About Anusandhanvallari Anusandhanvallari Journal is a peer-reviewed, multidisciplinary research journal, dedicated to promoting scholarly research and academic inquiry in the fields of Indian knowledge systems, philosophy, literature, science, and allied disciplines. Rooted in the vision of preserving and advancing India’s intellectual heritage, the journal serves as a platform for researchers, academicians, and practitioners to share original contributions that bridge tradition and innovation. Anusandhanvallari embodies our commitment to fostering critical thought, academic excellence, and interdisciplinary dialogue. The journal welcomes submissions in English, Sanskrit, Hindi, and other Indian languages, encouraging inclusivity and cultural depth. Our mission is to support the growth of a vibrant research community that values authenticity, depth, and rigor. Through Anusandhanvallari, we aim to inspire meaningful scholarship that contributes to national and global understanding. Learn More -> Indian Literature and Linguistics Scholarly work on classical and modern Indian literature, including analysis of texts in Sanskrit, Hindi, and regional languages, along with studies on Indian linguistics, language evolution, and literary traditions. Cultural Studies and History Research on India’s diverse cultural heritage, traditions, rituals, art forms, festivals, and historical narratives, with an emphasis on understanding their relevance in modern society. Interdisciplinary Studies Articles that explore the intersection of traditional Indian knowledge and modern academic disciplines, such as the integration of ancient wisdom with current technological, environmental, and social challenges. Health and Well-being Research on traditional Indian medical systems such as Ayurveda, Yoga, and naturopathy, and their role in modern healthcare and well-being. Objective of Anusandhanvallari Focus on what makes you different Promote Scholarly Research Promote scholarly research in Indian philosophy, science, literature, culture, and related disciplines. Encourage Critical Analysis Encourage critical analysis of classical texts and traditional knowledge in the context of contemporary academic discourse. Support Interdisciplinary Studies Support interdisciplinary studies that bridge ancient wisdom and modern knowledge systems. Facilitate Multilingual Scholarship Facilitate multilingual scholarship, especially in Indian languages such as Sanskrit, Hindi, and regional languages, alongside English. Strengthen Academic Engagement Strengthen academic engagement with India’s intellectual traditions, contributing to both national development and global understanding. Provide a Platform Provide a platform for researchers and academicians to publish original, peer-reviewed work across disciplines such as philosophy, linguistics, Ayurveda, science, arts, and cultural studies.
A Review of Strategic Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems in E-Commerce: National and International Perspectives on Customer Loyalty
Strategic Customer Relationship Management (CRM) in e-commerce integrates advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, and automation to enhance personalization, customer engagement, and loyalty. The literature reveals that strategic CRM transcends operational functions by aligning customer data with long-term business objectives, fostering trust, satisfaction, and brand attachment. E-commerce leaders like Amazon, Alibaba, and Flipkart employ CRM for real-time interaction, segmentation, and personalized marketing to achieve sustained consumer relationships. Despite its benefits, challenges such as data privacy, integration issues, and technological readiness persist, especially in emerging markets like India. This review highlights the transformative impact of strategic CRM in strengthening customer loyalty within both domestic and international contexts, emphasizing the role of AI-driven insights in the evolving digital marketplace.
AI and IoT and Smart Sensor for Automated Plant Health Monitoring
Precision agriculture increasingly relies on integrated Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) platforms, and networks of smart sensors to enable continuous, automated plant-health monitoring. This paper examines the technological convergence that enables early detection of biotic and abiotic stressors, real-time decision support, and resource-efficient interventions. We synthesize sensor modalities (visible/NIR imaging, multispectral/hyperspectral cameras, chlorophyll fluorescence, soil moisture, temperature, relative humidity, gas analyzers for volatile organic compounds), on-node edge processing, and communication layers (LoRaWAN, NB-IoT, BLE, Wi-Fi) with AI methods spanning lightweight convolutional neural networks, transformer variants for remote sensing, time-series models for microclimate and soil data, and anomaly-detection frameworks for longitudinal plant health signatures. The discussion foregrounds practical deployment challenges — sensor calibration and drift, energy autonomy, data heterogeneity, network reliability in vegetated environments, domain shift across cultivars and phenological stages, and data governance including privacy and ownership — and examines mitigation strategies such as federated learning, domain adaptation, edge-cloud partitioning, and energy-aware scheduling. We conclude with a recommended systems architecture, an evaluation framework for field validation (accuracy, latency, false alarm cost, economic return), and a research roadmap that prioritizes robust multimodal fusion, scalable edge AI, and socio-technical adoption pathways for smallholder contexts. The paper aims to provide an actionable foundation for researchers and practitioners designing automated plant-health monitoring systems that are accurate, resilient, and economically viable.
Entwined Identities: Caste, Sexuality and Femininity in Modern English Novels
For several years, literature has been a perceptive window into the intricacies of human identity, particularly in cultures with strong social stratification. Writers from marginalized communities in modern India have broadened this mirror, illuminating lives molded by the concurrent demands of gender, sexuality, and caste. Their experiences shed light on the systemic injustices that still shape social experience in addition to sharing personal tales. Based on this idea, this essay explores the intersections of gender, caste, and queer identities in a selection of works by Urmila Pawar, Baby Kamble, Meena Kandasamy, and Sachin Kundalkar, who represent a variety of voices in English literature from the twenty-first century. The study investigates how these authors portray the complex systems of discrimination and belonging that influence people's lives in modern India using the intersectionality framework. Meena Kandasamy and Sachin Kundalkar illustrate how sexuality and social hierarchy interact to question accepted ideas of identity and morality, while Urmila Pawar and Baby Kamble show how caste and patriarchy work together to suppress Dalit women. The paper examines how narrative voice, language, and emotion become tools of self-expression and resistance, drawing on Dalit feminist and queer theoretical views. It makes the case that these works turn literature into a forum for discussion and protest, where marginalized voices are heard with strength and dignity. The study concludes by confirming that intersectionality, when rooted in the Indian culture, offers fresh perspectives on literature as a reflection of both adversity and resiliency.
Journey from Isolation to Realization of Self Knowledge in Margaret Laurence’s A Jest of God
The article aims to provide alternative solutions and ideas for better understanding and appreciation of Native Canadian literature. It argues for a comprehensive approach, including engagement with Indigenous scholars and cultural specialists, to deepen the interpretative process. Furthermore, the study seeks to promote cross-cultural conversation, respect for Indigenous storytelling traditions, and recognition of the variety of Indigenous experiences. It hopes to contribute to a deeper understanding of Indigenous literature, culture, and identity, therefore meeting the fundamental goal of the research. Margaret Laurence’s Manawaka novels primarily explore themes of loneliness, isolation, assimilation, alienation, and identity. This study aims to demonstrate the psychological and emotional path of an alienated protagonist. They experience feelings of alienation from their surroundings, as well as loneliness and isolation. Finally, Margaret Lawrence’s protagonists achieve personal and societal integration. They triumph over their sufferings.
An Analysis of Adaptability in Select Novels of Chinua Achibe
Adaptability is a key and complex issue throughout Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, Arrow of God, No Longer at Ease and A Man of the People. It is examined through the hardships of numerous people, Igbo society’s reaction to colonialism and Achebe’s unique use of language to create an authentic African voice. The present article investigates how different people and civilizations thrive or fail to adapt to a changing world, with catastrophic implications for those who refuse or are unable to develop.
Temporal Dislocation and the Poetics of Memory: A Phenomenological Reading of Anita Desai’s Clear Light of Day
This study examines the issue of temporal dislocation in Anita Desai's Clear Light of Day (1980) via the phenomenological lens of memory. A lot of research has focused on issues like family alienation, Partition trauma, and postcolonial identity. This study is different because it looks at how Desai builds a poetic structure of memory that goes beyond chronological time. The paper looks at how memory affects Bim’s reality and identity through the lens of phenomenological philosophy, especially the work of Edmund Husserl and Maurice Merleau-Ponty. This article makes the case that Clear Light of Day stages memory not just as a way to remember the past, but as an existential space that shapes consciousness and meaning. It does this by closely analysing the text and critically engaging with existing scholarship.
Theme of Freedom and Social Discrimination and Fantasy in Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Twain is an American author. He has frequently mimicked British literary styles. Twain has switched the emphasis to the distinct American style of communicating and experiencing life, so as to establish a new literary tradition that has been more authentic and approachable to Americans. He has elevated the common people’s language to an art form, adding colloquialisms, regional dialects and even sounds that are not conventional words. His use of the earthy, vernacular kind of writing imbue his work with remarkable fire and directness. The present study will analyze the better understanding of struggles, adventures, conflicts, struggles and adventure seeking identities
“Depiction Of Social Morality and Family Dynamics in the Plays of Arthur Miller”
This paper investigates the interrelated themes of social morality and family dynamics in Arthur Miller‟s plays. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate what Miller wants to impress upon our minds through his plays, that a man should subordinate his personal interests and even the interest of his family to the interests of society at large. In his plays, Miller shows his deep concern with social issues. Arthur Miller has focused upon a single subject, “the struggle of the individual attempting to gain his „rightful‟ position in his society” and his family. In simple words, his dramas deal with man‟s relationship with society and family. He has brought back into the theatre the drama of social questions. Each of his four chief plays is built on a family situation. “All My Sons” and “Death of a Salesman” on the father - son conflict. “The Crucible” and “A View from the Bridge” on the triangle of sex. Dealing with some vital family problems, they criticize or comment upon the structure of society. So they must be considered as conventional social plays. His plays are obviously family concerned. But his heroes are more than failed husband and fathers because he has recognized that the most impressive family plays, from Oedipus through Hamlet to Ghosts, have modified the concept of the family and of the individual under the pressure of society. Each of his heroes is involved in one way or another in a struggle that results from his acceptance or rejection of an image that is the product of his society‟s values and prejudices. Miller‟s plays masterfully depict social morality and family dynamics as intertwined forces shaping human tragedy, critiquing the erosion of ethical responsibility under conformity. Miller‟s plays explore the emotional and social impact of family dynamics on individuals and their choices. His greatest works like “Death of a Salesman” and “All My Sons”, predominantly explore American theme and themes they also resonate with universal human experiences, focusing on family dynamics and societal expectations.
“Split Selves and Shared Spaces: The Identity Quest in The Namesake”
The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri tells the moving story of Gogol Ganguli, the son of Bengali immigrants born in America, as he struggles with the intricacies of bicultural identity. Amidst generational strife, cultural estrangement, and diasporic yearning, the book explores the complex development of his identity. This paper examines how Lahiri employs Gogol’s conflicted relationship with his name to symbolise broader diasporic tensions, supported by a critical framework that includes diaspora theory, postcolonial studies, and identity formation.
Socio-Political Realism and the Ethics of Care in the Fiction of Rohinton Mistry
Rohinton Mistry, an exceptional writer, is also a prominent member of the Indian diaspora. He has earned worldwide acclaim. His art addresses Indian sensibility. His reality and straightforward manner are constantly admired. Literature of the Indian Diaspora is a prominent subset of Indian English literature that grows in importance. Understanding the origins of Indian diaspora is crucial for understanding diasporic literature in general. The postcolonial and intellectual diaspora has its own representative writer in North America, like Rohinton Mistry.Rohinton Mistry’s Family Matters expertly navigates many layers of Parsi family life as well as the larger difficulties of contemporary Indian culture. The novel provides a complex and multidimensional reading experience by delving deeply into family relationships, ageing and senility, religion and faith, class and social conflict, Mumbai as a character, secularism and tolerance and mortality and legacy. Mistry’s storytelling explores the complexities of human existence while also reflecting on the problems and opportunities of modern living. The present study will analyze Parsi community, family relationships, religion and faith, class and social conflict.
Luxury Corroding Nothingness Manjula Padmanabhan’s Harvest.
This article investigates the issues of identity politics and dehumanization in Manjula Padmanabhan’s Harvest (1997). The drama investigates the sociological and political consequences of identity, while also recognizing the transforming effects of late capitalism on physical landscapes. The drama investigates the conflict between personal desire, economic inequality, society expectations and the commodity of human life. Padmanabhan discusses the intersections of global capitalism. This paper contends that the play Harvest reveals the ideology of current capitalism by presenting pre-constituted people whose roles in society are preset. By investigating the dynamics of social identity, the study situates analysis within the politics of space in connection to power relations that reconstruct dominant hierarchical organization and its implications for subordinate governance.
Patterns of Library ICT Usage and Student Satisfaction: A Comparative Study of Arts and Science College of Madurai
This research focuses on the library ICT resources and their implementation among students in arts and science colleges in Madurai. The use of ICT in libraries has affected most of the conventional library services bringing about improvement in delivery of information and learning resources. The study’s objectives in this research include assessing the level of ICT adoption by students and patterns of use, the problems that are encountered, and how the situation could be enhanced in order to offer optimal ICT services in the library setting. Suring the research a random-sampling technique was used alongside Survey data that is quantitative in nature, the study used interview data that is qualitative in nature. The target population was made up of students in selected arts and science colleges in Madurai. Research data indicates that apart from the fact that a large number of students portrayed frequent users of ICT apparatus afforded by libraries, there are disparities, which exist between arts and science students in utilization frequencies of the mentioned ICT tools. The widely adopted ICT tools include digital libraries and database, and library management systems. However, issues like; Infrastructure, Training, Awareness emerged as the main barriers to the optimal use of e-Learning. The findings imply higher investment in the equipment’s, training and sensitization processes in order to exploit the potentials of ICT in library. Some of the studies can offer qualitative data on ICT use in a particular context, although this study aims to complement the existing literature by presenting quantitative findings on the subject in a particular region.
AI-Driven Strategies: Revolutionizing Marketing Decision-making in Indian Companies
The study aims to bring out the new use of artificial intelligence (AI) in making strategic marketing decisions in Indian companies. Whereas AI has changed the way Relationship Management and advertising works in other areas, companies from India have difficulties in acquiring the necessary platform capabilities to facilitate that innovation. This research is distinct in that it looks critically into the present use of AI, its effect on the business, effect on customer engagement, and where there are recommendations on how to efficiently use AI in marketing strategies. The descriptive analysis depicts the research drawing from secondary sources like company reports, case studies, and marketing databases with qualitative technique analysis issuing tools such as NVivo and SPSS. The study suggests India’s marketing strategy can enhance AI integration to address agricultural productivity issues and improve overall business strategy.
Social Media Influence on Online Shopping of Durables: The Mediating Effect of Brand and Trust on Purchase Decision
This paper assesses the impact that social media marketing makes on brand association, customer confidence, as well as purchase intention in the market of consumer durable goods. The aim is to grasp how marketers should design engagement strategies targeting online consumers. Purposive sampling was employed to gather information from 145 social media users who had used social media for buying consumer durables in the last one year. The study’s results suggest that marketing activities on social media greatly boosts brand association and trust which, in turn, leads to stronger purchase intentions and actual buying behavior. The study details how brand perception and credibility mediate consumers’ decisions. The strategic implication is that brands need to improve their efforts in social media marketing to build trust with engagement, hence increase conversion rates. This is a unique contribution because it fills a gap identified in the reviewed literature, specifically the association of social media brand association, trust, as well as consumptions of durable goods in the online marketplace.
भारतीय ज्ञान-परम्परा में शुक्रनीति का योगदान
भारतीय ज्ञान-परम्परा हमारे प्राचीन आचार्यों द्वारा रोपित वह वृक्ष है जिसकी शाखाएँ वेद, वेदांग, उपनिषद्, पुराण, इतिहास, स्मृतिग्रन्थ, नीतिग्रन्थ के रूप में पुष्पित व पल्लवित हो रही हैं। इसी बौद्धिक और दार्शनिक परम्परा में शुक्राचार्य प्रणीत शुक्रनीति का महत्त्वपूर्ण स्थान है। अन्य सभी शास्त्र व्यावहारिक जगत् के किसी एक भाग का वर्णन करते हैं, किन्तु सार्वजनिक हित एवं सामाजिक सुरक्षा का बन्धकत्व यह नीतिशास्त्र ही देता है। क्योंकि धर्म, अर्थ, काम और मोक्षरूप पुरुषार्थ चतुष्टय का यह साधक है। इसका ज्ञान प्राप्त करने वाला शासक लोकप्रियता प्राप्त करता है। शुक्रनीति राज्य-संचालन या राजनीति के अतिरिक्त समाज, अर्थव्यवस्था, न्याय-व्यवस्था, दण्ड-विधान, कर-प्रणाली, कूटनीति, शिक्षा, नारी-सम्मान, श्रम और दासप्रथा जैसे विविध पक्षों को समग्र दृष्टि से प्रस्तुत करने वाली रचना है। इसमें राज्य को एक नैतिक संस्था के रूप में देखा गया है, जहाँ शासक का कर्तव्य प्रजा के कल्याण, न्याय और सुरक्षा से जुड़ा है। प्रस्तुत शोधपत्र भारतीय ज्ञान-परम्परा के व्यापक सन्दर्भ में शुक्रनीति के नीतिगत आधारों का विश्लेषण करता है। साथ ही यह स्पष्ट करता है कि इस ग्रन्थ में वर्णित शासन-सिद्धान्त, कूटनीतिक व्यवहार, कर-नीति और सामाजिक न्याय की अवधारणाएँ आधुनिक राज्यशास्त्र और प्रशासनिक चिन्तन से भी संवाद स्थापित करती हैं। समकालीन वैश्विक परिप्रेक्ष्य में, जहाँ सुशासन, नैतिक राजनीति और सामाजिक समावेशन की आवश्यकता बढ़ रही है, ऐसे में शुक्रनीति की शिक्षाएँ आज भी प्रासंगिक और मार्गदर्शक सिद्ध होती हैं।
The Media Manipulation in Chetan Bhagat’s The Three Mistakes Of My Life
Chetan Bhagat is a contemporary writer. He is an entertaining social novelist from India. His writings concern about the civic responsibilities. He highlights the social issues in non- provocative narration. Here, this article explores the pervasive social problem called ‘media manipulation and hegemony’ in the novel The Three Mistakes of My Life. How the media moulds a society is represented here and the deception and domination of the media is scrutinized. The character ‘Ishaan’ is seen as focal that the exploration of socio-cultural milieu regarding the impact of the media is to be done. Through his life journey which is talked by the first person narrator Govind who is friend of Ishaan, this generation’s deviation and decline from practical life is explained well and the media maniac society is portrayed precisely. The novel pasteurizes the dependant nature called extreme passion or fanaticism on the media and sports degrading the citizens. The influence of media over the society is assessed through the qualitative research methodology to screen the lurking obstacle and how it manipulates the social constituent.
The Role of Social Media Marketing in Modern Film Promotion: An AIDA and Two-Step Flow Approach
Media is one of the major economic incomes and one of the largest consumption categories. While the media is still flourishing, the need for innovation in films increases. This lack creates a disinterest and hence, films need to be marketed after being produced. Unlike the older times where social media platforms were incompetent and film promotions were handled through radio and television, the new era brings in effective social media for promotion. Public Relations uses social media wisely and hence attracts a larger audience to promote the feature films. Without social media's role, opinion leaders or influencers are scarce which leads to a smaller number of advertisements. The optimistic side of social media is that anyone has access to become an opinion leader hence, the existence of a legion of influencers makes promotions easily possible through their social networks. AIDA Model theory in marketing recognises how a specific production gets attention, then gains interest which gives a desire to be put in action to consume a production. Through the AIDA Model theory developed by E. St. Elmo Lewis, the engagement and attention of the audience towards cinema through various marketing techniques of social media are deconstructed. The Two-Step Flow theory of communication reiterates that information cannot be passed on to someone at ease without opinion leaders and that it needs opinion leaders as influencers to reach the audience. Through the Two-Step Flow theory of communication by Paul Lazarsfeld and Elihu Katz, the significant opinion leaders for Public Relations and promotions are analysed. The several ways used in marketing and promoting a film are analysed in this research. The viewpoint of the audience which determines the future of the cinema industry and its marketing is evaluated through the research. This study is also able to find out how much more social media can be used efficiently in the future.
Mapping the Knowledge Landscape of Informal Manufacturing: A Systematic Review and Research Agenda for Assam's Overlooked Sector
The informal manufacturing sector represents a critical yet understudied component of regional economies in developing countries. This systematic literature review examines the global knowledge base on informal manufacturing to identify research gaps specific to Assam, India's northeastern state. Through a PRISMA guided analysis of 46 studies from 2016-2024, we reveal a striking contradiction while informal manufacturing constitutes a significant portion of economic activity in developing regions, Assam-specific research continues to be negligible. This paper contributes to the literature by synthesizing global patterns in informal manufacturing research, developing a theoretical framework for understanding regional variations in informal manufacturing dynamics, and proposing a comprehensive research agenda for Assam's informal manufacturing sector. Our findings reveal that informal manufacturing is driven by complex interactions between institutional factors, socioeconomic conditions, and technological capabilities, yet these dynamics remain unexplored, leading us to outline priority research areas and methodological approaches needed to address this critical knowledge gap.
Downstream Consequences of Large Dam project: Environmental Degradation and Social Vulnerability in the downstream of Mapithel Dam, Thoubal River, Manipur
Large dam projects in India are commonly evaluated through upstream displacement and infrastructural benefits, while the downstream impacts remain poorly documented. This study examines the environmental, livelihood and health consequences experienced by downstream communities of the Mapithel Dam on the Thoubal River, Manipur. Primary data were collected from 200 respondents across 20 downstream villages using structured field surveys. The findings indicate a marked deterioration in river water quality following dam construction, characterised by increased turbidity, stagnation, odour and reduced natural flow. These changes have significantly altered patterns of river water utilization with sharp declines in drinking, cooking, and bathing, alongside reduced agricultural productivity. Many households reported moderate to severe declines in crop yield. Health impacts, including skin infections and sanitation related illnesses particularly among women were reported. Despite physical accessibility to the river, declining water quality has fundamentally reshaped everyday practices and livelihood security. The study highlights a critical governance gap in dam impact assessments, where downstream effects are excluded from social and environmental monitoring. By highlighting lived experiences and empirical evidence, this paper argues for basin wide impact assessments and inclusive water governance that recognises downstream communities as integral stakeholders in sustainable development planning.
The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Enhancing Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment: Evidence from IT Professionals
This study investigates the influence of emotional intelligence (EI) on job satisfaction, work engagement, reward system perceptions, and organizational commitment among IT professionals in Bangalore. A descriptive and analytical research design was employed, with data collected from 250 employees across five major IT companies: Wipro, Infosys, TCS, HCL, and Accenture. Constructs were measured using validated scales adapted for the Indian IT context, with responses recorded on a 5-point Likert scale. Descriptive statistics indicated high levels of EI, work engagement, and organizational commitment, while job satisfaction and reward system perceptions were moderately high. Correlation analysis revealed strong positive relationships among EI, job satisfaction, work engagement, and organizational commitment. Multiple regression analysis showed that EI was the strongest predictor of organizational commitment, followed by work engagement, job satisfaction, and reward system. The findings underscore the pivotal role of EI in fostering employee loyalty, satisfaction, and productivity in IT organizations, highlighting the importance of EI development programs for enhancing workforce effectiveness and retention.
“Public Sector Banks as Agents of Rural Transformation: An Empirical Investigation into CSR and Socio-Economic”
This empirical investigation examines the role of Public Sector Banks (PSBs) in catalyzing rural transformation in India, with a specific focus on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives and key socio-economic indicators within Karnataka. Rural India’s development continues to hinge on inclusive financial intermediation and effective deployment of socio-economic interventions; PSBs have been central to this process through financial inclusion, targeted credit, and CSR programs aimed at employment creation, education, infrastructure, and livelihood enhancement. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, this study analyzes primary survey data (n = 50 rural households across three districts of Karnataka) and secondary government data on banking penetration, credit disbursement, and rural socio-economic indicators. Findings reveal a significant correlation between PSB presence, CSR-linked development initiatives, and improvements in rural welfare outcomes including income levels, asset ownership, women’s financial participation, and access to formal credit. CSR activities by PSBs such as micro-enterprise support, financial literacy drives, and infrastructure investments emerge as influential but uneven across regions. Statistical analysis demonstrates positive trends in financial inclusion metrics, while qualitative insights underscore gaps in outreach and impact measurement. Key recommendations include enhancing CSR alignment with local needs, bolstering PSBs’ operational capacity in underserved areas, and integrating rural socio-economic data analytics into CSR planning. By contextualizing PSBs’ contributions within Karnataka’s rural development paradigm, the study contributes to policy discourses on financial inclusivity and sustainable rural transformation.
Analysis of the Theory of Statistical Estimation
The theory of statistical estimation is a central pillar of modern statistics, providing the conceptual and mathematical foundation for drawing conclusions about populations based on sample data. Its primary objective is to infer unknown parameters—such as means, variances, or proportions—using finite and often noisy observations. Because real-world data are inherently variable, statistical estimation offers a principled way to quantify uncertainty and assess the reliability of conclusions. Over the last century, the field has matured through the development of competing philosophies, optimality criteria, and practical estimation techniques that continue to play essential roles in science, economics, engineering, and machine learning. A fundamental distinction in the theory of estimation lies between point estimation and interval estimation. Point estimation focuses on providing a single “best guess” for an unknown parameter. Examples include the sample mean for estimating a population mean or the maximum likelihood estimate (MLE) for a parameter defined through a probability model. Interval estimation, by contrast, recognizes that any estimate derived from a sample is uncertain and therefore seeks to construct a range—such as a confidence interval or credible interval—within which the parameter is likely to lie. While point estimators provide simplicity and convenience, interval estimators offer a more robust understanding of uncertainty, making them indispensable in scientific reporting. Central to evaluating the quality of an estimator are several optimality criteria, most notably bias, variance, and mean squared error (MSE). An estimator is unbiased if its expected value equals the true parameter; however, unbiasedness alone does not guarantee practical usefulness.
India Post Payments Bank and Financial Inclusion in Rural Karnataka: A Demographic Study of Belagavi District of Karnataka
Financial inclusion is a key component of inclusive economic development in India, particularly in rural and semi-urban regions where access to formal banking remains limited. India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) was established with the objective of extending basic banking services by utilizing the extensive postal network across the country. The present study examines the role of India Post Payments Bank in promoting financial inclusion in the rural areas of Belagavi District of Karnataka, with special emphasis on demographic factors influencing service usage. The study is based on primary data collected through a structured questionnaire from 200 IPPB customers. Descriptive analysis and chi-square tests were applied to assess the relationship between demographic variables such as gender, age, and educational qualification and selected dimensions of IPPB usage, including frequency of use, service preference, satisfaction level, and perceived difficulty in accessing digital services. The analysis reveals that demographic factors significantly influence the frequency of usage of IPPB services, while variations in satisfaction and service preference are comparatively limited. The findings indicate that India Post Payments Bank has contributed positively to improving access to banking services in rural areas. However, challenges related to digital literacy and regular usage remain, particularly among older and less-educated users. The study suggests that focused awareness programmes and user-oriented support mechanisms can further strengthen IPPB’s role in advancing financial inclusion in rural Karnataka.
A Study on Relationship between Resilience and Life Satisfaction among Adults
The present study aimed to examine the relationship between resilience and life satisfaction among employed men and women. A purposive sampling technique was used to select 156 working individuals (76 men and 80 women) from different occupational sectors in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Resilience and life satisfaction were measured using the Brief Resilience Scale and the Satisfaction with Life Scale, respectively. Statistical analyses, including correlation, regression, independent samples t-test, and one-way ANOVA, were conducted using SPSS version 25. The findings revealed a significant positive association between resilience and life satisfaction among working adults. Regression results indicated that resilience accounted for 45.3% of the variance in life satisfaction. Additionally, one-way ANOVA showed no significant differences in resilience or life satisfaction across occupational groups. Similarly, no statistically significant gender differences were observed in either resilience or life satisfaction. The study highlights the potential benefits of spiritual development programs, such as mindfulness practices, community engagement, and spiritual counseling, in enhancing life satisfaction. It also emphasizes the importance of resilience-building strategies to help individuals manage stress and maintain a positive outlook. Practical implications include incorporating spirituality and resilience-based approaches into workplace wellness initiatives, mental health interventions, and public health programs targeting middle-aged adults. Future research is recommended to investigate cultural variations and longitudinal patterns to gain deeper insights into these relationships.
A Comparative Study of Morphological Structure of Bodo and Nepali Verb
This paper presents a comparative morphological study of verb structures in Bodo and Nepali, two genetically unrelated languages belonging to the Tibeto-Burman and Indo-European language families respectively. The study examines the formation and classification of verbs into simple, complex, and compound types in both languages. It highlights similarities and differences in syllabic structure, prefixation, suffixation, negation, tense, and causative constructions. Simple verbs are primarily monosyllabic, while complex and compound verbs are polysyllabic in nature. The analysis demonstrates how social contact and linguistic typology influence verb formation patterns. The study contributes to a better understanding of verb morphology in a comparative linguistic perspective.
Neuro-Linguistic AI: Exploring the Cognitive Interface Between Human Language and Machine Understanding
Neuro-Linguistic AI represents an emerging paradigm that integrates computational linguistics, cognitive science, neuroscience, and machine learning to build models capable of interpreting and generating human language with a level of contextual depth, semantic understanding, and cognitive alignment that approximates human-like comprehension. As AI systems increasingly mediate human communication, decision processes, and knowledge work, understanding the cognitive interface between human linguistic behaviour and machine interpretation becomes essential for developing trustworthy, intelligent, and socially-aligned systems. This paper investigates how Neuro-Linguistic AI frameworks synthesize neural language models, cognitive-semantic theories, and neuro-symbolic architectures to improve comprehension, disambiguation, reasoning, and meaning representation in natural language interactions. It evaluates how advanced generative models, attention-based architectures, cognitive embeddings, and neuro-semantic integration enhance machine understanding of pragmatics, intent, ambiguity resolution, and contextual inference. Findings reveal that Neuro-Linguistic AI improves interpretability, communication fidelity, and adaptive learning but also introduces challenges such as cognitive bias propagation, inference instability, semantic drift, and ethical complexity. The study proposes a unified research framework to analyse cognitive-linguistic alignment and suggests new pathways for robust, transparent, and human-centric machine understanding.
Blockchain-Enabled Secure Data Exchange for Smart AI Language Platforms
Blockchain-enabled secure data exchange represents a transformative paradigm for next-generation smart AI language platforms, addressing escalating challenges related to privacy, data integrity, provenance tracking, adversarial manipulation, and trust in decentralized computational environments. As language models increasingly depend on large-scale, multi-source, real-time data streams for training, personalization, and adaptive reasoning, the security vulnerabilities inherent in centralized architectures including single points of failure, unauthorized data inference, model poisoning, and manipulation of exchange protocols have become critical concerns. Blockchain offers a cryptographically verifiable, tamper-resistant, and decentralized infrastructure enabling secure, transparent, and auditable data flows between humans, intelligent systems, and collaborative AI ecosystems. This paper investigates how distributed ledger technologies, decentralized identifiers, smart contracts, and zero-knowledge privacy techniques can be integrated to create a secure data exchange backbone for AI language platforms. It evaluates blockchain-based trust models, consensus-driven validation, immutable metadata trails, and secure multi-party exchange frameworks that enhance resistance to tampering, bias injection, and data inconsistency. Findings demonstrate that blockchain enhances transparency, provenance, federated trust, and accountability while reducing attack surfaces in data pipelines used by smart AI language systems. However, challenges remain in scalability, latency, computational overhead, and aligning decentralized security with high-speed AI language operations. The study proposes a unified architecture and research framework for secure, ethical, and decentralized AI language ecosystems.
Nutritional and Therapeutic Properties of Traditional Food Shree Anna (Millets): A Review
Millets and their products are used in various health as well as disease condition because of their rich contents of minerals, vitamins, and dietary fiber, and it is very easy to cultivate. As a result, The United Nations General Assembly declared the year 2023 as the International Year of Millets. The main purpose of this is to create awareness of the health benefits of millet to the general public. Millets are mainly grown in Asian and African countries. Majorly grown millets in the world are pearl millet, finger millet, finger foxtail millet, barnyard millet, sorghum, kodo millet, and little millet. Millets are nutritionally superior to wheat and rice, used as Nutri-cereals. It has gluten-free and low glycemic index. Millets can help in preventing heart disease, cancer, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and various other health benefits. In ancient times it was extensively cultivated, but its cultivation declined eventually because of people's shift towards wheat and rice farming during the green revolution. The present reviews introduce different types of millets.
Emotional Intelligence as a Determinant of Job Satisfaction: A Comprehensive Review and Analysis
In the evolving organizational environment marked by technological disruption, workforce diversity, and heightened emotional demands, understanding the psychological determinants of job satisfaction has become increasingly important. Emotional intelligence (EI), reflecting an individual’s capacity to perceive, regulate, and utilize emotions effectively, has emerged as a critical factor influencing employee attitudes and well-being. This study presents a comprehensive review and analytical synthesis of empirical and conceptual research published between 2010 and 2025 to examine emotional intelligence as a determinant of job satisfaction. Drawing upon studies across multiple sectors, including healthcare, education, IT, hospitality, and public administration, the review highlights consistent evidence supporting a positive relationship between EI and job satisfaction. The analysis reveals that emotional regulation, stress mitigation, leadership effectiveness, emotional labor management, and interpersonal relationships serve as key mediating mechanisms. The study contributes by consolidating fragmented literature, identifying theoretical advancements, and offering insights for organizational practice and future research in emotional intelligence and job satisfaction.
A Complex interaction between the past and present in Ishiguro’s A Pale View of Hills
Japanese literature has its roots in oral traditions that were transcribed in the early eighth century. It coincided with the adoption of a Chinese writing system. Memory, time and lying that never ends are some of the main themes of Kazuo Ishiguro’s works. His upbringing in a Japanese family in Great Britain has shaped the way he thinks and sees things. His first two novels take place in Japan. In his later writings, Ishiguro has written in genres including science fiction and fantasy. He doesn’t use a lot of verbiage, even while he talks about dramatic events.
A Study of Mindfulness and Stress among Adults
Extensive research shows that adolescents and young adults are experiencing rising levels of stress and depression. Findings from the American Psychological Association’s Stress in America Survey indicate that teenagers report stress levels comparable to those of adults. Although many teens recognize that their stress is unhealthy, they often fail to fully understand its effects on their mental and physical well-being. Growing evidence suggests that mindfulness practices are effective in reducing anxiety and stress. The present study examined the impact of mindfulness on stress among young adults using the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (Walach, 2006) and the Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen, 1983). The results revealed a significant negative relationship between mindfulness and stress levels, indicating that higher mindfulness was associated with lower perceived stress. Overall, the findings suggest that mindfulness has a beneficial influence on stress reduction in young adults. Additionally, mindfulness was linked to decreased stress and increased work engagement in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses, highlighting its role as a protective and adaptable personal resource.
Kavi Koduram Dalit ke Kavya me Grameen Chetna
India’s Strategic Transition from Semiconductor Consumer to Producer: Policy, Infrastructure and Market Readiness Analysis
India has embarked on a transformative journey to emerge as a major player in the global semiconductor value chain, shifting from a consumer market to a potential production hub. This paper analyzes the effectiveness of recent policy interventions, such as the India Semiconductor Mission(ISM) and Production Linked Incentives (PLI), evaluates infrastructure and supply chain developments, and critically assesses challenges related to import dependence, skilled labor, and R&D. Using a policy and industry trend analysis framework, it is compared semiconductor strategy of India with established producers like Taiwan and South Korea. Findings suggest that while strategic collaborations and state incentives have laid promising groundwork, gaps remain in talent development, raw material sourcing, and indigenous innovation capacity. The study concludes with strategic recommendations of producing the raw materials domestically, ensuring un-interrupted Supply of critical raw-materials from foreign Countries, creating the adequate skilled workforce to strengthen India’s global semiconductor competitiveness.
“Bridging Financial Inclusion and Community Development: CSR Practices of Public Sector Banks in Karnataka
This study investigates the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices of Public Banks in Karnataka, with a focus on their contribution to financial inclusion and community development. Financial inclusion, defined as access to affordable and reliable banking services for society, is critical for promoting equitable economic growth and enhancing the livelihoods of marginalized populations. In Karnataka, Public Sector Banks have implemented CSR initiatives that extend beyond legal obligations, addressing region-specific development challenges and gaps in access to financial related services. This article combines secondary data from the bank reports, CSR disclosures, government statistics, and scholarly studies with primary insights from a survey of 50 respondents, including bank personnel, community representatives, and program beneficiaries. The findings reveal that CSR programs have positively influenced financial literacy, banking access, and awareness of economic opportunities, with particular impact observed in education, healthcare, women’s empowerment, and rural livelihood development. The study identifies challenges, uneven outreach, resource constraints, and the need for the improved co-ordination with government schemes. Overall, the evidence suggests that targeted, well-structured, and sustained CSR initiatives can produce meaningful socio-economic benefits, particularly in underserved and rural areas. The study concludes by emphasizing the importance of aligning CSR strategies with local development priorities, enhancing transparency in monitoring outcomes, and fostering stronger partnerships between banks, government agencies, and civil society to maximize the potential of CSR in promoting inclusive and sustainable development across Karnataka.
Exploring AI Assessment Tools in English Language Learning and Teaching – A Qualitative Study
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology can be found in various sectors, including education and especially in English Language Teaching (ELT). It has the promise of completely transforming education by performing management activities, lending sophisticated teaching platforms and individualizing the experiences of learning. There are several language learning applications and websites integrated with AI tools to enhance language learning. In recent days, there have also been language skills assessment AI tools available, which assess listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. The current study aims to collect 10 AI language assessment tools and examine their features and accessibility for language learners and teachers. The study employs a qualitative method of survey technique; a survey of related studies has generated interesting insights. The study describes the usability of each AI language assessment tool with an authorized website link. Also, recommendations for the language instructors, learners and for further studies. It would be extremely beneficial for language learners and teachers to assess language proficiency levels by utilizing AI tools in ELT.
The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Strategic Decision-Making across HR, Marketing, and Finance Functions
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force in strategic decision-making across core business functions, fundamentally reshaping how organizations approach human resources, marketing, and finance operations. As businesses navigate increasingly complex and data-rich environments, AI-powered decision-making systems are providing unprecedented capabilities for analyzing vast datasets, identifying patterns, predicting outcomes, and optimizing strategic choices. According to McKinsey Global Institute (2023), organizations that have adopted AI in strategic decision-making report 23% higher profitability and 19% revenue growth compared to their non-AI counterparts.
