Mumbai Research Articles

Molecular characterization of human adenovirus associated with pediatric severe acute respiratory infections in a tertiary care hospital in North East India

PurposeThe present study explored the molecular characterization of human Adenovirus (HAdV) and its strains among hospitalized SARI cases in the pediatric unit of a tertiary care hospital in North-East India.MethodsNasal and throat swabs were collected from 70 patients of Pediatric Unit, of a tertiary hospital in NE India from April 2023-October 2023. The samples were screened for the presence of HAdV using an adenovirus-specific Real-Time PCR Kit. For molecular characterization, Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) was performed by targeting the hexon gene of HAdV followed by post-sequencing analysis.ResultsOverall, 18.57% (13/70) of samples were positive for HAdV. In context of the severity of illness, 3/13 adenovirus-positive patients (23.07%) died after hospitalization, had severe pneumonia among which two were of less than one year of age. Molecular characterization using NGS indicated that 4/13 individuals were infected with HAdV-B type 3 and 5/13 patients were infected with HAdV type 7. Notably, 4/7 cases of severe pneumonia were under five years of age and associated with HAdV type 7 infection. The ratio of non-synonymous to synonymous mutation (dN/dS) was comparatively low in HAdV type 7 positive samples (dN/dS=0.31). No non-synonymous mutation was observed in HAdV-B type 3 positive samples. The higher neutrophil percentage among the death cases suggested an acute immune response.ConclusionThe study demonstrated HAdV type 7 and HAdV-B type 3 as strains associated with pediatric SARI cases from April 2023-October 2023. Further, HAdV type 7 infection was primarily linked with lower respiratory tract infections mainly severe pneumonia.

Mapping Open Access Publishing Trends in Central Universities of North East India: A Scientometric Approach

ABSTRACT The study analyses open access publications across the 10 central universities of North East India, focusing on publication trends, disciplinary distribution, citation impact, collaboration patterns, and open access licensing patterns. It compiles scholarly outputs from the OpenAlex API, integrating various data sources such as Microsoft Academic Graph, ORCID, Crossref, and Unpaywall. A total of 28,832 publications from 2004–2023 were collected and analyzed using statistical methods. The findings reveal a positive trend in research output across the represented universities, with an increasing emphasis on OA publications. However, the proportion of OA publications remains relatively low compared to closed access. Citation impact varies among universities, reflecting differences in research quality and visibility. Open repositories such as SSRN, Research Square, and Zenodo are crucial in promoting OA publishing. The study also reveals common usage of licenses such as CC-BY and CC-BY-NC-ND, with variations across universities. The impact on libraries is also discussed, emphasizing the role of libraries in promoting OA, supporting researchers, and contributing to scholarly communication advancement. This study provides valuable insights for policymakers, academic administrators, and researchers seeking to promote a culture of openness, collaboration, and innovation in scholarly communication within the region, country, and at the global level.

Reimagining the urban stroller in Mumbai: Suketu Mehta as a flâneur in Maximum City

ABSTRACT Suketu Mehta’s reportage cum travelogue cum memoir, Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found (2004), is an insightful account of the complex and multifaceted yet intriguing city of Mumbai. This article aims to position Suketu Mehta as a modern-day flâneur of Mumbai, emerging during a period of significant urban transformation, much like the classic flâneur of nineteenth-century Paris who navigated a changing cityscape. Mehta embodies a modernised urban wanderer whose flânerie incorporates elements of ethnography and journalism, investigating contemporary urban reality. Besides, Mehta’s flânerie exemplifies convergences between transnational travel and flânerie in a global city like Mumbai. The article also demonstrates that through the exploration of both diverse and archetypal urban characters and the analysis of the city's urban myths, the text encapsulates Mumbai's distinctive spirit, or “urban charisma”. Finally, it illustrates that Suketu Mehta's postcolonial diasporic identity introduces innovative perspectives for comprehending the ambivalence that inherently characterises the flâneur figure.

