clarifies the concept, methodology, and relevance of dramatic theology, which uses mimetic theory as an auxiliary hypothesis; taking the concrete example of cultural realities in India, it unearths the archaic background of their all-encompassing nature, the multiplicity of gods, and the caste system. It also describes how dramatic theology exposes the unique role of Jesus as the human face of God the Father, and the new gathering—through five acts in the Drama of Salvation—in human history and Christianity in such a complex cultural context.

Precision diabetes is becoming a reality in India

The terms Precision Medicine and Personalized Medicine are used interchangeably but there are subtle differences between the two. Obtaining scientific information (for example, about genotype and phenotype and biomarkers) and then deciding the treatment is Precision Medicine. Personalized Medicine on the other hand refers to taking other factors pertaining to the patient (e.g., preferences, socioeconomic factors and patient) into account and then prescribing a treatment that is suitable for the patient. This review presents the concept of Precision Medicine as applied to diabetes (Precision Diabetes). It discusses planning suitable treatment strategies for different subtypes of diabetes and incorporating specific treatment plans (personalized treatment) for patients with diabetes. It also addresses the challenges in delivering precision diabetes treatment to all people with diabetes. Finally, it outlines where Precision Diabetes has already become a reality in the diabetes clinic e.g., in Monogenic diabetes and where it is still a work in progress (e.g., in type 1 and type 2 diabetes).

Changing a leopard's spots or how people spot leopards? Managing human – leopard interactions in urban India

Human–wildlife interactions are an everyday reality in India. Managing any potential human–wildlife conflict is one of the most important tasks of the Indian government. As urban construction grows exponentially, many cities have come closer to forested areas and increased sightings of wildlife. Mumbai is located close to Sanjay Gandhi National Park, a 120 square kilometre wildlife zone which is home to approximately 40 leopards. Over the years, there have been sporadic incidents of human – leopard conflicts and a few humans have died in fatal leopard attacks. This case study follows a hypothetical Chief Wildlife Warden in Mumbai as a decision maker who must make a decision regarding leopard sightings after a spate of leopard attacks in the city earlier in the year. By providing detailed information and data regarding leopard population management as well as the cultural milieu and political context of Mumbai, the case study provides information required to advise the decision maker on their options.

Understanding First Person Media with India’s ElseVR Platform

ElseVR, the non-fiction offshoot of Memesys Cultural Lab, based in Mumbai India is one of the pioneering filmmaking labs working with mixed reality in India. It has been releasing 360 video documentaries as a VR app based quarterly magazine that demands spectatorship as well as engagement by way of the subjects it chooses to talk about. In a country where severe inequities of access are present, with digital and smartphone penetration being reasonably fragmented across the country, the feasibility and acceptance of such technology on a larger level remains to be seen. What is interesting however, are the intersections between civic engagement and technology in ElseVR’s documentaries. The documentaries are not only narrative in nature, but also employ and encourage the spectator to imagine different positions while viewing them. Using the concepts proposed by Nash (2022), in making sense of first-person experience in VR documentary, the researcher employs the position of a tourist, encounter, and witness (2022:108) while viewing three documentaries using ElseVR’s technology as a medium. The three films are Nishtha Jain’s Submerged (2016); Faiza Khan’s When Land Is Lost, Do We Eat Coal (2016) and Naomi Shah and Pourush Turel’s Caste is Not a Rumour (2017). Each position leads to an understanding of the experience of what it is like to enter a space that is not one’s own. Along with the researcher’s own interpretation, and an analysis of the supporting material on the documentaries (such as publications by humanitarian organizations on the topic of the documentaries), news media reports highlighting the issues, and online community conversation received from viewers on Else VR’s Facebook and Youtube channels was conducted to make sense of the overall engagement with the documentaries besides a first-person experience. Considerations of interest and inquisitiveness towards the content, and the affordances offered by the VR environment gave way to a multi-sensory experience where the positions of tourist, encounter and witness overlapped with no conscious intent. Going back and forth with the virtual community conversation around the films and the researcher’s experience of immersion with the documentaries, it was a heightened awareness of VR technology’s role in documentary filmmaking in non-Western environments. Avoiding a technologically determinist gaze, it was the larger purpose of VR journalism that stood out to bring to light stories that deserve more civic engagement.

Financing for Sustainable Development Goals in India in Post Pandemic Era: Challenges and Way Forward

In 2015, a resolution known as Agenda 2030 was passed by the United Nations General Assembly in which seventeen goals for Sustainable Development were laid down for global dignity, peace, and prosperity. The post-pandemic era became full of uncertainties in pursuing those Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and its implementation became a challenge especially for the developing economies like India. The country is facing a tremendous gap in arranging for resources to meet the climatic changes and attaining the SDGs. India requires 170 billion dollars per year from 2015-2030 to fulfill the Sustainable Development Goals as per the estimation done by National Determined Contribution, a body setup after Paris agreement 2015 to monitor the efforts of the country towards reducing national emissions and adapting to climate change. There is a huge concern amongst the various agencies on exploring the ways to fill this financing gap especially after the economic slowdown seen in the post-pandemic era. This research paper analyses the challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic on financing for SDGs and also explores the options to mitigate them. The articles and research papers related to SDG financing are reviewed by the researchers to arrive at the above mentioned statements. This paper is an attempt to draw the attention of worldwide authorities towards this grim situation as sustainable finance is far from reality in India and requires immediate upscaling.

Affordable Housing and the Urban Poor in India

Affordable housing signifies the importance of one’s capacity to pay for housing, and it is essentially a market-based concept. The fundamental difficulty with India’s urban poor is that some households simply cannot afford adequate housing at any stage. The interface between their poverty and the real estate reality in India makes affordable housing a distant dream. The article, using the National Sample Survey Office 68th Round Consumer Expenditure Data and India’s Consumer Economy (ICE 360) Data, tests Engel’s law to determine the disposable income of the poor for housing. The poor spend a greater share of their income on basic needs and do not have disposable income to pay for an affordable house. Data collated from a private property website for 22 cities show that the government’s approach of affordable housing through its celebrated flagship programme, the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) is far from the market reality.