The Subversion of the Concept of Disability in George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire: A Foucauldian Analysis
Rather than serving as a source of identity and pride through the celebration of difference, disability has historically been characterised by subjugation in nearly every sphere of life. Representations of people with impairments are often framed in tragic terms, with language that is consistently negative or passive. This pattern has only begun to be resisted in literature over the past few decades. George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire stands out in this regard, as it destabilises conventional portrayals of disability and repositions it as integral to human existence. Characters such as Tyrion Lannister and Bran Stark appear as complex figures, shaped by resilience, intellect, and contradictions that challenge the boundaries of ‘normalcy,’ rather than mere symbols of pity. By employing a Foucauldian perspective, this paper examines how Martin critiques the disciplinary power structures that enforce conformity, exposes the illusion of the able/disabled binary, and ultimately subverts the conventional narrative of disability as deficit.
"Empowering Educators: Safeguarding Privacy and Maximizing Social Media Integration in AI-Enhanced Language Instruction"
This research paper explores the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in language learning apps and platforms, focusing on Babbel, Lingvist, Memrise, EdX, Busuu, and OpenAI's GPT-3. These platforms utilize AI algorithms to tailor language lessons to individual learners' proficiency levels, interests, and learning styles. Each platform emphasizes data privacy and security protocols to protect user data while incorporating social features to facilitate peer interaction, collaboration, and cultural exchange among learners. The paper examines how these platforms leverage AI-driven personalized instruction to enhance language learning outcomes while navigating privacy concerns and ethical considerations. Through a comparative analysis of their approaches, the paper highlights best practices and challenges in integrating AI technologies into language education. Additionally, the paper discusses the potential of AI-driven language instruction to create immersive, effective, and inclusive learning environments in the digital age.
Reclaiming Agency: Women’s Narratives in Karna’s Wife
Kavita Kane is an Indian author known for her feminist retellings of Hindu mythology. A former journalist, she gained recognition with her debut novel, Karna’s Wife: The Outcast’s Queen. This paper entitled Reclaiming Agency: Women’s Narratives in Karna’s Wife explores the theme of female agency in Karna’s Wife: The Outcast’s Queen. The novel reimagines the Mahabharata through the perspective of Uruvi, Karna’s wife. By shifting the focus from the dominant male narratives of the epic, the novel offers a nuanced portrayal of Uruvi as an assertive and independent woman who challenges societal norms while navigating love, loyalty, and personal convictions. Drawing from feminist literary criticism, this study examines how Uruvi’s voice reclaims agency within a patriarchal framework, redefining her role beyond that of a silent consort. It further investigates how her choices, dialogues, and resistance to traditional constraints contribute to a broader discourse on women's empowerment in mythological retellings. In doing so, the paper highlights the significance of reinterpreting classical texts through contemporary feminist lenses to uncover marginalized voices and reframe historical narratives.
Institutional Pathways to Women’s Economic Empowerment: Micro-Level Evidence from India’s Rural Livelihood Economy
Women’s economic empowerment is widely recognized as central to inclusive development, yet empirical evidence linking institutional support systems to measurable agency remains limited at the micro level. This study examines how institutional participation shapes women’s economic empowerment within a structured rural livelihood economy. Using primary survey data from 418 women engaged in sericulture activities, the analysis constructs a multidimensional empowerment index and estimates a multiple regression model to evaluate the effects of training access, credit inclusion, collective participation, resource accessibility, and decision autonomy. The results demonstrate that all institutional predictors are positively and significantly associated with empowerment outcomes, with decision autonomy and training access emerging as the strongest drivers. The findings indicate that empowerment is not an automatic consequence of employment but an institutional achievement mediated through capability-building and agency reinforcement. By providing regression-based evidence from a women-intensive agro-industrial sector, the study advances empowerment theory and demonstrates that livelihood programs function as scalable infrastructures of gender transformation when embedded within integrated institutional ecosystems. The framework offers transferable insights for rural development policy beyond the empirical setting and supports a systemic approach to empowerment design.
A Critical Study on Awareness and Use of Information Sources and Services Among Postgraduate Students of Thiruvalluvar University Affiliated Colleges
This study critically examines the awareness, utilization, and chaallenges of information sources and services among postgraduate students in Thiruvalluvar University affiliated colleges. In the digital age, access to diverse print and electronic resources is vital for academic research and scholarly development. The research reveals a growing awareness and adoption of digital tools, with universal internet access and increasing use of e-resources such as e-journals, institutional repositories, and open access platforms. Despite this shift, traditional print sources like books and journals continue to play a significant role, highlighting a hybrid information- seeking environment. The study further explores students’ engagement with library services, including circulation, reference, and remote access, and underscores the importance of library orientation and information literacy programs, which significantly enhance resource utilization and research skills. However, barriers such as infrastructural deficiencies, digital literacy gaps, language hurdles, and limited ICT skills impede optimal usage of available resources. Statistical analyses, including ANOVA tests, demonstrate that effective use of information sources positively impacts academic performance and research output. The findings highlight the necessity for targeted interventions, infrastructural improvements, and comprehensive training programs to bridge existing gaps. Overall, fostering digital literacy and promoting resource awareness are crucial for empowering postgraduate students to excel academically and contribute effectively to research and knowledge creation in a rapidly evolving information environment.
Determinants of Retention in Digital Banking: PLS-SEM Meets Necessary Condition Analysis
The rapid digitalisation of the banking industry has transformed service delivery mechanisms and intensified competition among banks, making customer retention a critical strategic priority. This study examines the determinants and necessary conditions of customer retention intention in digital banking by integrating Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) with Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA). Data were collected from 435 bank customers in Goa using a structured questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale. The measurement model was assessed for reliability and validity, followed by structural model estimation to test the hypothesised relationships among customer loyalty, digital commitment, employee performance, perceived information quality, perceived service orientation, post service recovery satisfaction, and switching cost. The results reveal that post service recovery satisfaction significantly enhances customer loyalty and customer retention intention, while employee performance, perceived information quality, and perceived service orientation strongly influence recovery satisfaction. In addition, the moderation effect of switching cost on the relationship between recovery satisfaction and retention intention is supported. The NCA findings further identify employee performance, perceived information quality, and recovery satisfaction as necessary conditions for achieving high levels of customer retention. By distinguishing between sufficient drivers and indispensable prerequisites, this study offers a novel theoretical contribution to digital banking and relationship marketing literature. The findings provide practical implications for banking managers seeking to strengthen service recovery systems and build long-term customer relationships in an increasingly digital environment.
A Socio – Legal Study on Reproductive & Child Health among Santhal Tribal Community: With Special Reference to West Burdwan in West Bengal
The Santhal people are one of the homogenous and dominant tribes in comparison to the Munda, Bhumiji, Kora, Lodha, Mahali, Bhutia, Bedia and Savar in West Bengal. The present study aims to investigate the issues pertaining to infants and children, marriages, pregnancy, family planning practices etc.., The Santhal’s society is patrilineal and patriarchal in nature. Problems of health and nutrition among the tribals are common due to poverty and lack of sanitary and proper medical facilities. Child marriage has been a pervasive factor in the society and the position of women has been subordinate to that of men. The ideas that are prevalent in the Western World on the concept of reproductive and child health have influenced India and the issue related to the health of the mother and child has changed. For this research the researcher has used an Interview Schedule for the collection of primary data to secure the responses of the subject belonging to socio economic strata of the various denominations.
Samajik Nayay ke Agradoot ke Roop me Jyotiba Phoole ka Yogdaan (1827 - 1890)
From Farms to Factories: Balancing Agriculture and Industry through Startup Management for Sustainable Economic Development
Economic development is increasingly understood as a process of structural transformation that requires balanced growth across productive sectors. In many developing and transition economies, development strategies have historically prioritized industrialization, often based on the assumption that agriculture would gradually decline in importance as economies modernize. However, extensive empirical evidence indicates that neglecting agriculture results in food insecurity, persistent rural poverty, widening regional disparities, and unsustainable growth trajectories. This paper argues that sustainable economic development requires a balanced and mutually reinforcing relationship between agriculture and industry rather than the dominance of one sector over the other. In this context, startups and startup management have emerged as critical institutional mechanisms capable of integrating agricultural and industrial activities. The objectives of the study are fourfold: to examine the respective roles of agriculture and industry in the process of economic development, to analyse the necessity of maintaining a balance between agricultural and industrial growth, to explore how startups function as a structural and operational link between agriculture and industry, and to assess the contribution of startup management to inclusive and sustainable development outcomes. The study adopts a descriptive and analytical research methodology, relying exclusively on secondary data sources such as peer-reviewed academic literature, government policy documents, development reports, and publications by international institutions. The analysis is grounded in classical development theories, models of structural transformation, and contemporary literature on entrepreneurship and management. The central argument advanced in the paper is that startups—particularly those operating in agribusiness, food processing, logistics, rural manufacturing, and digital platforms—serve as an integrative bridge between agriculture and industry by facilitating value addition, technological diffusion, improved market access, and employment generation, thereby reducing structural rigidities that traditionally separate primary and secondary sectors. Effective startup management plays a decisive role in ensuring innovation, scalability, financial sustainability, and organisational resilience, strengthening agri–industrial value chains. The contribution of the study lies in its interdisciplinary approach that integrates insights from development economics and management studies and positions startups not merely as entrepreneurial ventures but as development institutions that promote balanced sectoral growth, inclusive development, and long-term economic sustainability..
Internal Exile and Industrial Modernity: Rethinking Diaspora in Anchee Min’s Pearl of China and Leslie T. Chang’s Factory Girls
Diaspora has traditionally been theorized through the lens of transnational displacement and exile. This paper argues that internal displacement within modern nation-states can generate structural conditions indistinguishable from classical diaspora, thereby requiring a theoretical redefinition of diaspora beyond geography. Through a comparative reading of Anchee Min’s Pearl of China and Leslie T. Chang’s Factory Girls, the study demonstrates how Maoist ideological persecution and post-reform rural-to-urban labour migration produce forms of diasporic consciousness shaped by estrangement, hybridity, and fractured belonging. In Pearl of China, political legitimacy is revoked through ideological surveillance, rendering subjects symbolically expelled within their homeland. In Factory Girls, economic mobility is structurally constrained by class and gender hierarchies, producing alienated yet aspirational identities. By extending diaspora theory to encompass internal migration and political estrangement, this study reconceptualizes diaspora as a condition of negotiated belonging produced by power rather than border crossing alone.
Recurrent Neural Network for Map Query Suggestion Based on Hierarchical Context Attention
Map query suggestion plays a critical role in improving user experience in location-based services by predicting users’ search intentions and recommending relevant queries. Traditional approaches often fail to effectively capture the complex temporal dependencies and multi-level contextual information embedded in user search behaviours. To address this limitation, this study proposes a Hierarchical Context Attention-based Recurrent Neural Network (HCA-RNN) within an encoder–decoder framework for map query suggestion. The proposed model learns sequential dependencies among queries within a session to capture short-term user intent, while simultaneously modelling cross-session relationships to represent long-term search context. A hierarchical attention mechanism is incorporated to selectively emphasize important queries and contextual information at different levels, enabling more accurate intent understanding. Experiments conducted on large-scale real-world map query logs demonstrate that the proposed approach significantly outperforms existing baseline methods in terms of standard evaluation metrics such as Recall and Mean Reciprocal Rank (MRR). The results confirm the effectiveness of hierarchical contextual attention in enhancing the accuracy and relevance of map query recommendations.
Effect of a 12-Week Exercise Training Programme on Physical Fitness among Male Intercollegiate Football Players
The present study examined the effect of a 12-week structured exercise training programme on selected physical fitness components among male intercollegiate football players. One hundred male football players aged 18–27 years, representing affiliated colleges of Punjabi University, Guru Nanak Dev University, and Panjab University, Chandigarh, participated in the study. Physical fitness variables such as upper-body strength, abdominal muscular endurance, agility, explosive leg power, speed, and cardiovascular endurance were assessed using selected items of the AAPHER Youth Physical Fitness Test. A single-group pre-test–post-test experimental design was adopted. Following the pre-test, subjects underwent a systematic training programme for twelve weeks. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and paired sample t-test. The results indicated significant improvement in all selected physical fitness variables at the 0.01 level of significance, confirming the effectiveness of the training programme.
Analysis And Detection of Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Multimodel Machine Learning Techniques
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by difficulties in social communication and repetitive behavioural patterns that affect cognitive development. The increasing prevalence of ASD highlights the need for reliable and early screening systems. Traditional diagnostic methods depend on clinical observation and structured assessments, which may delay early identification. This implementation presents a multimodal machine learning framework that integrates prenatal biological indicators and early childhood behavioural features for ASD risk prediction. Random Forest, Artificial Neural Network, and Long Short-Term Memory models were implemented independently and combined using a weighted ensemble strategy. Experimental results demonstrate that prenatal models achieved higher classification performance compared to behavioral models, with Artificial Neural Network producing the highest accuracy. The ensemble model improved prediction stability and reduced false-negative rates, showing that multimodal machine learning integration can effectively support early ASD detection systems.
An Empirical Analysis of Employee Perceptions Towards Modern Recruitment and Selection Methods in Bangalore’s IT Sector
The growing significance of human resource management represents one of the most important developments in modern organizational theory and practice. Human resources constitute the foundation of every organization, as employees contribute innovative ideas, values, and competencies that, when effectively managed, enhance overall organizational performance. Organizations in both developed and developing economies depend heavily on employee performance, as it directly influences organizational success or failure. Therefore, identifying the right candidate for the right position and fostering their professional growth is a critical responsibility of management. Recruitment and selection processes play a vital role in shaping employee perceptions and organizational outcomes. Effective hiring practices by line managers contribute significantly to achieving organizational objectives. The primary objective of this study is to examine the relationship between demographic variables and employees’ perceptions of recruitment and selection processes in the IT sector.
From Listening to Accountability: Institutionalising Participatory Governance through the Back to Village Programme in Jammu & Kashmir
Participatory governance is central to democratic decentralisation, yet its operational effectiveness in fragile and conflict-affected regions remains under-examined. The Back to Village (B2V) programme in Jammu and Kashmir represents one of India’s largest state-led participatory governance initiatives. Implemented across five phases between 2019 and 2023, the programme ensured universal coverage of 4,483 Gram Panchayats, with approximately 5,000 senior officers deployed per phase, enabling a longitudinal assessment free from scale-expansion bias. Using a qualitative case-study approach supplemented by documentary analysis, secondary literature, official programme data, and practitioner insights, the study evaluates B2V’s governance outcomes. Descriptive statistics indicate progressive improvement in programme performance, with prioritised scheme completion rising from approximately 60 per cent in Phase II to nearly 90 per cent by Phase V. To capture institutional change, the study develops a Governance Maturity Index (GMI) and an Accountability Density Index (ADI). Findings show a systematic progression from diagnostic consultation to partial accountability enforcement, reflecting movement along Arnstein’s ladder from tokenistic participation towards partnership-oriented engagement. Accountability mechanisms expanded from none in Phase I to multiple formal instruments by Phase V, alongside diversification of participatory forums beyond Gram Sabhas. Despite these advances, uneven follow-up and continued bureaucratic dominance constrain sustainability. The study concludes that B2V demonstrates the potential of state-led participation to enhance responsiveness and trust, but durable outcomes depend on institutionalising participatory practices within routine Panchayat planning and accountability frameworks.
Impact of organisational Culture on Employee Behaviour –A Comprehensive Review
The impact of organizational culture has on both corporate and academic researches has received a lot of attention in recent times not forgetting its impact on these sectors. The study concludes that organizational culture helps improve employee performance also as a source of motivation to workers because motivation does not only mean monetary value.
Organizational Success and Training & Development: The Relational Effect in Review Perspective"
This review explores the pivotal role of training and development in driving organizational success. Drawing from contemporary research and theoretical frameworks, it examines how structured learning initiatives enhance employee performance, foster innovation, and contribute to long-term strategic goals. The paper highlights key concepts such as needs assessment, instructional design, learning transfer, and evaluation metrics. It also reviews empirical findings on the impact of training on productivity, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment. By synthesizing insights from both academic literature and industry practices, the review underscores the necessity of aligning training programs with organizational objectives and adapting to evolving workforce demands. The study concludes that a well-integrated training and development strategy is not merely a support function but a core driver of competitive advantage.
Architecture under the Delhi Sultanate: A Socio-Cultural and Structural Study
The period of the Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526 CE) represents a formative era in the history of Indian architecture. Sultanate rulers introduced new architectural forms and techniques that synthesized indigenous Indian traditions with Islamic aesthetics. This research analyzes major architectural developments under the Slave, Khilji, Tughlaq, Sayyid, and Lodi dynasties, emphasizing structural innovations, decorative motifs, and socio-cultural symbolism. Drawing on literary sources, archaeological evidence, and contemporary scholarship, the paper argues that Sultanate architecture catalyzed a transformative phase in medieval Indian built heritage. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of how political power, religious practice, and cultural interactions shaped architectural evolution in pre-Mughal India.
Marriage, Displacement, and the New Indian Woman: A Feminist Reading of Nina in
This research paper entitled “Marriage, Displacement, and the New Indian Woman: A Feminist Reading of Nina in Manju Kapur’s The Immigrant” explores the significant role that the institution of marriage plays in Indian society and the transformation a woman undergoes upon entering married life. The novel portrays Nina, an educated yet culturally conditioned woman whose marriage to Ananda, a dentist settled in Canada, leads her into a new socio-cultural environment. Moving from the protected space of her parental home to the unfamiliar world of migration, Nina experiences emotional, cultural, and psychological displacement. Through a feminist perspective, the paper examines how marriage and migration reshape Nina’s identity and compel her to confront the realities of marital expectations, sexual dissatisfaction, and personal autonomy. Although equipped with education and professional aspirations, Nina initially internalizes traditional ideals of marriage prevalent in Indian society. However, her experiences in the diasporic setting gradually transform her outlook and lead her toward a new understanding of selfhood. The study argues that it is the combined forces of marriage and displacement that ultimately redefine Nina as a “New Indian Woman,” a transformation that she herself had never anticipated.
Demographic Profile and Socio-Economic Characteristics of Rural Women in Jammu and Kashmir: Evidence from Anantnag and Baramulla Districts
Understanding the demographic and socio-economic profile of rural women is essential for designing gender-responsive rural development policies. This study presents a comprehensive demographic analysis of 471 rural respondents from the districts of Anantnag and Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir. Using primary survey data, the paper examines age structure, marital status, educational attainment, occupational distribution, income levels, and residential characteristics. The findings reveal moderate educational attainment but weak labour market integration, heavy concentration in unpaid and informal employment, and limited independent income. Despite demographic improvements, structural gender disparities persist in economic participation and decision-making roles. The study highlights the disconnect between human capital formation and economic empowerment in rural settings and underscores the need for targeted interventions focusing on income autonomy, skill diversification, and institutional participation. The paper contributes district-level micro evidence from a conflict-sensitive rural economy where demographic transitions have not translated proportionately into socio-economic agency.
The Aesthetics of Suffering and the Representation of Trauma in Toni Morrison’s Major Fictions
This research paper explores the pervasive theme of psychological and physical trauma within the literary works of Toni Morrison, focusing specifically on the devastation caused by systemic racism, poverty, and domestic violence. Drawing upon psychoanalytic theory and trauma studies, the analysis investigates how Morrison aesthetically reconstructs the shattered lives of her characters. Through detailed examinations of three foundational texts, this paper highlights specific traumatic incidents that serve as catalysts for psychological fragmentation. The first section examines the destructive impact of internalized racism and incestuous abuse on a vulnerable child. The second section analyzes the lasting effects of military combat alongside the horrifying manifestations of maternal violence within an impoverished community. The final section delves into the historical catastrophe of slavery, exploring how traumatic memory literally haunts the survivors. Ultimately, this paper argues that Morrison utilizes complex narrative structures to articulate previously unspoken horrors, transforming the debilitating experiences of shame and violence into a generative space for historical recovery and communal healing.
Tamil Nadu Zero Ticket Bus Travel Scheme and Women Empowerment: A Bibliometric and Research Gap Analysis
The Tamil Nadu Zero Ticket Bus Travel Scheme is a significant policy initiative aimed at enhancing women's mobility and empowerment. This study conducts a bibliometric analysis of existing research over the past five years to identify trends, gaps, and future research directions. Using open-access databases, we examine publication trends, citation analysis, keyword co-occurrence, and geographical distributions. The findings highlight key themes such as economic empowerment, safety concerns, and policy implications. Identified gaps include insufficient studies on rural impact, long-term empowerment outcomes, and safety interventions. The study concludes with policy recommendations to enhance the scheme’s effectiveness.
Tradition and Modernity in Shobha De’s Socialite Evenings
Shobha De’s writing gives us a look inside the minds of women and covers a wide spectrum of experiences. She talks on the problems and changes that middle-class Indian women, who make up the vast majority of Indian women, go through. Her main interest is the struggle of women in modern Indian culture. Shobha De, a current feminist voice, has been praised for her realistic portrayal of Indian society. She is a feminist who looks into the life and problems of women. She thinks that Indian women today have a hard time because of old-fashioned ideas that still exist. Marriage has been harmful to the lives of modern Indian women, who have been getting a solid education for the previous 40 years. After British political colonization, a lot of females were sent to many different countries around the world to get a good education. Also, Indian colleges are very focused on giving women a good education. Because of this, women today are starting to challenge the conventional ideals that are hard to change. When the strict rules of society clash with the fresh ideas of Indian women, it creates a form of conflict. The literary works, serving as reflective instruments, depict the prevailing tension. This study aims to elucidate the clash between tradition and modernity in Shobha De’s Socialite Evenings.
Feminism and the Politics of Homosexuality in Shobhaa De’s Starry Nights
Shobha De has been a journalist in Bombay for many years, thus she has seen a lot of the metropolitan lifestyles and minds of the ladies who live there. So, she knows a lot about how it is shown. The same part of a woman’s mind. Before she becomes a famous actress, Asha Rani is Viji, the daughter of a movie tycoon who is not very good at raising her. She falls in love with Akshay Arora, who is married, but he cheated on her. Barua’s story also talks about her first time being with Linda as a lesbian. Their connection was just as talkative because Abhijit is married and had children. She marries Jamie Phillips and they have a daughter named Sasha together in New Zealand. She has an affair with Jojo when she is in India and he loathes her. Asha Rani, a famous movie star, has a rise and collapse in Starry Nights. She will always work in the Bombay film industry. She relies on the movie business and keeps working in it, even if it’s not as a heroine but as a producer.
Reassessing Popular Fiction in Post-Liberalized India: A Thematic Study of Chetan Bhagat’s Novels
Indian English fiction has evolved significantly from its early nationalist phase to postmodern and post-liberalized forms that reflect rapid socio-economic and cultural transformation. Alongside canonical literary writing, popular fiction has emerged as an influential literary form representing the aspirations, anxieties, and lived experiences of contemporary Indian society, particularly the urban middle class and youth. Despite its wide readership, popular fiction has often been marginalized within academic literary criticism. This study examines major themes in selected novels of Chetan Bhagat to understand how popular fiction reflects social realities in post-liberalized India. Using qualitative textual and thematic analysis, the study identifies recurring themes such as youth identity and education, middle-class aspirations, love and relationships, corruption and social challenges, and urban work culture. The findings suggest that Bhagat’s novels function as cultural narratives that document changing social values, economic aspirations, and psychological pressures experienced by contemporary youth. The study argues that popular fiction deserves greater scholarly attention not only for its readership but also for its sociological and cultural significance in understanding modern India.
1909 और 1919 के अधिनियमों के माध्यम से मुसलमानों और सिखों सहित कई समुदायों को अलग मतदाता सूची प्रदान की गई। राष्ट्रवादी इतिहासकारों के अनुसार वास्तव में ब्रिटिश शासन का उद्देश्य हिंदुओं, मुसलमानों तथा अन्य अल्पसंख्यक समूहों आदि में फूट डालकर भारतीय एकता को कमजोर करना था। दलित समुदायों का राजनीतिक उभार 20वीं शताब्दी के प्रारंभ में तेज हुआ। डॉ. अम्बेडकर का मानना था कि दलित समुदाय भारत का वास्तविक अल्पसंख्यक वर्ग है जिसे पृथक निर्वाचन मंडल और राजनीतिक संरक्षण की आवश्यकता है। 1920 के बाद अंग्रेजों ने दलितों के प्रति अपनी नीति बदली क्योंकि उन्हें यह समझ आने लगा था कि गांधीजी के नेतृत्व में कांग्रेस को व्यापक जनसमर्थन मिल रहा था। इस पृष्ठभूमि में दलित नेताओं को गोलमेज सम्मेलनों में आमंत्रित किया गया। प्रथम सम्मेलन में अम्बेडकर और हिंदू महासभा के नेताओं ने दलित अधिकारों पर विचार-विमर्श किया। 1931 में शुरू हुए दूसरे गोलमेज सम्मेलन में महात्मा गांधी ने कांग्रेस की ओर से प्रतिनिधित्व किया और दलितों के लिए पृथक निर्वाचन मंडल का कड़ा विरोध किया। उनका मत था कि ऐसी व्यवस्था हिंदू समाज को विभाजित कर देगी। उन्होंने कहा कि कांग्रेस सभी वर्गों की प्रतिनिधि है और किसी भी जाति को विशेष राजनीतिक संरक्षण देना वे स्वीकार नहीं करेंगे। अम्बेडकर और गांधी के बीच मतभेद बढ़ने पर ब्रिटिश प्रधानमंत्री रैम्ज़े मैकडोनाल्ड ने 17 अगस्त 1932 को “साम्प्रदायिक निर्णय” (Communal Award) घोषित किया। इसमें दलितों को 20 वर्षों तक पृथक निर्वाचन मंडल और दोहरे वोट का अधिकार दिया गया। हालांकि यह व्यवस्था अम्बेडकर के लिए “अनमोल विशेषाधिकार” थी, गांधी ने इसे अंग्रेजों की “फूट डालो और राज करो” नीति बताया और इसके विरोध में 20 सितंबर 1932 से आमरण अनशन की घोषणा कर दी। हिंदू एवं दलित नेताओं के बीच लगातार वार्ताओं के बाद अंततः 24 सितंबर 1932 “पूना पैक्ट” के बाद अम्बेडकर ने पृथक निर्वाचन मंडल की मांग छोड़ने पर सहमति दे दी। पूना समझौता भारतीय इतिहास की एक निर्णायक घटना थी जिससे दलितों का राजनीतिक प्रतिनिधित्व सुनिश्चित हुआ और भविष्य में सरकारी सेवाओं तथा अन्य क्षेत्रों में आरक्षण की व्यवस्था प्रारंभ हुई। यह समझौता उतना ही महत्वपूर्ण माना जाता है जितना लखनऊ समझौता मुसलमानों के लिए था। इस लेख के माध्यम से गांधी व अंबेडकर के मध्य संपन्न पूना समझौता जो कई महत्वपूर्ण बदलाव और द्वंद के पश्चात पूर्ण हुआ। यह लेख इस विषय में तत्कालीन आवश्यकता, चुनौतियों तथा इसके समाधान को जानने का प्रयास है।
Exploring Selfhood in Margaret Atwood’s Surfacing and the Handmaid’s Tale
This study explores the quest for self-identity in Margaret Atwood's novels "Surfacing" and "The Handmaid's Tale." By examining the protagonists' journeys and the impact of societal and environmental factors, the research highlights the resilience of the human spirit in the search for individuality. The analysis draws on feminist and psychological perspectives to understand how Atwood portrays the struggle for identity against oppressive societal norms. The findings reveal significant similarities and differences in portraying self-identity in both novels, offering insights into the broader implications of identity formation in contemporary literature.
A Study on Customers’ Brand Preference of Smartphones in Madurai District.
Branding has become a critical determinant of consumer decision making in highly competitive and technology- driven markets such as the smartphone industry. With rapid technological advancements and minimal functional differentiation among smartphone brands, intangible factors such as brand image, perceived quality, brand trust and brand loyalty play a significant role in shaping consumer preferences. This study aims examine the influence of branding on consumer purchase behaviour in the smartphone market. Drawing upon established branding theories and previous empirical studies, the research key brand related constructs including brand equity, brand perception, brand loyalty. The study seeks to analyse how these factors affect consume attitude and buying intentions toward smartphones. By reviewing existing literature and identifying the research gap, the study highlights the growing importance of branding as a strategic tool in the smartphone industry, particularly in the emerging markets. The findings of this research are expected to provide valuable insights for marketers and smartphone manufacturers in developing effective brand strategies to enhance consumer satisfaction and long- term loyalty.
A study on Adoption and Preference of Banking Applications in the Digital Era: Customer Preference Dynamics in Mobile Banking Platforms
Banking has moved from traditional branch-based services to digital platforms like mobile banking apps due to the quick development of technology. Understanding consumer preferences and satisfaction with mobile banking apps offered by public and private sector banks is the main goal of this study. It seeks to determine the most popular features, gauge customer satisfaction, and examine the elements—such as usability, speed, security, and dependability—that influence the selection of a specific banking app. The study is based on primary data that was gathered from mobile banking users, primarily in the Ernakulam district, via a Google Forms survey. The study's conclusions aid in comprehending consumer demands and expectations, which can help banks develop mobile applications, improve user experience, and promote the expansion of digital banking in accordance with the Digital India initiative.
Dying Women and Already Dead Land: An Ecofeminist Reading of Manjula Padmanabhan’s Escape
Ecofeminism conceptualizes that exploitation of both women and environment results from the patriarchal setup of the world. Dystopian fiction have not only been warning us of the dangers of an autocratic regime powered by potential technological advancements, but have also portrayed how the nature and land forever changes in such a dystopian fate. This paper intends to analyze Manjula Padmanaban’s Escape – a feminist dystopian fiction with an eco-dystopian narrative that follows the life of the only known woman survivor in a post-apocalyptic country called “The Brother Land” formed after the national femicide; new humans (men) are genetically cloned under the iron-fist rule of their cloned Generals brothers who were coded to eradicate the remaining ‘vermins in hide’ and spread their ideology throughout the world.
The Strange Case of Stock Figures and Their Loneliness in John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men
This paper analyses the alienated characters of the migrants in John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. Crooks, Candy and Curley's wife are among the most well-known characters who suffer from acute loneliness throughout the novel as a result of being detached from the general human population. In the plot, the characters experience estrangement due to their radically different circumstances from everyone else in the story. This article uses Karl Marx's idea of estrangement, which has its roots in his theory of human nature, to investigate this situation. The study successfully illustrates ‘Alienation from species-being,’ which is the fourth characteristic of alienation upheld by Karl Marx. In order to anchor the issue, this theory has been applied to explore loneliness and the pursuit of dreams amidst the character’s adversity. From the analysis, the study discloses that liberation from alienation efforts have gone unrecognised and continue to be unheard in society. Thus, this study has attempted to discuss the theme of alienation and the nuances of the word alienation thoroughly.
Ubiety, Belonging and Silence in Abdulrazak Gurnah’s Dottie
This paper examines refugee identity and the fragile limits of belonging in Dottie by Abdulrazak Gurnah. The novel shows Dottie Badoura Fatma Balfour as a storey that was influenced by the racial marginalisation, cultural anxiety, and seeking of acceptance in England. Although Dottie was born and raised in Britain, she remains positioned as an outsider. Her struggle reveals that belonging is not guaranteed by birth or residence but regulated through race name and social recognition. Refugee and migration studies, this paper argues that Dottie presents ubiety as a contested space. Ubiety here refers to the desire for a lived place of safety, attachment, and recognition. Dottie attempts to construct this space through education, naming, and emotional restraint. However, repeated experiences of racial humiliation and social exclusion prevent stability. Silence becomes a survival strategy. It protects her from open confrontation but deepens psychological isolation. The novel also foregrounds the politics of naming and filiation. Dottie’s anxiety about her name reflects her fear of being without identity and place. Her desire to be accepted exposes the limits of British multicultural belonging. Gurnah portrays refugee consciousness not only among migrants but also among racialised subjects within the nation. Dottie thus expands refugee literature by revealing how unbelonging can exist even without physical displacement. Identity remains unsettled, and belonging remains conditional.
The Monstrous Sublime: A Postmodern Deconstruction of Mythology and Cultural Identity in Amish Tripathi’s Raavan: Enemy of Aryavarta
Amish Tripathi’s Raavan: Enemy of Aryavarta (2019) has made significant changes in the familiar portrayal of Raavan, the King of Lanka. He is a complex character with a mix of emotions. Tripathi brings out all of Raavan’s untold sides. He is neither a good nor a bad person. The portrayal of Raavan throughout this series contrasts with the traditional or fixed. The paper examines the concept of différance by Jacques Derrida, the myths as analyzed by Roland Barthes, and the myths as criticized by Jean-François Lyotard. It states that the novel is a breakthrough as the displaced Other has the opportunity to reclaim authority over the definite notions of good and evil. As the study suggests, the novel is a turning point where the displaced Other can take back control of the stasis of the conventional moral discourses.
Cultural Semantics of Perumal Murugan’s novel One Part Woman: A Roland Barthes Mythological Exploration
Myths are part and parcel of Indian society. Myths and superstitions are entwined in rural India and are still being passed on to generations and followed heedlessly. Variations in myth are inevitably embedded in region and community. Whenever we come across any myth that is dealt with in any work of art, it must be subjected to the questions of rationale. To reason the majority's belief, it has to be discussed by readers worldwide. One Part Woman, a narrative discourse set in the Kongu region, around the town of Tiruchengode in the Salem district of Tamil Nadu, entwined with myths surrounding the issue of the childlessness of a young couple, Kali and Ponna, who wait for almost 12 years to bear a child, provides the space for the study. Despite their love and care for each other, they fail to prove it with a child. Thus, Ponna is advised to follow the myth, which was widely believed to be the ultimatum to bear a child in the given space Karatoor. The chariot festival is the thick description with which the myth is to be studied in the light of Structural Anthropology. The spectacle of such anthropological study leads us to examine, for a deeper understanding, the binary oppositions, symbolic elements, social structures, and kinship dynamics. The findings could shed light on the intricate interplay of conventional rules in modernity. This enables the reader to infer the socio-cultural context of the story, especially in the novels of Perumal Murugan, which pertain to the conflicts that arise between characters in the novels. Thus, this research paper intends to trace the conflicts convoluted with meanings and also demonstrates the ability of structural analysis to unravel the complexities of literary texts.
Specialized Investment Funds in India: Bridging the Gap Between Traditional Mutual Funds and Portfolio Management Services
In February-April 2025, the Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI), India's securities regulator, released Specialized Investment Funds (SIFs), a new type of mutual fund product aimed to bridge the gap between ordinary mutual funds and more expensive PMS/AIF vehicles. With a minimum investment requirement of Rs 10 lakh, SIFs allow for advanced strategies such as equity and debt long-short, rotation of sector, and hybrid long-short. This article elucidates the SIF framework, contextualizes it among current pooled vehicles, and evaluates its short- and medium-term impacts on various aspects of India’s mutual fund industry, including product design, distribution, and competition for high-net-worth investors, governance, operations, and taxation. We conduct Policy analysis of SEBI circulars, cross-referenced with reliable news and industry insights, to formulate evidence based propositions regarding AUM flows, margins, market structure and investor protection. Our research indicates that SIFs have the potential to: (i) increase the affluent segment that AMCs can reach; (ii) partially cannibalize equity/hybrid MF AUM among HNIs while returning some PMS/AIF demand to regulated pooled funds; (iii) increase operational and brand-segregation costs; and (iv) increase performance dispersion and product risk, necessitating stricter disclosures and compliance checks.
A Study on Customer Satisfaction on Service Quality of Multibrancd Car Service Centre with Special Reference to Pudukkotai District
Automobile Industry has played a major role in the Indian economy during the last decade. The Indian market opening its wings to MNC’s, the competition has become severe in terms of product quality and service. Multi brand car service centre has brought forward customer satisfaction at each level where they render service of all brand under one roof. Satisfied customer’s form the foundation of any successful business as customer satisfaction leads to repeat service, brand loyalty, and positive word of mouth. Many researches are going on in the field of customer satisfaction for not only retaining the customer but also for repeated business deals. An attempt is made in this paper to highlight the use of customer service of multi brand car service centre as a tool for improving the relationship with the customer.
A Study on the Impact of Responsible Tourism on Women Empowerment in Kollam District
The responsible tourism model in Kerala has enabled thousands of women entrepreneurs to participate in tourism-related enterprises and gain economic independence. This study aims to examine the impact of responsible tourism initiatives on women empowerment in Kollam district. The research focuses on analyzing how tourism activities influence women’s conomic independence, decision-making power, employment opportunities, and social participation. The study also evaluates the role of government schemes, self-help groups, and tourism organizations in promoting women’s involvement in responsible tourism activities. The research adopts a descriptive and analytical approach using primary and secondary data collected from women entrepreneurs, tourism workers, and community members involved in tourism activities. The findings of the study are expected to highlight the positive relationship between responsible tourism practices and women empowerment. The study will also provide recommendations to strengthen policies and programs that encourage women’s participation in tourism, thereby contributing to sustainable development and inclusive economic growth in Kollam district.
Cultivating Consciousness: Experiential Learning and Gendered Awakening in Doris Lessing’s “Flavours of Exile”
Doris Lessing’s centenary has reignited scholarly interest in her literary and philosophical contributions, particularly her nuanced engagement with education as a site of ideological resistance and personal transformation. This paper argues that Lessing’s concern with informal, experiential learning, especially in the context of colonial Africa, was not incidental but central to her broader critique of patriarchal and colonial systems. Drawing on her African short stories as a primary corpus, this study focuses on “Flavours of Exile,” in which a family’s vegetable garden becomes a symbolic and literal space of learning. The narrative foregrounds the emotional and intellectual awakening of a young girl, whose engagement with nature, desire, and disappointment constitutes a form of gendered autonomy. Through postcolonial and feminist lenses, the story is read as a meditation on the limitations of formal colonial education and the liberatory potential of embodied, place-based learning. Lessing’s portrayal of the female subject in transition, caught between inherited norms and emerging selfhood, offers a compelling vision of learning as liberation and gathering experience, where knowledge is not merely acquired but lived, resisted, and reclaimed.