A New Species of Crepidium (Orchidaceae: Epidendroideae: Malaxideae): From Assam, North East India

ABSTRACTA new species of the tribe Malaxideae (Orchidaceae), Crepidium assamicum, is described and illustrated here as new species from Assam, North East India. The new taxon is superficially similar to Crepidium purpureum but differs in its habitat, plant size, long floral bract, very densely flowered inflorescences, leaf number, larger petiole size, both winged throughout and flower color. This species is confined to grow in open grassland near river bank of Dibru‐Soikhowa, Dibrugarh district of Assam, in a huge population comprising 500–600 individuals. The threat status of this new species is provisionally assessed here as “Threatened” following the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria version 16 (2024).

Mineralogical and geochemical studies of shales from Kopili Formation, Dima Hasao district Assam, North East India: Insights into diagenesis, deposition and provenance

The Eocene Kopili Formation in the Assam foreland basin records sediment sources, tectonic activity and depositional environments following the India-Eurasia collision. Mineralogical and geochemical analysis of these shales exposed near Garampani, Assam, NE India was conducted to study the diagenesis, palaeoweathering, palaeosalinity, redox conditions, tectonic settings and provenance. The Kopili Formation is composed of mainly shale with thin beds of limestone, black shale and sandstone and these units overlie the Upper Sylhet Limestone. The presence of goethite-rich phosphatic nodules, secondary precipitation within the fissile planes of shale and the occurrence of anatase, talc, smectite and chlorite suggest diagenesis. The prevalence of kaolinite and mean Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA), Chemical Index of Weathering (CIW), Al2O3/MgO and Rb/Sr values of 86.73, 97.26, 16.36 and 1.32, respectively indicates extensive source rock weathering in humid tropical climate. The Index of Compositional Variation (ICV) values ranging between 0.47 and 2.38 also signify high weathering and tectonically active basin. The Sr/Ba ratio 0.34 ± 0.27 (mean±2σ) suggest overall freshwater basin. The Ni/Co (2.84 ± 2.29), V/Cr (1.65 ± 0.45) and Ce/Ce∗ (0.97 ± 0.63) suggest fluctuating redox environment. The samples predominantly cluster in continental island arc domain on the Th-Sc-Zr/10, La-Th-Sc and Th-Co-Zr/10 discriminant diagrams. Elemental ratios of Th/Sc, La/Sc, Cr/Th with average 0.91, 3.18, 10.13 respectively and La/Th-Hf plot suggest a felsic source rock. The Kopili shale was deposited in freshwater, continental island arc basin with fluctuating redox conditions, receiving sediments from weathered Himalayan granites and gneisses under a warm and humid climate. Subsequently, they underwent diagenetic alteration by low-pH fluid(s).

Unnoticed freshwater leech as a hidden cause for recurring epistaxis: a case series and review of literature conducted at Tertiary Care Hospital Sikkim, North East India

BackgroundWhile leeches as intranasal foreign bodies are not frequently encountered, they can be one of the causes of epistaxis. The aim of the study is to raise awareness among healthcare professionals about the possibility of patients from leech endemic regions presenting with epistaxis.Case presentationWe present a series of epistaxis cases due to intranasal leech infestation. In our series of 10 cases, there were 7 male and 3 female patients, aged between 2 and 53 years old. The duration of the complaint ranged from 1 to 5 weeks. All patients experienced with blood-stain nasal discharge or frank nasal bleeding at some point and most of them have a history of leech infestation from spring water as a local source. This article presents our approach to managing nasal leech infestation as epistaxis and outlines the precautionary measures taken for the retrieval of this living foreign body.ConclusionDetails of the history must be taken before concluding the diagnosis. Maintain a high index of suspicion of leech infestation as a hidden cause of epistaxis especially in patients coming from endemic areas.