Vocational Training Practices and Beneficiary Satisfaction in Jan Shikshan Sansthan Centres of Manipur
Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) is a vocational training initiative that enhances livelihood opportunities for socially and economically disadvantaged groups through skill development programmes. In this context, the present study examines vocational training practices and beneficiary satisfaction in two JSS centres in Manipur, covering three courses—Beauty and Wellness, Food Processing, and Apparel Making. The study is based on primary data collected from 150 beneficiaries using a structured questionnaire and an interview schedule, comprising biographic details and four dimensions: training process, training environment, satisfaction level, and problems faced,measured on a five-point Likert scale. The findings indicate that beneficiaries perceived the course content as understandable, the trainers as effective in explaining the lessons, and the practical training as adequate. A strong positive association was observed between training process variables and overall satisfaction, and the training environment also contributed positively. Although specific concerns were reported regarding duration, materials, and infrastructure, these did not significantly reduce overall satisfaction. No statistically significant differences were found across centres or courses, suggesting consistency in programme implementation. The study underscores the importance of structured instructional practices and meaningful practical exposure in enhancing beneficiary outcomes in vocational skill development programmes.
Mapping of Research Productivity on Heutagogy in Education: A Scientometric Analysis
In the row of Pedagogy, Andragogy and Heutagogy are the teaching and learning methods in the field of teacher education. After 2000 the Heutagogy in education slowly developed outside India. This study has 355 articles published in 275 sources and finds out 2021 has more papers published, got 3.27 percent average citation per article from 2007 to 2022, Na Na is the most prolific author to published papers in Heutagogy. This study also found that the International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning journal is the top journal of publications in heutagogy, Australas. Soc. Comput. Learn. Tert. Education (2007) got more citations (366) of the article, Auckland University of Technology has published more articles (23) in Heutagogy, Australia is the leading country to get more citations (830) of the articles.
Determinants of Employee Attrition in the Organized Retail Sector: Evidence from Bangalore City
In the organized retail sector, employee attrition is a serious issue that jeopardizes productivity, service quality, and performance. The study looks into the factors that drive employee attrition in retail organizations in the City of Bangalore. The study involved the development of structured questionnaires to collect primary data from 180 employees involved in the organized retail sector in relation to issues such as job gratification, remuneration, career advancement, work-life stability, and culture within the organization. Correlation and regression are conducted for statistical analysis to ascertain the most important employee attrition predictors. The study investigates the influence of recompense, career mentorship, and work-life stability on employee attrition in the organized retail sector in Bangalore, while job satisfaction and organizational culture influence employee attrition predictions. The study recommends actionable inputs for HR managers to develop strategies for targeted retention efforts and stabilizing workforce relationships in the competitive retail market in Bangalore.
Personalization, Trust, and Interactivity in Digital Media Advertising: An Integrated Model of Consumer Purchase Intentions
The rapid growth of digital media platforms has reshaped advertising, facilitating new levels of customized content, two-way communication, and audience involvement. While prior research has examined advertising value, personalization, or trust in isolation, few studies have integrated these dimensions into a unified framework to explain consumers’ purchase intentions. This study addresses this gap by developing and testing a structural equation model that incorporates personalization intensity, trust mechanisms, and interactivity as mutually reinforcing drivers. Data from 200 active social media users were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Results indicate that all three factors significantly predict purchase intention. Personalization exerts both a direct and an indirect effect mediated by trust. Furthermore, interactivity moderates the relationship between advertising value and purchase intention, amplifying its positive influence under high engagement. The model explains 64% of the variance in purchase intentions, offering theoretical contributions and actionable insights for designing consumer-centric campaigns.
"Bridging the Gap: Analyzing Consumer Buying Behaviour and Satisfaction in Fashion Retailing – A Study of Madurai District"
Consumer buying behavior and satisfaction in fashion retailing have been widely studied in metropolitan areas, but limited research exists on regional markets like Madurai District. This paper conducts a bibliometric analysis and secondary data evaluation to identify key trends, gaps, and influencing factors in consumer decision-making. The study explores brand preferences, digital vs. offline shopping, sustainability concerns, and promotional impacts. Findings reveal that cultural shopping habits, local brand affinity, and hybrid shopping behaviors significantly influence consumer satisfaction in Madurai. The study offers recommendations for retailers and policymakers to enhance consumer engagement and retail strategies.
Colour Narratives in Tamil Cinema: A Chromatic Analysis of the Movie Petta
Color in Tamil cinema goes beyond being an element of visual spectacle; it is also a powerful medium of symbolic communication shaping narrative and audience perspective. This research paper analyses the usage of color in Karthik Subbaraj’s movie Petta (2019) through Richard Misek’s framework on chromatic cinema, which emphasizes the evolution of color grading in the cinema history and the conscious decisions filmmakers make regarding its deliberate usage in the film making (Misek, 2010). This study analyzes how colors are used in the movie Petta to distinguish temporalities—contrasting flashbacks with the present—to construct various visual atmospheres, external environments, and emotions such as anger, nostalgia, and mystery. By analyzing these visual strategies, the paper argues that color serves as a tool for narrative enhancement and depth of theme, character development while enriching viewer experience. Furthermore, situating movie Petta within the larger context of Tamil cinema’s innovations, this research demonstrates how commercial films integrate nuanced visual theory into mainstream storytelling.
Cultural Conformity Vs. Agency: Representations of the Modern Woman in Bollywood Cinema
Cinema being the most powerful tool in shaping and reinforcing the values of society, also creates space for change and new identities. In India, Hindi cinema the so called Bollywood, having a wide range of audience plays an influential role in the cultural industry especially in the representation of the society particularly on how women are seen — both within families and in wider social life. The study is grounded on how film portrays the conflict between inherited tradition and contemporary assertions of individuality, especially for women who are caught between cultural expectations and their own sense of freedom. The research explores how Bollywood continues to build the image of the “ideal bahu/beti” while also presenting women as independent figures, and what contradictions or compromises appear in these portrayals. The research focuses on women’s struggles for dignity and autonomy in cinematic spaces, and considers how their independence is often framed within traditional boundaries. Analysing through qualitative methodology by purposefully sampling across the post-feminist period. The study adopts Multimodal Discourse Analysis (MDA) to interpret visuals and dialogues to understand the underlying patterns. The study aims to trace how women’s agency is portrayed in layered ways — whether it leans toward cultural conformity or gestures toward resistance. The Bollywood narratives, while often tying empowerment to tradition, also open up moments of challenge that allow us to rethink what it means to be a “modern woman” today.
An Analysis on the Participation of Bicycle Users Under the Government Schemes in and Around Tiruchirappalli District
This study reveals the participation of bicycle users to promote cycling. In India, the usage of bicycles in several ways like primary transportation, relaxation, fitness, and social status. In addition, the government has to be encouraging cycling among the people to improve society in economic and environmental ways. There are several schemes for developing the culture of using the bicycle more than the motorized vehicles. The importance of female users using the bicycle rather than the males are significantly needed to develop the society. The study was conducted in and around Tiruchirappalli over 46 active cyclists are a response to the questionnaire. As a result, the female is predominately using the bicycle to reach the educational institute like schools, colleges, etc., with this the also able to get the depends upon the qualification. This will directly make an impact on the economic growth of the family and the society by adding the advantage of maintaining the environment as emission-free.
A Study on Work- Life Balance of Working Couples in Trichy
Work-Life balance is one of the most significant aspects in the life of working couples. In today’s competitive and ever demanding workplace striking a cord between responsibilities at work and home becomes an extremely difficult task. Work-life balance refers to the synchronization between accountabilities at the workplace and other roles and responsibilities of the personal life that are important to individuals. In an ideal situation there should be a perfect balance between the time spent at work and home, but in reality this seems to be practically impossible. When conflict arises between these couples, it has adverse consequences for both employees and organisation. These shuffling dual roles may prevent representatives both married and unmarried to contribute optimally to the organisation because of time pressure and expanded levels of stress and emotional burnout. The data are collected through questionnaire and the sampling technique is Disproportional sampling technique. For measurable investigations, SPSS-25 version used and Statistical tools like percentage analysis, ANOVA, Correlation, Chi-square and ‘t’ test applied. The findings were based on the Research hypothesis, demographic profile and various dimensions of work-life balance of working couples. Suggestions and Conclusion are based on these findings. This paper aims on the work-life balance of working couples in Trichy.
A Foucauldian Analysis of Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People: A Poststructuralist Perspective
Post structuralism took literature in a whirlwind by shaking its foundational theories and implementing new ideas that there is no fixed or singular meaning of a work, but constructed socially and are unstable. Michael Foucault, a key figure in post structuralism, was an eye-opener in the realm of power relation, knowledge & discourse. His concepts stood the test of time and are relevant up to the modern times. Henrik Ibsen, the father of modern drama, challenged conventions and customs in his plays. A Foucauldian analysis of literature helps in deconstructing power or knowledge and investigating discursive formations. This paper aims to bring out the power dynamics and structures that govern the society in the play through a poststructuralist perspective.
The Complexity of Relationships in Vijay Tendulkar’s Kamala
In the past few decades, drama in Indian languages has grown a lot. In the post-independence period, modern Indian play in English presents a stark depiction of social and political reality. Vijay Tendulkar is the most prolific and controversial playwright among Indian playwrights who wrote after independence. Tendulkar’s plays have covered a wide range of topics, from relationships between men and women to new takes on events in history, society and politics. His plays focus on various facets of human nature and the intricacies of interpersonal relationships. He was captivated by the violent interaction between the exploited and the exploiter, as well as between husbands and wives, brothers and sisters and lovers and beloveds. Women are very important in his plays. Most of the women in his novels come from lower and middle-class households, like housewives, instructors, mistresses, daughters, slaves and servants. These women provide a lot of different emotions and socioeconomic classes to the plays.
Socio-Social Issues of Multicultural India and Indian Reality in Chetan Bhagat’s Novels
A Fusion of Realism in Indian English Literature: A Milestone to the Modern World Indian English Literature is an initiative to highlight the rare gems of Indian writing in English. Indian English has evolved from a fascinating native eruption into a new type of Indian culture and the voice through which India communicates. Indian writers have now resorted to English to demonstrate to the world that they have the ability and intellectual capability to express themselves, and most importantly, they want to reveal India and Indianness as they see it and mark their presence in Western society.
A Journey of Shadows and Light: A Diaspora Perspective on Anita Rau Badami’s “The Hero’s Walk”
This paper is an attempt to articulate the tapestry of human relationships as woven by Anita Rau Badami in her poignant novel ‘The Hero’s Walk’. Set between the sun-drenched streets of India and the alien landscapes of Canada, the narrative follows the perspectives of two characters with different surroundings and cultural milieus. Badami has divided each chapter from the point of view of Sripathi Rao, a fifty-seven-year-old man, alongside the narrative of his seven-year-old granddaughter, Nandana. Both the old Sripathi and the young Nandana are grappling with the echoes of culture and searching for belonging. Through their intertwined journeys, Badami illuminates the nuanced struggles of the diaspora experience, where past and present converge in unexpected ways.
Oppressed Women in Vijay Tendulkar’s in Silence! The Court is in Session.
This paper is to explore about delineation of women in Indian society by the patriarchy and subjugation of women in all her stages as daughter, wife and mother. In Vijay Tendulkar’s plays, he has explored discrimination, oppression, sexual objectification, patriarchy and stereotyping. He presents a world dominated by men. He voices for women and creates historical women characters in his plays. Tendulkar portrays the darker aspects of human existence in Silence! The Court is in Session. He is a realistic observer and social critique who delineates the struggles of middle class and marginalized Indian society. His plays are vividly brought to the readers without neglecting violence, misuse of power, domestic cruelty and moral decay. The present article deals with status of women in Vijay Tendulkar’s Silence! The Court is in Session.
Female Genital Mutilation as Cultural Practice in Alice Walker’s Possessing the Secret of Joy
Language shows identities in three ways: first, through the categories and labels that people use to show their belongingness; second, through the indexed ways of speaking and acting that people use to show their belongingness; and third, through the interpretations that others make of those indices. Part of shared culture is being able to see and understand the indexes. Everyone has a set of identities that includes national, ethnic, religious, generational and gender identities, as well as socioeconomic class, sexual orientation, profession and different levels of belonging to groups that are below and above the nation. The novel Possessing the Secret of Joy looks at how personal experiences and the long-term repercussions of colonialism are connected. It looks at how cultural practices are changed by outside forces and how they change them.
Rethinking Tertiary Speaking Skill Development through Edutainment in a Technology-Driven Age
Higher education language learning methods have been drastically altered by the increasing use of digital technologies. This study investigates how the use of edutainment in a technologically advanced age can enhance the development of speaking skills among postsecondary students. The study explores how interactive digital tools, game-based learning, and multimedia platforms can provide students with relevant and interesting opportunities to practice oral communication, going beyond traditional classroom methods. It makes the case that edutainment encourages confidence, spontaneity, and active engagement in speaking assignments in addition to lowering students' fear. The study emphasizes how incorporating fun into education helps close the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical communication, based on student reactions and classroom observations. The results imply that students are more inclined to experiment with language and openly express their thoughts when they are in a laid-back yet intentional learning setting. The study comes to the conclusion that the typical language classroom may be transformed into a dynamic setting that fosters communicative competence and gets students ready for interactions in the real world by carefully incorporating edutainment tactics.
Influence of Brand Equity on the Customers’ Preference of Smartphones in Madurai District
In this modern era of technology smartphone plays a crucial role in our day-to-day life. In such a case customers would like to choose a better brand for their use. Brand means an individual identity created by a company in the minds of the customers. There are four elements of branding they are ‘Brand Identity, Brand Image, Brand Equity and Brand Positioning’. Brand equity generates revenue to the company by means of brand recognition. In this article, the study has been done to know how the brand equity influence the purchase behavior of the customers. Structured questionnaire has been used to collect data from 100 respondents. The study has been conducted in Madurai district. Simple percentage analysis and chi square test are used in this study.
Forecast-Based Uncertainty and Risk Analysis of Major Cereal Production in Tamil Nadu
Reliable cereal production forecasting is essential for effective agricultural planning; however, point forecasts alone do not adequately capture the uncertainty associated with future output. This study evaluates forecast uncertainty and production risk across major cereals using forecast-derived measures rather than model re-estimation. Forecasted production values for paddy, sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet, and maize over the period 2025–2029 were analysed using prediction interval–based indicators and dispersion measures. Forecast uncertainty was quantified through the width of prediction intervals and relative uncertainty measures, while production risk was assessed using the coefficient of variation and a composite risk index. The results reveal substantial variation in forecast-induced risk across cereals. Paddy and maize exhibit relatively stable forecasted production with low variability and risk indices, indicating lower exposure to uncertainty. In contrast, pearl millet and sorghum show higher relative uncertainty and elevated risk levels, reflecting greater vulnerability to production fluctuations. Finger millet displays moderate risk characteristics. The findings demonstrate that cereals differ markedly in their exposure to forecast uncertainty, largely due to variability in cultivated area and production scale. By emphasizing uncertainty-aware evaluation, the study provides a practical framework for comparing cereals under risk and supports informed, crop-specific policy interventions aimed at enhancing resilience in cereal production systems.
Scientometric Analysis of Knowledge Management: Research Productivity and Collaborative Authorship
The study focuses on the Scientometric analysis of "Knowledge Management" as a published book. The data is gathered from the Web of Science Databases for the years 2003 through 2022. The Web of Science database revealed a total of 3068 papers. According to the report, the majority of researchers decided to publish their findings in journals, and more papers were published in 2022. The trend in authorship indicates that out of the 3068 pieces of writing written, single authors accounted for 7.89% and multiple authors for 92.11%. The total number of 33568 articles has been provided by 3000 authors. Additional evaluations of coverage growth rates, the most prolific authors, the degree of collaboration, and the study's focus areas are also acknowledged and citation in this study.
Breaking the Gender Stereotype in Deborah Ellis's The Breadwinner
This paper explores the nature and performance of the portrayal of female masculinity in an award- winning young adult novel "The Breadwinner" by Deborah Ellis featuring the female protagonists Parvana and Shauzia. The book is set in the tumultuous backdrop of Afghanistan under the Taliban regime. The book offers a compelling narrative that challenges traditional gender roles and norms, providing a lens through which to examine the multifaceted nature of masculinity. The theory of masculinity was always associated with men until the emergence of female masculinity which changed the traditional concept of masculinity. Through character analysis of female characters, this paper delves into, how the male figures in the story navigate their roles and identities amidst a repressive society. It investigates the impact of masculinity on female characters, highlighting the book's subtle yet powerful message about the fluidity of gender roles and the potential for reimagining masculinity in the face of adversity. Through the qualitative research method and content analysis, this paper aims to prove that women also have masculinity traits with the theory proposed on female masculinity by Judith Halberstam and masculinity traits explained by Hofstede. By analyzing the book within its socio-cultural context, this paper sheds light on the broader implications of "The Breadwinner" for contemporary discussions on gender and the redefinition of masculinity in diverse and challenging circumstances. Ultimately, it underscores the transformative power of literature in challenging and reshaping societal perceptions of masculinity and proves that masculinity can be performed with confidence, hidden emotions, aggressions, power, domination and the absence of male body form.
Negotiating Global Aspirations and Cultural Duties in the Works of Sudha Murty
This paper examines Negotiating Global Aspirations and Cultural Duties in the Works of Sudha Murty, focusing on the complex experiences of women who balance personal ambitions with deeply rooted cultural responsibilities. Sudha Murty’s narratives portray middle-class Indian women navigating the pressures of globalization, education, and professional growth while remaining bound to familial expectations, traditional values, and social ethics. Her female characters often stand at the crossroads of modern opportunities and inherited duties, negotiating rather than rejecting the cultural frameworks that shape their lives. Through themes of migration, moral responsibility, marriage, motherhood, and social service, Murty highlights the subtle yet powerful ways women assert agency within conventional structures. Instead of dramatic rebellion, her protagonists demonstrate resilience, ethical strength, and pragmatic adaptation in reconciling global exposure with local belonging. This study argues that Murty’s writing reflects a form of grounded feminism that harmonizes aspiration with responsibility, thereby presenting a nuanced vision of contemporary Indian womanhood in a transnational context.
Investment Flows and Growth Performance: A Study of India’s FDI-Development Linkages
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has emerged as a pivotal driver of global economic integration, serving as a vital instrument for accelerating economic growth, structural transformation and modernization. In the Indian context, understanding the evolution of FDI inflows and their correlation with economic performance has gained prominence since the initiation of liberalization reforms in 1991. This study seeks to analyze the trends and patterns of FDI inflows into India from 1991–92 to 2022–23 and to examine their relationship with the nation’s economic growth during the same period. Employing quantitative data sourced from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI), the World Bank, and UNCTAD, the research investigates how policy reforms and economic liberalization have reshaped India’s investment landscape. Key policy milestones—such as the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and the “Make in India” initiative—have significantly bolstered investor confidence and stimulated growth across manufacturing, services and information technology sectors. The study further highlights regional investment disparities, revealing that metropolitan hubs such as Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi attract the majority of foreign capital, while peripheral regions continue to lag behind. Empirical findings indicate that FDI inflows expanded remarkably from USD 0.8 billion in 1991–92 to nearly USD 82 billion by 2021–23, corresponding with notable improvements in macroeconomic indicators—GDP growth surged from 1.1% to 5.5%, inflation declined from 13% to 6.2% and employment generation increased from 0.5 million to 12 million during the same period. The analysis, implemented through Python-based econometric modelling, underscores a strong positive linkage between FDI inflows and economic growth.
Determinants of Investment Decisions in Post Office Savings Schemes Among Self-Financing College Faculty: Evidence from Tiruchirappalli
The aspect of investment behaviour is very important in the attainment of financial security and long term economic stability of individuals. Post Office Savings Schemes are regarded as one of the safest government-assured investment schemes in India, and it is also the ideal choice of investors who are interested in safety and guaranteed returns. The reason is that the current research investigates the factors that affect investment choices in Post Office Savings Schemes with self-financing college faculty in Tiruchirappalli. Income level, financial literacy, perceived risk, and the expected returns are some of the factors that are studied as part of the research on investment behaviour. Primary data was gathered using a structured questionnaire that provided information about 384 faculty members employed in self-financing colleges. The statistical tools that included ANOVA, correlation, regression, and mediation were used to analyse the data that was collected. The findings have a positive impact on the level of income in relation to investment behaviour of faculty members. The correlation study shows that there is a strong positive relationship between the financial literacy and investment behaviour. Findings of regression indicate that, financial literacy and anticipated returns have a positive evaluation on investment choices, though perceived risk has a negative assortment on investment in Post Office Savings Scheme. Moreover, mediation analysis demonstrates that financial literacy does mediate the relationship between the income level and the investment behaviour. The research concludes that increased participation in Post Office Savings Schemes amongst the academic professionals can be improved by increasing their level of financial literacy and awareness. The study results give a valuable glimpse to the policymakers and financial institutions in encouraging small saving among the salaried individuals and enhancing financial security among them.
Prevalence of Life Style Factors and Life Style Diseases among Urban Population in Palakkad
Lifestyle diseases, also known as non-communicable diseases (NCDs), have become a major health concern in India. They are largely influenced by poor dietary habits, physical inactivity, sedentary lifestyles, smoking, alcohol consumption, stress, and environmental factors. These conditions—such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity—are often preventable through healthier lifestyle choices, regular physical activity, and effective stress management. Despite government and healthcare efforts to promote awareness and prevention, challenges like urbanization, changing diets, and limited awareness persist. This study aimed to assess the awareness of urban residents in Palakkad district regarding lifestyle diseases and their associated risk factors. Using a cross-sectional, descriptive, and exploratory design, a structured questionnaire was administered to 100 respondents from Palakkad city. Data on socio-demographics, smoking, alcohol use, junk food consumption, physical activity, and history of lifestyle diseases were collected. Statistical analysis was conducted using the Chi-square test, with a significance level of p < 0.05. Results showed that 80% of respondents were aware of lifestyle-related risk factors, and 85% had been affected by such diseases for over five years. Diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol were most common. Significant correlations were found between tobacco use, alcohol intake, junk food consumption, and obesity with lifestyle diseases.
An Economic Study of Household Solid Waste Management in Mayiladuthurai Taluk
The situation of environment is a deciding factor that determines the quality of life. The quality of life depends upon the conditions of the surroundings of houses, the pollution level of environment and also the availability of essential facilities to maintain proper and efficient solid waste management. In recent times due to the rapid urbanization and the increase in the per capita income the quality of life has improved. Even though unsanitary conditions and inadequate facilities have made living conditions more miserable especially in the urban regions. The environmental health is affected by population growth, economic development, social attitudes, lavish lifestyles and rapid industrialization. The study has used the primary data from 210 households on the basis of Random Sampling technique and the secondary data are collected from various reports of central and state pollution control board. By analyzing the data, it was found that factors such as household income, expenditure, employment and ownership of house affect the household’s willingness to pay. To an extent, this study identifies the problems related to the current solid waste management and suggests some policy implications for efficient and effective solid waste management.
Leveraging Social Media Engagement Metrics to Supercharge the Brand Promotion Strategies and Drive Lasting Customer Relationships
This study analyzes the relationship between social media engagement metrics and brand loyalty, distinguishing between platforms and the mediating effect of customer satisfaction. A mixed-methods approach was employed to gather data on social media engagement (likes, comments, shares), customer satisfaction, and brand loyalty among consumers. The results reveal a positive relationship between social media engagement and brand loyalty, with Instagram representing the most effective platform for fostering loyalty. Furthermore, customer satisfaction mediated the relationship between engagement and loyalty. This study highlights the significance of developing optimal involvement strategies in social media, especially on visually driven social media, focusing on customer satisfaction to establish an enduring relationship between the brand and the customer.
Tracing the Influence of John Dewey’s Experiential Learning Philosophy on Hands-on Approaches in English Language Teaching
The research article investigates the foundational influence of John Dewey’s experiential learning philosophy on the evolution of hands-on approaches in English Language Teaching (ELT). While David A. Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory (ELT) provides a structured, cyclical model of learning, this article argues that Dewey’s principle of learning by doing implies learning through experience, which serves as the epistemological foundation for contemporary communicative and task-based pedagogies (Dewey, 1938; Kolb, 1984). Employing a qualitative methodology that integrates historical analysis and systematic literature synthesis of indexed sources, the study traces the theoretical and pedagogical continuity from Dewey to modern ELT approaches, such as Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT), Project-Based Learning (PBL), Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), and Gamification. The findings reveal that these approaches embody core experiential constructs such as experience, reflection, interaction, and application; thereby reinforcing learner-centred pedagogy. The study contributes a conceptual framework positioning Deweyan philosophy as the foundational driver of experiential practices in ELT and offers implications for curriculum design, teacher education, and future research.
Addressing Gender and War in Sudha Murthy’s Novel “House of Cards”
The Purpose of the Paper is to Study the Gender and War in Sudha Murthy’s Novel House of Cards. Several Indian novelists exposed the real picture of Indian Society and how women are oppressed. Indian English novels revealed the struggle of Indian women to create their own identity. House of Cards is the story of Mridula, a bright young woman with enormous enthusiasm for life who hails from a Karnataka village. A chance meeting with Sanjay, a talented but impoverished doctor, leads to love and the couple marry and settle in Bangalore. The more Mridula sees of the world, the more she realizes how selfish and materialistic people can be, but she does not take the ups and downs of life to heart and lives each day with positive energy. Trouble brews when Sanjay quits his government job and starts an immensely successful private practice. With affluence come the neverending ambition for more and the inevitable slide into corrupt practices. For a long time, Mridula has no idea that Sanjay has sold his soul. When the truth hits her, she has no recourse but to walk out on him, but can she really find a space of her own? This intricately woven novel explores human relationships in telling detail and holds up a mirror to our society with candour and with conviction.
Cultural Bridges and Gender Battles in The Breadwinner
This paper explores Cultural Translation and Gender Politics in The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis, examining how the novel represents Afghan society through the lens of cross-cultural narration and gendered oppression. Set during the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, the narrative presents the struggles of a young girl forced to disguise herself as a boy in order to survive within a rigidly patriarchal system. The study investigates how cultural experiences are translated for a global readership and how such translation shapes perceptions of Afghan women, Islam, and political conflict. Through the framework of cultural translation and gender theory, the paper analyzes the power dynamics embedded in representation, questioning who speaks for whom and how authority is constructed in transnational storytelling. While the novel raises awareness about gender injustice and political repression, it also participates in broader discourses that mediate Eastern realities for Western audiences. By applying a critical perspective, this study highlights the intersections of language, ideology, and gender politics in the construction of cultural narratives within contemporary children’s literature.
An Overview of Women Empowerment in India and Africa
Women’s empowerment and gender equality concepts are important in fostering heal and human development. Empowerment describes the process of change wherein an individual and prior inability to choose has the access and freedom to make choices. Gender equality is achieved when both men and women enjoy the same socio-economic rights and opportunities and have equal access to education, heal care, decent work, and representation in political and economic decision-making processes. Gender equality can be effectively achieved through empowerment, comprising three broad categories, namely agency, resources, achievements, etc. The principle of gender equality is enshrined in the Indian constitution in its Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Fundamental Duties and Directive Principles. The constitution not only grants equality to women, but also empowers the state to adopt measures of positive discrimination in favour of women. All forms of violence against women, physical and mental, whether at domestic at domestic or social levels, including those arising from customs, traditions or accepted practices shall be dealt with effectively with a view to eliminate its incidence, institutions and mechanisms/schemes for assistance will be created and strengthened for prevention of such violence, including sexual harassment at work place and customs like dowry. For rehabilitation of victims of violence and for taking effective action against the perpetrators of such violence and for taking effective actions against the perpetrators of such violence. A special emphasis will also be laid on programmes and measure to deal with trafficking in women and girls.
Self-Discovery of Women in Margret Lawrence's Novels
Canadian literature is characterized by the pursuit of national identity. The identity crisis in Canada is a subject that is quickly gaining prominence and vigor. The causes and circumstances that have thwarted attempts to resolve the identification question have been carefully considered. The quest for Margaret Laurence's heroines' individualization offers a framework for thinking on the sense of discontinuity and displacement brought about by Canada's colonial past. It creates a feeling of insufficiency and inadequacy that hinders the development of a complete and appropriate identity.Margret Lawrence explored her heroines’ rebellion against a confining small-town heritage in her “Manawaka novels”: The Stone Angel, A Jest of God, The Diviners, This Side Jordan these novel examines how the old colonials and indigenous Africans suffered in Ghana and gained independence. Laurence’s novels are set in Canada and focus on women struggles.
Therapeutic Scope of Panchakarma in Childhood Disorders: A Comprehensive Review
Kaumarbhritya, one of the eight primary branches of Ayurveda, encompasses comprehensive management of pediatric disorders, with Panchakarma offering significant therapeutic potential in various childhood conditions despite misconceptions regarding its pediatric applicability. This review systematically examines the classical foundations, clinical applications, and evidence-based scope of Panchakarma procedures in managing pediatric disorders. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, DHARA Online, AYUSH Research Portal, and Google Scholar (2000-2024), along with classical Ayurvedic texts (Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita, Kashyapa Samhita). Studies reporting clinical outcomes of Panchakarma interventions in children (0-18 years) were included. The review identified 47 relevant publications including 3 clinical trials, 12 case series, 8 case reports, and 24 conceptual reviews. Evidence demonstrates successful applications in cerebral palsy (4 studies, n=127 children showing 19-21% improvement in motor functions), neurodevelopmental disorders (cognitive enhancement in 3 studies), muscular dystrophies (quality of life improvement in 2 studies), and respiratory conditions. Key procedures include Matra Basti (8-15 days), Nasya (7-30 days), and modified Vamana-Virechana protocols with age-specific modifications, dose calculations (one-fourth to one-half of adult dose), and established safety protocols. Panchakarma offers significant therapeutic potential in pediatric disorders when applied with proper understanding of classical principles and appropriate modifications, with evidence supporting its application in cerebral palsy, neurodevelopmental disorders, and respiratory conditions. Further large-scale randomized controlled trials with standardized protocols are warranted.
Revisiting Oligo-Astheno-Teratozoospermia in Male Infertility: An Integrative Ayurvedic Review
Male infertility contributes to nearly half of infertility cases worldwide. One of the most clinically significant seminal abnormalities is Oligo-Astheno-Teratozoospermia (OAT), characterized by decreased sperm concentration, reduced motility, and abnormal morphology. Contemporary management largely depends on assisted reproductive technologies; however, these methods frequently bypass the underlying pathophysiological defects. Ayurveda explains male reproductive physiology through the concept of Shukra Dhatu (reproductive tissue responsible for fertility) and describes seminal abnormalities under Shukra-dushti (vitiation of semen). Among these, Ksheena Shukra (quantitative and qualitative depletion of semen) shows conceptual similarity with OAT. The present review evaluates classical Ayurvedic literature and modern biomedical research to explore the correlation between OAT and Shukra-dushti. Literature was retrieved from PubMed, Google Scholar, DHARA, and the AYUSH Research Portal. A total of 86 records were identified, of which 17 studies were included after screening. Evidence suggests that oxidative stress, endocrine dysfunction, and metabolic disturbances play significant roles in OAT pathogenesis. Ayurvedic therapeutic approaches including Shodhana (purificatory therapies), Vajikarana (aphrodisiac therapy), and Rasayana (rejuvenation therapy) aim to restore reproductive physiology and improve semen parameters. Integrating Ayurvedic concepts with modern andrology may provide a comprehensive approach for the management of male infertility.
Reimagining Divinity: Narrative Strategies and Thematic Innovations in Amish Tripathi’s Shiva Trilogy
Amish Tripathi’s Shiva Trilogy, comprising The Immortals of Meluha (2010), The Secret of the Nagas (2011), and The Oath of the Vayuputras (2013), marks a significant turning point in contemporary Indian mythological fiction. This paper offers a critical analysis of the trilogy with attention to narrative strategies, character reinterpretations, thematic concerns, and socio-cultural impact. By reimagining the Hindu god Shiva as a historically grounded human figure who evolves into a divine entity through his actions, Tripathi challenges conventional mythological representations and introduces a modern and rational framework for understanding divinity. Drawing on theories of myth reinterpretation and popular fiction, the study examines how the trilogy blends traditional mythological elements with contemporary socio-political discourse. Themes such as dharma, moral ambiguity, governance, and environmental ethics are explored within the narrative and reflect present-day concerns. The trilogy’s accessible language, fast-paced storytelling, and philosophical undertones contribute to its wide appeal and bridge the gap between classical mythology and modern readership. The paper argues that the trilogy democratizes mythology by making it relevant and relatable to a broad audience. Through the deconstruction of binary oppositions such as good and evil, the narrative presents a nuanced moral universe. The study concludes that the trilogy revitalizes mythological storytelling and redefines the role of mythology in contemporary cultural discourse.
Power, Patriarchy, and Moral Collapse in Vijay Tendulkar’s His Fifth Woman and The Vultures
This paper critically examines Vijay Tendulkar’s plays His Fifth Woman and The Vultures through the lenses of patriarchy, violence, and moral disintegration. Tendulkar’s dramatic works reveal the darker dimensions of human relationships, particularly the systemic oppression of women and the normalization of violence within familial and social structures. By employing psychological realism, symbolic representation, and stark characterization, the playwright critiques the socio-cultural frameworks that enable exploitation. This paper further incorporates feminist and sociological perspectives to argue that Tendulkar’s works remain profoundly relevant in contemporary discourse, as they expose the enduring nature of gender inequality and ethical decay in modern society.
A Comparative Study of Henrik Ibsen's The Pillars of Society and Cho. S. Ramasamy's Sambhavaami Yuge Yuge
Comparative literature is a unique branch of literature where literature across countries can be compared and also the relationship between literature and other areas of arts and belief can be studied. It proves a good tool to move beyond boundaries and promote universality. In this paper, a comparative study of Henrik Ibsen's The Pillars of Society and Cho. S. Ramasamy's Sambhavaami Yuge Yuge is done to bring to limelight their similar kind of treatment of social evils in the plays. Their detestation of corruption is exposed in their works. So, this comparative study will highlight the similarities in the social consciousness of the two authors and their satirical manner of dealing with social evils.
Income Uncertainty and Heterogeneous Labour Supply Responses: The Role of Risk Preference Among Gig Workers in India
This paper examines how income uncertainty shapes labour supply decisions among platform-based gig workers in India, with explicit attention to the moderating role of individual risk preferences. Using primary survey data collected from 200 gig economy workers across Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Mumbai — spanning ride-hailing, delivery, and freelancing platforms — we construct individual-level income volatility measures and elicit risk preferences through a combination of the Domain-Specific Risk-Taking (DOSPERT) scale and a behavioural lottery task. Our core finding is that responses to income uncertainty are strongly heterogeneous and systematically mediated by risk attitudes. Risk-averse workers exhibit a pronounced buffer-stock labour supply response: a one standard deviation increase in income volatility raises weekly hours by approximately 12.7 hours (OLS) and 16.2 hours (IV), consistent with precautionary labour supply theory. Risk-tolerant workers, by contrast, show a modest negative or null response, suggesting they substitute uncertainty with optimised job selection rather than hours expansion. Platform diversification — measured by the number of platforms a worker simultaneously participates in — follows a similar heterogeneous pattern. Two-stage least squares estimates using platform rating variance as an instrument for income uncertainty confirm causal identification and yield estimates broadly consistent with OLS. Subgroup analyses reveal that income-education and platform-type heterogeneities further amplify these patterns, with low-education and ride-hailing workers displaying the largest precautionary responses. Robustness checks using quantile regression, Tobit, and Heckman selection models corroborate our main findings. These results carry important implications for gig-platform design, social insurance architecture, and the welfare of informal workers in emerging economies.
Prediction of Water Resources in Marathwada Region using Spatial Data Analysis
The Marathwada region of Maharashtra, India, is chronically afflicted by hydrological droughts and severe water scarcity, posing significant challenges to its agro-based economy. Effective water resource management requires accurate, timely, and accessible data. This research addresses the critical gap between complex geospatial data and an actionable understanding of water availability for local stakeholders. This study integrates Remote Sensing (RS), Geographical Information Systems (GIS), and spatial data mining (SDM) techniques to identify, analyze, and predict standing water resources across the Marathwada region. Primary data was acquired from Sentinel-2 satellite imagery, while secondary data included digitized maps and meteorological records. Water bodies were extracted using the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) and subsequently vectorized to create a comprehensive spatial database. Data mining algorithms, including Decision Tree (DT), Naive Bayes (NB), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), were employed for classification and predictive modeling. The results yielded a detailed, district-wise inventory of standing water resources, quantifying their number and surface area. A comparative analysis of the algorithms demonstrated that the Artificial Neural Network model achieved the highest classification accuracy (94.2%) in predicting water body persistence. The generated non-spatial tabular data provides an accessible resource for farmers and policymakers, facilitating informed decision-making for sustainable agriculture and water resource allocation. This work demonstrates the efficacy of a hybrid SDM-GIS approach in transforming raw satellite data into a valuable knowledge base for regional water management.
Delineation of the Indian Army through Kiran Garud in Malgonkar’s Distant Drum
Indian novels are a synthesis of pre-colonial India and people's thoughts during British rule, the country's long period of independence struggle and a longing for identity. Manohar Malgonkar is a well-known and prolific author. Malgonkar's paintings are charged with energy and he has established his own material and reality. An author's life, in general, impacts what he writes. Malgonkar as one of India's most autobiographical writers has delved into every part of his own experience and intimate knowledge and has explained them in an accurate manner. In Distant Drum, Kiran Garud is the hero and young man with a commanding presence. Distant Drum is a recounting of the hero, Kiran Garud's self-realization journey and an explanation of a success story. It is a human story of struggle and success, culminating in the hero Kiran Garud's eventual achievement of his goal.
Rethinking Creativity: AI’s Impact on Human Authorship in Literature
The advent of AI-generated literature is fundamentally reshaping the landscape for human writers, prompting a critical examination of ownership, artistic expression, and the very future of the profession. Artificial intelligence, with its capacity to process vast amounts of text, generate engaging narratives, and mimic diverse human writing styles, presents both significant opportunities and profound challenges. While AI-produced content currently lacks the nuanced emotional depth and genuine insight characteristic of human authorship, it can serve as a powerful tool for research, content outlines, and editorial assistance. However, its increasing prevalence also ignites serious concerns regarding job displacement for human authors, the potential for skewed research, and a broader devaluation of human creative contributions. As the line between human and machine-generated innovation blurs, a synergistic approach, where AI acts as an enhancer rather than a replacement for human creativity, promises to unlock new literary forms. This study argues that the enduring value of human authorship lies in its irreplaceable contribution to the richness and complexity of our literary heritage.
Memory And Identity: A Postcolonial Reading of M. G. Vassanji’s Novel Nostalgia
G. Vassanji is a Kenyan-born Canadian novelist and editor. His parents immigrated to Africa even before Vassanji was born. Although Vassanji was born in Kenya, he was raised in Tanzania. He is now settled in Canada. He has travelled to different countries and has acquired different diasporic experiences in the postcolonial world. Most of his works, in general, portray the colonial and the postcolonial world. His novel Nostalgia is one such speculative novel that brings to light the other side of the technologically advanced postcolonial world. The advancement of technology aimed to support mankind had begun to manipulate human lives and values. Nostalgia tries to unveil the lives of immigrants who try to identify themselves in their mad pursuit of life. They are stuck between reality and made-to-believe life. The consequences of the “in between-life” are woven throughout the plot of the novel. The postcolonial period has seen so much growth and development in technology and the economy. But, on the other side, human values are on the verge of being forgotten. This article will analyse some of those instances from the novel Nostalgia to validate the importance of unveiling the concealed side of the technologically advanced postcolonial world. Every postcolonial experience in the present-day world shows that humans are being used and materials are being loved.
Slow Violence in The Hungry Tide: An Eco-Critical Analysis
An eco-critical analysis of the novel The Hungry Tide aligns with an important trend in the present literature, where the writers are playing a significant role in examining the interconnection between the environment and human beings. This emerging attention particularly focuses on the ecological crisis and encourages eco-critical readings, emphasizing the significance of environmental concerns in literary studies. In that way, the present paper tries to examine the critical crisis of slow violence in the time of climate crisis in the novel The Hungry Tide by Amitav Ghosh through an eco-critical perspective. The setting of the novel is the Sundarbans, a large grandeur forest area, filled with the multifaceted difficulties of the ecosystem. With the intention to illustrate the refugees of Morichjhapi as a foreshadowing of the climate displacement indulging the people's lives of the tidal region called Sundarbans in South Asia, this paper tries to provide a historical account of the massacre of the Morichjhapi island and tries to unfold the forced eviction depicted in the novel through the diary of Nirmal. Within the novel, destabilization and environmentalism stand as dominant themes. Ghosh’s depiction of the physical environment in the tidal region called Sundarbans serves as a depiction of an active force that is interconnecting the flora, fauna and the life of human beings either indirectly or directly. This connection underscores the dangers of each component to the changes and the actions existed within the ecosystem. Through an eco-critical analysis, this paper tries to examine how Ghosh intricately weaves together the threads of human life, ecology, and the environmental activism within the novel, by focusing on the impacts of human actions on the environment.
Healing and Haunting: Unearthing Racialized Trauma in Gloria Naylor’s Novels within the Framework of Cultural Trauma Theory
This article examines the complex interplay of healing and haunting in Gloria Naylor’s fiction by situating her narratives within the framework of cultural trauma theory. It argues that Naylor’s novels do not merely represent individual suffering but instead articulate a collective, racialized trauma rooted in the historical violences of slavery, segregation, and systemic marginalization. Through a close reading of selected novels, the study explores how memory operates as both a site of pain and a medium of resistance, enabling marginalized communities to confront, reinterpret, and potentially heal from inherited wounds. Drawing on key concepts from cultural trauma theory, the paper highlights how trauma is not simply an event but a socially mediated process that reshapes collective identity. Naylor’s narrative strategies—fragmented storytelling, polyvocal narration, and the incorporation of myth and folklore—reflect the disjointed nature of traumatic memory while also creating spaces for communal witnessing. Her characters often inhabit liminal zones where the past intrudes upon the present, producing a haunting that signifies unresolved historical injustices. These hauntings are not merely spectral but symbolic of suppressed histories that demand recognition. At the same time, the article foregrounds the role of healing as an ongoing, communal process rather than a definitive resolution. Acts of storytelling, maternal memory, and community bonding emerge as crucial mechanisms through which characters negotiate trauma. By reclaiming silenced voices and re-inscribing Black experiences into narrative consciousness, Naylor’s fiction challenges dominant historical discourses and asserts the legitimacy of marginalized epistemologies. Ultimately, this study contends that Naylor’s work embodies a dual movement: it excavates the enduring scars of racialized trauma while simultaneously envisioning possibilities for healing through collective memory and cultural affirmation. By bridging literary analysis with cultural trauma theory, the article contributes to a deeper understanding of how African American literature functions as both a repository of historical pain and a transformative space for resilience and renewal.
The Voice of Marginalized Women in Indu Sundaresan’s The Twentieth Wife
New Historicism includes literature, ethnography, anthropology, art, history, and other disciplines. New Historical novelists discern the historical texts through cultural, economic, artistic, religious, political, and social forces. The article concern about Indu Sundaresan’s novels through a feminist optic. In the light of feminist historiography, an in-depth study has been made to explore how Sundaresan has tried to bridge the gap of women’s roles in her novels of historical fiction. The novels chosen for analysis are, namely, The Twentieth Wife (2012), The Feast of Roses (2012), Shadow Princess (2010), The Splendor of Silence (2007), and The Mountain of Light (2013). By following the strategy of an interdisciplinary approach that expands the scope of feminist inquiry in historical contexts. This study tries to establish a link between the feminist politics of representation and the genre of historical fiction by highlighting Sundaresan’s remake version of the tradition that challenges the conventional modes of Indian historiography. Indu Sundaresan’s historical discourses provide the history of the Mughal Empire as a lived experience to the readers. The article explores the author’s ambition to give Illumination of the feminist battle with the help of New historical perspectives in the novel The Twentieth Wife.
The Effect of Blended Learning on Student Motivation and Language Proficiency
This paper examines whether blended learning has any impact on student motivation and proficiency in learning English language. The type of study was a quantitative quasi-experimental design that included 60 students (including a control group and an experimental group: the implementation of blended learning and traditional learning). Data collected was through pre-test and post-test analysis and an organized motivation questionnaire. The results demonstrated that the experimental group demonstrated an outstanding enhancement in the language proficiency in which the mean scores rose by 52.4 in the pre-test to 74.6 in the post one, unlike the control group which fell by 51.9 to 62.3. Moreover, the mean scores of the experimental group rose by 0.2 to 4.3, and in the control group, its level improved insignificantly as the average scores shifted by 0.0 to 0.4. The findings suggest that blended learning was found to have positive effects on cognitive and affective constructs to language learning as it encouraged engagements, flexibility, and interactive learning processes. The research comes up with the conclusion that blended learning is better than traditional teaching techniques in enhancing student achievement. The results will be of great benefit to educators and policy makers who can incorporate technology-enhanced learning methods in language teaching.
Consumer Perception Towards Artificial Intelligence in Content Marketing: A Study
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized various industries, including marketing, by offering innovative approaches to engage consumers. Content marketing, a pivotal strategy in modern marketing, has increasingly integrated AI technologies to personalize content and enhance consumer experiences. Understanding consumer perceptions towards AI-based content marketing is crucial for marketers to develop effective strategies. This study aims to investigate consumers' attitudes, preferences, and concerns regarding AI-driven content marketing initiatives. Through a self-constructed questionnaire, this research explores how consumers perceive AI technologies in content marketing. The study delves into various dimensions, including perceived usefulness, trust, privacy concerns, and ethical considerations related to AI-generated content. Additionally, it examines demographic factors influencing consumer attitudes towards AI-driven content marketing. Preliminary findings suggest that consumers generally have a positive attitude towards AI-based content marketing, recognizing its potential to deliver personalized, relevant content. However, concerns about data privacy, transparency, and the authenticity of AI-generated content pose significant barriers. Moreover, demographic variables such as age, education, and technological literacy influence consumers' acceptance of AI-driven content marketing. This research contributes to both academic literature and marketing practice by offering insights into consumer perceptions towards AI in content marketing. The findings have implications for marketers, suggesting they tailor AI-driven strategies that align with consumer preferences while addressing their apprehensions. Ultimately, understanding consumer perceptions towards AI-based content marketing is essential for fostering trust, enhancing engagement, and maximizing the effectiveness of marketing campaigns in the digital age.
Rural Education in India - Issues and Concerns: A Descriptive Analysis
“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for today,” as famously said by Malcolm X, a prominent African American civil rights leader. Even former Indian President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Education stands as a potent catalyst for progress and empowerment, transcending barriers and shaping the future of nations. In the vast expanse of rural India, nurturing young minds takes on paramount importance, as the transformative power of education holds the key to breaking the cycle of poverty and unlocking opportunities for generations to come. In India’s education field, there is a growing recognition of the necessity to expand perspectives and foster closer ties with the public sector to achieve a broader impact. Drawing on extensive experience, insights into projects across various regions illuminate the nuances and obstacles within the sector. Through strategic planning and partnerships with stakeholders, efforts are directed toward advancing initiatives that cater to regional needs. The present paper tries to explore the picture of rural education and its economic growth relations over the period of time (since independence) at macro level in India. Specifically, to study the literacy rate- Gender Wise and Region Wise; to observe the major issues in rural education; to justify the literacy and growth relations; and to suggest possible measures to solve the problems and strengthen the rural education in India. This study is a Descriptive study based on the results of various researches at macro level and secondary data. The data relating to Population Size, Gender Wise and Region Wise Literacy Rate, GDP, GDP per capita, Growth rate, Govt initiatives, etc have been gathered from Various Issues of Educational Statistics – At a Glance, published by Government of India, Ministry of Human Resource Development , Bureau of Planning, Monitoring & Statistics, New Delhi, Economic Survey, etc. Further, data retrieved from the official website of the Ministry of Human Resource & Development, Govt., of India. It is advocated that the transformation of rural education necessitates collaborative efforts involving stakeholders from diverse sectors. By leveraging CSR effectively, engaging the private sector, and aligning with SDGs and Vision 2047, we can pave the way toward a future where every rural child in India has equitable access to quality education. The time for action is now, as education is the cornerstone of a prosperous and enlightened society. Egalitarian education is the way forward to an inclusive India. Higher education and adequate employment opportunities in conjunction with primary education can work wonders for human development in rural India.
Sustainable Mobility in Bengaluru: Assessing the Environmental Benefits of Electric Vehicles
Electric vehicles (EVs) represent a cornerstone of sustainable urban mobility in Bengaluru, a city facing rapid motorization (over 11.2 million registered vehicles) and persistently high levels of air pollution. This study, Sustainable Mobility in Bengaluru: Assessing the Environmental Benefits of Electric Vehicles, evaluates how EV adoption influences urban air quality, greenhouse‑gas emissions, energy efficiency, and overall environmental quality in the city. Using a stratified survey of 350 Bengaluru residents—200 EV users, 100 prospective EV‑buyers, and 50 non‑EV users—along with secondary data from CSTEP and government‑sector studies, the paper estimates that an EV fleet share of 25–30% by 2030 could reduce cumulative CO₂ emissions by approximately 33 lakh tonnes over seven years compared with a fossil‑fuel‑dominated baseline. Results show that EVs can cut CO₂ emissions by 20–25%, NOₓ and PM₂.₅ by 15–30%, and urban noise levels by 3–6 dB, with even larger gains under renewable‑integrated charging. The study concludes that environmental awareness and perceived‑benefit constructs (β = 0.59, p < 0.001) explain 62.4% of EV‑adoption‑intention variance, moderated by cost and infrastructure barriers (β = ‑0.36), and recommends policy‑driven expansion of EVs, solar‑integrated charging, and sustainable transport planning to position Bengaluru as a model for low‑emission urban mobility by 2035.
Occupational Stress among Healthcare Employees
Healthcare comprises hospitals, medical devices, clinical trials, outsourcing, telemedicine, medical tourism, health insurance, and medical equipment. The Indian healthcare sector is growing briskly due to its strengthening coverage, services, and increasing expenditure by public and private players. India’s healthcare delivery system is categorized into two major components - public and private. The country’s healthcare sector has grown rapidly over the last 5 years, in particular, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of approximately 22% since 2016. Healthcare has become one of the largest sectors of the Indian economy, in terms of both revenue and employment. In healthcare most services by nature are perishable and have to be utilised instantly, means that the employee has to be physically present to serve at the time the service is required (Kirti Shivakumar & Veena Pujar 2017) For employee work in the Hospital is more difficult to balance their profession and personal life.
Beyond Victimhood: Psychoanalytic Negotiations of Power and Identity in Margaret Atwood’s Novels
This paper examines the psychoanalytic dimensions of victimhood and agency in selected novels of Margaret Atwood, focusing particularly on The Handmaid’s Tale, Cat’s Eye, and The Robber Bride. Drawing on Freudian psychoanalysis and trauma theory, the study explores how Atwood constructs characters who oscillate between positions of victim and victor within oppressive sociopolitical structures. Atwood’s concept of “victim positions” provides a critical framework for understanding the psychological evolution of her protagonists, who initially internalize oppression but gradually develop self-awareness and resistance. The study argues that Atwood destabilizes the binary between victim and victor by portraying identity as fluid and shaped by unconscious drives, memory, and trauma. Freudian concepts such as repression, defence mechanisms, and the return of the repressed are employed to analyse how characters negotiate psychological conflict. Trauma theory further illuminates how past experiences resurface in fragmented memories, influencing present behaviour and identity formation. Through close textual analysis, this paper demonstrates that Atwood’s protagonists do not simply overcome victimhood but reconstruct themselves through processes of introspection, narration, and symbolic resistance. The transformation into a “victor” is thus not absolute but represents a psychological negotiation with trauma and power. Ultimately, the paper contributes to interdisciplinary literary studies by integrating psychoanalytic theory with feminist criticism, offering new insights into Atwood’s exploration of power, identity, and survival.
A Study on Problems of Salt Pan Producers in the Coastal Areas of Thoothukudi District, Tamil Nadu
Thoothukudi district is the second largest producer of salt in India after Gujarat. The salt producers of Thoothukudi district employ more than 30,000 labours and producing approximately 25 lakh tonnes of salt every year during March to September. However, in the last two years, salt production has significantly declined due to unexpected and prolonged rainfall in the area. This decline has adversely affected the livelihood of salt producers and has substantially reduced the overall productivity of the district. In this research paper an attempt is made to analyse the problems faced by salt producers in Thoothukudi District of Tamil Nadu. The study was made by the researcher about the difficulties faced by the salt pan producers in the study district under seven broad categories. To determine the severity and ranking of these problem, the Henry Garrett Ranking technique has been employed. The findings outcomes offer the key insights that can assist policymakers and stakeholders in creating effective measures to support salt producers and enhance sustainable salt production within the region.
Role of Green Marketing on Consumer Purchase Intention towards FMCG Sector: A Mediated Model of Brand Trust and Environmental Concern in Indian Context
In a world that has been increasingly becoming environmentally sensitive, sustainable marketing has been a major constituent in defining consumer behavior especially in fast moving consumer goods industry. Lack of research that dominates to establish the implications of green marketing approaches proceeding consumer buying patterns in the developing economies like India, whose consumers have turned their focus to price, health, and sustainability, have prevailed. This research paper aims to examine green marketing practices its effects on the consumer purchasing behavior, and also to test the mediating role of green brand trust and environmental awareness. The data extracted was analyzed based on a structural equation modeling (SEM) technique using SmartPLS based on the stimulus organism response framework and using 365 Indian customers. The results suggest that green marketing strategies significantly affect consumers' intentions to buy eco-friendly brands, both directly and indirectly, by fostering trust in these brands and raising environmental awareness. The results indicate that the ecological awareness and consumer trust should be cultivated to enhance marketing effectiveness by adhering to eco-friendly principles. This research contributes to the theoretical knowledge of environmental-friendly consumerism. It can be a valuable source of knowledge to fast-moving consumer goods firms that want to make their sustainability practices in line with the changing con-sumer expectations in new markets
Machine Learning-Based Noise Reduction in Analog Communication Signals A Comparative Study of Deep Learning Architectures for Signal Denoising
Noise in analog communication channels significantly degrades signal quality, leading to increased bit error rates and reduced communication reliability. Traditional filtering approaches — including Wiener filters, Kalman filters, and wavelet-based methods — while effective under stationary conditions, fail to adapt to non-stationary, time-varying noise environments. This paper presents a comprehensive comparative study of three machine learning architectures — Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks, and a novel hybrid CNN-LSTM model — for noise reduction in analog communication signals across Additive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN), Rayleigh fading, and impulsive noise channels. We evaluate all models against classical baselines (Wiener filter, Empirical Mode Decomposition) using Signal-to-Noise Ratio improvement (ΔSNR), Mean Squared Error (MSE), and computational latency on a dataset of 50,000 synthetically generated and 10,000 real-world analog signal samples. Our proposed CNN-LSTM hybrid achieves a ΔSNR of 18.6 dB in AWGN channels, outperforming the next best baseline (Wiener filter) by 6.3 dB. In Rayleigh fading conditions, the model delivers an MSE of 3.2×10⁻⁴, representing a 52% reduction over classical methods. Real-time inference is demonstrated at 4.2 ms per sample on embedded hardware, confirming deployment feasibility.
From Rumour to Reality: Grapevine Communication and Identity (Re)Formation in Selected Indian Folktales
Grapevine communication refers to communication taking place through informal or unofficial channels within interpersonal, group, or organizational context. Such informal channels usually are full of gossip or rumors passing from one person to many or vice versa. Single strand chain, gossip chain, probability chain, and cluster chain are the primary routes of communication within a grapevine network that play a vital role in building, breaking, and rebuilding people’s perceptions and interpretations about self and others. Thus, grapevine communication influences in shaping individuals’ views, opinions, and identities. My study tries to understand how various networks of grapevine communication influence and shape individuals’ identities and help people in creating meaning of life as well as cope with life’s difficulties. For my analysis, I choose two Indian folktales, because folktales are timeless classics which represent a vivid description of personal realities without taking stringent views. The folktales selected are: 1. “A Plague Story” from A.K. Ramanujan’s Folktales from India (1991) and 2. “The Bowl of Thenthuk: Hemis, Ladakh” from the text Curious Tales from the Himalayas by Shaguna Gahilote & Prarthana Gahilote (2017). My analysis is dependent on anthropologist and psychologist Robin Dunbar’s seminal work Grooming, Gossip, and the Evolution of Language (1996) where gossip is considered as an essential social and survival skill for human’s evolutionary process.
Violence And Nationhood: Rewriting Identity in Post- Partition South Asian Fiction
The Partition of India in 1947, which marked the creation of India and Pakistan, stands as one of the most violent upheavals of the twentieth century. It uprooted more than twelve million people, unleashing communal riots, forced migrations, and profound psychological scars. Literature has served as a vital medium for representing these experiences and reshaping collective memory and national identity. This paper investigates how violence operates not merely as a historical reality but also as a narrative strategy in post-Partition South Asian fiction. Focusing on Khushwant Singh’s Train to Pakistan, Bapsi Sidhwa’s Ice-Candy-Man, and Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children, it explores how these texts reframe violence as a storytelling device that interrogates national belonging, shared trauma, and the politics of remembrance. Drawing on postcolonial theory, trauma studies, and gender criticism, the paper argues that Partition narratives disrupt official histories by foregrounding individual stories of loss, displacement, and survival. Violence, in this context, emerges as both a destructive force and a mode of meaning-making, enabling writers to reinterpret the idea of nationhood in the aftermath of rupture. By giving prominence to marginalized voices women, peasants, and minorities these works not only document the past but also contest dominant narratives of identity, positioning literature as an essential site for negotiating memory, ethics, and belonging.
Corporate Governance Practices and their Impact on Financial Strategies in Indian Banking: A Comparative Study among State Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank and HDFC.
This study investigates the nexus between corporate governance (CG) mechanisms and financial strategy formulation within the Indian banking sector. Using a comparative framework involving State Bank of India (SBI), Indian Overseas Bank (IOB), and HDFC Bank, the research analyzes how board composition, audit independence, and regulatory compliance influence key financial metrics. The study utilizes secondary data from 2021 to 2025. Statistical tools, including Pearson Correlation and Multiple Regression Analysis, are employed to test the hypothesis that robust governance leads to superior capital adequacy and asset quality. Findings suggest that while HDFC Bank leads in operational efficiency due to private-sector agility, SBI demonstrates high resilience through "Governance 2.0" reforms. IOB shows significant recovery patterns linked to improved board oversight.
Impact of Economic Reforms on the Agriculture Sector of Kerala: A Study of Selected Cash Crops
This study investigates the profound effects of economic reforms on the agriculture sector in Kerala, with a specific emphasis on selected cash crops. Kerala, known for its unique socio-economic landscape, has undergone significant economic reforms since the liberalization era of the 1990s. These reforms aimed to enhance productivity, market efficiency, and overall agricultural sustainability. The research focuses on key cash crops such as rubber, spices, and cashew, which are pivotal to the state's economy and agricultural identity. Through a comprehensive analysis of statistical data, policy documents, and field surveys, the study evaluates the direct and indirect impacts of economic reforms on production trends, market dynamics, income distribution among farmers, and the overall socio-economic welfare of stakeholders in the agricultural value chain. Furthermore, the study explores the challenges encountered by the agriculture sector in adapting to these reforms, including issues of land fragmentation, market integration, technological adoption, and environmental sustainability. It also examines the role of government policies and institutional support in shaping the outcomes of economic reforms on cash crop cultivation in Kerala. Ultimately, this research aims to contribute empirical insights into how economic reforms have shaped the agriculture sector in Kerala, offering valuable lessons for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners interested in sustainable agricultural development and rural livelihoods in similar contexts.
Revisiting Secularism in India: An Indigenous Approach for Communal Harmony
India is one of the developing nations of the world. It is declared as sovereign democratic country since last seven decades. During this period, India has been engaged in to various efforts to attain growth and development in various sectors. However, there are many areas, where Indian society still facing varieties of problems. Some of these problems have their roots in colonial past, while others are related to demographic changes, socio-political conditions and cultural processes. This paper will talk about social problems in contemporary Indian society.
Thematic Dimensions and Interpretation in Badal Sircar’s Bhoma
Badal Sircar has authored plays that address a diverse array of social issues. The depiction of Sircar prompts reflection and endeavors to improve society. The author effectively articulates his perspectives on the challenges prevalent in contemporary society. Sircar’s plays function as social satires, aiming to expose societal flaws and ultimately instigate transformation. His plays provide several examples illustrating societal dysfunction. The individuals governing the society in which the characters reside may be culpable for their futile existences. His plays address significant societal issues, such as population growth, unemployment and the struggle for survival under various economic challenges.
Fields of Dust and Tears in Asif Currimbhoy’sThe Miracle Seed
Indian English drama did not exert a substantial influence in the post-independence period, unlike poetry and literature. A fundamental aspect of theatre is its amalgamation of several art forms, with the writer being one of the integral components. Nonetheless, Indian English drama contributed to the development ofpost-independence Indian English drama. Numerous plays by Indian playwrights, including Asif Currimbhoy, Pratap Sharma and Guru Charan Das, were successfully staged in England and the United States. However, there was no established institution for Indian English drama in our country. In the twentieth century, Indian Writing in English flourished and gained significant recognition. Drama was historically the least favored genre for literary output. However, it has evolved beyond just theatrical performances and gained popularity among readers due to the contributions of emerging playwrights.
कृष्णा सोबती के निबंधों में लेखिका का वैचारिक साहस
हिन्दी साहित्य में कृष्णा सोबती को प्रायः एक सशक्त कथाकार के रूप में स्मरण किया जाता है, किन्तु उनके निबंध, वक्तव्य और सामाजिक टिप्पणियाँ भी समान रूप से महत्त्वपूर्ण हैं। प्रस्तुत शोध-पत्र का उद्देश्य सोबती के निबंधात्मक लेखन में निहित वैचारिक साहस का विश्लेषण करना है। यहाँ ‘वैचारिक साहस’ से आशय उस बौद्धिक निर्भीकता से है जिसके माध्यम से लेखिका सत्ता-संरचनाओं, पितृसत्तात्मक मान्यताओं, सांस्कृतिक रूढ़ियों और साहित्यिक संस्थानों से संवाद करती हैं, उन्हें प्रश्नांकित करती हैं तथा आवश्यक होने पर उनका प्रतिरोध भी करती हैं। सोबती के निबंधों में स्त्री की अस्मिता, भाषा की स्वायत्तता, लेखक की स्वतंत्रता और सामाजिक न्याय के प्रश्न केंद्रीय रूप से उपस्थित हैं। वे किसी वैचारिक खांचे में सीमित न होकर अनुभव-आधारित दृष्टि प्रस्तुत करती हैं। उनके लेखन में न तो अनावश्यक आक्रोश है और न ही समझौते की प्रवृत्ति; बल्कि एक संतुलित, तर्कसंगत और स्पष्ट अभिव्यक्ति है, जो पाठक को आत्ममंथन के लिए प्रेरित करती है। यह शोध पाठ-विश्लेषण पद्धति पर आधारित है, जिसके माध्यम से चयनित निबंधों और वक्तव्यों में प्रयुक्त भाषा, तर्क-शैली और वैचारिक संरचना का अध्ययन किया गया है। निष्कर्षतः यह स्पष्ट होता है कि सोबती का निबंधात्मक लेखन हिन्दी साहित्य में वैचारिक स्वतंत्रता और स्त्रीवादी चेतना का सशक्त दस्तावेज है।
A Study on the Impact of Socio-Economic Conditions on the Educational Status of Kuthalam Taluk, Mayiladuthurai District
Education serves as a pivotal tool for progress, enhancing not only individual prosperity but it also contributing to national economic growth (Bandyopadhyay et al., 2021). It plays a crucial role in reducing poverty and addressing socio-economic inequalities, particularly in developing nations (Karlidag et al., 2020). Access to education is a fundamental necessity, especially during childhood, as it lays the foundation for becoming responsible citizens. According to a report by Education world (2023), over half of the children in KG-12 education across 16 states in India are enrolled in private schools, with 75% of these students attending private institutions. In recent years, a growing number of parents have shown a preference for enrolling their children in private or government-aided schools. This study examines the link between family socio-economic conditions and school enrollment. Using a simple random sampling method and questionnaires for data collection, the research highlights a significant correlation between socio-economic status and access to higher education.
Paryavaran Vamarsh Chuni hui Kavita ke Sandarbh me
Environmental Pollution and its Impacts on Public Health in Nagapattinam District
The boundaries of any nation cannot limit these environmental problems to a particular country and region; their impact is global. The problems become more severe, especially in metropolitan areas. There is inadequate convergence of water supply and sanitation, discharge, and solid waste collection, which is extremely low. Flooding and stagnant water are frequent during the rainy season. The surface water bodies are polluted with raw domestic sewage, industrial waste, and most likely hazardous waste. Consequently, health risks related to environmental pollution are serious problems among the residents of Nagapattinam district. Environmental problems and the accelerating changes in living conditions have become fundamental parts of the world in general and metropolises in particular. The environmental problems have been considered technical and economic evils. Thus, the occurrence of large-scale environmental problems has caused global concern about the conservation and protection of the earth’s environment. Hence, all over the world, efforts are being made to inculcate environmental consciousness or awareness among the masses. It is education that can make humans conscious of and knowledgeable about the environment and its problems. The analysis of the review of literature enables the researcher to identify past research trends in the ground of ecological sociology. Many research studies have been carried out throughout the globe and in some parts of India in the area of environmental sociology. The assessment of the review of literature enables the researcher to formulate a comprehensive research problem for the present study, Environmental Pollution and its Impacts on Public Health, in Nagapattinam district. This study aims at analysing the collision of ecological effluence on local residents of the Nagapattinam region. This Nagapattinam region has a large number of industries, a transportation network, and a lot of developmental activities. One may notice more effects of industrial pollution in the area than in adjoining villages. This study aims to examine the nature, causes, and consequences of environmental pollution due to the establishment of manufacturing complexes.
Digital Literacy among Adults in Rural India: Status, Challenges, and Structural Determinants
Digital literacy is increasingly essential for social inclusion‚ economic participation and civic engagement in twenty first century India․ However‚ while 425 million rural Indians use smartphones (WEF‚ 2023)‚ only 24% of rural adults possess basic digital skills (NSS report‚ 2022)‚ a 32-percentage-point gap compared to urban adults․ This article explores the status of digital literacy and access‚ its structural determinants‚ and gender differences in access among rural adults in India based on secondary research using the NSS (2022)‚ ASER 2023 and 2024‚ TRAI Telecom Statistics (2023)‚ NFHS-5 (2019-21)‚ Oxfam India Inequality Report (2022)‚ GSMA Mobile Gender Gap Report (2024)‚ and official PMGDISHA program data from MeitY‚ 2024․ These findings reveal the long-lasting and multidimensional digital divide caused by poor infrastructure‚ socio-cultural perceptions‚ economic inequities‚ and a lack of appropriate pedagogies and highlight the need to move beyond event-based digital skills training models‚ towards community-integrated digital learning ecosystems in India's adult and continuing education system․
Role of Parenting in the Development of Emotional Regulations and Mental health in Teenagers
Adolescence is one of the critical development phases where emotions, psychological and social transformations occur rapidly thus adolescents are more susceptible to mental challenges like anxiety, depression, stress and emotional instability. Parenting is significant in this phase to influence emotional and coping patterns and psychological health of adolescents. One critical determinant of the mental health of the adolescents is emotional regulation, which means the capacity to recognize, handle, and to express emotions in a proper way. Studies indicate that parenting styles, emotional support of parents and parent child relationships have a significant effect on the regulation of emotions and mental health outcomes of adolescents. Positive and authoritative parenting practices are usually linked to emotional regulation, high self-esteem and psychological wellbeing, and authoritarian and neglectful parenting practices are usually linked to emotional issues, stress and depression. This paper reviews the role of parenting in emotional regulation and how it affects the adolescent mental health based on qualitative review of recent studies released in the past five years (between 2021-2025).
Artificial Intelligence Based Brand Recall: A Perceptual Study of Consumers
In the era of rapidly evolving technology, the influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on consumer behavior and brand recall has become a significant area of interest for marketers and researchers alike. This study delves into the perceptual aspects of brand recall among consumers in the context of AI interventions. Using a mixed-methods approach, both quantitative and qualitative data were collected to examine the impact of AI-driven strategies on brand recognition and retention. The research methodology involved surveys administered to a diverse sample of consumers to provide nuanced insights into their perceptual experiences. Through statistical analysis and thematic coding, the study uncovered several key findings. Firstly, AI-powered personalized recommendations significantly enhance brand recall, revealing the connection between consumers and brands. Secondly, the level of trust in AI influences consumer perceptions of brand credibility and recall accuracy. Thirdly, the user experience design of AI interfaces plays a pivotal role in shaping brand associations and recall effectiveness. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of transparency and ethical considerations in AI implementations to mitigate concerns regarding privacy and manipulation. It underscores the need for marketers to strike a balance between leveraging AI for personalized engagement and respecting consumer autonomy. By understanding the underlying mechanisms of AI- mediated brand recall, businesses can devise more effective strategies to engage and retain consumers in an increasingly AI-driven marketplace. This research offers practical implications for marketers seeking to harness AI to optimize brand engagement and foster long-term consumer relationships in the digital age.
Global Marketing Strategies for Grocery Retail in India: Exploring Future Consumer Behavior Trends in the Digital Age
The rapid evolution of digital technologies and changing consumer lifestyles has transformed the grocery retail landscape in India, compelling retailers to adapt global marketing strategies to remain competitive. This study examines the impact of digital retail innovations on consumer behavior across demographic dimensions, including age, gender, and annual income. The findings reveal that younger consumers and higher-income groups are more responsive to modern grocery retail formats, such as online grocery platforms, digital payments, personalized promotions, and omni- channel delivery systems. Gender differences are less significant, indicating that technological convenience and value propositions influence both male and female shoppers similarly. Although statistical results show no highly significant association for age and gender, income demonstrates a near-significant influence on consumer perceptions. The study underscores the growing importance of digital engagement, trust, convenience, and experiential value in shaping future grocery purchase decisions. The insights provide valuable directions for retailers to design targeted strategies, leverage analytics, and integrate global marketing best practices to attract diverse consumer segments in India’s rapidly digitalizing marketplace.
Role of India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) in Enhancing Rural Women’s Financial Participation: Evidence from Belagavi District, Karnataka
This study examines the role of India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) in enhancing rural women’s financial participation in Belagavi district, Karnataka. The study adopts a mixed-methods approach using primary data collected from 220 respondents through structured questionnaires and supported by interviews with customers and frontline staff. Statistical tools such as descriptive analysis, correlation, ANOVA, t-test and regression were employed. The findings reveal that IPPB has significantly improved access to financial services, savings behaviour and digital transaction usage among rural women. Education level and smartphone ownership positively influence digital confidence and participation, while barriers such as low digital literacy, income instability and connectivity issues hinder effective usage. Staff interaction was found to play a crucial role in improving user confidence. The study concludes that while IPPB enhances financial participation, sustained efforts in digital literacy and infrastructure are essential for achieving meaningful financial empowerment.
Work–Life Balance and Employee Well-Being: A Comparative Study of Male and Female Employees
In modern workplaces, effective work-life balance has been a very important factor determining the welfare of the workforce. The growing workload, long working hours, and changes in organizational designs have added pressure to the issues related to stress, job satisfaction, and total health. This paper is a hypothetical and secondary data analysis of the association between work-life balance and employee well-being, comparatively against male and female employees. The paper conceptually uses the existing literature, government reports, organizational surveys, and international studies regarding labor to explore the gender-based differences in work and life balance experiences and well-being outcomes. The research presupposes equal working conditions that will help to interpret the results comparatively, and the main variables used in the research include the number of working hours, support, flexibility, stress levels, and job satisfaction. Hypothetical analysis is of the view that, although both genders have work-life conflict, female employees have work-family pressures that are likely to be more than male employees, who report higher levels of work-related stress. The results highlight the significance of gender sensitive organizational policies, flexible work conditions, and accommodating organizational cultures in promoting employee welfare. Even though the study is not based on primary data, it provides a significant conceptual framework and provides a basis for future empirical studies.
MGNREGA and Livelihood Security: An Economic Analysis Towards Inclusive Growth
The present study examines the economic impact of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) on livelihood security and inclusive growth, with a specific focus on transgender beneficiaries. Adopting a descriptive and analytical research design, the study draws on both primary and secondary data sources. Primary data were collected from 250 transgender respondents selected through stratified random sampling from rural households participating in MGNREGA. The analysis assessed perceptions across key factors such as administrative efficiency and governance, financial allocation and timely wage disbursement, awareness and participation, and the quality of planning and asset creation. Findings reveal significant variations in mean scores across these factors, indicating differential experiences and levels of satisfaction among transgender participants. The study highlights the importance of strengthening governance mechanisms, enhancing financial processes, and improving awareness and engagement to ensure that MGNREGA effectively supports the livelihood security and socio-economic inclusion of transgender individuals. The results underscore the need for more targeted and inclusive policy interventions to promote equitable growth and social justice. The study concludes that strengthening institutional mechanisms, promoting social audits, and ensuring active community participation are vital for enhancing MGNREGA’s role in fostering sustainable livelihoods and achieving inclusive rural development. . This article analyses the economic impact of MGNREGA on rural livelihood security and explores its role in fostering inclusive development. It evaluates the program’s achievements, challenges, and future directions for sustainable and equitable rural transformation.
Beyond Automation: The Transformative Power of AI in Education
Artificial intelligence (AI) has moved from a niche technology concept to a key pillar in the transformation of education. Its integration into pedagogy, assessment, curriculum design and institutional governance is altering how learning happens, who accesses it and how success is measured. This article presents a review of the multi-dimensional impacts of AI on modern learning contexts through an integrative literature review of empirical and theoretical studies from 2015 to 2026. The review identifies five transformational domains: AI driven pedagogy, student engagement, personalized and inclusive learning, assessment and feedback and ethics and governance. It also covers emerging frameworks such as Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Self Determination Theory (SDT), and Cognitive Load Theory (CLT).The findings indicate that when AI tools are pedagogy aligned, ethically designed, and equitably implemented, they can enhance outcomes, reduce cognitive barriers, and promote inclusion. However, data privacy, bias, and overreliance on automation remain challenges that require policy intervention.
Nagarjuna ke Upanayashon me Samajik avam Sanskritik Sahitya ka Addhyan
Fragments of Memory: India’s Partition and Curating Narratives in Partition Museums
The Partition of India in 1947 into two nations, India and Pakistan, was a cataclysmic event marked by violence and mass displacement. Although a subject of intense study among scholars, Partition was never memorialized in a designated space—no museum, or commemoration of the event was ever attempted. It was in the 71st year of India’s independence that a newly conceived Partition Museum opened in the historic border city of Amritsar in Punjab. Another Partition Museum was set up in the capital city of New Delhi in 2023. The Museums display of ‘artefacts’ carried by the fleeing survivors of Partition violence; Art works by eminent artists depicting Partition horrors and trauma; audio-visual and archival galleries of photographs and interviews with Partition refugees—all focus on the ‘voices silenced in the pages of history.’ In today’s world rising awareness no longer confines the construction of historical narrative to the historian’s domain but has placed it into the hands of society as a whole. This paper explores the role of Partition Museum in Delhi for curating the memory of Partition, examining how narratives of violence and loss, courage and resilience, hope and optimism are displayed and mediated through exhibitions. Some important questions to be addressed would involve the kind of collective memory being invoked—nationalistic or reconciliatory? And more importantly how it impacts contemporary attitudes towards Partition—whether the memory generated is mindful of the complexities of our collective past or not.
Omprakash Vaalmiki ke Dalit Saahitya me Samajik Vimarsh ka Addhyan
Breaking the Attitudinal Barriers: A Study on R. J. Palacio’s Wonder
This article explores the theme of attitudinal barriers in Wonder, focusing on how societal perceptions shape the experiences of individuals with visible differences. The novel centers on August Pullman, a young boy with a facial deformity, whose entry into mainstream schooling exposes him to prejudice, fear, avoidance, and stereotyping. These negative attitudes, particularly reflected through characters like Julian Albans, function as significant social barriers that hinder inclusion and emotional well-being. The study highlights how attitudinal barriers are not only expressed through bullying but also through subtle behaviours such as pity, discomfort, and social exclusion. At the same time, the narrative presents the possibility of transformation, as characters like Summer Dawson and Jack Will move toward empathy and acceptance. Drawing attention to the socio-cultural construction of disability, the article argues that attitudinal change is crucial for fostering inclusive environments. Ultimately, R. J. Palacio emphasizes that kindness and understanding can dismantle prejudice and promote social inclusion.