Reproductive Risk Factor Patterns in Caribbean Women With Breast Cancer Across 4 Generations

Breast cancer (BC) is commonly diagnosed among Caribbean women. Shifts in reproductive patterns modify the incidence of BC diagnosis and age at BC diagnosis in population-based studies; however, reproductive patterns in Caribbean women remain understudied. To describe the temporal trends in reproductive patterns and age at BC diagnosis in Caribbean-born women. A cross-sectional observational study-the Caribbean Women's Cancer Study-was conducted, with data on reproductive patterns known to affect BC risk collected in The Bahamas, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Haiti, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago. Participants were recruited prospectively. The sample included women born in Caribbean countries and diagnosed with invasive BC and/or ovarian cancer from June 1, 2010, to June 30, 2018, and was divided into 4 birth cohorts (born before 1950, 1950-1959, 1960-1969, and in or after 1970). Data were analyzed between August 1, 2023, and July 31, 2024. Receipt of a BC diagnosis and birth in a Caribbean country. Change in reproductive patterns between birth cohorts, including age at BC diagnosis, family history of cancer, age at first pregnancy, number of pregnancies, number of full-term pregnancies, number of siblings, age at menarche and menopause, estrogen receptor status, and germline pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants. Of 1015 participants diagnosed with BC and ovarian cancer, 995 women (mean [SD] age, 46.6 [10.8] years; 605 [81.8%] Afro-Caribbean, 98 [13.2%] East Indian, 22 [3.0%] White, and 12 [1.6%] >1 race) received a diagnosis of invasive BC. Comparison from older to younger birth cohorts (presented in the order of born before 1950, 1950-1959, 1960-1969 and in or after 1970) showed an increased proportion of women experiencing menarche at age 12 years or younger (33.0% vs 47.3% vs 45.5% vs 57.9%; P < .001), women with no pregnancies (6.8% vs 6.8% vs 10.5% vs 22.8%; P < .001), and nulliparous women (8.6% vs 9.2% vs 13.9% vs 27.6%; P < .001). Younger age at BC diagnosis was observed in women experiencing menarche at age 12 years or younger (mean [SD], 45.0 [10.5] years) vs 15 years or older (mean [SD], 49.1 [11.2] years) and in nulliparous women (mean [SD], 42.1 [11.2] years) vs 3 or more full-term pregnancies (mean [SD], 49.9 [10.6] years; P < .001). For every year of first pregnancy delay, women had a 4% increased chance of being diagnosed with estrogen receptor-positive tumors (odds ratio, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.01-1.08; P = .02). In this cross-sectional study, between each 10-year birth cohort, women diagnosed with BC had a lower age at menarche, number of pregnancies, and number of full-term pregnancies. These findings suggest that interventions targeting other BC risk factors need to be implemented.

Water and the Origin of Life

This article reviews all the major stages in the origins of life, from the emergence of matter in the initial Big Bang to the modern, civilized human being. On an immaterial level, it is proposed and explained how consciousness necessarily takes precedence over matter. Next, we explain how consciousness, with its ability to process information, selected the water molecule to breathe life into the periodic table of elements. We also explain why the notion of entropy allows us to evolve, “Die Entropie der Welt strebt einem Maximum zu” (second principle), and, therefore, takes precedence over the notion of energy, which, on the contrary, encourages us to preserve what we have, “Die Energie der Welt bleibt konstant” (first principle). This is followed by a discussion of the importance of quantum coherence and the need to rely on a second quantization formalism for a proper understanding of the physical–biochemical properties of water. Moreover, throughout the argument developed on the best and most fundamental things science has to offer, care is taken to link this knowledge to the great philosophies of the West (Greece), the East (China and India), and even to practices of a shamanic nature (Africa and America). Hence, finally, we propose reconsidering all musical practice within the framework of the diapason of water at a frequency of 429.62 Hz, as well as all therapeutic practice on the basis of seven clearly identified and established frameworks of thought.