Spot Driving Innovation in Digital Forecasting for Pharmaceutical Industry: An Empirical Study
Ensuring manufacture acquire to mere manpower and emerging innovation for pharmaceutical "Industry 4.0," companies must adopt profitable and secure development strategies, enhancing performance, sharing, and traceability of medical formulations. The major implementation and innovation for pharmaceutical industry says that significantly advances medical production processes, discovery development, production to give a enrich through Government support for Machine Learning, IoT, and Robotics has enabled automation in warehouses, autonomous transportation, and drone-based deliveries. The increasing demand for traditional and novel drugs drives digitalization, posing challenges for Contract Development and Manufacturing Organizations (CDMOs). The goal is to live product with new innovation market trends and innovation for digitalization and improve supply chain and operational efficiency. This study details supply chain performance through role-specific practices in the pharmaceutical industry, The study focus that digital transformation greatly to affects automation chains, block chain management, and Machine Learning, IoT, and Robotics drive medical strategy adopt new innovative industrial reforms. This paper reviews key digitization aspects, including cloud technologies, and introduces a new stakeholder experience for direct consumer engagement, consists for new Medicare system. The current addresses practical digital implementation solutions and enriches power to motivate such as digital bar-coding systems for emergency tablet medicines to be upgraded and innovation. It focus to recommend identify technologies to advance pharmaceutical industry to pursure the modern rate and adequacy of medicines. The study concludes that virtual technology adoption and innovation can be achieved via digital formatting for code system and control over configurations.
Deep Learning-Based Cyber Resilience Assessment for Ship Cyber security
The concept of cyber resilience is a crucial demand in the maritime setting where the new generation of ships is fast becoming digitalized. Modern ships are the ones that are deeply dependent on modern technologies like built-in navigation systems, satellite communication systems, automated engine controls, cargo handling systems, and interlinked surveillance systems. Even though these innovations enhance efficiency, safety and operational performance, they put ships at risk of a broad spectrum of cybersecurity threats. The evil cyber activities have the effect of disrupting the navigation systems, manipulating the cargo information, interfering with the propulsion systems, and penetrating the onboard and external communication networks. Consequently, maritime safety and security have become inconceivable without cyber resilience, which is the ability to predict, sustain, recover, and adapt to cyber threats. The study presents a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN)-based system that is capable of improving cybersecurity within a maritime environment. The suggested solution focuses on real-time intrusion detection, proper classification of anomalies, and dynamically responsive threats. The system will be able to learn and draw out complex patterns in network traffic and sensor data automatically by using deep learning, especially CNNs, which removes the constraints of signature-based or rule-driven approaches. The model is also trained on dedicated maritime network images that comprise normal operation behavior as well as various cyberattack images which includes Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS), spoofing attacks, malware injection, and unauthorized access. Evidence-based findings suggest that the CNN-based model has a higher Detection rate, lower false positive rates, and lower response time than the traditional cybersecurity strategies. The system is also supportive of a layered defense architecture, and smoothly integrates with onboard ship control systems, and, allows automated mitigation approaches. In general, the research paper shows that AI-based cybersecurity applications have the potential to boost cyber resilience in maritime settings greatly, which will lead to the creation of safer, smarter, and more secure shipping processes.
Towards Interpretable Real-Time Crowd Analytics Using Explainable AI
The estimation of the crowd density has emerged as a significant field of study in computer vision since it has extensive applications in the field of public safety, smart city infrastructure, traffic control, disaster management, and the large-scale event tracking. Due to the fast development of using surveillance cameras in urban and semi-urban regions, there is a rising necessity to have automated solutions to effectively estimate the crowd density at a specific moment. According to traditional manual monitoring methods, monitoring is inefficient and subject to errors in addition to inability to handle the real-time stream of vast amounts of video generated in real-world settings. Deep learning methods, specifically Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have demonstrated good abilities in capturing non-spatial features in images, and thus, it is well suited to the requirements of a crowd analysis. Nevertheless, most deep learning models are black boxes, which restricts their understanding and reduces confidence in the critical use of surveillance. To overcome this shortcoming, this study will concentrate on the deployment of state of the art CNN architectures together with Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) methods to come up with a transparent, trustworthy and precision crowd density estimation model. The suggested framework integrates the feature extraction with multi-scale CNN with explainability methods, including Grad-CAM and attention-based visualization methods. XAI inclusion allows users (such as security personnel and decision-makers) to know the way the model makes predictions, sensitivity of which parts of an image contribute to density estimation, as well as to examine the behavior of models in difficult conditions, and against challenging factors such as occlusion, light changes and perspective distortions. The real-world surveillance environment is specifically targeted such that the uneven distribution of crowds, changing weather conditions, changing illumination, and camera angles bring about a lot of complexity to the system. Using the density map generation and regression-based counting techniques, the model is capable of accurately estimating crowds and is also transparent. The experimental findings show that the suggested system is better than traditional CNN-based crowd counting techniques with respect to Mean Absolute Error (MAE) and interpretability. Explainability improves trust in the user and facilitates the ethical use of AI in the surveillance systems. On the whole, this paper can be considered to develop intelligent, interpretable, and scalable solution of crowd monitoring that can be used in smart cities and real-time management of public safety.
An Interpretable CNN Framework for Accurate Breast Cancer Diagnosis in Medical Imaging
Explainable Deep Learning in Breast Cancer Detection is devoted to the creation of smart diagnostic systems, the ones that will be both highly predictive and easy to understand and interpret the medical decisions. Breast cancer has been one of the predominant cancers in women across all continents and the number one cause of death. The importance of early detection as introduced by the World Health Organization is a key factor in enhancing survival and treatment outcomes. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have demonstrated exceptional results in medical image classification, especially in mammography and histopathological images, with the development of artificial intelligence. The models can automatically extract complex patterns and hierarchical features on raw data thus making it unnecessary to extract each feature manually. Nevertheless, their accuracy is usually high, but CNNs are frequently black-box systems, which is why a clinician cannot easily interpret the logic behind their predictions, which limits the willingness of a clinician to trust it and casts ethical doubts. To overcome this problem, the suggested study presents a explainable deep learning model, which is a combination of CNN-based classification and Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) methodology. Not only is it created to categorize breast tumors as benign or malignant, but it is also aimed at giving clear and interpretable explanations of its predictions. The methods integrating Grad-CAM, SHAP, and LIME are used to produce visual heatmaps and scores of feature importance, allowing radiologists to understand whether the model is paying attention to clinically important areas or not. Key performance metrics such as accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, precision, recall and F1-score are used to evaluate the framework to ensure its reliability of use in medical diagnosis. This method can improve trust and benefit clinical decision-making by incorporating a high-performance deep learning algorithm and a transparent explanation algorithm, which will encourage the responsible use of AI in healthcare.
Quantum AI for Early Disease Prediction Using Medical Image Analysis
Quantum-Enhanced Machine Learning (QEML) is a new computational paradigm that introduces the concept of quantum mechanics with the latest artificial intelligence algorithms to enhance the performance of the diagnostic process in the field of medical imaging. The early identification of diseases is crucial in mortality reduction and improving patient outcome, especially in capacities dealing with such diseases as cancer, neurological diseases, heart diseases, and infections of the lungs. Although conventional deep learning architectures, in particular, Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have been highly successful in processing complex medical images such as MRI scans, CT images, X-rays, and histopathological data, they can be computationally expensive, need large data sets, and suffer in optimization of high dimensional feature spaces. The limitations that QEML tries to overcome are based on the quantum mechanical principles of superposition, entanglement and interference to facilitate better data representation and processing. The suggested structure is based on the classical deep learning architectures and variational quantum circuits together, to create a hybrid quantum-classical system, which improves features extraction and classification levels. Under this method, the classical image characteristics are coded into quantum states and processed in high-dimensional Hilbert spaces, which can enhance the separability of subtle disease patterns, which would have otherwise been challenging to obtain with conventional techniques. The objective of this hybrid system is to enhance the critical diagnostic measures like sensitivity and specificity without affecting the interpretability of such measures to be used in the clinical context. The proposed framework is also assessed in terms of its feasibility, its computational performance and scalability to the capabilities of present-day Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ) devices. The model effectiveness is evaluated using objective evaluation metrics, which, in a way, guarantee the feasibility of the model application within a real-life healthcare context. On balance, quantum computing and medical image analysis integration is an exciting field of work of the future intelligent healthcare systems and has a potential of providing more efficient, accurate, and scalable diagnostic solutions.
Quantum-Safe Block chain System for Privacy-Preserving Medical Record Sharing
The swift computerization of healthcare systems has the impact that medical data have become highly efficient, available, and interoperable. Nonetheless, it has also brought about acute security threats, such as unauthorized access, data breach, ransomware attacks, insider threats and data manipulation. RSA and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) are traditional cryptographic, which are exposed to the new quantum computing threats, to protect electronic health records (EHRs). The quantum algorithms such as Shor algorithm can break the classical encryption schemes leading to an immediate requirement of the next generation quantum-resistant security frameworks. To overcome this issue, this study offers a Quantum Resilient Blockchain Architecture (QRBA), which will be used to ensure that medical records are managed in the post-quantum age. The suggested architecture also incorporates the use of blockchain technology and post-quantum cryptographic (PQC) methods to assure the long-term data confidentiality, integrity, authenticity, and availability. In blockchain offers a decentralized, tamper-resistant infrastructure that is transparent and auditable, and quantum-resistant cryptography (lattice-based, hash-based, and code-based algorithms) substitutes the conventional public-key systems. The framework uses a hybrid encryption model in which symmetric encryption will be applied to ensure a secure data storage and post-quantum digital signatures will be implemented to ensure authentication and identity verification. Smart contracts are applied to secure access control, patient consent management and efficient data-sharing between healthcare stakeholders i.e. hospitals, laboratories, insurance providers, and regulatory authorities. Scalability and regulatory compliance In order to meet standards like HIPAA and GDPR, the system will be based on a permissioned blockchain model. The off-chain storage of sensitive medical data is encrypted in the distributed storage systems, and only reference hash and metadata are stored on-chain to decrease storage overhead. The architecture also discusses the implementation of Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) in a secured key exchange in the future. Smart contracts enforce role-based and attribute-based access control mechanisms in order to offer fine-grained security. System analysis shows that the suggested architecture will be highly resistant to common classical and quantum cyber threats, improve medical record handling transparency, and remove single points of failure that are characteristic of centralised systems. According to simulation findings, post-quantum cryptographic techniques have some computational overhead, but optimized implementation guarantees satisfactory performance in real-time healthcare processes. In sum, it can be stated that the Quantum Resilient Blockchain Architecture is a secure, scalable and future-ready solution to the challenges of protecting sensitive healthcare data without compromising on efficiency, regulatory compliance, and patient trust.
Enhancing Secure Identity Management: A Systematic Review of Passwordless Authentication Techniques
Access and identity management is currently a fundamental security concern as the digital services genre is growing like a juggernaut. The concept of password-based authentication (traditionally, a password is provided by a user to enter the system) is increasingly ineffective, with a user-provided password potentially being used to commit phishing, brute-force, credential stuffing, and reuse attacks, and introduce a usability and management burden. The secure passwordless authentication method also improves user experience and reduces costs of operations as it removes the use of traditional passwords and replaces these with cryptographic credentials, device identities, or multi-factors. In this paper, the author will analyze the recent advances in passwordless authentication, which fall under either biometrics, hardware tokens, platform authenticators, public-key cryptography, behavioral or continuous authentication. It takes into account their security capabilities, trade-off in usability, deployment issues, privacy and regulatory issues. The proposed architecture suggests a reference architecture of a passwordless authentication system that is enterprise-ready that integrates FIDO2 / WebAuthn standards, device attestation, multi-modal biometric verification and adaptive risk-based authentication controls. The system threats identified during the system analysis are the compromising of the devices, biometric spoofing, supply-chain vulnerabilities and privacy leakage. To address these risks the defensive mechanisms, that are, cryptographic attestation, use of secure enclave, decentralized key recovery and privacy-preserving biometric template storage are proposed. Such a strategy will offer a high degree of security and user-friendliness despite being in tandem with the existing security demands. In addition, the analysis contains a systematic review scheme based on such significant specifications as security, usability, interoperability, cost efficiency, and regulatory compliance. The findings indicate that passwordless authentication systems are a viable and scalable solution to the existing identity management provided they are designed and implemented correctly. However, it should be noted that in order to implement the devices, device lifecycle management, recovery mechanisms, user experience and socio-technical factors must be taken into consideration. Overall, one of the steps to more secure, strong, and convenient digital identity systems is the passwordless authentication.
Enhanced Quantum Computing for Predictive analysis of Epidemic outbreaks using Large -Scale Health Data
Quantum computing has emerged as an intellectual model of computing that is able to address complex and high-dimensional problems in ways that classical systems cannot. The predictive analysis of epidemic outbreak in the sphere of public health is an activity that requires working with big and heterogeneous data, electronic health records, genetic sequences, mobility patterns, environment, and social interaction network. Traditional machine learning and deep neural Net-based approaches have significantly improved the ability to predict epidemics, but they lack scalability, computing capabilities, and the capacity to model complex nonlinear interactions. This research proposes a dedicated quantum architecture of forecasted epidemic outbursts according to vast datasets of health data to foster an improved degree of forecasting, speed of computation, and early identification. The suggested system is a hybrid quantum-classical system, integrating quantum machine learning algorithms, including variational quantum circuits, quantum support vector machines, and quantum optimization algorithms. Data is processed using classical systems to extract features whereas quantum processors solve complex problems of probabilistic inference and optimization. Through quantum superposition and entanglement, the framework can study multiple transmission situations simultaneously, and this allows one to identify the pattern of outbreaks and even hotspots within a short period of time. The model is also driven by real-time healthcare systems and global surveillance network data streams to enhance the responsiveness of the model to health threats. Simulation analysis indicates that the enhanced quantum framework is more precise in predictions, and the convergence will be fast and consistent as compared to traditional models. The system can recognize the trend of an outbreak sooner than and can effectively manage a high-dimensional epidemiological data. Besides, the issue of such factors as data privacy, scalability, and disadvantages of current quantum hardware is discussed in the paper. Overall, the proposed solution suggests that quantum computing can serve as a future epidemic intelligence system, in which a reaction to a global health crisis can be proactive and information-oriented.
Enhanced CNN Deep Learning for Efficient Processing of Big Medical Data in Cloud Environments
The bursting emergence of digital technologies within healthcare systems has brought about a phenomenal expansion of medical information produced by electronic health records (EHRs), medical imaging systems, wearable technologies, genomics systems, telemedicine products, and hospital information systems. Big medical data is this massive and complicated sequence of structured and unstructured medical data which has a huge potential, but introduces several challenges. The conventional method of processing data can be problematic in relation to processing the scale, speed and diversity of such data sets especially when real time analytics and predictive knowledge is needed. Here, machine learning technologies and scalable cloud computing networks have been developed to a highly sophisticated level, and it provides a solution that is practical and transformational to the efficient processing, analysis, and significance of large-scale medical data. This paper is devoted to the adoption of sophisticated deep learning models, including convolutional neural networks (CNNs), recurrent neural networks (RNNs), long short-term memory (LSTM) networks, transformers, and multifunctional architectures in combination with cloud computing technology in order to create scalable, secure, and intelligent pipelines of healthcare data processing. The proposed system uses distributed storage, parallel computing, and scalable cloud computing to learn and deploy deep learning models with large datasets of healthcare. Cloud-native features such as containerization, microservices architecture, and serverless computing have also been included in the system and have guaranteed the adaptability, cost-efficiency, and high availability. The system proposed is based on the data ingestion optimization, preprocessing, features extraction, model training, real-time inference, and interpretability of medical AI applications. The special consideration is given to the problem of data privacy, data security, regulatory and ethical concerns surrounding the use of AI. Some of the methods that have been embraced in order to guarantee the privacy of sensitive patient data and simultaneously allow more institutions to collaborate in creating models are federated learning, encryption, secure multi-party computation, as well as role-based access control. The performance comparison indicates that deep learning of cloud-based systems has decreased the training time significantly, improved scalability, and predictive performance. Besides, the explainable AI (XAI) techniques can increase the transparency and reliability of clinical decision-making. The suggested system will assist in the support of the clinical diagnosis, prediction of illnesses, treatment plans on the individual basis, and overall optimization of healthcare administration.
Enhanced Mind Stress Detection Using CNN Deep and Machine Learning Models for Multi Sensor Stress Detection
The increased rates of stress in the modern hectic society have predisposed mental health monitoring as a vital field of study and technological development. Stress is a significant influence on the cognitive skills, emotional stability, and physical wellbeing and in most cases, may cause serious chronic illnesses in the event that it is not addressed. The traditional methods of stress detection, e.g., questionnaires and clinical analysis, are rather subjective and have no opportunity to provide real-time monitoring. To eliminate these restrictions, the intended system is called Mind Under Machine: Deep and Machine Learning Models of Multi-Sensors Stress Detection that is based on the application of multi-sensor physiological data and the modern methods of machine learning and deep learning to detect stress accurately. The system also includes other physiological cues such as the heart rate, electrodermal activity, electrobrainwave, respiration rate and skin temperature, which are measured by wearable electronics. These are signals which are indicative of the work of the autonomic nervous system in stress conditions. The framework uses both traditional machine learning algorithms and deep learning models to classify stress levels using effective preprocessing methods like noise removal and feature extraction of complex time-series data. Deep learning models, specifically Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and Long short memory (LSTM) networks allow automatic feature extraction and improvement of time patterns. Also, multi-sensor data fusion enhances reliability and reduces the reliance on a single physiological parameter dependency. The suggested framework is both accurate and robust, and it is highly scalable, hence suitable in practice in wearable healthcare systems. The system can offer a reliable method of monitoring stress constantly and early intervention in mental health management by integrating physiological sensing with intelligent analytics.
Machine Learning Model for Detecting Side-Channel Attacks in Next-Generation 5G Systems
The explosive growth of the fifth-generation (5G) mobile networks has reshaped the digital ecosystem in that it has made it possible to achieve ultra-low latency, massive connectivity, and high data rates. Although they are used to advance things like IoT, autonomous vehicles, and smart healthcare, new security challenges are also presented. Side-channel attacks are considered to be one of the greatest threats because they utilize indirect information leakage including power consumption, electromagnetic emissions, timing variations, and cache behavior. Mobile gadgets are particularly risky as they have limited resources, diverse hardware, and constant connectivity. These sneaky attacks are sometimes not easily dealt with by the traditional means of security and this presents the issue of intelligent and adaptable detection systems. The paper suggests a side-channel attack detection model, which is an AI-driven mobile security framework within a 5G setting. The model includes deep learning models like CNNs and LSTMs to process multi-modal side-channel data and identify anomalies. Through edge computing, the framework provides improved scalability, real-time processing at reduced latency. The outcomes of simulation prove that the simulation is highly accurate, has low false-positive, and response time is shorter than traditional methods. Also, explainable AI technologies improve transparency and trust. In general, the presented system will deliver a robust, scalable and efficient system to ensure devices are secured in the next-generation 5G networks.
Enhanced Social Media Sentiment Analysis
Social media sentiment analysis is an important method of assessing the mood of the masses, internet trends as well as consumer mood. Use of social media applications such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, creates a flood of unorganized informational content. The data are too sophisticated to be handled by simple data processing algorithms, but more sophisticated computational packages are required to generate valuable information that can be resistant to high dimensions, ambiguity, and noise. The given research introduces a novel methodology, which employs the use of machine learning and natural language processing to enhance the categorisation awareness, accuracy, scalability, and robustness of sentiment analysis systems in social media. Some of the preprocessing methods that the given solution employs to enhance the quality of the data are normalisation, removal of stop-words, cleaning text and tokenisation. One text processor that has the capability of transforming text to numbers is the Term Frequencyinverse Document Frequency (TF-IDF). Random Forest technique deals with an ensemble of learning models which are employed to perform a sentiment categorisation. This model can address complex patterns by alleviating overfitting. Everybody believes that the algorithm would be consistent in deciding whether anything on the social media is good, terrible, and neutral. We use measures such as F1-score, recall, accuracy, and precision so that the performance evaluation can be ensured to be workable across other datasets. Tests using superior frameworks indicate that the enhanced framework is better than the conventional machine learning frameworks, even in cases of imbalanced and noisy social media information. This system is scalable, interpretable and generalisable as compared to the past versions hence it is effective in real time solutions such as brand monitoring, customer feedback analysis, and decision support systems. On the whole, the proposed approach is feasible and efficient because it will enable the use of the unstructured information provided by the social media to draw the latest findings and breakthroughs in AI and sentiment analysis.
The Global Challenges & Role of Artificial Intelligence for Smart Education and its Sustainable Impact
The global education system is undergoing a transformational shift driven by digitalization, demographic changes, labor market disruption, and the growing demand for lifelong learning. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a critical enabler of smart education by improving personalization, accessibility, administrative efficiency, and data-driven decision-making. However, education systems across developed and developing nations continue to face substantial challenges including inequality in access, shortage of skilled teachers, language barriers, student disengagement, outdated pedagogy, assessment inefficiencies, and sustainability concerns. This study examines the global challenges confronting modern education and evaluates the role of AI in creating smart, inclusive, and sustainable learning ecosystems. A quantitative research design was adopted using survey data from 240 respondents comprising educators, students, administrators, and edtech professionals in the Indian context with global relevance. Statistical tools including demographic profiling, descriptive statistics, ANOVA, correlation, and multiple regression were applied. Findings indicate that AI-enabled personalization, intelligent tutoring systems, automated assessment, and predictive analytics significantly improve perceived educational effectiveness and sustainability outcomes. ANOVA results show differences across age groups and stakeholder categories. Regression findings confirm that AI adoption, digital readiness, and institutional support positively influence smart education outcomes. The study concludes that AI can substantially contribute to Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) when implemented ethically and inclusively. Policy implications emphasize teacher reskilling, equitable infrastructure, data governance, and human-centered AI integration.
Prospective Teachers Feedback on Divaswapna Book Review
The study was conducted to understand the feedback of prospective teachers on Divaswapna book written by Gijubhai Badheka in the year 1932. The study took place at GVM’s Dr. Dada Vaidya College of Education, Goa during the academic year 2024–25. The major objectives of the study were to understand the opinion of prospective teachers on book review and to explore the views of prospective teachers on relevance of Divaswapna book for future generation of teachers. Altogether 94 prospective teachers from first year B.Ed participated in the study. The data was collected through google forms and was analyzed using descriptive statistics which included pie charts and bar graphs. Students were allotted thirty days to complete the Divaswapna book review. The findings of the study stated that 80% of students shows strong engagement to learn something new from the assignment. The majority of the students that is 92% visualized the importance of Divaswapna book strategies for future educators as an effective alternative to traditional learning methods. Regarding completion of assignment, it was found that only 14% respondent finished the book review within the first ten days and 48% submitted book review in the final ten days. 74% of the students preferred reading the book through soft copies highlighting the increasing trend of digital mode. It was also found that around 55% discussed the book content with their classmates indicating collaborative approach of learning and 18% did not engage in any discussion focusing the gap in sharing the ideas. It was also highlighted that only 31% of participants explored the additional text by other philosophers. This indicates that majority of the prospective teachers are not exploring the content of the other philosophers as they are only focusing on the task containing marks. It was concluded that Divaswapna can be a very important book to understand the teaching learning process for prospective teachers and improve their srategies of teaching.
NEP Trends for Educational and Sustainable Economic Growth of India
India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 represents one of the most comprehensive structural reforms in education since 1986. It seeks to transform school education, higher education, vocational learning, research ecosystems, and lifelong learning frameworks. Given India’s aspiration toward Viksit Bharat 2047, education is increasingly recognized as a strategic lever for sustainable economic growth, productivity enhancement, innovation, employment generation, and social inclusion. This paper employs the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework to synthesize contemporary evidence on the trends linking NEP implementation with educational transformation and sustainable economic development in India. A systematic review of peer-reviewed articles, policy reports, government documents, and institutional publications from 2020–2026 was undertaken. Findings reveal five dominant trends: digitalization of learning, multidisciplinary higher education reforms, employability and skill integration, inclusion and equity expansion, and research-led innovation ecosystems. The review also identifies structural challenges such as implementation asymmetry across states, teacher preparedness gaps, financing constraints, and digital inequality. The paper concludes that NEP 2020 has strong potential to accelerate India’s demographic dividend into productive economic capital, but successful outcomes depend on governance coherence, measurable accountability, and long-term investment.
Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Startup Challenges and Role for Sustainable Economic Growth of India
India’s transition toward a knowledge-driven and innovation-led economy has intensified the importance of entrepreneurship and startup ecosystems as engines of sustainable economic growth. This study empirically examines how innovation orientation, entrepreneurial capability, startup support systems, and structural challenges influence sustainable economic growth in India. A structured survey was conducted with 288 respondents comprising startup founders, MSME owners, incubator participants, and young entrepreneurs across major Indian cities. Statistical tools including demographic profiling, reliability analysis, ANOVA, regression, and model fit assessment were applied using SPSS. Findings indicate that innovation capability, policy support, and entrepreneurial intention significantly predict sustainable economic growth, whereas funding constraints and regulatory barriers negatively affect startup performance. Regression results reveal that the proposed model explains 68.4% variance in sustainable growth outcomes. ANOVA results indicate significant differences across age, experience, and sector categories. The paper concludes that India’s long-term economic resilience depends on deepening innovation ecosystems, reducing bureaucratic friction, strengthening startup financing, and promoting inclusive entrepreneurship.
Janpad Bulandshahar ki Kaamkaji tatha Gair-Kaamkaji Mahilaaon ke Bchchon ke Mansik Swasthtya tatha Samajik Kaushal ka Ek Adhyan
Janpad Aligarh ke Madhyamik Star ke Sarkari avam Gair Sarkari Vidhyalaya ke Vidhyarthiyon ki Vidhyalayi Santushti Avam Sakriyata ka Adhyaan: Janpad Aligarh ke Sandarbh me
Disaster, Displacement, and Deconstruction: Identity and Memory in Contemporary South Asian Women's Diaspora Literature
This essay examines how contemporary South Asian women writers engage with disaster, historical, cultural, and psychic, in their diaspora fiction. Reading Bharati Mukherjee's Wife and Jasmine, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's The Mistress of Spices and The Vine of Desire, and Anita Rau Badami's The Tamarind Woman and Can You Hear the Nightbird Call? through the lens of Derrida's deconstruction theory, the essay argues that these authors represent diaspora as a condition shaped by multiple overlapping disasters: the spectacular violence of the Partition and the Air India bombing, and the slow, attritional disaster of cultural displacement. Identity and memory are shown to function not as stable inheritances but as active reconstructions through which women navigate disaster's aftermath. The essay contributes to disaster studies in literature by foregrounding the gendered dimensions of catastrophe and survival, demonstrating how these authors challenge binary paradigms of loss and recovery, authenticity and hybridity, in favour of more fluid and dynamic frameworks.
Utility of Open Access Digital Resources in Higher Education Institutions
Open Access Digital Resources (OADRs) have emerged as a transformative force in higher education by providing unrestricted access to scholarly information, research publications, e-books, e-journals, institutional repositories, and educational databases. These resources play a significant role in enhancing teaching, learning, and research activities in universities and colleges. The present study examines the utility, accessibility, benefits, and challenges of open access digital resources in higher education institutions. The study highlights how digital resources contribute to academic excellence, research productivity, and knowledge dissemination. It also identifies major barriers such as lack of awareness, inadequate ICT infrastructure, and digital literacy issues. The paper concludes that effective utilization of open access resources can significantly improve the quality of higher education and promote equitable access to information.
Prospective Teachers Feedback On Swayam Courses
The study examines the awareness of prospective teachers about the SWAYAM courses, their sources of information, and views on its relevance and necessity in today’s educational scenario. Data was collected from B.Ed. students enrolled in the academic year 2024-25 and analyzed using graphical methods. The results showed that most prospective teachers first learned about SWAYAM during their B.Ed. course. The research highlights a very positive perception of SWAYAM, with the majority of participants recognizing it as essential in the present educational context. There is a pronounced preference for online learning, as most respondents are interested in enrolling and engaging in online courses. Even with high enrollment during the B.Ed. program, there is a notable gap in course completion and certification. Additionally, only a small number of prospective teachers have attended or passed SWAYAM exams. The study concludes that although prospective teachers show enthusiasm and willingness to use online learning platforms, systematic integration of SWAYAM into teacher education programs is essential.
Dr. Bheemrao Ambedkar aur Mahatama Jyotiba Phule ke Shaikshik Vicharon ka Adhyann
Shalya Tantra in the 21st Century: Where Tradition Meets Technology – A Narrative Review of Research Gaps in Preoperative, Intraoperative, and Postoperative Care
Background: The Ayurvedic surgical science of Sushruta Samhita (c. 600 BCE) contains the principles of preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care. However, their integration into contemporary evidence-based surgery remains poorly investigated. Objective: To explore the research gaps in Shalya Tantra along the perioperative continuum, discuss the possibilities of integration with contemporary surgical technology, and suggest a prioritized research agenda. Methods: The search for Shalya Tantra, Kshara Sutra, Agnikarma, Vrana, and perioperative care was performed on PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, AYUSH Research Portal, Dhara Online, and CTRI (2000-2025) using these words. Reference to classical ayurvedic texts. The included studies were original research, systematic reviews, and gap‑identifying articles. Results: Three important gaps were identified. Preoperative: No validated tools are available that can translate Rogi pariksha (eight-fold assessment) into surgical risk metrics, and no RCTs of preoperative Snehana-Swedana exist. Intraoperative: A 2024 meta‑analysis demonstrated that Kshara Sutra had a promising cure rate (p<0.03) with low recurrence/incontinence, while in the 1991 ICMR RCT, 4% of patients had a recurrence (incontinence) compared to 11% of those undergoing conventional surgery. However, no trials have compared Kshara Sutra with current sphincter‑sparing procedures (LIFT, VAAFT). There are few comparative studies on Agnikarma. Postoperative: Jatyadi tulle, Madhughrita tulle, Manjishthadi Ghrita and Panchavalkala cream are supported by RCTs and Jalaukavacharana efficacy are evident in case series. Conclusion: Shalya Tantra has great potential to improve the level of contemporary surgical treatment. Priority research involves Kshara Sutra vs. LIFT RCTs, mechanistic studies of Vrana Ropana formulations, and hyperspectral imaging validation of Vrana classification.
Swami Shradhanand Saraswati ke Shakshik Vicharon ki Vartman Paripakshya me ek Adhyaan
An Empirical Investigation into How Financial Literacy, Overconfidence, and Attitudinal Biases Shape Investment Decisions
Economic and market factors alone do not determine the investment decision since financial knowledge and behavioural tendencies of individuals are as well influence the decision. This paper looks at the roles of financial literacy, overconfidence, and attitudinal biases in the investment behaviour of the retail investor. In analyzing the behavioural and cognitive components that lead to investment choices, a sample of 150 respondents using a simple random sampling method was adopted as this research design was descriptive in nature. The comparison between the levels of financial literacy was done using statistical tools among the demographic variables, including age, gender, and income. This research seeks to (i) determine the degree of financial literacy among individual investors, (ii) determine whether the level of financial literacy varies among individual investors, (iii) analyze how overconfidence and attitudinal biases affect investment decisions, and (iv) determine the relationship between financial awareness and behavioural biases to determine overall performance of investment and risk-taking behaviour. The findings indicate that financial literacy differs across demographic groups and that behavioural biases significantly affect investment choices, often leading individuals away from rational decision-making. The research identifies the significance of financial education and behavioural awareness to enhance the quality of investments and facilitate informed financial planning. These results indicate that there is a financial knowledge gap between generations, and specific financial education programs are needed depending on the age group to help make more informed investment decisions. The results have underscored the value of gender-based financial education programs to guarantee equal access to financial literacy, empower people to participate in investments and financial literacy to make improved financial decisions by both genders.
An Empirical Analysis of Machine Learning Algorithms for Chronic Kidney Disease Prediction Using NHANES Clinical Data A Comprehensive Empirical Study
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a progressive and globally prevalent condition affecting over 850 million individuals worldwide. Early detection is critical to slowing disease progression and improving patient outcomes. This study presents a rigorous empirical evaluation of eight supervised machine learning algorithms — Gradient Boosting, Random Forest, Decision Tree, AdaBoost, Logistic Regression, Support Vector Machine (SVM), K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), and Naive Bayes — applied to the NHANES 2021–2023 dataset for binary CKD classification. A structured preprocessing pipeline encompassing missing value imputation, outlier winsorization, feature encoding, leakage removal, and standardization was applied prior to model training. Results demonstrate that Gradient Boosting achieved superior performance with an accuracy of 98.83%, precision of 99.10%, recall of 99.22%, F1-score of 99.16%, and an ROC-AUC of 0.9986. The findings highlight ensemble tree-based methods as highly effective for CKD prediction and provide insights into feature relevance and clinical applicability of ML-driven diagnostic systems.
Integrative Management of Dry Eye Syndrome (Sushkakshipaka): Bridging Ayurvedic Netra Kriya Kalpa with Modern Ophthalmology
Background: Dry eye syndrome (DES) has an incidence of 5-50 percent of the global population and is characterized by instability and inflammation of the tear film. Modern therapies include artificial tears, cyclosporine, lifitegrast, and device therapies, although many patients still experience symptoms. Ayurveda conceptualizes DES as Sushkakshipaka, which is controlled by Netra Kriya Kalpa, topical eye treatment procedures such as Tarpana, Aschyotana, Seka, and Nasya. Objective: To synthesize the pathophysiological basis and therapeutic evidence of the integration of Ayurvedic Kriya Kalpa with modern ophthalmology. Methods: Narrative literature review of literature (2000225) in PubMed, Scopus, Ayushdhara, and classical texts. Results: TFOS DEWS II diagnostic pathway involves the use of OSDI, TBUT (<10 s), osmolarity (≥308imOsm/L) and staining. NF κB, IL 1 0 IL 6, TNF 0, and MMP 9 are the inflammatory pathways. Level of evidence- Level 1-2- Anti inflammatory and device-based therapies. Netra Tarpana including Triphala Ghrita is significant in the improvement of the Schirmer test, TBUT and symptoms (p<0.05). Aschyotana is delivered directly into the eye, and Nasya is used to treat supraclavicular pathology. Conclusion: A hybrid severity-based algorithm that combines Kriya Kalpa with current therapies can provide the best results. Prospective randomized trials and standardized protocols are needed.
Tracing Colonial Constructions of Collective Cognitive Illusions in Indigenous Cultures: A Study of Diane Glancy’s Novels
Cognitive illusions are a pervasive psychological issue, causing judgemental problems. They are closely related to heuristics and biases in psychology and are considered systematic errors in thinking that can lead the human minds to misinterpret reality and form false beliefs. Similarly, as one’s perception of the world is shaped by influences from history, literature, nature, and personal as well as shared experiences, all the influences may also have the potential to generate misconceptions that spread widely and eventually become collective cognitive illusions. It distorts beliefs that communities accept and repeatedly reinforce. Such misconceptions often enter narratives and further solidify these illusions. Writers influenced by these beliefs may unintentionally become carriers and ambassadors of the illusion through their literary works.This paper studies the collective cognitive illusions around Native American communities as framed by the European authors, historians and travelers. In contrast, the works of Native American writers function as a counter-discourse, challenging and dismantling these illusions that shape mainstream perceptions and realities. The study applies a cognitive narratology in a few works of a Native American author, Diane Glancy, to analyse how she has handled the cognitive illusion spun by the colonisers. Cognitive narratology, a subfield of postclassical narratology proposed by David Herman in the 1990s, further support to know how mainstream people buy the narrative of the colonisers and how they develop negative perceptions upon indigenous people.
Constructing New Identity in the Select Novels of KaveryNambisan: A Critical Study
The writings of KaveryNambisan strongly advocate for the emancipation of Indian women and subvert the patriarchal stereotypes. The liberation of women in modern Indian literature does not take shape as a radical extended protest against patriarchy, but as a gradual process of unlearned gender based hierarchies and recovered self-identity. Based on the close textual interpretation and theoretical considerations of feminism, the article examines the ways in which the Nambisan heroines face the challenge of culturalization, institutionalized marital oppression, and marginalization of their professional practices in shaping identities that are formed by their awareness of themselves, as opposed to being socialized into it. The study shows that Nambisan intentionally avoids passive compliance and militant separatism, choosing rather the locus of liberation as a psychological and relational unlearning that the performative femininity is dissolved and companionship is built upon the plane of equality. Through the comparison of personal awakening and the mass organization, the novels develop a dream of gender solidarity by going beyond opposing forces of power and suggesting instead the interdependence of mutual understanding and human solidarity. Combining primary textual analysis and secondary feminist method, this article shows that the vision of identity as seen by Nambisan in her fiction is an introspective, ethically-relational, cross-gender agent, rather than an antagonistic figure as popularly understood. The narrative of Nambisanprojects him as a critical intervention to postcolonial feminism discourse and presents a complex paradigm towards female identity that values psychological autonomy, structural equity and a common humanity.
Marital Subjugation and the Erasure of the Self in Anita Nair’s Lessons in Forgetting
This research paper explores how the marital subjugation leads to the gradual loss of female selfhood in Anita Nair’s Lessons in Forgetting. It argues that the novel depicts marriage as a patriarchal structure that enforces erasure through economic control, emotional manipulation, emotional silencing, and social undervaluation of their labor. Using Simone de Beauvoir’s idea of “immanence,” Erving Goffman’s concept of “spoiled identity,” and latest discussions on “agentic forgetting,” the study analyzes the experiences of Meera and Jak’s mother to trace how subjugation can result in self-erasure. The paper demonstrates that Nair transforms the idea of “forgetting” from trauma to resistance that allows women to unlearn patriarchal expectations and rebuild their identities in the novel. The article concludes that financial independence and female solidarity emerge as essential responses in resisting marital erasure. By situating the novel to contemporary debates on domestic confinement and economic abuse, it highlights financial independence and female solidarity as paths out of marital erasure and underscores Nair’s contribution to post-millennial Indian feminist thought.
Pride, Self-Deception, and Marital Dissonance in Margaret Laurence's The Stone Angel
Margaret Laurence’s The Stone Angel (1964) is a psychologically intricate depiction of Hagar Shipley, a woman whose existence is defined by pride, emotional repression, and damaged relationships. This paper looks at the dissonance in her marriage and emotional estrangement created by the inflexibility of Hagar’s selfhood and the delusional nature of her false self-esteem. Drawing on feminist and psychoanalytic theories, the study contends that Hagar’s struggle to reconcile vulnerability with autonomy results in her separation from her husband, children, and eventually herself. Her late-life self-awareness emphasises the damaging repercussions of pride and the need for emotional vulnerability to have meaningful human interactions.
Effective Listening as a Leadership Communication Skill: A Study Based on the Kamba Ramayana
Listening is one of the key managerial skills that enables leaders to understand team’s perspectives, analyse the information and make informed decisions. This paper explores the importance of listening as an essential leadership and communication skill in management through an analytical study of the Kamba Ramayana. This comparative study of the ancient literary work and management provides valuable insight into importance of listening, highlighting its relevance in modern organizational contexts. Management lessons can be derived from classical epics, which offer rich narratives depicting leadership and communication. Although Ramayana had been extensively examined from literary, and cultural perspectives, relatively limited attention has been given to its relevance for management studies, particularly in relation to listening as a strategic communication skill. This research therefore seeks to bridge this gap by examining how listening behaviours are portrayed through key characters in the Kamba Ramayana. This paper analyses in depth how various characters in the epic exemplify different types of listening based on the situation. Informative listening, Critical listening and Empathetic listening are studied, and compared in relation with Kamba Ramayana through its characters. Informational listening is illustrated through the attentive engagement of Rama with Sage Vasishta before coronation, and when detailed information was provided by Hanuman about Sugriva in Kishkintha Kanda. Critical listening is reflected in the decision-making approaches of Rama and Dasaratha. They carefully considered multiple viewpoints and evaluated the consequences of their actions. Empathetic listening, an essential aspect of compassionate and servant leadership, is demonstrated through Rama’s interaction with Bharata in Chitrakooda.
Silence, Displacement and Transnational Subjectivity in Jhumpa Lahiri’s Unaccustomed Earth: A Diasporic Feminist Reading
Displacement, the creation of identity, intergenerational tensions, and the emotional ramifications of migration are all recurrent themes in Jhumpa Lahiri’s novels. Although much of the critical discussion of Lahiri foregrounds issues of cultural hybridity and immigrant identity, silence as a constitutive mechanism of diasporic subjectivity in Unaccustomed Earth has received very little attention. This paper reads Jhumpa Lahiri’s Unaccustomed Earth through the lenses of feminist diaspora theory, postcolonial criticism, and transnational literary studies to analyse the themes of silence, displacement, and transnational identity construction. Drawing on theoretical interventions by Homi K. Bhabha, Avtar Brah, Chandra Talpade Mohanty, Stuart Hall and Sara Ahmed, the paper argues that silence is not just an absence of speech, but an emotional and cultural framework that constructs identity negotiation in immigrant lives. Lahiri’s characters navigate belonging through disjointed recollections, intergenerational tensions, self-censorship and global migration. This study, through a rigorous textual analysis, shows how Lahiri reconfigures immigrant subjectivity beyond conventional binaries of homeland and host nation. This study contributes to current scholarship by re-framing silence as an active cultural force in diasporic experience and emotional heritage.
English as Social Capital: Parental Expectations vs. Academic Realities in Tamil Nadu Higher Education
This study considers the role of English as social capital in Indian higher education by specific focussing on the lack of congruence between parental aspirations and academic realities. The study used a descriptive survey design and obtained quantitative data from 330 stakeholders comprising parents, students and faculty members of English from government, government-aided and self-financing colleges in Tamil Nadu. Using a structured questionnaire examined four main areas being parental investments, current academic practices, employees’ skills and the mismatch between expectations and results. The findings of the data analysis revealed that in the Indian context, employers consider English as an integral social capital while its management in the universities remains a nonproductive theoretical one. Further students obtain good grades even though they lack fluency in communication to compete for employment. Based on the study, it is recommended that the curriculum should include more performance-based activities like debating and public speaking rather than traditional reading-based courses. This research is important as it gives insights into how to make the content relevant and useful for the industry.
Stacey’s Uneasy Dwelling in Marital Fire: Anxiety, Ambivalence, and Identity in The Fire-Dwellers
In The Fire-Dwellers (1969), Margaret Laurence provides a psychologically complex view of domesticity through Stacey MacAindra, whose experience of marriage and motherhood is fraught with significant anxiety, ambiguity and a fragmentation of identity. This paper explores Stacey’s subjectivity via feminist and psychoanalytic lenses by engaging with Simone de Beauvoir’s critique of domesticity, Jacques Lacan’s theory of the divided subject and Julia Kristeva’s idea of maternal ambivalence. It suggests that Stacey’s dilemma stems from the conflict between socially assigned responsibilities and her own yearning for independence, resulting in a broken sense of self. Although her experiences are indicative of larger structural limits, there are moments of self-recognition that indicate a partial reconciliation with her condition. In the end, the novel repositions domestic life as a site of negotiation rather than fulfilment.
Motherhood, Anxiety, and Female Subjectivity in Anita Desai’s Where Shall We Go This Summer?: A Feminist–Psychoanalytic Reading
Anita Desai maintains a unique position in Indian English fiction for her subtle examination of psychological reality and the inner landscapes of women. In her novel Where Shall We Go This Summer? (1982), she examines motherhood not just as biological or social institution but as a highly psychological and existential experience affected by patriarchal expectations and emotional fragmentation. This article addresses maternity, anxiety and female subjectivity in the novel from feminist literary criticism and psychoanalytic feminist perspectives. Using the theoretical insights of Julia Kristeva, Simone de Beauvoir, Nancy Chodorow, Adrienne Rich and Judith Butler, the study explores how the protagonist Sita grapples with maternal ambivalence, psychological instability, existential alienation and resistance to normative constructions of motherhood. The article contends that Sita’s maternal worry is a way of female subject construction not simply an expression of emotional pathology. Anita Desai in postcolonial India uses psychological realism to show the conflicts between patriarchal domesticity and female selfhood. Close textual analysis reveals the workings of mother awareness as a place of resistance, identity negotiation and psychological agency. This paper contributes to feminist studies on Indian English fiction by reframing maternal anxiety as a crucial framework for understanding female subjectivity and postcolonial womanhood.
Subversion of Domestic Tyranny in Anita Nair’s Ladies Coupe
The present research examines the subversion of domestic tyranny in Anita Nair’s celebrated novel, Ladies Coupe (2001). It investigates how the protagonist, Akhila, and her fellow travellers in a women-only railway compartment utilize storytelling as a tool for resistance and identity reconstruction. By sharing their personal narratives of oppression within the domestic sphere, these women challenge patriarchal structures that confine them to roles of service and submission. The study analyses how the protagonist, Akhila, and her fellow travellers dismantle the "institutionalized intimate control" of their domestic lives. The paper highlights Nair’s portrayal of female agency, the reclaiming of physical and emotional space, and the transformative power of female solidarity. Through a qualitative analysis of the characters' journeys, the paper argues that the novel reframes the domestic sphere not as a static site of suffering, but as a space that can be subverted through female solidarity, economic independence, and the reclamation of the self.
Transcending Patriarchal Paradigms: A Feminist Reading of the Select Novels of Kavery Nambisan
The article considers KaveryNambisan’s literary ouevre as a transcendental contribution to contemporary Indian feminism. Through a reframing of conventional gender binaries and separatist politics, Nambisan’s novels explore the intersectional dimensions of caste, class, poverty and institutional indifference in the marginalisation of women. Reframing education, housework, and political participation as ideological battlegrounds, this article, grounded in a historical analysis of India’s shift from Vedic egalitarianism to post-Vedic patriarchal legal codification, reveals Nambisan’s negotiation of education, housework and political participation as sites of ideological struggle. The article offers readings of her major novels to show how Nambisan's heroines eschew romantic sacrifice in preference for epistemic, economic and political autonomy and self-assertion. Instead of a gendered politics of opposition, Nambisan offers a post-feminist humanism that universalises dignity while being alert to structural inequality. Her work unmasks the impotence of elite political theatre and the limits of monoaxial feminist arguments, advocating instead for systemic sympathies and materialism. Through a synthesis of textual interrogation and intersectional studies, this study showcases how Nambisan’s narrative techniques destabilize patriarchal historical paradigms while privileging marginal knowledges. In conclusion, the study suggests that Nambisan is a critical voice whose work challenges constraining paradigms of womanhood and provides a holistic understanding of freedom that acknowledges the connections between gender justice and human freedom.
Assessing the Impact of Quick-Commerce (Q-Commerce) Adoption on Impulse Buying and Brand Loyalty: Evidence from a Metropolitan Retail Market Compared with Weekly Stock-up Shopping
Background: The rapid emergence of quick-commerce (Q-commerce) platforms delivering daily essentials within 10–20 minutes has reshaped consumer procurement patterns from planned weekly stock-ups to immediate, app-driven micro-purchases. Objectives: This study examines the dual impact of Q-commerce adoption on impulse buying behaviour and brand loyalty in a metropolitan market, contrasting these shifts with conventional weekly stock-up shopping habits. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional mixed-methods design is proposed, combining a structured online survey with in-depth interviews to compare behavioural patterns across retail formats. Results: The analysis indicates that Q-commerce intensifies impulse buying through reduced transactional friction and algorithmic nudges while weakening brand loyalty by shifting choice toward immediate availability and delivery speed. Conclusion: Although Q-commerce maximizes convenience, it can commoditize brands and alter long-term brand equity dynamics, requiring platforms and FMCG firms to balance rapid fulfilment with brand-building strategies.
Trapped in a Vice: A Study of Triple Marginality Encountered by Dalit Women in Baby Kamble's The Prisons We Broke and Urmila Pawar's The Weave of My Life
This research paper examines the triple marginality faced by Dalit women as depicted in two significant Dalit autobiographies: Baby Kamble's The Prisons We Broke (2008) and Urmila Pawar's The Weave of My Life (2009). The concept of triple marginality refers to the simultaneous and overlapping oppressions of caste, gender, and class that together trap Dalit women in a deeply painful cycle of suffering and silence. These three forces do not work separately. They combine and reinforce each other, making the lives of Dalit women uniquely difficult. Using simple and accessible language, this paper explores how both authors use their personal life stories to expose the social injustices they faced from childhood to adulthood. The paper shows how Dalit women suffer not only from upper-caste discrimination but also from patriarchal control within their own communities and from the grinding poverty that leaves them with no resources to fight back. At the same time, both books are stories of resistance. Through education, the teachings of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, and the powerful act of writing, these women challenge the systems that oppress them. The study argues that these autobiographies are not just personal memoirs but collective testimonies that give voice to millions of silenced Dalit women across India. By comparing the two texts closely, the paper reveals how Dalit women slowly break free from their prisons and weave new paths of dignity, self-respect, and freedom.
"Redefining Mobility: A Comprehensive Study of Hyperloop Systems and Their Global Impact"
The Hyperloop represents a transformative leap in transportation engineering, envisioned as an ultra-high-speed transit system capable of redefining intercity and regional connectivity. By merging principles from aerodynamics, vacuum systems, magnetic levitation, and linear propulsion, the Hyperloop proposes a mode of travel that drastically reduces friction and air resistance, enabling pod speeds exceeding 1,000 km/h. This paper examines the technological foundations, system architecture, and core operational mechanisms of the Hyperloop, alongside its potential advantages in speed, energy efficiency, and environmental sustainability. It also critically assesses the technical, economic, regulatory, and social challenges that currently impede widespread deployment. Comparative insights into ongoing global projects highlight diverse development strategies and applications for both passenger and freight transportation. Lastly, the research outlines the prospective role of Hyperloop within smart infrastructure ecosystems, offering a vision for its integration into future urban mobility networks. This multidisciplinary exploration underscores the Hyperloop’s potential not just as a transportation alternative, but as a catalyst for sustainable and innovative mobility solutions in the 21st century
Cybercrime: Review of Daily Digest and Awareness Talk in Schools by Teacher Trainees
The study was conducted to create awareness of cybercrime among first year teacher trainees of GVM’s Dr. Dada Vaidya college of Education, Ponda Goa followed by awareness in school. As a part of internal assessment for learning resources subject students were instructed to carry out assignment to conduct review on daily digest that are being uploaded on cybercrime portal. Also they were advised to prepare lesson plan on the basis of cybercrime awareness handbook that was available on cybercrime portal. After submitting the given assignment, google form was shared with teacher trainees. Out of 108 teacher trainees, 69 responded on google form. The questions on feedback and opinion were framed in google form to understand their approach toward cybercrime. The study found that such assignment really benefited teacher trainees to understand about cybercrime. Teacher trainees were found positive to conduct such sessions in future when they get the job. This indicates that teacher trainees understood the serious threat of cybercrime, its causes and impact on human being
Standard of Care in Medical Negligence: Bolam Test vs. Indian Judicial Approach
The concept of “standard of care” constitutes the normative foundation of medical negligence law, determining the threshold at which professional conduct becomes legally actionable. Rooted in the traditional Bolam principle of English common law, the standard historically privileged professional opinion over judicial scrutiny. However, Indian courts have progressively reoriented this doctrine by incorporating constitutional values, patient autonomy, and consumer protection frameworks. This article critically examines the evolution of the Bolam Test and juxtaposes it with the Indian judicial approach, highlighting doctrinal shifts, landmark rulings, regulatory interventions, and emerging medico-legal trends up to October 2025. It argues that India has developed a hybrid, rights-oriented standard that departs significantly from classical professional deference.
वर्तमान समय में भगत सिंह के वैचारिक दर्शन का एक अध्ययन
वर्तमान परिस्थितियों में भगत सिंह के विचार (जैसे साम्राज्यवाद-विरोधी, समाजवाद, धर्मनिरपेक्षता, वर्ग-चेतना और युवाओं की सक्रिय भागीदारी) आज भी अत्यंत प्रासंगिक हैं, खासकर सांप्रदायिकता, आर्थिक असमानता और राजनीतिक भ्रष्टाचार जैसी चुनौतियों से निपटने के लिए, उनके दर्शन एक इंकलाब (क्रांति) के लिए वैज्ञानिक सोच, धर्म से राजनीति को अलग करने और शोषण-मुक्त समाज के निर्माण का मार्ग दिखाते हैं। आज भी देश में धार्मिक और सांप्रदायिक तनाव आम हैं, और राजनीति द्वारा इन्हें इस्तेमाल होता है। भगत सिंह का समाधान उन्हें धर्म को व्यक्तिगत मामला बताते हुए वर्ग-चेतना को सशक्तिकरण का हल मानना था, जहाँ इंसान को इंसान के रूप में देखा जाए, न कि किसी धर्म के अनुयायी के रूप में। बढ़ती आर्थिक असमानता और पूंजीवाद का प्रभुत्व है। भगत सिंह का समाधान शोषण के संरचनात्मक अंत और उत्पादन के साधनों का सामूहिक स्वामित्व स्थापित करना था, जहाँ शोषण समाप्त हो और संसाधनों का समान वितरण हो। धर्म का राजनीतिकरण होता है और यह समाज को बांटता है। भगत सिंह का समाधान उनका मानना था कि धर्म व्यक्तिगत मामला है और इसे राजनीति से दूर रखना चाहिए। उनका नास्तिकवाद (atheism) अंधविश्वासों पर सवाल उठाने और वैज्ञानिक सोच को बढ़ावा देने की ओर इंगित करता है।
Impact of Changing Teacher Roles under New Education Policy on Students Learning Outcomes and Educational Environment in Kota and Bundi Districts
This study examines the evolving roles of teachers under India's National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and their subsequent impact on student learning outcomes and the educational environment in Kota and Bundi districts of Rajasthan. The NEP 2020 is obligatory to the transformative change in the pedagogical practices that will compel teachers to become not only knowledge carriers but also holistic and competency-based learning facilitators. This study examines the differences in the way these shifting teacher roles appear in two very different educational settings through the comparative secondary data analysis: Kota with its intensive culture of coaching and Bundi, which is a more traditional rural educational environment. The researchers examine such indicators as student achievement measures, classroom climate, teacher involvement in professional development, and infrastructure use. The initial results indicate that the NEP 2020 implementation has posed different challenges and opportunities in both districts and the teacher readiness, the increase of workload and the availability of resources have become the key factors that mediate the challenges. The study helps to grasp the reality of policy implementation at the ground level and provides an insight into the ways in which the transitions in the roles of teachers can be facilitated to improve the educational outcomes in the varied socio-educational settings.
Comparative Study of Integrated Reporting Disclosure with International Integrated Reporting Framework of Indian and Malaysian Companies
This paper presents a systematic literature review of integrated reporting (IR) adoption and disclosure quality in India and Malaysia, with specific focus on alignment with the International Integrated Reporting Framework (IIRF) of the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC). Following the PRISMA framework, 98 peer-reviewed articles, regulatory documents, and empirical studies published between 2000 and 2025 were reviewed from Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and EBSCOhost. The review synthesizes evidence from 22 Indian studies and 21 Malaysian studies, alongside global adoption literature. Key findings reveal that while both countries have introduced regulatory nudges—India’s Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR) mandate and Malaysia’s Malaysian Code on Corporate Governance (MCCG) 2017 “apply or explain” recommendation—actual IR disclosure quality remains suboptimal. Common deficiencies include weak connectivity of information, inadequate forward-looking (outlook) disclosure, and superficial coverage of intellectual and natural capitals. Adoption rates range from 4‑10% in pre‑BRSR India to 29‑37% in Malaysia post‑MCCG. Disclosure quality indices show Indian IRI scores of 83‑87% (but low connectivity) and Malaysian IRDI mean of 44.55%. Positive determinants include firm size, board size, ESG membership, and regulatory pressure; barriers include cost, lack of knowledge, and ambiguous guidance. The review identifies six research gaps, most notably the absence of direct cross-country comparative studies using a uniform IIRC-based disclosure index. A future empirical research agenda is proposed.
Prison Overcrowding and Psychological Trauma among Undertrial Prisoners: A Socio-Legal Study
The crowdedness in prisons has emerged as a serious legal, human rights and social problem for undertrials in various prisons. Any postponement in cases, lack of legal aid and poor conditions inside correctional facilities are significant factors that cause the inmates to be psychologically traumatized, emotionally unstable and socially isolated. This is an investigation into the imbalances encountered by the undertrial prisoners as a result of the problem of overcrowding in prisons from a socio-legal lens. The research examines how dignifying prisoners and promoting their wellbeing can be achieved through constitutional protection, judicial intervention and international standards of human rights, and through the effectiveness of prison management. The excess of undertrial detainees and restriction of access to justice are also stressed as a result of socioeconomic marginalisation. It ends on a note of warning for prison reforms, need for implementation of speedy trial system, needy enhancement in the mental health care services and need for adoption of corrective and rehabilitative policies for implementing “Humane Custodial Justice”.
Impact of Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Management on Business Development
The convergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data management has fundamentally transformed contemporary business landscapes. This paper examines the multifaceted impact of AI-driven analytics and large-scale data management on business development, exploring how organizations leverage these technologies to gain competitive advantages, optimize operations, and create new value propositions. Drawing on theoretical frameworks and contemporary industry evidence, the study investigates how AI algorithms process vast datasets to deliver actionable insights, automate decision-making processes, enhance customer experiences, and drive innovation. The findings suggest that organizations effectively integrating AI with robust Big Data infrastructure demonstrate superior financial performance, accelerated market responsiveness, and enhanced capacity for strategic foresight. The paper further identifies key challenges including data governance, talent shortages, ethical considerations, and the digital divide, offering strategic recommendations for organizations seeking to harness the full potential of these transformative technologies.
Climate-Induced Agrarian Risk and Livelihood Vulnerability: A PLS-SEM Analysis of Small and Medium Farmers in Semi-Arid India
This study analyses the impact of climate-induced agrarian risk on livelihood vulnerability among small and medium farmers in the semi-arid region of West Rayalaseema, India. The study is based on primary data collected from 300 respondents using a structured questionnaire. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to examine the relationships among climate risk, agrarian risk, marketing constraints, financial constraints, and livelihood vulnerability. The findings reveal that climate risk significantly influences agrarian risk (β = 0.65), which further impacts marketing constraints (β = 0.58) and financial constraints (β = 0.62). Among these, financial constraints have the strongest effect on livelihood vulnerability (β = 0.53), followed by marketing constraints (β = 0.41). The study also confirms the mediating role of agrarian risk in transmitting climate effects into economic vulnerability. The results highlight the importance of financial inclusion, market reforms, and climate-resilient strategies in reducing farmer vulnerability. The study contributes to the existing literature by integrating environmental and economic risk factors using an advanced SEM approach.
Negotiating Civilisations through Food: Swami Vivekananda's Travel Writings and the Question of Cultural Identity
: Food constitutes one of the most powerful yet understudied cultural markers through which societies articulate identity, negotiate difference, and construct systems of value. In the nineteenth century, dietary practices frequently functioned as sites where questions of religion, social hierarchy, colonial power, and cultural self-definition intersected. Swami Vivekananda's extensive travels across India, Europe, and North America exposed him to diverse culinary traditions and enabled him to develop a distinctive comparative understanding of civilisation. While existing scholarship has extensively examined his contributions to nationalism, religion, education, and social reform, relatively little attention has been paid to the significance of food in his travel writings, letters, and lectures. This paper investigates the role of food as a crucial component of Vivekananda's cultural philosophy and argues that culinary discourse occupies a central position in his understanding of civilisational encounter. Through his observations on vegetarianism, meat consumption, caste-based food restrictions, hospitality, bodily discipline, and intercultural dining practices, Vivekananda developed a nuanced framework for interpreting the relationship between East and West. Rather than endorsing rigid dietary orthodoxy or embracing Western food practices uncritically, he advocated a pragmatic and context-sensitive approach grounded in human welfare, physical vitality, and social responsibility. Drawing upon food studies, travel-writing scholarship, postcolonial theory, and cultural history, the paper demonstrates that food functions in Vivekananda's writings as a medium through which larger questions concerning nationalism, colonial discourse, spirituality, modernity, and intercultural ethics are negotiated. His reflections challenge colonial stereotypes regarding Indian dietary practices while simultaneously critiquing social stagnation and ritualism within Indian society. More importantly, they reveal a thinker attempting to reconcile cultural rootedness with global engagement. The study ultimately contends that Vivekananda transformed everyday discussions of food into profound reflections on identity, civilisation, and human coexistence, thereby anticipating contemporary debates concerning cultural diversity, globalisation, and ethical intercultural dialogue
“स्नातक स्तर पर अध्ययनरत शहरी एवं ग्रामीण विद्यार्थियों की डिजिटल अभिवृत्ति का तुलनात्मक अध्ययन”
प्रस्तुत अध्ययन स्नातक स्तर पर अध्ययनरत शहरी एवं ग्रामीण विद्यार्थियों की डिजिटल अभिवृत्ति का तुलनात्मक अध्ययन है। वर्तमान सूचना एवं संचार प्रौद्योगिकी के युग में डिजिटल तकनीक शिक्षा प्रणाली का एक अभिन्न एवं अनिवार्य अंग बन चुकी है। ऑनलाइन शिक्षण, ई-लर्निंग संसाधन, डिजिटल प्लेटफॉर्म एवं शैक्षिक ऐप्स ने विद्यार्थियों की सीखने की प्रक्रिया को अधिक प्रभावी बनाया है। तथापि शहरी एवं ग्रामीण पृष्ठभूमि के विद्यार्थियों में डिजिटल साधनों की उपलब्धता, उनके उपयोग की आवृत्ति तथा डिजिटल तकनीक के प्रति दृष्टिकोण में स्पष्ट अंतर देखा जाता है। इस अध्ययन का मुख्य उद्देश्य शहरी एवं ग्रामीण स्नातक विद्यार्थियों की डिजिटल अभिवृत्ति का तुलनात्मक विश्लेषण करना है। अध्ययन में वर्णनात्मक सर्वेक्षण विधि का प्रयोग किया गया तथा प्राप्त आँकड़ों का उपयुक्त सांख्यिकीय तकनीकों द्वारा विश्लेषण किया गया। अध्ययन के निष्कर्ष शहरी-ग्रामीण डिजिटल अंतर को स्पष्ट करते हैं तथा शैक्षिक सुधार हेतु महत्वपूर्ण सुझाव प्रदान करते हैं।
Application of Machine Learning Models for Predicting Mutual Fund Performance in India: A SmartPLS Structural Model Analysis
In the last decade, the Indian mutual fund industry has seen a tremendous boom, driven by financial awareness, digital investment platforms, and systematic investment planning. There are, however, some behavioural and serviced related factors that continue to affect investor decisions in recommending and adoption of mutual funds. This study aims to explore the factors influencing the willingness to recommend the mutual funds in India using the structural model method with the help of SmartPLS. This study has been conducted on a sample of 400 investors and potential investors from the Indian market. This research explores the impact of the satisfaction levels with customer service, perceived difference between mutual funds and traditional investments, and perceived level of risk on willingness to recommend the mutual fund. The analysis of the structural relationship of the variables was done using partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) with the SmartPLS methodology. The results indicate that the attitude towards mutual funds relative to traditional investment significantly affects the recommendation intention, and customer service satisfaction has a moderately significant positive relationship. There is a non-significant correlation between perceived risk level and recommendations behaviour. This work adds to the literature of financial behavior and decision making on investments, by incorporating behavioral finance concepts and concepts of modern predictive modelling. The findings are valuable to financial institutions, mutual funds companies, policy makers and researchers to understand the investors' advocacy and enhance the marketing approaches of mutual funds in India.
Career Aspirations among Adolescents in Tamil Nadu
Adolescence, particularly the age group of 17 to 19 years, is a crucial stage in human development when individuals begin to form clear ideas about their future careers. Career aspiration, defined as the goals and ambitions adolescents hold for their professional lives, plays a central role in shaping their transition into adulthood. This study focuses on adolescents in Tamil Nadu, examining the nature and level of their career aspirations during late adolescence. A structured questionnaire using a five-point Likert scale was administered to collect data from students aged 17 to 19. The findings reveal that adolescents at this stage often aspire to careers influenced by personal interests, parental expectations, societal pressures, and educational opportunities. Many students demonstrate ambitious goals, though the clarity and realism of these aspirations vary across gender, locality, and medium of instruction. The study highlights the importance of providing career guidance and counseling to adolescents, ensuring that their aspirations are both achievable and aligned with their abilities. Teachers, parents, and policymakers play a vital role in nurturing students’ confidence, exposing them to diverse career options, and supporting informed decision-making. By strengthening career awareness and guidance, adolescents can be better prepared to pursue their aspirations and transition successfully into higher education or employment.
An Experimental Study on the Effectiveness of a Life Skill Enhancement Package in Improving Emotional Maturity Among B.Ed. Students
Preparing competent teachers requires more than academic and pedagogical training. Future educators must also possess emotional balance, resilience, and the ability to manage interpersonal and professional challenges effectively. The current investigation focused on assessing whether a structured Life Skill Enhancement Package could contribute to the development of emotional maturity among B.Ed. trainees. The research was carried out using a quasi-experimental design that involved measuring participants before and after the intervention and comparing them with a control group. The participants were drawn from a population of 324 students enrolled in B.Ed. programmes offered by teacher education institutions in Goa during the academic year 2025–2026. One college was selected through simple random sampling. For the implementation of the intervention, a group of 72 student-teachers was chosen through a purposive sampling procedure and were subsequently assigned randomly to experimental and control groups comprising 36 students each. Students in the experimental group underwent a structured Life Skill Enhancement Package implemented over a period of six weeks designed around major life skills identified by the World Health Organization, including empathy, self-awareness, communication skills, problem-solving, decision-making, interpersonal relationships, and decision making creative thinking, critical thinking, stress management, and emotional regulation. The participants in the control group followed their routine B.Ed. curriculum and academic activities, without being exposed to the intervention programme. The level of emotional maturity among the participants was assessed using the Emotional Maturity Scale developed by Singh and Bhargava (1990). The collected data were examined using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) to assess the effect of the intervention while adjusting for initial differences among participants. A statistically significant variation was observed between the adjusted post-intervention emotional maturity scores of the two groups, F(1, 70) = 120.579, p < .05. The obtained partial eta squared value (.633) indicated a substantial effect of the intervention. The results suggest that participation in the Life Skill Enhancement Package led to meaningful improvements in the emotional maturity of B.Ed. students. The results suggest that teacher education programmes can benefit from the inclusion of organized life skills training aimed at strengthening emotional capabilities and psychosocial preparedness among student-teachers
Juxtaposition Of Realism and Myth in Salman Rushdie’s Shalimar the Clown and the Enchantress of Florence
Salman Rushdie, the author of many novels and critical essays occupies a pivotal role in the literary arena of contemporary literary world. Since the publication of Midnight’s Children, Rushdie has been dominating the world of literature as a leading exemplum of postcolonial, postmodern and Diaspora writings. Generally, ‘Myth’ has two functions – answering the questions of many unknown territories of life such as the presence of the occult elements and encouraging the change in the social orders, traditions and customs for the moral-well-being of humans on the earth. Rushdie as a proponent of magical realism, his world is in between fact and fantasy, the narrative always hovers between past and present, between myth and history and between reality and romance. Rushdie’s Shalimar the Clown is a rewritten myth of India. By using the codes of modern thrillers, adventure stories, political satires, folklore, and slap stick comedies and myths, Rushdie has recreated the world of Kashmir of 1960 as Kashmir of ancient time. Bringing out the history of 15th and 16th centuries of India and Europe close together, Rushdie, in The Enchantress of Florence, has enchanted the minds of readers with his magical realistic spell. Thus, Rushdie has touched the worlds of political history, sociology, mythology and modernity in these novels which enable the readers somehow find themselves as one of the characters of the novels and transcend the boundary of the real world to enter into the world of magical realism.
Assimilating into Silence: Forced Acculturation and Postcolonial Survival in Benyamin’s Goat Days
Benyamin’s novel Goat Days (2008), translated from Malayalam by Joseph Koyipally, tells the story of Najeeb Muhammad, a Kerala migrant worker trafficked into slave labor on a Saudi Arabian desert farm. This paper reads Najeeb’s gradual psychological and physical adaptation to that environment not as defeat, but as a form of postcolonial survival. Drawing on Homi Bhabha’s concept of mimicry and Frantz Fanon’s theorization of colonial violence, this paper argues that Najeeb’s assimilation into the rhythms and conditions of the desert represents a complex negotiation of selfhood under conditions of extreme subjugation. His acculturation is not chosen. It is the only available response to a system of power that strips him of language, identity, and human recognition.
Home as a Gordian Knot of Problems from the Selected Short Stories of Temsula Ao
Home is a place where one finds joy, peace, happiness, the place that also bonds up with cluster amenities of emotions, feelings shared within a circle named family. People duel to sort and seek the betterment of love filled happiness. Followed by the writings of Temsula Ao, the happiness of Naga people at their home is challenging one. Then real meaning of home tied like a Gordian knot that could never be untied from torture. The invasion of the underground army and so called higher officials curled up the life of the people to gun fire, beatings, rape, and murder also with natural misfortunes. The people seek to get the real bond of so called ‘Home’, but it turns like a field of war. The real sense of home they secure only in the forest.
Where the Tide Rules: The Sundarbans as Posthuman Space in Amitav Ghosh's Anthropocene Fiction
This paper examines the Sundarbans as a posthuman space in Amitav Ghosh’s "The Hungry Tide" and "Gun Island". It argues that Ghosh constructs the tide country not as a passive setting for human drama but as an active, agentic ecology that destabilizes anthropocentric narrative and politics. In "The Hungry Tide", the intertidal landscape governs human life through cyclones, tides, and tigers, revealing what Ghosh calls the limits of human exceptionalism. The novel’s structure which interweaves cetology reports, colonial archives, and vernacular testimony, formally mirrors ecological entanglement and challenges the novel’s traditional focus on individual human protagonists. Piya’s research on river dolphins and Fokir’s embodied knowledge of the mangroves position nonhuman life as a source of meaning and law, while the Morichjhãpi massacre exposes how conservation discourse renders climate refugees intruders not just on land but on nature itself. Gun Island extends this posthuman vision into a transnational Anthropocene. The Sundarbans appear as a node in a planetary web of displacement, where snakes, storms, and rising seas migrate alongside humans from Bengal to Venice. Ghosh revives the Bonduki Sadagar legend to suggest that premodern folklore already encodes multispecies ethics suppressed by modernity. By making weather, water and animals into narrative drivers, he critiques what he terms “the great derangement”: literature’s failure to represent nonhuman agency at scale. Drawing on posthumanism, blue humanities and postcolonial ecocriticism, this study reads Ghosh’s deltas as sites where nature/culture and human/animal binaries collapse. It contends that the Sundarbans model a posthuman ethics of cohabitation, where survival depends on recognizing interdependence with tides, forests, and other species. The paper concludes that Ghosh reshapes the novel as a form capable of registering planetary crisis, offering a literary method for thinking beyond the human in the climate era.
Reciprocal Connectedness as a Protective Factor Against Suicide Ideation: A Study of Relational Healing in Contemporary Young Adult Fiction
Adolescent suicide ideation has emerged as a serious mental health concern and is increasingly represented in contemporary Young Adult fiction. Drawing on Thomas Joiner's Interpersonal Theory of Suicide, this paper examines how meaningful interpersonal relationships help young characters cope with loneliness, emotional distress, and self-destructive thoughts. Through the analysis of selected novels, the study argues that reciprocal connectedness fosters healing by encouraging emotional support, empathy, and a sense of belongingness. Rather than focusing solely on despair, the paper highlights the role of human connection in promoting resilience and recovery. The findings suggest that supportive relationships can act as a protective factor against suicide ideation by helping individuals overcome isolation and reconnect with others. The study concludes that reciprocal connectedness offers a useful framework for understanding healing and recovery in contemporary Young Adult fiction.
The Ethics of Vision: Iris Murdoch on Moral Perception
A modern development in contemporary moral philosophy is Iris Murdoch’s distinctive view of the moral self. Murdoch seeks to address what she perceives as the shortcomings of traditional ethics, which often centers on the will. Drawing inspiration from art appreciation, she argues that aesthetic perception is crucial for developing a moral regard for others. According to Murdoch, a moral person becomes truly oriented towards others through the practice of aesthetic perception, which involves the process of "unselfing" or shedding the ego. Unlike the Aristotelian focus on the rewards of virtue, Murdoch identifies self-interest, or the "ego," as the primary barrier to accurately perceiving others and, consequently, to acting virtuously towards them—since the ego is incapable of love. Murdoch’s view of virtue is demanding, advocating for the refinement of moral vision as an end in itself. This conception of virtue aligns more closely with the sanctity of a saint rather than the hero’s excellence. However, the key question arises: Is an aesthetic understanding of goodness in others is sufficient foundation for knowledge about virtue? To explore this, the article examines Murdoch’s method of achieving aesthetic "seeing" through the cultivation of a “virtuous consciousness.” This process, rooted in empathic experience, offers what Murdoch sees as the only genuine way to practice virtue towards others.
Service Quality in Higher Education: A Bibliometric Visualization and Prediction of Research Productivity and Thematic Evolution Using Biblioshiny and BERTopic
This study maps, models, and forecasts the evolution of service quality research in higher education using 951 articles indexed in Scopus and Web of Science (1993–2024). Biblioshiny was employed to analyze research productivity, collaboration patterns, influential authors, and keyword evolution, while BERTopic and Dynamic Topic Modeling (DTM) identified and tracked thematic developments over time. Topic interrelationships were examined through chord diagrams, and Prophet forecasting was used to predict topic prevalence through 2028. The findings reveal Malaysia as the most productive country and the UK and USA as leading collaborators, with Parvez Sultan emerging as the most prolific author. Keyword trends indicate a shift from quality assurance and student satisfaction toward digital learning, e-learning, and technology-enabled education. BERTopic identified 20 latent themes, with service_quality_customer as the dominant topic and learn_system_learning_student as the fastest-growing theme. Forecasts suggest continued expansion of student-centered, learning-focused, and technology-driven research, with the field expected to reach its publication peak around 2042. The study provides practical insights for higher education institutions and policymakers by highlighting the growing importance of student satisfaction, teaching quality, and digital learning infrastructure. By integrating bibliometric analysis, topic modeling, thematic evolution, and forecasting, this study offers a comprehensive and predictive understanding of service quality research in higher education.
Reimagining Identity and Resistance in Contemporary Postcolonial English Literature
In the world literary scene, the contemporary postcolonial English literature represents one of the most vibrant and politically hot branches, which generate texts that grieve colonial dispossession and celebrate cultural survivance, challenge neo-colonial continuation and speculate on the opportunities of decolonised subjectivity. The paper will sustain a critical analysis of how post-imperial writers, mainly Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Salman Rushdie, Arundhati Roy, Kiran Desai, Edwidge Danticat, and NoViolet Bulawayo, re-invent identity and resistance in and through the remnant forces of colonialism. Based on the theoretical paradigms of notions of Homi K. Bhabha of hybridity and mimicry, the ability of the subaltern to self-represent, as detailed by Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Frantz Fanon in his psychopolitics of colonial violence and decolonial becoming, and Stuart Hall in his cultural theory of diasporic identity, the paper proposes that identity in postcolonial literature is not a fixed set of definitions to be reclaimed but instead is a subversive and contentious and continually negotiated field that operates in the in-betweenness between the colonial past and the postcolonial present. Resistance, correspondingly, is shown to operate not only through explicit political opposition but through the more subtle and pervasive strategies of narrative subversion, linguistic appropriation, memory recovery, body politics, and the refusal of metropolitan literary conventions. The paper contributes to postcolonial literary studies by demonstrating that the most significant contemporary postcolonial texts develop a critical grammar of agency that exceeds both the celebratory nationalist teleologies of earlier decolonisation literature and the depoliticising tendencies of certain strands of postmodern theory.
Intersection of Human Relationship and History in Salman Rushdie’s Victory City
Human relationships are integral and indispensable part of human life. In the postmodern world people give more importance to individuality than to establish relationships within family and outside of it. Human love, care and concern are the basic traits needed for establishing cordial human relationships. Salman Rushdie portrays various shades of human relationship in Victory City, though the novel is a historical one. The political history of the Vijayanagara Empire in India from its origin to decline is the sap that Rushdie has exploited in writing the novel, Victory City published in 2023. The novel is in an “epic story” of Pampa Kampana who had lived for about two-hundred and fifty years through the boon offered to her by Goddess Parvati. Pampa Kampana of Victory City possesses the magical wand in her hand to rule the empire according to her wishes. Yet the author has made something go beyond her control in order give the novel a realistic touch. Magic was an easy mantra for Pampa and through which she had created the milieu of realism. Hence the characters in the novels almost resemble the real historical persons lived during the Vijayanagara Empire in India.