Translating Orientalism. Louis-Mathieu Langlès as editor and translator of English literature between Oriental studies, commerce, and popularisation

This article delves into the translation and editing work of Louis-Mathieu Langlès (1764-1824), a significant figure in French Oriental studies during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. By examining Langlès’ translations of British literature about Asia, the analysis underscores two interrelated strategies shaping his work. The first strategy involved the dissemination of knowledge about Asia through translations shaped by both a literalist approach to the text and intensive editing practices. These practices resulted in the incorporation of extensive footnotes and additions that served both informative and domesticating functions and highlighted Langlès’ agency as a mediator of knowledge. The second strategy centres on Langlès’ reform project for the French system of teaching and learning Asiatic languages, resulting in the establishment of the École spéciale des langues orientales vivantes in 1795. This strategy is strongly connected with his translation work as it reflects Langlès’ pragmatic vision of Oriental studies as based on the British example, particularly the scholarly activities of individuals working for the East India Company. His translations, therefore, were not mere acts of appropriation but both embodied and encouraged ‘emulation’, allowing us to reveal the interplay of scholarly admiration and political competition and to uncover a distinct strand of Anglophilia within the broader context of early French Oriental studies.

Liver Dysfunction and Systemic Inflammation Drive Organ Failures in Acute Decompensation of Cirrhosis: A Multicentric Study.

Hospitalized patients with acute decompensation (AD) of cirrhosis are at risk of progressing to acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), significantly increasing their mortality. The aim of this study was to identify key predictors and patient trajectories predisposing to ACLF. In this multicenter, prospective study spanning 2 years, clinical, biochemical, and 90-day survival data were collected from 625 patients with AD (European Association for the Study of the Liver criteria) across North, South, and East India. We divided the cohort into a Derivation cohort (DC: 318 patients) and a Validation cohort (VC: 307 patients). Predictive models for pre-ACLF were derived, validated, and compared with established scores such as model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) 3.0 and chronic liver failure Consortium acute decompensation. Of 625 patients (mean age 49 years, 83% male, 77.5% with alcohol-related liver disease), 32.2% progressed to ACLF. Patients progressing to ACLF showed significantly higher bilirubin (10.9 vs 8.1 mg/dL), leukocyte counts (9,400 vs 8,000 per mm 3 ), international normalized ratio (1.9 vs 1.8), and MELD 3.0 (28 vs 25) but lower sodium (131 vs 134 mEq/L) and survival (62% vs 86%) compared with those without progression ( P < 0.05) in the DC. Consistent results were noted with alcohol-associated hepatitis, infection and hepatic encephalopathy as additional risk factors in VC. Liver failure at presentation (odds ratio: 2.4 [in DC], 6.9 [in VC]) and the 7-day trajectories of bilirubin, international normalized ratio, and MELD 3.0 significantly predicted ACLF progression ( P < 0.001). A new pre-ACLF model showed superior predictive capability (area under the curve of 0.71 in DC and 0.82 in VC) compared with MELD 3.0 and chronic liver failure Consortium acute decompensation scores ( P < 0.05). Approximately one-third of AD patients in this Indian cohort rapidly progressed to ACLF, resulting in high mortality. Early identification of patients at risk can guide targeted interventions to prevent ACLF.

Stories of resistance and resilience: The role of the port city of Calicut in the seventeenth-century Indian Ocean trade

The Dutch East India Company attempted to control the pepper trade in the seventeenth-century Indian Ocean trade. Attempting to control pepper-growing areas such as the Malabar Coast (south-western coast of India) was part of this plan. Calicut was an important port city in Malabar and a vital player in the Indian Ocean trade. Unlike many port cities that were controlled by the European companies, the rulers and merchants of Calicut attempted to sustain a free trading port on their own instead of accepting a European company monopoly. In short, Calicut offered an alternative emporium for Indian Ocean trade in Malabar by resisting imperial endeavours. This article explores the ways in which Calicut participated in the Indian Ocean pepper trade despite the Dutch attempts to control it.