Mapping Social Realities: A Sociological Analysis of Mahesh Dattani’s Select Plays
Mahesh Dattani occupies a seminal position in the contemporary Indian English drama due to his unflinching examination of peripheral identities and socio-cultural realisms. Unlike early Indian dramatists who focused essentially on mythological/historical topics, Dattani raises the complexities of modern urban India, asking questions about power dynamics inherent in family, gender, class, sexuality and other social institutions. Through his plays like Tara, Dance Like a Man, Final Solutions, Seven Steps Around the Fire and Where There’s A Will, Dattani exposes societal disparities that stem from patriarchal practices, communal disharmony, gender discrimination and the othering of non-normative identity. The study draws on approaches from sociological critique, feminist theory, gender studies and perspectives that centre the subaltern to analyze the above. Dattani's style of realistic characterisations and his dramatic conflicts reveal the indecisiveness that a civilisation faces standing on the line between tradition and modernity. The paper treats Dattani's play as a sociological artefact that holds a mirror up to the fears, biases and changes in modern-day Indian society. It is also an important aspect of his contribution to the growth of socially orientated Indian English drama, as he dramatizes the silenced voices and suppressed experiences.
An Empirical Analysis of Employee Turnover, Retention Strategies, and Their Financial and Economic Implications in the Rapidly Growing Information Technology Sector of Kolkata
The paper examines the role played by ethical leaders, employee experience, organisational culture and practice within organisations in ensuring employee retention and organisational performance. Career development prospect, pay and benefits, leadership performance, workplace, and training are the variables that are the focus of the study. Of the 200 respondents, quantitative data was recorded and studies were done using the descriptive statistics, Bayesian correlation and Bayesian ANOVA techniques. The mean of moderate employee satisfaction was observed in the statistical analysis: work-life balance (M = 3.10, SD = 1.407), organisational profits (M = 3.03, SD = 1.405) and employee retention intentions (M = 3.08, SD = 1.490). The outcome of the Bayesian correlation test, was significant, albeit weak, positive correlations between career growth and leadership motivation (Posterior Mean = 0.038) and career growth and training opportunities (Posterior Mean = 0.033). The Bayesian ANOVA results also indicated that there were differences in the employee perceptions with regards to training and career development opportunities in various organisations. It concludes that ethical leadership, employee recognition, favourable working environment and training programmes are highly significant in employee retention and organisational sustainability
The Influence of Price Perception and Consumer Attitude on Organic Food Purchase Intentions: A Study in Madurai District
As health consciousness and environmental awareness rise, consumers are increasingly gravitating toward organic food options. However, in district-level markets like Madurai, price sensitivity and individual attitudes remain critical determinants of actual buying behaviour. This research investigates how price perception and consumer attitude impact the intention to purchase organic products. Using a descriptive research design, primary data was gathered from 100 respondents in Madurai District via a structured survey. The analysis employed weighted average ranking and Chi-square tests. Results suggest that while consumers hold favourable attitudes driven by health and safety benefits, high prices act as a significant barrier. The study recommends that enhancing price perception through better value communication, promotional strategies, and awareness programs can significantly boost purchase intentions
Customers Level of Understanding of Banking Security Measures: A Study with Special Reference to Madurai City
security features are becoming a crucial part of contemporary banking systems due to the growing usage of digital and technologically advanced banking services. Safe banking transactions and the prevention of financial fraud depend heavily on customers' awareness of these security procedures. This study looks at how well-informed consumers are about banking security procedures, specifically in Madurai City. Customers' knowledge of security procedures pertaining to ATM use, online and mobile banking, debit and credit cards, and fraud protection techniques is the main emphasis of the study. The study uses a descriptive research design and is predicated on primary data gathered from Madurai City bank customers using a structured questionnaire. Books, journals, papers, and bank publications provided secondary data. The respondents were chosen by convenience sampling. Statistical procedures such chi-square testing, mean score analysis, and percentage analysis were used to examine the gathered data.
Green Investment Accelerator and Relevance of Green Microfinance: A Study of the Indian Landscape
Change is the law of nature; therefore, it cannot be denied, but rather, one can adapt oneself in accordance with it. Similarly, when an environmental crisis ceases to be merely a problem of a specific region or country and instead becomes a global issue, initiatives undertaken by any single region or nation for its resolution prove insufficient. Consequently, it becomes imperative for all nations to adopt, to the fullest extent possible, methods for taking initiatives at their respective levels. Among the various means available for resolving environmental crises, the field of microfinance, which is prevalent across almost the entire world, stands out as a significant avenue. Therefore, the microfinance sector should chart its future course by integrating itself with the concept of Green Microfinance. India has ventured into the realm of Green Microfinance only in the recent past; consequently, very limited research has been conducted in this field within the Indian context. Accordingly, this research study is dedicated to assessing the suitability of Green Microfinance within the Indian context; concurrently, it examines the roles played by, and the initiatives undertaken by, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Sa-Dhan (an association of community finance institutions), and NABARD. The findings indicate that Green Microfinance demonstrates positive utility within the Indian context and that the Reserve Bank of India, Sa-Dhan, and NABARD are indeed playing pivotal roles in this regard.
Beyond Assimilation and Hybridity: The Case for Acculturation as a Multidimensional Framework
When people from different cultures come into sustained contact, the changes that follow are rarely simple or predictable. This paper argues that among the conceptual frameworks developed to account for these changes, acculturation offers the most analytically complete account. Assimilation reduces a complex process to a linear trajectory of absorption, while hybridity, despite its theoretical productivity, resists the kind of empirical operationalization that applied research requires. Acculturation, by contrast, integrates behavioral, psychological, social, and cultural dimensions of change within a framework that is both theoretically grounded and empirically usable. Drawing on Berry (1997, 2005), Bhabha (1994), Gordon (1964), and related scholarship, this paper makes the case for acculturation as the preferred framework for studying cultural contact in contemporary multicultural societies.
Depiction of Dalit Conciousness in Bama’s Vanmam
Bama is a celebrated Dalit woman writer who has contributed a lot to Dalit literature. Her third novel Vanmam(2002) which has been translated into English by Malini Seshadri exposes the clandestine act of the Upper-Caste Naickers to instigate enmity between two Dalit sub-castes, converted Christian Parayars and Hindu Pallars. The writer, instead of grieving over and complaining about the sufferings of the marginalized, raises her voice and emphasizes the need for staying united in order to alter their position in the hierarchical society. At one level, the novel describes the motives of the Caste Hindus, incidents of violence, the atrocities against Dalit and the brutalities of police against women and at another level it highlights the willingness of the Christian Parayars to initiate dialogues with the Hindu Pallars and reconciliation takes place. Only Naickers have been elected to the post of President in Kandampatti village for many years. After the union of the two Dalit sub-castes, the joint candidate becomes the President. On the day of unveiling the statue of Ambedkar they vow to stay together ever. Solidarity of the marginalized is emphasized by Bama through Vanmam.
Exploring Post human Subjectivity in the Select Novels of Iris Murdoch
This paper approaches to study Iris Murdoch’s select novels on Posthumanism. Posthumanism is a philosophical and cultural perspective that explores what it means to be human in the context of evolving technology, biology, and society. It challenges traditional human-centric views by considering how advancements in fields like artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and cybernetics might reshape our understanding of humanity. Iris Murdoch is remembered as one of the most influential British novelists of the 20th century. Her work continues to be studied for its unique blend of philosophical depth and literary craftsmanship. Murdoch's novels, such as The Sea, The Sea, The Bell, The Black Prince and Under the Net, showcase these themes, creating rich tapestries of character and narrative that explore the depths of human experience. Her novels are known for their rich, multi-layered narratives and psychological depth, often incorporating elements of philosophy and existential thought. Iris Murdoch indirectly addresses the concept of posthumanism in her works, as the term and its theoretical frameworks were developed more prominently after her time. However, her philosophical and literary work provides valuable insights that can be related to discussions of posthumanism. This paper surveys how Murdoch's exploration of love, particularly in its capacity to expand one’s perspective beyond selfish concerns, can be seen as relevant to posthumanism's ethical considerations. Posthumanism often involves rethinking ethics in the context of new technologies and entities, and Murdoch’s emphasis on selflessness and moral attention might contribute to these discussions.
Female Subjectivity and Assertion of Self in the Select Novels of Shashi Deshpande
The Indian English novel is firmly rooted in the social and cultural ethos in India. In all societies, a woman is assigned culturally by the standards of conduct and decorum both within the family and outside the family. If she turned away from the prescribed norms, the society would consider it as a violation to the ideal image of womanhood and named her as an unruly woman. In a patriarchal society, women have not been seen as equal partners. In India, their place in the socio-political and economic spheres has seen major changes in terms of status, respect, role and responsibilities. Their image in fiction too has undergone a change, especially during the last four decades. The post independence Indian women writers have moved away from traditional portrayals of enduring, self sacrificing women searching for their identity. They are no longer defined simply in terms of their victim status. Instead, these writers have explored the multi-layered roles of their women protagonists and rejected the ideas that are aligned to patriarchal conventions. Shashi Despande, a prominent Indian women writer, highlights the secondary position occupied by women and their degradation in her novels. All her protagonists are caught in the magic web of tradition and modernity. Her women characters are aware of the social and cultural disabilities to which they are subjected to in the male dominated society. They seek change but within the cultural norms with dignity and self respect. Her heroines Jaya, in That Long Silence and Sumi in A Matter of Time suffer in silence for the sake of social and moral society. They try to assert themselves and seek their own identity. They decide to assert themselves not only as a woman, wife or mother but also as an individual.
Mangala’s Cult and the Posthuman Body: Troubling Life, Death, and Human/Nonhuman Boundaries in "The Calcutta Chromosome"
This study examines how Amitav Ghosh’s "The Calcutta Chromosome" reconfigures the human body through Mangala’s subaltern scientific cult, positioning embodiment as a posthuman process rather than a fixed biological fact. In the novel, Mangala and her followers develop practices of bodily transfer that use malaria parasites, ritual, and secrecy to move consciousness between bodies, thereby challenging Western biomedical models that define the self as discrete, autonomous, and bounded by mortality. By reading Mangala’s experiments through posthumanist and new materialist frameworks, the paper argues that Ghosh disrupts the Enlightenment binaries of human/nonhuman, self/other, and life/death that underwrite colonial science. The analysis first situates Mangala’s work as “counter-science,” a subaltern epistemology that treats the "Plasmodium" parasite and the mosquito not as objects of study but as collaborators in knowledge production. Drawing on Rosi Braidotti’s concept of zoe and Stacy Alaimo’s trans-corporeality, it shows how Ghosh presents the human body as porous, entangled with microbial and nonhuman agencies that co-author identity and history. The cult’s manipulation of the “Calcutta chromosome” further illustrates a posthuman re-engineering of life itself, where immortality is achieved not through technological mastery but through inter-species symbiosis and ritual transfer. Second, the paper contrasts Mangala’s practice with Ronald Ross’s colonial malaria research to reveal competing ontologies of science. Whereas Ross’s Nobel-winning work depends on extracting knowledge from nonhuman nature, Mangala’s cult depends on becoming-with the parasite, dissolving the subject/object distinction. This contrast exposes how Western humanism secures its authority by denying agency to subaltern and nonhuman actors alike. Ultimately, the study contends that "The Calcutta Chromosome" theorizes a posthuman body that is multiple, transferable, and temporally non-linear. Mangala’s cult does not simply invert colonial science but proposes an alternative ethics of entanglement in which survival requires surrendering the fantasy of human exceptionalism. The novel thus anticipates contemporary Anthropocene concerns by suggesting that rethinking embodiment is essential to decolonizing knowledge and confronting ecological crisis.
Feminity, Frailty and Felicity: A Reading of Manju Kapur’s Difficult Daughters
Women are integral part of human civilization. No society or country can ever progress without an active participation of women in its overall development. Unfortunately, men have always looked down upon women as the weaker sex. Down the ages women have been denied existence as a complete and independent human being, they have been given secondary place both in society and family. A large number of women are reconciled to a life of humiliation in the form of gender while performing the roles of daughters, wives and mothers in a rigidly custom-bound environment they live in. They are expected to serve, sacrifice, submit and tolerate each evil against her peacefully. Her individual self has very little recognition in the patriarchal society. The illustration of Sita, Savitri and Gandhari are also expected to be followed by her. The emergence of women writers in the last quarter of the 19th century marks the new era of emancipation for the Indian women. ManjuKapur, a remarkable writer, voices the liberation for the women folk. Her heroines Virmati, Ida, Rupa, Nisha, Astha and Nina strives hard to ensure their recognition. Kapur's Difficult Daughters portray the struggles and sufferings of Virmati, to find a space for herself in the patriarchal society.
Self and Other: A Psycho– Analtical Study of Dimple in Bharati Mukherjee’s Wife
Bharati Mukherjee occupies a prominent place among the Indian Women Novelists. Her heroines are modern, educated, young women, crushed under the clutches of patriarchal and tradition bound society. Her smart attempt to present a true picture of their sufferings, disappointments and frustrations makes her novels realistic and appreciable. Her writings, give voice to the long silent Indian brides and explores the feminine sensibilities unique to Indian settings. Her novels advocate the issues of married woman and analyse the relationship within families and marriages. She depicts women in myriad roles- wife, mother, daughter and above all an individual in her own rights. Bharati Mukherjee’s novel Wifeis a simple story of Amit and his wife Dimple. Like the heroines Tara, Dimple and Jasmine she also undergoes the travails of expatriation. The novels analyses the psychic development of Dimple in the land of fortunes. She gets trapped between the two cultures. Her expectations fail in the unknown land. She experiences psychic breakdown.
Ministration of Nature in Temsula Ao’s Laburnum for my Head and Death of a Hunter
The paper aims to scrutinize the ministration of nature by Temsula Ao’s short story Laburnum for My Head. World needs ecological protection, though it attempts to reach the peak of invention, the love beyond nature is vanished slowly. This leads to chaos and the world is at stake. Man has to drive his focus from technology towards nature, to protect from the disasters that caused due to lack of care on nature. The study explains the existence of love towards nature through Lentina. The cycle of life and death. The existence of love between humanity and nature. Through the short story Laburnum for My Head this article lights up the richness of artistic creation, man nature relationship, importance and its objectives. A mutual communication between human, animals and environment, the cultural practices of Naga society was exposed in the short story Death of a Hunter. The study validates the phase of human survival linked with the ecological conciseness, the relationship between human and animals, consequences of disturbing the animals and harmony which is essential for both human and nature.
Relentless Resilience: Race, Recognition and Revolution in Maya Angelou’s Autobiography
If there is emotional power in the mind to succeed, no one would faint in failure and be fixed in stress. To see the change, even an ant or animal should pay the price, and that’s the same for humans. Effortlessly, no one can win by believing in fortune. Dragonfly’s life cycle teaches patience and courage to fly high with beautiful colours. The protagonist of the novel, Maya Angelou, resonates with resilience and overcame all the hurdles and humps to represent her identity. She believed that it was possible. This research study examines the themes of resilience, recognition, racial awareness, and societal revolution in Maya Angelou's autobiographical writings, predominantly in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Maya Angelou's autobiography serves as a influential narrative of personal growth amid universal racism, social marginalization and gender discrimination, in twentieth-century America. Through her depiction of racial prejudice, childhood trauma, and the struggle for self-identity, protagonist of the novel transforms personal experiences into a broader commentary on African American history and became recognized in resistance. The research explores recognition and revolution becomes a catalyst for self-awareness and empowerment, enabling the author to challenge oppressive and dual social structures. By employing autobiographical criticism and feminist literary perspectives, this research paper analyzes Angelou's narrative strategies, symbolism, and representation of Black identity. The findings reveal that resilience amidst race in Angelou's autobiography is not merely an individual trait but a collective response to racial injustice and egotism. Furthermore, her work contributes to the discourse of social revolution by encouraging resistance, cultural pride, and the redefinition of marginalized identities. The autobiography demonstrates how personal storytelling can function as a political act that queries dominant narratives and supports for equality. This paper concludes that Angelou's autobiographical writings remain noteworthy in contemporary discussions of identity, race, and social justice, offering readers a model of perseverance and transformation in the face of adversity.
Magical Realism in Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s The Mistress of Spices
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, is an Indian novelist, who is settled in America. She is a Co-founder and former president of Maitri, a helpline founded in 1991 for South Asian Women dealing with domestic abuse. Divakaruni's first novel, The Mistress of Spices (1997) is distinct in that it blends prose and poetry. Most of Divakaruni’s works are autobiographical. Set in the background of Bay area of California, her novel deals with the immigrant experience which is an important theme in today's world. In The Mistress of Spices also, she focuses on the problems of the immigrants. Divakaruni's first novel, The Mistress of Spices, is an experiment in magical realism which combines Hindu myths, fables and superstitions with contemporary American social problems including inter-racial tension, ethnic identity, immigrant assimilation, spiritual emptiness in the lives of rich Indian, teenage rebellion, and angst, forbidden inter-racial romances and abusive and broken marriages. The term "Magical realism' was first introduced by Franz Roh, a German art critic, who considered magical realism as an art category. To him, it was a way of responding to reality and pictorially depicting the enigmas of reality. In The Mistress of Spices, there is the mingling of the reality and fantasy and then the time shifts now and then between distant past of Tilo in a far away distant world and the present modern America where she leads her life as a mistress. Magical realists incorporate many techniques that have been linked to post-colonism, with hybridity being a primary feature. Specifically magical realism is illustrated in an inharmonious arenas of such opposites as urban and rural and western and indigenous. It is also seen in The Mistress of Spices because Tilo who is born in a remote village in India then lives in Oakland, California. Thus, western and indigenous also come along with that. The plots of magical realist works involve issues of borders, mixing and change. In the novel also, one can see the mixing of the past and the present, and reality and fantasy. One can also see a change in the life of Tilo from the world of fantasy to the world of reality.
From Dominance to Dialogue: Reframing Human-Nature Interdependence in the Hungry Tide and the Overstory
This paper explores the significance of coexistence for leading a peaceful and harmonious life in this natural world. Through a comparative analysis of The Hungry Tide by Amitav Ghosh and The Overstory by Richard Powers, the paper explains the need for sustaining a balanced relationship between humans and Nature and advocates for an urgent shift in human actions which ended up in the disruption of ecosystem. The paper also observes how Nature adapts, responds and reacts in the face of human encroachment into the habitats of other creatures. The central aim of the analysis is to raise the need for awareness regarding the interconnectedness of all living creatures within the great chain of beings. It underscores the notion that humans have limited access to Nature and other creatures possess equal rights to live, explore and celebrate Nature just like humans. It stresses the crucial need for humans to understand and respect the rights of other creatures and brings attention to the voices of natural world.
Narrating Eco Precarity: Plural Voices of the Climate Crisis in Amitav Ghosh’s Gun Island and Sarnath Banerjee’s All Quiet in Vikaspuri
Climate change/crisis have become one of the defining realities of the twenty-first century. Its effects are slow, uneven, dispersed, and often difficult to represent through familiar literary forms. In response to this challenge, contemporary Indian writing has developed new ways of telling environmental stories. This paper offers a comparative reading of Amitav Ghosh’s Gun Island and Sarnath Banerjee’s All Quiet in Vikaspuri to show that climate crisis is not only a matter of theme but a problem of form. Applying Pramod K. Nayar’s concept of Ecoprecarity, Rob Nixon’s Slow violence, and Amitav Ghosh’s the Crisis of Imagination, the paper shows that different narrative forms produce multiple ecological meanings. It argues that Ghosh and Banerjee respond to Eco precarity through two different but equally powerful narrative strategies: mythopoesis in the case of Gun Island, and graphic satire in the case of All Quiet in Vikaspuri. The paper argues that multiple narratives unveil a nuanced understanding of the gravity of the Crisis, contributing to the plurality of climate crisis narrative in contemporary India.
An Empirical Analysis of Agricultural Credit Utilization and Repayment Behaviour among Farmers
Agricultural credit is a key element to enhance agricultural productivity, agricultural income and agricultural development. Timely and adequate credit helps farmers to buy seeds, fertilizers, machines, irrigation and modern farming technology. But, there are a number of economic, social and institutional variables that affect the availability and use of agricultural credit by farmers. The present study was set out to analyze the various factors influencing the agricultural credit and also to find out the level of awareness of respondents about agricultural credit. Primary data were gathered from 200 respondents by structured questionnaire using convenient sampling technique. The analysis and interpretation were conducted using the statistical tools, including Mean, Standard Deviation, Friedman test and ANOVA. The analysis shows that availability of institutional finance, interest rate of loan, income level of farmer and type of crops are the most important factors that affect the agricultural credit. The study also reveals that there is no significant difference in agriculture income and level of awareness amongst the respondents. The research underscores the need to make agricultural credit more accessible, increase government support and raise awareness about agricultural credit schemes. The study offers some helpful lessons for policy makers, financial institutions and agricultural development authorities regarding more effective rural credit systems and sustainable agricultural development.
Shedding the Metaphors: An Ecofeminist Exploration of Nandini Sahu’s Short Stories
The paper peeps into the ecofeministic elements present in Nandini Sahu’s collection of short stories Shedding the Metaphors. Through the textual analysis of these short stories under the lens of ecofeminism, this paper attempts to reveal how Sahu’s stories serve as a critique of societal norms and a plea for sustainable practices that honor both woman and the environment. It also unfolds the layers of relationship between women and nature. The paper employs the ecofeminist theory to accentuate the significance of Sahu’s work in contemporary discussions of gender and ecology. It is also an attempt to re-read stories of this collection in the light of ‘Ecofeminism’ which emphasizes the interconnectedness of nature and women. Also, the stories show the way the dynamics of this relationship have eveolved over time. Women are given a vital role and value in environmental governance,however; degradation of women is repeated and duplicated in environmental governance too. Ecological Feminism or Ecofeminism is an interdisciplinary movement that brings into light the synthesis of radical movemen tin ecology and feminism. It also questions the pre fixed gender roles and rejects the patriarchal paradigms and asserts that the domination of women by men is intimately linked to the destruction of the environment.
The Affective Journey: Emotions and Psychological Well-being in Museum-Based Wellness Tourism
This study looked at how emotional experience affects the psychological well-being and tourist satisfaction in the environment of museum-based wellness tourism. As the trend of experiential tourism has taken root, museums have been increasingly understood as not just as places of culture and learning, but as somewhere that generates emotional reactions and mental health. The most important aim of the research is to examine the role of the emotional experience at the museum visits towards psychological health and satisfaction of the visitors. An approach to quantitative research design was chosen and 140 visitors to the museum were used as the sample population where a structured, self-prepared questionnaire was used to gather data. The study variables are the independent variable (emotional experience), and psychological well-being, and tourist satisfaction as dependent variables. These findings show that visitors who have positive emotions like joy, awe, and relaxation will have a better chance of experiencing mental enrichment and be satisfied with their visit to the museum. The paper concludes that museums are important in enhancing emotional stimulation and mental wellbeing, thus, advancing wellness tourism. The results offer useful information to museum managers and other tourism stakeholders on ways to create more engaging and experiences that are more wellness-oriented.
Factors Shaping the Adoption of UPI-Enabled Mobile Payment Systems: An Empirical Investigation through the UTAUT2 Lens with Performance Risk Moderation
India's push toward a cashless economy has placed the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) at the very centre of everyday financial life yet the behavioural story behind why millions of citizens choose to keep using, or walking away from, UPI-based Mobile Payment Systems (MPS) remains only partially told. Drawing on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2), this study builds and tests a model that treats Performance Risk not merely as a background nuisance but as an active boundary condition shaping whether positive intentions actually translate into real-world usage. Structured questionnaires were administered to 686 active UPI users across India between November 2025 and February 2026, and the data were analysed through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Every hypothesised path held up: Performance Expectancy, Effort Expectancy, Social Influence, Facilitating Conditions, Hedonic Motivation and Habit each contributed meaningfully to Behavioural Intention, which went on to strongly predict Usage Behaviour. Crucially, Performance Risk weakened the intention-to-usage link in a statistically and practically significant way—a finding with direct implications for how platforms, regulators and marketers should think about consumer trust. The model accounts for roughly 41% of variance in intentions and 30% in actual usage, both classified as substantial.
Contemporary Literature as a Feminist Counter-Narrative: Reclaiming and Amplifying Women's Voices
Contemporary literature functions as a powerful feminist counter-narrative by challenging patriarchal ideologies and foregrounding women's diverse experiences. Through the representation of identity, resistance, agency, and social transformation, contemporary writers reclaim marginalized voices that have long been excluded from dominant literary traditions. This study examines how feminist narratives reshape cultural perceptions, question gender stereotypes, and promote equality by presenting women as active agents of change rather than passive subjects. By exploring themes of empowerment, intersectionality, and self-expression, the paper highlights literature's role in fostering critical awareness and social justice while redefining women's place within contemporary literary and cultural discourse.
Attitudinal Gaps in Secondary School English Language Teaching in Chennai: Teachers, Students, Parents Perspectives
The present study investigated differences in attitudes toward English Language Teaching (ELT) among secondary school teachers, students, and parents in Chennai. Although all groups value English for education, employment and social mobility their expectations diverge. Using an interpretive qualitative approach, the study draws on in-depth interviews with 14 teachers, 17 students from Grades 9 to 10 and 9 parents. Thematic analysis reveals a systemic misalignment among teachers, students, and parents. These gaps reinforce rote learning rather than communicative competence. The study recommends time-efficient communicative methods, low-anxiety peer interaction activities, and parent orientation programs clarifying the distinction between marks and proficiency.
Data-Driven Crop Yield Forecasting Using Regression, Classification Methods: A Systematic Approach
Accurate prediction of Crop Yield Forecasting (CYF) is essential for improving Agricultural productivity, optimizing resource utilization, and supporting data-driven decision-making in precision farming. Traditional yield estimation methods often fail to capture the complex nonlinear relationships among environmental, soil, and cultivation factors. This study proposes CYF-CSVR, CYF-WKNN a Machine Learning-based Paddy Yield Forecasting and Classification model to enhance prediction accuracy. The first analysis is on predicting the yield and the second analysis is to do classification on the attribute ‘Yield Status’ -a binomial attribute which is created at the time of implementation. The experimental dataset was obtained from the UCI Machine Learning Repository Paddy dataset, which contains 45 agricultural attributes related to soil properties, weather conditions, crop management, and growth parameters. The dataset was preprocessed through missing value handling, normalization, and feature selection to improve model efficiency. Performance evaluation was conducted using standard regression metrics such as Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Relative Error(RE), and Correlation (r). In addition for the method CYF-WKNN, the performance is assessed with the classification metrics, Accuracy and Kappa Statistics. The results from Rapidminer demonstrate that the proposed model CYF-CSVR and CYF-WKNN effectively gives strong generalization capability. The proposed approach contributes to precision agriculture by enabling early yield forecasting, better crop management strategies, and ultimately supporting sustainable paddy cultivation.
AI-Driven Personalization in Digital Payment Platforms and Its Impact on Consumer Trust and Continued Usage Intention
Digital payment platforms have revolutionized financial transactions by providing increased convenience, speed, and accessibility. The word “Artificial Intelligence (AI)” in personalisation is one of the most essential aspects of user experience and engagement, especially in today's fast-changing digital arena. This study aims to unravel the impact of AI-driven personalization on trust and retention in digital payment systems, specifically focus on personalization's influence on consumer trust and retention in digital payment systems. The data has been collected using data collection techniques applicable to quantitative research design and for data collection, a structured questionnaire has been used and the data collected from 150 digital payments users of Uttar Pradesh. A regression analysis in SPSS 27 was used to test the relationships. Overall, the results show that personalization based on AI has a significant and positive impact on consumer trust and on the intention to use the service in the future. Tailored recommendations, customized services and smart user experiences drive user trust, satisfaction and loyalty of digital payment providers. The study's findings emphasize the critical role of product design strategies that integrate the responsible use of AI and data privacy and security measures in helping to maintain consumer engagement and trust.
Towards ‘Ethnophytoliterature’: Indigenous Plant Memory and the Phytohumanistic Imagination in Mamang Dai's River Poems
The growing convergence of Environmental Humanities, Plant Studies, and Indigenous literary criticism has significantly transformed contemporary ecological discourse by foregrounding the relationship between human communities and the more-than-human world. Despite these theoretical developments, relatively little attention has been devoted to the literary representation of culturally embedded plant knowledge within Indigenous traditions. While ecocriticism has examined environmental consciousness and Plant Studies has explored vegetal ontology, the specific role of plants as repositories of ethnocultural memory, ritual practice, ecological knowledge, and Indigenous identity remains insufficiently theorised. Addressing this conceptual gap, the present study proposes ‘Ethnophytoliterature’ as a new interpretative framework within Phytohumanities. The term is introduced to designate a mode of literary inquiry that examines how plants function as culturally situated agents preserving and transmitting Indigenous ecological epistemologies through literary representation. The paper undertakes a qualitative textual analysis of Mamang Dai's River Poems (Writers Workshop, 2004), employing close reading alongside insights from ecocriticism, Plant Studies, ethnobotany, Environmental Humanities, and Indigenous literary studies. Restricting the analysis to this collection enables a sustained examination of Dai's early poetic imagination and its intimate relationship with the ecological and cultural landscapes of Arunachal Pradesh. The study argues that vegetation in River Poems extends far beyond descriptive landscape or poetic ornamentation. Bamboo, forests, flowering plants, leaves, riverine vegetation, and other vegetal presences emerge as active participants in the construction of place, collective memory, ecological ethics, cultural continuity, and Indigenous systems of knowledge. Rather than functioning merely as symbols of nature, plants become epistemic and cultural agents through which the Adi worldview is imagined, preserved, and transmitted. The article further demonstrates that existing critical approaches, although invaluable in illuminating Dai's environmental consciousness, generally subsume vegetal life within the broader category of "nature." Such readings overlook the culturally specific meanings attached to plants within Indigenous communities. By foregrounding these meanings, Ethnophytoliterature offers a more nuanced analytical vocabulary for understanding plant-centred literary traditions. The framework complements rather than replaces ecocriticism, ethnobotany, and Plant Studies by directing critical attention to the literary lives of plants as archives of ethnocultural memory and ecological knowledge. Ultimately, the paper argues that River Poems should be read not only as an ecological text but also as a literary archive of Indigenous plant consciousness in which cultural identity and vegetal life remain inseparably intertwined. By proposing Ethnophytoliterature as a new critical framework, the study contributes to the continuing development of Phytohumanities and opens new avenues for interdisciplinary research on Indigenous literatures, environmental aesthetics, and the cultural agency of plants
Digital Twin-Driven Internet of Things Framework for Smart Manufacturing
The rapid evolution of Industry 4.0 has transformed traditional manufacturing into highly connected, intelligent, and data-driven production environments. The integration of the Internet of Things (IoT), cyber-physical systems, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, big data analytics, and edge computing has enabled manufacturers to improve productivity, operational efficiency, product quality, and resource utilization. Among these enabling technologies, Digital Twin (DT) technology has emerged as a critical innovation by creating dynamic virtual representations of physical manufacturing assets that continuously synchronize with real-world operations through real-time IoT data. Digital Twins facilitate continuous monitoring, simulation, prediction, optimization, and intelligent decision-making across the manufacturing lifecycle, making them a cornerstone of next-generation smart factories. Despite these advancements, many manufacturing environments continue to face challenges including equipment failures, unplanned downtime, inefficient production scheduling, poor interoperability among heterogeneous devices, delayed fault diagnosis, fragmented data management, and limited predictive capabilities. Conventional manufacturing systems often rely on isolated monitoring platforms that cannot effectively integrate real-time sensor data, simulation models, predictive analytics, and automated control into a unified architecture. These limitations reduce manufacturing flexibility, increase operational costs, and hinder the realization of fully autonomous industrial systems.
Serverless Computing Framework for High-Performance Distributed Applications
Serverless computing has emerged as a transformative cloud computing paradigm for developing highly scalable, event-driven, and cost-efficient distributed applications. Unlike conventional cloud architectures that require manual server provisioning, infrastructure management, and capacity planning, serverless platforms automatically allocate computing resources, scale functions dynamically, and charge users only for actual resource consumption. Despite these advantages, executing high-performance distributed applications using serverless architectures remains challenging due to cold-start latency, function orchestration complexity, state management, communication overhead, resource scheduling, and performance optimization. Recent advances in cloud-native computing, Function-as-a-Service (FaaS), workflow orchestration, edge computing, container optimization, and intelligent resource management have created new opportunities for designing high-performance serverless execution frameworks capable of supporting compute-intensive distributed workloads. This study proposes a Serverless Computing Framework for High-Performance Distributed Applications (SCF-HPDA) that integrates event-driven function execution, intelligent resource allocation, adaptive scheduling, workflow orchestration, distributed state management, performance monitoring, and auto-scaling into a unified computational architecture. The proposed framework employs adaptive scheduling and serverless orchestration techniques to minimize execution latency while maximizing throughput, scalability, resource utilization, and system reliability.
Real-Time Human Activity Recognition Using Edge Artificial Intelligence
Human Activity Recognition (HAR) has become one of the most important research areas in artificial intelligence because of its extensive applications in healthcare monitoring, smart homes, industrial safety, surveillance, rehabilitation, fitness tracking, and human–computer interaction. Conventional cloud-based HAR systems collect sensor or video data and transmit them to centralized servers for processing. Although cloud computing offers high computational capability, it introduces communication latency, bandwidth consumption, network dependency, and privacy concerns that limit its applicability in real-time scenarios. The emergence of Edge Artificial Intelligence (Edge AI) enables intelligent inference directly on edge devices such as smartphones, embedded processors, wearable sensors, and IoT gateways, thereby reducing response time while preserving user privacy. Substantial advances were achieved in lightweight deep learning models, convolutional neural networks (CNNs), recurrent neural networks (RNNs), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks, TinyML, TensorFlow Lite, model compression, and edge computing frameworks for human activity recognition. These technologies significantly improved recognition accuracy while satisfying the computational constraints of resource-limited edge devices.
Shackles of Liberation: Voices of Women in the Select Novels of Shashi Deshpande
Shashi Deshpande is an award winning Indian novelist. She is an eminent novelist with a deep insight into the psyche of middle class Indian women. She has presented the modern Indian women’s search for self in her novels. With more than a dozen fictional works to her credit she has successfully captured the true emotions of Indian women. She describes the conflicts and predicament of the Indian middle class women in her writings. Her works The Dark Holds No Terrors, That Long Silence and A Matter of Time deal with the feminine issues. She presents a sensitive portrayal of Indian womanhood with a rare gift of sharp psychological insights. The women in her novels are subjected to continuous physical and sexual assaults in the society. Her novels deal with the theme of the quest for a female identity and the complexities of man-women relationship, specially in the context of marriage. The Indian woman has been a silent sufferer for years. While she has played different roles such as wife, mother, sister and daughter, she has never been able to claim her own individuality. In the novel The Dark Holds No Terrors Manohar’s male ego tries to dominate Sarita which results in disintegration ultimately. In That Long SilenceJaya recognizes herself as a failed writer because her stories are rejected for lack of genuine feelings which she has laid aside. She becomes the shadow of her husband. A Matter of Timeis an exploration of Kalyani, Sumi and her daughter Aru. Focusing on the marital relation she seeks to expose the tradition by which a woman is trained to play her subservient role in the family. Her novels reveal the man made patriarchal traditions uneasiness of the modern Indian women in being a part of them. Her young heroines reveal against the traditional way of life and patriarchal values and try to break all the social and economical barriers.
Women on The Margins: A Study of Female Characters in the Select Novels of Manju Kapur
Manju Kapur is gifted with a fine faculty of artistic perception. The realistic presentation of life in all novels impresses one and all. She plays the role of a natural observer in her works. She attempts to show her concerns at the growing tendency of unrest in our society caused by man’s attempt to exploit man for selfish gains and motives. Through her fictions, she gives fresh insight into the ambivalence of change in woman and man and human nature. She is convinced that emancipation is closely linked to the eradication of poverty; hence she provides a platform, against the evils of society. She has drawn the realistic characters and situation to represent the realistic change the world is going through. Manju Kapur’s description of society is graphic and clear. Social values and sanctions, as they are different from class to class and from society to society, present a panoramic view of Indian society. Kapur highlights the factors which curbs the freedom of the female to live, grow and actualize herself the way men do. The manner in which religion, tradition and myth are misused to condition women into an acceptance of their secondary status causing them to lead claustrophobic and circumscribed lives. The female protagonist resist and overcome the ideological suppression and reshape ideals and existing value systems to re-invent themselves in a meaningful way. In this sense, her novels are a significant contribution towards the realm of Indian English fiction and feminist psychoanalysis in India
Survival, Self-Identity and Self Empowerment in Bharati Mukerjee’s Jasmine
Bharati Mukherjee is one of the most prominent South Asian women writers. Her works focus on the status of immigrant women and their sense of alienation in the United States. According to her, the immigrant experience is qualitatively different for women and men. Bharati Mukherjee discusses immigrant experience, social oppression, East-West encounter, culture and human psyche in her novels. Jasmine deals with the experience of Jyoti Vijh, a girl from rural India. She is a young widow who immigrates illegally to the United States tofulfill her late husband’s immigrant dream in search of new life in America. She encounters many people and many incidents. Atlast she absorbs he alien culture and succeeds inrooting herself in the culture optimistically. Jasmine reveals more positive approach to the problems of immigration. She successfully comes out of the problems in the alien land and merges with the new culture. In this novel, Jasmine takes new names and identity as she travels. Born as Jyoti in India, her husband names her Jasmine. She becomes Jazzy or Jase, while working as a care giver in New York and she was called Jane while living with Budin Iowa in the Mid-West and finally she becomes Jasmine.
Breaking Shells and Seeking Lives: A Study of Female Protagonists in the Select Novels of Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Our society is full of paradoxes and contradictions. This society considers female as a peripheral member, both in her parent’s house as well as in her husband’s. Throughout her lifetime she is searching for her own identity and this leads to her insecurity. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is a world-acclaimed author, born in Calcutta. She has published literary works of various genres like poems, novels and short stories paving new ways for understanding of human issues in the world. Divakaruni has attracted readers’ attention with her poetry and fiction dealing with problems of Indian emigrants. Her Sister of My Heart and The Vine of Desire discuss the tormented psyche of Indian women and give alternative understanding of South Asian diaspora. Divakaruni’s major themes are centred around her desire, to investigate the identity of Indian American women and the multiplicity of experiences gained through like geographical, cultural, psychological, and emotional spaces that continue to shape and reshape it.