ADAM SMITH ON THE “WRETCHED SPIRIT OF MONOPOLY” IN THE EAST INDIES TRADE

According to Adam Smith, the “wretched spirit of monopoly” dogged the East Indies trade. The regulations that governed the East Indies trade established legal barriers or restrictions to entry and sustained a mercantile community whose interests were “the opposite to that of the great body of the people” (WN IV, ch. iii, p. 494). The East Indies charter conferred a special privilege that shielded the English East India Company from all domestic competition in Asian trade. The East India Company was the complete incarnation of a mercantile system against which Smith had determined to launch “a very violent attack” in Wealth of Nations (Smith 1987, p. 251). Smith’s mistrust of trading bodies like the East India Company was compounded by its having assumed political powers commensurate with the sovereign while still in possession of its monopolistic franchise. Smith’s proposal was, first, to abolish the monopolistic franchise to rid society of “the unfortunate effects of all the regulations of the mercantile system” (WN IV, ch. vii, p. 606), and, second, to reform the East India Company’s administrative duties and functions in the Indian territories. The contention of this paper is that Smith’s call to abolish the East Indies monopoly was inseparable from his appeal for reform of the English East India Company.

From the Voc to the Spac: At the Root of the Corporation’s Soul

This article aims to provide a thorough analysis of the evolution of the company, starting from the inception of the first public company in the seventeenth century, namely the United East India Company (VOC), until the modern expression of a novel form of cash-shell company that in recent years has taken Wall Street by storm: the Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC). As opposed to common wisdom that would like to compare the SPAC to England’s South Sea Bubble of 1720, the paper argues that both the VOC and the SPAC have remarkable similarities by virtue of sharing one of the most important corporate features: ‘venturing beyond’ for special purposes, and being the instruments through which the dreams of entrepreneurs can be realised.

Antibacterial Activity of sonicated Zingiber Officinale Rhizome Extract on Some Bacteria Isolated from Otitis media Patients

Background: Zingiber officinale is an herbaceous plant that belongs to the Zingiber officinale family Zingiraceae it is a abundant in the countries of east India, China and Sri Lanka as well as in some Arab countries. Materials and Procedures: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ethanolic sonicated of zingiber officinale Rhizome against the pathogenic bacteria (Streptococcus) isolated from patient of ear infection. 112 clinical specimens were collected from patient from Babylon hospital of both genders and different ages. From 1/October /2022 to 1/April /2023. The antibiotic susceptibility test was performed. The antimicrobial activity of sonicated ethanolic of zingiber officinale Rhizomes, the (MIC) the (MBC) of sonicated ethanolic of zingiber officinale of all isolates were determined. Result: The results of isolation 100(899.3%) specimens gave positive growth from 42 females and 58 from males, The isolates of Streptococcus isolates showed sensitivity to [Chloramphenicol, Vancomycin, but show resistance to Gentamycin, Clindamycin, Tetracyclines, Azithromycin, Erythromycin], The antimicrobial activity of sonicated ethanolic They showed (27,40,15) mm for sonicated ethanolic, sonicated aqueous, and (27,40,15) mm for sonicated ethanolic. The antimicrobial agents of sonicated aqueous and ethanolic extract by three different methods first (FESEM) was showed these range of sonicated particles between (10.20-27.28) µm (XRD) that showed (23.601-44.015), third (FTIR) was used in range 400-4000cm- the results were showed 64 Mg/l MIC,128mg/l MBC for Streptococcus Conclusion: In this study, it was found that the highest infection rate at the (1-15) years category and the number of meals with otitis infections is more than females. It was showed that the otitis infection patients in the Urban regions with highest percentage with the lowest percentage observed in rural regions and rate of chronic otitis infections as more that the rate of acute otitis infections.

THE GENESIS AND GROWTH OF MODERN HEALTH CARE FACILITY IN MIZORAM

Until 1894, scientific health care facility was by and large non-existent in Mizoram (the then Lushai Hills), an isolated hilly state in North East India. In their secluded life, the Mizos maintained their own culture and their traditional belief and practices, language, Codes of justice and morality. It was the British administration and the Christian missionaries who introduced modern health care facilities in the state. The Mizos seems to have been quite receptive to the new system as a result of Christian instruction and the efficacy of the new system of health care.This paper provides an outline of the growth of modern health care facilities in the state since its inception till the dawn of the new millennium. It is desirable that the facility increases over time and should cater to the growing needs of the people with the increase in population and modern health consciousness. It also attempts to throw light on the Mizos traditional concept of illness and afflictions and their own system of treatment so as to get a keener insight into how societys attitude towards modern health care system has changed over time.

A New Sanctified British Era of Architecture and Supremacy at Rawalpindi, Punjab Pakistan

This article defines the ‘Church Architecture’ with its genera which was introduced by the British government to the Subcontinent. This architecture is a significant part of the cultural heritage and British Archaeology of Pakistan. ‘Church Architecture’ is still a center of attention for the general public and the Christian community in Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan. These “churches” were not only religious buildings of the British era but have always been the political and religious epicenters of British authorities. When the British East India Company was expanding its trading activities all over the subcontinent before 1849, simultaneously, ‘Company’ was trying to achieve the political and religious agenda of the British authorities. With combat skills, this trading company was able to meet the existing Sikh ruling powers on the battlefield, and the ‘Regime Change Operation’ ended, and the ‘British Era’ of architecture and supremacy emerged in Rawalpindi, Punjab Pakistan.

Essential fatty acid content in the ethnozoological products used in the folklore medicines by the Tangkhul tribe of the North East India

Tangkhul tribes are main habitant of the Ukhrul district of Manipur, a north eastern state of India and popular for using the products of animal fauna in the folklore medicines for curing certain human ailments. To our knowledge, no investigation has been done on the essential fatty acids content in the animal products used in the traditional medicines by the Tangkhul tribe of Manipur. The objective of the study is to determine the essential fatty acids concentration in the selected ethnozoological products namely, Periplaneta americana, Upupa epops, Scolopendra gigantea, Pheretima posthuma, Hoplobatrachus tigerinus, Sus scrofa domesticus, and Tylototriton verrucosus by Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME) methods. The result of the study revealed that unsaturated fatty acids are found to be contained generally higher than saturated fatty acids in the seven-ethnozoological products studied. Among the monounsaturated fatty acids, Oleic Acid (7579.19 ± 70.23 mg/100g) is found to be highest in concentration and is recorded in the P. americana. Some of the common essential PUFAs recorded in the samples of the ethnozoological products studied were Linolenic Acid, Linoleic acids, Erucic Acid, Oleic Acid, Elaidic Acid, Palmetoleic Acid, Myristoleic Acid etc. with the highest concentration of linolenic acid (5518.03mg/100g) found in the P. americana. The used of seven ethnozoological products mentioned per se by Tangkhul Tribes of Manipur in their folklore medicines for the treatment of various human ailments may be attributed to the presence of various polyunsaturated fatty acids especially high amount of omega-3 fatty acids, palmetoleic acid, ecosapentanoic acid in them.

Studies on combining ability of half diallel derived rice hybrids generated using landraces x advanced breeding lines of North East India

North East (NE) India, the centre of origin of rice is blessed with landraces like Kala Joha, Chakhao Poireiton (CP) and Mynri, Jwain from Assam, Manipur, and Meghalaya respectively. NE India is a hotspot for rice blast disease and it can cause a loss in grain yield from 30-100%. Rice breeding in NE India should focus on developing rice varieties/ hybrids utilizing the local landraces and their diverse gene pool. Hence, six landraces and four advanced breeding lines were crossed in half diallel fashion and the F1s were evaluated for ten agro-morphological and two rice blast disease related traits. Half-diallel analysis using Griffing's numerical method was adopted to obtain combining ability effects. Significantly high general combining ability (GCA) effects for grain yield per plant (GYPP) were observed in Mynri (2.7**) and CAUS107 (2*), whereas it was negative for CP (-2.2**). Crosses between landraces and advanced breeding lines gave high GYPP like, CAUS103 x Kasalath (24.3±4g) and CAUS107 x Kala Joha (21.4±1.5g), they also showed higher SCA effects of 10.3 and 6.4 respectively. Lowest disease affected spikelets per panicle (DSPP) was observed in Mynri x CAUS126 (0.2±0.03) and lowest leaf blast (LB) scores (1) were recorded in Jwain x CAUS107, Blm x CAUS107 and Blm x CAUS103.

Translating Jain Philosophy at the Confluence of Persianate Hinduism

Abstract In 1796, Claude Martin (1735–1800), a wealthy French officer of the East India Company living in Lucknow, commissioned the Brahman Delārām to translate into Persian two classical texts from the Digambara Jain philosophical tradition. Using the Braj Bhāṣā commentaries composed by the seventeenth-century Jain author Hemrāj Pāṇḍe, Delārām was able to access the original Prakrit texts of the eighth- and tenth-century philosophers Kundakunda and Nemicandra via an updated vernacularized version. His translations are as an exceptional document showing the hermeneutic tools that a Persian-speaking Brahman could use to parse the doctrinal system of Jainism. Delārām’s language was markedly shaped by his familiarity with Advaita Vedānta and the “unity of being (vahdat al-vojud)” school of Sufism, focused on ontological unity. More specifically, the Sufi-Advaita idiom that developed in Persian from the early Mughal period onward functioned for Delārām as a lens through which he could engage with the doctrinal diversity of India’s religious landscape. His efforts to translate the unfamiliar and sometimes perplexing elements of Jainism reveal the complex modalities of crossing linguistic and religious boundaries through Persian in South Asia and their partial incommensurabilities.

Doubling Indian Agri Export through Natural Farming Management, Horticulture &amp; African Markets

Aims: We explore the scope of escalating agriculture export in doubling farmers income and rational use of the growing Indian agriculture surplus and consequent glut, farmer distress. Study Design: The study is exploratory type and was conducted by literature survey and discussion with farmers, experts and industry. Methodology: The study was conducted by field visits to exporting, farmer exporters and experts during 2017 to 2022 by visiting farmers in Amaravati and Palghar districts, exporters in Mumbai city and experts at Pune city. Their data were triangulated with the literature from reputed agri-research institutions. Results: Doubling agri export can help to doubling farmer’s income (DFI) as export price is premium and profitability higher, besides increasing foreign exchange. Fruits &amp; vegetables (F&amp;V) is the largest agri-export segment globally but meagre 9th rank among Indian agri-export basket. Focussing on larger or costly market segment such as fruits &amp; vegetables having higher productivity &amp; surplus, rather than the cereals can help. Recent natural farming mission can aid in it and safeguard consumer and farmer’s health such as from the cancer. Indian F&amp;V production more than doubled in the past 2 decades to exceed grains production, due to their health benefits. Maximum residue level (MRL) is the export benchmark so promoting low/ no pesticide techniques under the recent Indian natural farming (NF) mission can help to triple Indian agri-exports to $ 100 billion by 2030 from $35 billion in 2023, through horticulture, dairy and tea, cocoa that are in demand and valued. African markets can be tapped as it imports majority of its food and has less entry barriers. Policy may focus on fruits like Banana and premium for NF produce. Conclusion: Focusing on fruits &amp; vegetables (F&amp;V), dairy, lipids &amp; adopting the low/ no “pesticide residue” standard etc. can boost Indian agri-exports.