Interpersonal Emotion Regulation in the Workplace: A Systematic Literature Review
Interpersonal emotion regulation (IER) has importance in the area of research due to its influence on organizational dynamics, employee well-being, and leadership effectiveness. Most of the research have studies only intrapersonal emotion regulation, the interpersonal emotion regulation remains underexplored, particularly in organizational contexts. The present review attempts to systematically examine the interpersonal emotion regulation and its implication in the workplace. The study focuses on understanding the various dimensions of IER, and how these dimensions influence the employee workplace behaviour, leadership effectiveness, and overall organizational performance. Further, this review also considers its relationship with emotional intelligence, organizational performance, and conflict management. The present study adopts a systematic literature review by analysing various peer-reviewed studies, related to interpersonal emotion regulation. This helps in identifying the vital themes, patterns, and research gaps in existing literature. Findings of this study indicated that IER strategies have a significant impact on workplace relationships and performance. However, the existing literature shows variations in conceptual understanding and measurement of IER, which creates challenges in establishing a unified framework. Hence, there is need for more consistent theoretical models and empirical studies to strengthen the interpersonal emotion regulation studies in organizational context. The present review highlights the importance of interpersonal emotion regulation into organizational settings, and suggests that future research can be focused on developing a standardized framework and exploring its practical implication in diverse organizational contexts.
The Decline of Indian Handicraft in British Period
Before British colonial rule, India was a global hub of luxury craftsmanship, sustained by strong patronage from Indian rulers. The Maratha Empire, especially under the Peshwas, actively supported artisans through state-funded workshops (Karkhanas), tax exemptions, and royal patronage, turning cities like Pune, Jhansi, Kashi, Maheshwar, Chanderi, and Baroda into centers of textile, jewelry, and craft excellence. This patronage model was mirrored by other Indian dynasties, creating a self-sustaining economy where wealth stayed within the region. After the British East India Company's decisive victory in 1818, this system collapsed. Colonial policies dismantled royal courts, ended artisan patronage, imposed one-way free trade favoring British goods, levied heavy internal duties on Indian products, and built railways designed to extract raw materials while flooding villages with factory-made imports. This led to the destruction of India's handicraft industry, mass deurbanization, artisan unemployment, and increased pressure on agriculture, deepening rural poverty. The paper argues that colonial economic policy, not lack of skill, caused this decline, a memory later revived through the Charkha during India's freedom movement.
Psychological Resistance and Female Selfhood in Anita Nair’s Select Novels
Anita Nair has emerged as one of the most compelling voices in contemporary Indian English fiction for her nuanced representation of women negotiating patriarchy, emotional alienation, domestic expectations, and fractured identity. Unlike narratives that equate open rebellion, Nair frequently portrays dissent as an inward and gradual process rooted in consciousness, self-questioning, memory, and emotional truth. Her women protagonists often begin their journeys toward freedom not through public confrontation but through the refusal to remain psychologically compliant within inherited social roles. This paper comparatively examines three major novels—Ladies Coupé, Mistress, and Lessons in Forgetting—to explore how psychological resistance becomes central to the quest for female selfhood. Drawing on feminist theory, gender studies, and psychological criticism, the study argues that Nair’s protagonists move from identities imposed by family, marriage, and social expectation toward forms of self-recognition grounded in autonomy and self-respect. Akhila questions the ideology of compulsory marriage and sacrificial duty; Radha challenges emotional falseness within marriage and asserts the legitimacy of female desire; Meera reconstructs identity after abandonment through labour, competence, and resilience. The paper further contends that Nair significantly broadens feminist discourse by recognizing emotional neglect, internalized guilt, invisibility, and dependency as serious forms of gendered injury. Her fiction refuses reductive images of women as symbols of purity or sacrifice and instead presents them as layered individuals whose transformations are complex, painful, and deeply human. Through this lens, Nair’s novels remain vital interventions in contemporary feminist literary studies.
Waste mismanagement remains a significant environmental and public health challenge, particularly in rural and semi-urban regions where structured waste segregation systems are limited. The increasing diversity of waste materials further complicates manual segregation, leading to inefficient recycling, environmental pollution, and health risks. To address these challenges, this paper presents an AI-powered automated waste classification system based on MobileNetV2 and transfer learning for fine-grained multi-class waste categorization. The proposed system classifies waste into thirteen categories, including recyclable, organic, hazardous, and non-waste classes. A multi-source dataset is constructed by combining a publicly available garbage classification dataset with non-waste images from the CIFAR-10 dataset to improve robustness under real world conditions. Image preprocessing and data augmentation techniques are employed to enhance generalization across varying environmental conditions. Experimental evaluation demonstrates that the proposed MobileNetV2-based model achieves a test accuracy of 94.62%, along with strong precision, recall, and F1-score across most classes. The lightweight architecture and efficient training strategy make the system suitable for deployment on low-cost and resource constrained devices, enabling scalable and sustainable waste management solutions aligned with national initiatives such as Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and Digital India.
Stacked Ensemble Machine Learning Model for Psychological Stress Prediction Using Behavioral Smartphone Sensing Data
This paper uses an Ensemble Machine Learning Methodology in order to create a predictive model of Subjective Stress Levels based on Passive Smartphone Sensing Data. In addition to behavioral characteristics (screen usage, mobility, etc.) from the StudentLife Dataset that reflect how people behave when they experience stress, the authors develop a modeling framework that utilizes multiple base learners with an XGBoost Meta-Learner to better generalize to User Variability. The results indicate that this methodology provides higher accuracy than each model individually and provide evidence that Scalable, Artificially Intelligent Systems can be utilized as Stress Monitoring Devices.
Multi-Stage Grading of Diabetic Retinopathy Severity Using EfficientNet-B0 Architecture on Retinal Fundus Images
Diabetic eye damage stays the top reason people lose sight needlessly around the world, especially those living with diabetes for years. Spotting it early helps stop harm from getting worse - however, checking eye pictures by hand takes lots of effort, can be shaky due to human error, and needs trained eye doctors. In recent times, using smart algorithms inspired by brain networks has boosted how well computers detect this condition - and let systems work on bigger scales. Here’s a new algorithm built on a shifting design, based on EfficientNetB0, sorting diabetic eye disease into five levels (from 0 to 4). A large set of eye images - more than 35,108 sharp ones from Kaggle - was used for training. To balance categories while improving adaptability, extra image tweaks were added during learning; meanwhile, Adam helped speed up progress. Our model hit an overall score of 82.34%, matching results seen in similar multi-class diabetic retinopathy studies. Results show small CNN setups can still deliver solid performance for medical-grade spotting. This pushes forward low-cost, reliable, and expandable automatic screening systems suited for real clinics.
AI-Based Diabetes Risk Detection and Monitoring System
Diabetes is a chronic disease that requires early prediction and continuous monitoring. This paper proposes an AI-based diabetes risk detection and monitoring system using machine learning algorithms such as Logistic Regression, Decision Tree, Support Vector Machine, and Random Forest. The system predicts diabetes risk using patient parameters including glucose level, BMI, age, blood pressure, insulin, and family history. The proposed model aims to improve prediction accuracy and support preventive healthcare.
Fostering 21st-Century Skills of Undergraduate English Students through Blended Learning: An Experimental Study.
The current education system needs to adopt advanced approaches, methods, and techniques to enable undergraduate students to acquire and practice 21st-century skills effectively. A study has been conducted among undergraduate students to analyse their learning approaches, competencies, and skills, and to develop their 21st-century skills. It has been found that students were having difficulties communicating, critical thinking, problem-solving, and developing digital competence. These challenges have affected their ability to actively participate in academic activities and prepare for the demands of the modern workforce. A sequence of 21st-century skills and Blended Learning activities has been presented to the students using interactive e-Games, Web 2.0, Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality, Infographics, Brain Gym, Vlog, and Social Websites. These innovative learning tools and activities were designed to create an engaging and student-centred learning environment that promotes collaboration, creativity, communication, and critical thinking. Students were able to learn through Blended Learning and develop 21st-century skills effortlessly. The integration of technology-supported learning activities enhanced student participation, motivation, and engagement throughout the learning process. There were notable developments from pre-test to post-test among students, indicating significant improvement in their competencies and skill acquisition. Rubric analysis has been used as an assessment technique to assess the competence and performance of students. The findings suggest that Blended Learning is an effective approach for fostering 21st-century skills among undergraduate learners and supporting meaningful educational outcomes
AI Based Wearables for Early Disease Prediction and Prevention
The rapid growth of wearable health technologies has created new opportunities for continuous health monitoring and early disease detection. However, existing AI-based wearable systems often suffer from limitations related to prediction reliabil- ity, data privacy, clinical integration, and actionable intelligence. This thesis proposes an AI-based wearable health monitoring framework focused on early health prevention and prediction through intelligent data processing and seamless remote connec- tivity between patients and healthcare professionals. The proposed framework integratesadvanced artificial in- telligence models, including deep learning, ensemble learning, and explainable AI, to analyze multi-modal physiological data and detect early health deterioration patterns. Privacy-preserving mechanisms such as federated learning and secure data trans- mission are incorporated to address data security concerns while enabling large-scale model learning. Furthermore, the framework is designed to seamlessly integrate with existing healthcare infrastructures using standardized interoperability protocols, enabling real-time remote monitoring, clinical decision support, and continuous feedback-driven model improvement. Rather than emphasizing specific wearable hardware, this research focuses on a system-level intelligence architecture that transforms raw sensor data into clinically meaningful insights. Comparative analysis with existing research demonstrates that the proposed approach enhances prediction accuracy, trans- parency, scalability, and practical applicability. The framework aims to support proactive healthcare delivery, reduce clinical burden, and enable timely interventions, positioning wearable intelligence as a critical component of future digital healthcare ecosystems.
Brain Tumor Detection Using Deep Learning
Recent studies on utilizing deep learning (DL) algorithms for the identification of brain tumors have focused primarily on gliomas (tumors arising from glial cells), meningiomas (tumors of the meninges), and pituitary tumor types (tumors of the pituitary gland) with a variety of different approaches. Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and hybrid architectures will be investigated in the detection and classification of tumors within magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans at an early stage of disease progression. The proposed work will utilize the concepts of transfer learning by employing pretrained CNN architectures, such as YOLOv7, VGG16, and ResNet as well as methods for enhancing DL accuracy, such as convolutional block attention modules (CBAM), and explainable artificial intelligence (EAI) techniques (such as Grad- CAM) as tools to achieve high degrees of tumor detection accuracy (>95- 99%) and generate clinically applicable heat maps that can assist clinicians in performing diagnostic tasks. Following the detection of a tumor, each individual will receive a tailored evidence-based precaution model to assist them in monitoring their health by developing personalized recommendations that will outline how to track their symptoms based on their specific type of tumor (e.g., symptom tracking for gliomas, imaging frequency for meningiomas, hormonal testing for pituitary tumors). Key methodologies utilized in the study include the following: DL automates the extraction of features from MRIs while providing a diagnostic support (DS) solution to facilitate treatment planning following tumor The researchers developed multiple different types of CNNs combined with the YOLO model for the purpose of developing a model for tumor skin identification while also developing an ensemble model using machine learning or rule-based approaches based on the specific tumor classification to generate precautionary recommendations based on the characteristics of the tumor.
Multimodal Machine Learning for Early Detection of Alzheimer Using MRI Imaging and Cognitive Assessments
This The early identification of the severity/volume of Alzheimer's disease increases the opportunity for earlier intervention, which frequently blessings the people impacted via the disorder. This research used device-getting day everyday strategies to combine brain-imaging records with cognitive/overall performance assessment data everyday better characterize this sickness. topics included 834 people for whom imaging and medical evaluation records were received from two databases - the Alzheimer's ailment Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) and Kaggle - and at least some of the information became day-to-day through a patient medical document (with both the imaging records and the cognitive assessment facts being in those databases). instead of integrate the 2 databases in the course of the analytic segment, both databases had been included prior to the evaluation the use of a delayed (early) fusion method. The analysis covered identification of capabilities in the T1-weighted every day graphs thru a convolutional neural community (CNN), fusion of those functions with the composite scores of the medical exams, after which predicting the ranges of disorder (classification) using a Random woodland model with the newly combined variables. Accuracy become 91% and precision turned into 0. ninety-four with a sensitivity (don't forget everyday) of zero.86 when detecting the day-to-day of Alzheimer's disorder. The variable that maximum appropriately anticipated the extent of disorder changed into functional evaluation, which became carefully observed with the aid of sports of daily dwelling (ADL) and the mini-mental state examination (MMSE). those 3 variables were recognized because the maximum influential in predicting (via recursive characteristic elimination) the levels of disorder. The issues with the businesses (i.e., 1389 wholesome vs. 760 with the ailment) were resolved via sampling weights the usage of the synthetic minority over-sampling technique (SMOTE).The GridSearchCV algorithm evaluated a total of 216 unique configurations for each aggregate of the evaluated device daily algorithms all through 1054 run cycles day-to-day optimize performance. The mixed use of a couple of records sorts (i.e. multimodal) constantly outperformed the gender of topics and age as strategies day-to-day stumble on Alzheimer's sickness early. The usage of multimodal device every day know every day - combining MRI imaging and the evaluation of historical scientific health data - daily come across Alzheimer's is an effective manner daily provide a greater accurate diagnosis. management.
Automated AI Surveillance System for Real Time Person and Weapon Detection
Having safety and security in both the public and private space requires real-time and precise surveillance, since within a very short time, not disclosing the threat, the threat will grow to an extreme scenario like armed assault, robbery, vandalism or mass-hysteria. The conventional surveillance systems rely on intensive human surveillance that is time-consuming, intermittent and falls under the subject of fatigue-related errors. To address these issues, this paper introduces an automated AI-based surveillance system that can identify real-time danger through the use of computer vision and deep learning systems. First, video streams are post-processed to improve the video quality and clarity using motion detectors, frame difference filters, and noise cutters. Segmentation techniques are then employed to localize the regions of interest to eliminate unwanted information in the background. Deep learning algorithms like YOLOv8, SSD, and Faster R-CNN will be used to detect people, weapons, vehicles, fire, and suspicious persons. The features based on spatial, motion and context of the identified regions are used to classify the types and degree of threat. The results of experiments on the COCO dataset and personal weapon dataset prove that YOLOv8 is more accurate and real-time. The findings show that the suggested system is advantageous in terms of detecting reliability, minimising the reliance on human surveillance, and responding quicker to security risks.
Brain Stroke Detection and Doctor Recommendation System Using Machine Learning: An Integrated Approach to Predictive Healthcare
Brain stroke remains one of the foremost causes of death and permanent neurological disability worldwide, imposing substantial socioeconomic burdens on healthcare systems globally. Timely and accurate prediction of stroke risk, combined with seamless referral to qualified specialists, is clinically decisive in minimizing irreversible brain damage and improving patient outcomes. This paper presents a comprehensive integrated Brain Stroke Detection and Doctor Recommendation System that unifies a machine learning–based diagnostic engine with a web-based intelligent specialist referral platform. The stroke detection module employs a Random Forest (RF) Classifier trained on the publicly available Kaggle Stroke Prediction Dataset comprising 5,110 patient records across 11 clinical and demographic features. A rigorous comparative study is conducted against Logistic Regression and Decision Tree classifiers under identical experimental conditions. The RF model achieves an overall accuracy of 95.66%, demonstrating robust performance characterized by high precision on the majority (non-stroke) class, a non-trivial challenge acknowledged by the severe class imbalance (4.9% stroke prevalence) inherent to real-world medical datasets. Upon detection of high stroke risk, the system automatically activates a doctor recommendation module that ranks neurologists and stroke specialists using a three-component hybrid algorithm combining content-based filtering, collaborative filtering, and ontology-based medical reasoning, further augmented by geolocation-based proximity scoring. The full system is implemented using Python Flask, PHP/MySQL, and a responsive HTML/CSS/JavaScript frontend, deployed locally on XAMPP for offline accessibility. Experimental results confirm that the proposed end-to-end architecture effectively bridges the critical translational gap between automated AI-based diagnosis and actionable patient care navigation, with potential for deployment in both urban hospital settings and resource-constrained rural healthcare environments.
DrugSense AI: Intelligent Pharmaceutical Data Analysis System
The pharmaceutical industry faces issues such as price variation between different brands, lack of transparency, and the risk of counterfeit drugs. This project, DrugSense AI, presents a system that uses machine learning to analyze pharmaceutical data and provide useful insights. It helps in predicting drug prices, comparing costs across brands, and identifying unusual patterns in the data. The aim of this system is to make drug information clear and support better decision-making for both consumers and healthcare authorities.
Effectiveness of Computer Assisted Instruction on the Development of Social Skills among Children in Study
Computer-Assisted Instruction (CAI) has emerged as an important development in the use of technology for educational purposes. The concept of using machines for teaching began in the early twentieth century. Sidney Pressey introduced one of the first teaching machines during the 1920s, which was mainly designed to conduct tests and provide immediate responses to learners. Later, in the 1950s, Norman Crowder developed a more advanced instructional system for military training that used branching techniques, allowing learners to move through content according to their responses. This approach was more flexible than earlier linear teaching methods. In 1954, B.F. Skinner further strengthened the theoretical foundation of CAI through the concept of programmed instruction based on behaviorist principles. Skinner emphasized learning through stimulus-response connections supported by reinforcement. His instructional model focused on presenting small units of information, encouraging learner responses, and providing immediate feedback. These early contributions became the basis for modern computer-assisted learning systems, which today include highly interactive and learner-centered instructional environments designed to meet the diverse educational needs of students, including children with intellectual disabilities. At present, different terms such as Computer-Assisted Instruction (CAI), Computer-Based Instruction (CBI), Computer-Based Education (CBE), and Computer-Assisted Learning (CAL) are used in educational literature. Although these terms are closely related, they differ slightly in meaning. CBI and CBE generally refer to broad computer-based educational practices, whereas CAI and CAL specifically focus on interactive teaching-learning activities such as tutorials, educational games, simulations, and practice exercises.
Consumer Insights on Digital Currency Adoption (e₹-Retail) in Tamil Nadu
This study examines the knowledge, views, and use of the Digital Rupee (e₹-Retail) among people in Tier-II cities in Tamil Nadu. This is a type of digital currency issued by the Reserve Bank of India. This study used descriptive and analytical methods. This study collected data from 168 people who know about the Digital Rupee in cities such as Madurai, Coimbatore, Trichy, and Salem and delves into the factors influencing adoption, including convenience, security, trust, and ease of use, while also examining the demographic influences on awareness and perception. The findings indicate moderate awareness, primarily fuelled by social media, with shopping and retail purchases being the main purposes of usage. Factor analysis identified four key drivers of adoption: perceived usefulness, transparency and security, ease of use, and trustworthiness. Although demographic variables such as age and gender showed no significant correlation with awareness levels, income influenced confidence in digital payment systems. Challenges such as privacy concerns and limited merchant acceptance were noted. This study recommends enhancing awareness campaigns, boosting digital literacy, expanding offline transaction capabilities, incentivising merchant participation, and strengthening security measures to encourage broader adoption. The Digital Rupee holds significant potential to advance a secure, efficient, and inclusive cashless economy in emerging urban centers.
Swami Vivekanand ke Vaidik Shiksha ke Siddhant ke Pariprekshya me N. E. P. 2020 ka Ek Addhyan
System and Method of Natural Language to SQL Translation Using Neural Network Architecture
The translation of natural language into SQL (NL2SQL) plays a vital role in making database systems accessible to non-technical users. Although large language models (LLMs) have significantly advanced NL2SQL performance, deploying them on hardware with limited computational resources remains a major challenge. This paper presents an optimized approach based on the Gemma3 1B model, designed specifically for efficient NL2SQL translation under consumer-grade hardware constraints. The proposed method integrates parameter-efficient fine-tuning (PEFT) using QLoRA, schema-aware processing, and prompt engineering to enhance both accuracy and performance. Experimental evaluations conducted on benchmark datasets such as Spider and WikiSQL demonstrate notable improvements in query translation accuracy despite hardware limitations. This study provides a practical framework for implementing lightweight yet effective NL2SQL systems, thereby promoting wider accessibility and democratization of database interaction.
Women as Architects of their own Destiny in Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's Novels.
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni Author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is an all-round Indian American author, poet, essayist, and educator. She is known for her contribution to diasporic literature. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni was born on 29 July 1956 in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Chitra Banerjee name was initially Chitralekha Banerjee. She migrated to the United States after doing odd jobs she then became a famous writer known for portraying women's lives, Indian culture, and diasporic experiences. As a poet, author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni a powerful portrayal of women's lives, immigration, identity and cultural conflicts. Her higher education in United States later became a prominent voice in south Asian diasporic literature. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is now a famous Indian American writer. She is known for great work diasporic living author. She hands powerful tools like women, family, culture, migration and identity in her novels. In her novel she gives voice to women's emotions and struggles, these making her one of the most important contemporary authors of diasporic literature. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni who underwent struggle and a well-known for creating strong female characters, these characters face challenges with courage, wisdom, and determination. In Chitra Banerjee's novel her women protagonists are not passive, they make their own choices, they overcome their hardships, and importantly they journey of her self-discovery. so many barricades she comes through across. she bravely searches for the truth about her identity and learns to trust her own strength. Identity is the foundation of a person's life. Identity is strong searching of identity is a hardship for her in the novel. It helps people know themselves, preserve their roots, and build a meaningful future. with identity they gain confidence and direction, without them they feel lost. It triggers a sense of belonging, self-confidence and purpose in life. It connects individuals to their culture, family traditions, and values while helping them make decisions and face challenges. In Chitra Banerjee's novel the Mistress of spices features a woman who uses her knowledge and compassion to help others while struggling between name of duty and personal desire. In this novel her journey reflects self-awareness and empowerment. Tilo not only discovers her own identity but also helps her immigrant community people to find strength, hope and belonging. She looks her spice shop, in need she listens to their problems, guides them through loneliness cultural conflicts, racism, family issues, and emotional struggles. At last, she becomes a source of comfort and support for migrants who are trying to adjust to life in a foreign, land. The commercial well-run novel the Palace of Illusion by Divakaruni retells the epic from a woman's perspective. the Protagonist is intelligent, outspoken, and determined to shape her own destiny despite the restrictions placed upon her. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's novels, speaks her female characters challenges social norms, confront personal struggles, and emerge as architects of their own Destiny. Architecting one's Own life and supporting others is a remarkable achievement. For this price, it needs high valued quality is courage, self-awareness, resilience, and determination to make independent choices and shape one's destiny despite challenges. This is big value. the women in Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's novels became architects of their own lives. They refuse to be defined by, social expectations, cultural limitations and importantly circumstances. Only through their strength and perseverance, they design their own paths and create meaningful identities. discover their inner strength. in novel throughout character's journeys, Divakaruni highlights women's resilience, self-awareness, independence, and emotional growth. In her novel characters often struggle against social expectations, cultural conflicts, and personal difficulties, even though they emerge stronger and more confident. through her novel giving voices to women's experiences and untold emotions, she celebrates their ability to shape their own destinies and inspire other through journey. In Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's novels female characters are strong, brave and independent. The characters or mainly protagonists face many problems in life, but they never give up. Through their courage and self-belief, they find their own destiny in their life and architects of their own life and destiny. In sisters of my heart by Divakaruni two women who face family expectations, separation, and importantly emotional struggle with courage. Basically, their strong bond helps them overcome hardships and make independent decisions. Food tied upon culture, food is not only a source of nutrition but also a symbol of culture, identity, love and family bonding. food carries its culture, memories, traditions, and a sense of belonging from one generation to another. food quietly ties a family to the together like a thread. In a shared meal, stories are told, memories are created, and love is expressed without words. food not just fills the stomach, it fills the heart with a sense of belonging, comfort, and togetherness. the taste and aroma of traditional food keep them connected to their own roots even when life takes family members far from home. food preserves cultures, values, traditions and strengthen relationships, it reminds people where they come from. In migrants’ life food often become a bridge between the old world and the new, also helping them hold on to their rich heritage while building a new life. the moment of family mealtime where affection, care and cultural values are shared and passed down.
Deep Learning Approaches for Mental Health Detection Using Facial Emotion Recognition: A Systematic Review
: Depression, anxiety, stress have been on a rise across the world, and the need for early, accurate, and scalable diagnosis solutions is growing. The conventional assessment techniques are subjective, time-consuming and rely on clinical experience. Facial Emotion Recognition (FER) has been a promising non-invasive method for identifying mental health disorders using AI technology of facial expression analysis in recent years. This paper systematically reviews 50 research papers published from 2021 to 2024, which specifically concentrate on mental health detection based on FER using deep learning. The review covers different deep learning models such as Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks and hybrid CNN-LSTM models. It also summarizes recent research on preprocessing methods, datasets, evaluation metrics, and multimodal learning methods. The results show that CNN-LSTM and attention based models have higher accuracy, by learning both spatial and temporal emotional features each. Moreover, multimodal integration of speech, physiological signals and facial expression contributes to the robustness and reliability of the system. Even with these progressions, there are still a number of hurdles to overcome, such as data imbalance, cultural bias, overfitting, and few data validations in real-world scenarios. Further, the deployment of real-time applications is limited by the computational complexity and by the need of lightweight models. In this review, we point out some major research gaps and suggest future directions, including explainable AI models, diverse and clinically validated datasets, and efficient architectures for real-time applications. The study is overall useful to researchers and practitioners for creating reliable and scalable systems for detecting mental health problems by using FER.
Yoga and Psychological Well-being: An Empirical Analysis among Working Professionals
The mental health toll of contemporary professional life, marked by extended screen time, compressed deadlines, and an erosion of boundaries between work and home, has drawn growing attention to accessible, self-directed wellness practices. Yoga is frequently promoted as one such practice, yet its constituent elements, postural work, breath control, meditative attention, lifestyle habits, and consistency of engagement, are seldom examined as separate predictors of well-being within a single study, particularly among salaried professionals in emerging-market settings. This paper reports an empirical assessment of six dimensions of yoga practice, namely asana (physical postures), pranayama (breath regulation), meditation and mindfulness, practice regularity, yogic lifestyle adoption, and perceived practice commitment, in relation to an overall psychological well-being score built from stress reduction, emotional well-being, work-life balance, and life satisfaction items. A structured questionnaire was administered to 200 working professionals drawn from six employment sectors, and the resulting data were examined through reliability analysis, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression. All ten constructs met acceptable reliability standards (Cronbach's alpha between 0.755 and 0.843). The regression model was statistically significant, F(6, 193) = 13.22, p < .001, accounting for 29.1 per cent of the variance in psychological well-being (R² = 0.291, Adjusted R² = 0.269). Meditation & Mindfulness Practice, Asana (Physical Postures) Practice, and Pranayama (Breathing Practice) emerged as statistically significant positive predictors, whereas Practice Regularity/Consistency, Yogic Lifestyle Adoption, and Perceived Practice Commitment did not reach significance once the other dimensions were held constant. Gender, age group, yoga experience, and practice frequency produced no statistically significant differences in well-being scores. The results point to meditative and breath-based components of practice as carrying particular weight in shaping psychological outcomes, with implications for how organisations and practitioners might structure yoga-based wellness initiatives.
Risk Perception on Impulsive Online Buying Behaviour among Women in Madurai City”- A Comprehensive Study
Online shopping is a boon tothe consumers. Consumers buy a assortment of items from online stores. Customer's buying behavior is not been influenced and controlled by the brand and firm, but also controlled through various search engines, online reviews, online advertisements, Digital environment has a growing effect on consumers' minds and buying behavior. The growing digital economy has opened up new models for retailing, and consumers across the world face new opportunities and challenges. With the convenience and accessibility of e-commerce, individuals, especially women, are increasingly engaging in impulsive online buying. . Women buyers play a vital role in purchasing goods or availing services through online. Perceived risks play a significant role in decision-making processes, and also helps to understand how these risks influence impulsive buying behaviour of women. Perceived risks in online buying refers to the concerns or uncertainties that women consumers face. These perceived risks varies from person to person. Fear of identity theft, insecure payment gateways, product quality and authenticity risk, delayed or lost shipments are some risks faced by women buyers while purchasing online.Understanding these perceived risks and addressing them through effective communication, transparent policies, and secure online shopping environments can help businesses build trust with consumers and reduce barriers to online purchasing. Conversely, consumers can make more informed decisions by being aware of these risks and taking appropriate precautions when shopping online.This paper aims to identify the relationship between perceived risks and impulsive online buying behavior among women in Madurai city.
संस्कृतनाटके प्राकृतभाषाप्रयोगे लक्षणग्रन्थानां मतम् - एकं पाठ्यगतं सामाजिक-नाट्यशास्त्रीयं च अध्ययनम् ।
संस्कृतनाटकेषु संस्कृत-प्राकृतभाषयोः सहप्रयोगः तस्य कश्चन विशिष्टः संरचनात्मको गुणो वर्तते। अस्मिन् शोधलेखे प्रमुखलक्षणग्रन्थानां दृष्ट्या नाट्यभाषायाः नियमाः कथं निरूपिताः, विपरिवर्तिताः, विकसिताश्चेति विविच्यते। भरतमुनेः नाट्यशास्त्रम् (अभिनवगुप्तकृत-अभिनवभारतीसहितम्), दण्डिनः काव्यादर्शः, धनञ्जयस्य दशरूपकम्, भोजस्य सरस्वतीकण्ठाभरणम्, सागरनन्दिनः नाटकलक्षणरत्नकोशः, विश्वनाथकविराजस्य साहित्यदर्पणम्, सिंहभूपालस्य रसार्णवसुधाकरः, रूपगोस्वामिनः नाटकचन्द्रिका चेति ग्रन्थाः अत्र आधारीकृताः। समीक्षया ज्ञायते यत् प्राकृतभाषा न केवलं संस्कृतादपभ्रष्टा हीना वा, अपितु पात्र-लिङ्ग-देश-कार्य- औचित्यादीन् अनुसृत्य तस्याः विशिष्टं नाटकीयमुपादेयत्वं स्वीकृतमस्ति। भरतमुनेः व्यापकीकरणादारभ्य धनञ्जय-विश्वनाथादीनां संक्षिप्तनियमान् प्राप्य उत्तरवर्तिभिः आचार्यैः भाषा-विभाषा-देशभाषादिभेदैः इयं परम्परा संवर्धिता। अतः संस्कृतनाटकं नाम सुसङ्घटिता एका बहुभाषामयी प्रदर्शिनी पद्धतिरिति लक्षणग्रन्थानां रहस्यम्।
Merath Janpad ke Madhymik star par U. P. aur C. B. S. E. Board ke Vidhyarthiyon ke Samayojan tatha Pariksha Chinta ka Ek Addhyan
Beyond the Backlash: Challenging the Distorted Narrative of Feminism
Feminism has long been subjected to misrepresentation, often portrayed as a movement that promotes hostility toward men, rejects traditional values, or seeks female superiority. Such distorted narratives, amplified through media, popular culture, and social discourse, have contributed to widespread misconceptions and backlash against feminist ideals. This paper challenges these misconceptions by revisiting the historical evolution, core principles, and diverse strands of feminism. It argues that feminism fundamentally advocates for gender equality, social justice, and the dismantling of systemic inequalities that affect people across gender identities. By examining the social, cultural, and political factors responsible for the distortion of feminist discourse, the study highlights the gap between the movement's actual objectives and its public perception. Furthermore, it explores how contemporary feminist scholarship and activism seek to reclaim feminism from stereotypes and ideological misrepresentation through education, intersectionality, and inclusive dialogue. Ultimately, the paper contends that reclaiming feminism requires a critical understanding of its foundational values and a conscious effort to challenge misinformation. By moving beyond the backlash, feminism can be recognized not as a divisive ideology but as a transformative movement committed to equality, dignity, and human rights for all.
Public Healthcare Financing and Rural Health Service Delivery in Meghalaya
This study aims to analyse the effect of public healthcare financing on healthcare services in the rural areas of Meghalaya with a particular emphasis on accessibility, infrastructure, and the effectiveness of the services. The study employed quantitative method with descriptive and analytical type of research. A structured questionnaire was used to gather data from 150 respondents, of who were rural healthcare beneficiaries, healthcare workers, medical officers and government health officials. Statistic tools as correlation and regression analysis were performed using SPSS 27 and MS Excel. The results showed that the effects of public funding of health care services in rural areas are largely positive for the quality of the services. Furthermore, it was found that funding of healthcare had a positive relationship with healthcare accessibility for the rural population. The study underscores the need for proper financial planning, fair distribution of health facilities and better investments by the government to make the rural healthcare system strong in Meghalaya. But there are still challenges with infrastructure and the distribution of resources to ensure effective health services.
The Trap of Overshadowing Righteousness: An Analysis of Human Struggles in Kamala Markandaya’s Nectar in a Sieve
The word ‘righteousness’ may be unfamiliar to this modern era. The people’s so-called smartness provokes them to ask these questions: Why should I follow righteousness? What is the benefit of that? This tendency reflects the expectation of advantages from doing everything, even their duties. The prevailing misconception among humans is that righteousness is an illusion and man-made. Owing to this, righteousness is one of the least concerns in the age of quarrel and hypocrisy. If this condition prevails, all unethical actions become ethical in the name of self-righteousness. The paper aims to check the relevance of moral concepts developed by the philosopher Immanuel Kant to the contemporary world. In addition to that, the researcher will analyze the situations or determinism (fate) that made the characters of Kamala Markandaya act against the moral philosophy of Immanuel Kant. The paper adopts a qualitative approach to understand the struggles of people who are trapped under the veil of ignorance and choose self-righteousness over righteousness.
A Study on Comparison of Water and Sanitation Problems in the Rural and Urban Areas of Madurai District
Water has become one of India's most valuable natural resources, often regarded as being as precious as gold due to the increasing scarcity of freshwater. Although India is home to nearly 18 per cent of the world's population, it possesses only about 4 per cent of the world's freshwater resources, making it one of the most water-stressed countries globally. With a population exceeding 1.4 billion, ensuring equitable access to safe and adequate water remains a major developmental challenge. A considerable proportion of the population continues to lack access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation facilities. Limited access to clean water, inadequate sanitation infrastructure, and the practice of open defecation contribute significantly to the prevalence of water-borne diseases, malnutrition, and preventable deaths, particularly among children and other vulnerable groups. The COVID-19 pandemic further highlighted the critical importance of reliable access to clean water for maintaining personal hygiene and preventing the spread of infectious diseases. Consequently, improving water supply and sanitation services has become a national public health priority. The growing demand for water, rapid urbanization, industrial expansion, agricultural intensification, and population growth have placed tremendous pressure on India's limited water resources. According to the government's policy think tank, NITI Aayog, a large proportion of the country's population experiences high to extreme levels of water stress. This situation is further aggravated by India's heavy dependence on the monsoon, which has become increasingly erratic due to climate change. Rising temperatures, irregular rainfall patterns, frequent floods, and prolonged droughts have intensified the challenges of sustainable water resource management. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, the Government of India has launched several initiatives to improve water security, expand access to safe drinking water, and strengthen sanitation infrastructure. International organizations, including the World Bank, have also supported India through financial assistance, technical expertise, and capacity-building programmes aimed at promoting integrated water resource management, improving rural and urban water supply systems, and enhancing sanitation services. These collaborative efforts are essential for achieving sustainable development, protecting public health, and ensuring universal access to safe water and sanitation.
AI-Powered Tools and Their Impact on English Language Learning Outcomes
The rapid diffusion of artificial intelligence (AI) into language classrooms has reshaped how learners practice speaking, writing, vocabulary, and grammar, prompting researchers to ask whether these tools measurably improve English language learning outcomes. This paper reviews recent empirical and review-based literature on AI-powered applications -- including intelligent tutoring systems, automatic speech recognition tools such as ELSA Speak, adaptive platforms such as Duolingo, and generative chatbots such as ChatGPT -- to assess their effects on pronunciation, writing proficiency, vocabulary and grammar acquisition, engagement, and learner motivation. Drawing on mixed-methods studies, systematic reviews, and controlled comparisons published between 2023 and 2026, the paper finds consistent evidence that AI tools enhance engagement, provide timely and individualized feedback, and produce learning gains that are often comparable to, though not reliably greater than, traditional classroom instruction. At the same time, the literature identifies recurring concerns, including accent bias in speech-recognition feedback, superficial or inconsistent writing feedback, over-reliance on automated correction, and unequal access to premium features. The paper concludes that AI tools function most effectively as a complement to, rather than a replacement for, teacher-mediated instruction, and it offers recommendations for the pedagogically grounded integration of AI into English language teaching
Cultural Values and Human Relationships in the Select Novels of Sudha Murthy
Sudha Murthy occupies a distinctive place in contemporary Indian English writing because her fiction speaks in a plain, accessible idiom while engaging with the deepest anxieties of the Indian middle-class family: the pull between tradition and modernity, the value placed on money against the value placed on relationships, and the quiet negotiations that hold households together or pull them apart. This paper undertakes a thematic and textual study of cultural values and human relationships in four of her select novels - Dollar Bahu, Mahashweta, Gently Falls the Bakula, and House of Cards. It examines how Murthy uses ordinary domestic situations - a mother-in-law comparing daughters-in-law, a wife abandoned after an illness, a career woman drifting from her husband, and a family corroded by ambition - to dramatise the collision between inherited cultural values such as sacrifice, loyalty, and filial duty and the pressures of migration, materialism, and professional ambition. Using a qualitative, interpretative method grounded in close reading, the study argues that Murthy neither romanticises tradition nor uncritically celebrates modernity; instead, she locates ethical worth in characters who sustain relationships through empathy, patience, and self-respect, regardless of whether they are termed traditional or modern. The paper concludes that Murthy's novels function as moral narratives for a transitional Indian society, offering a humanistic framework in which cultural values are validated not by their antiquity but by their capacity to nurture genuine human relationships.
Culture as a Determinant of Personality: A study of Identity, Gender, and Diasporic Transformation in the Selected Novels of Divakaruni
This study examines in human life culture as a determinant of personality through the lens of identity, gender, and diasporic transformation in writer Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's selected novels. Author Divakaruni's fiction consistently portrays Indian women navigating the trauma between inherited cultural values and the demands one’s own demands of western life Making her work a rich site for exploring how culture shapes one’s selfhood. Drawing Novels such as The Mistress of Spices, Sister of my heart, Queen of dreams, oleander Girl, and Before we visit the God, The palace of illusion, this research investigates how one’s personality is not a fixed, innate structure but a fluid construct continuously negotiated through cultural context, migration, and generational change. This study organized three interlinked concerns. The study first examines identity formation, looking at how characters internalize, resist, or reinterpret the cultural norms handed down through family, tradition, and homeland. It then turns to gender as a culturally constructed category, tracing how Divakaruni's heroines confront patriarchal expectations around sexuality, marriage, and autonomy — expectations that shift depending on whether the setting is Indian, diasporic, or hybrid. A third strand addresses diasporic transformation, drawing on theoretical frameworks such as Homi Bhabha's notion of hybridity and the third space, alongside Stuart Hall's account of cultural identity as production rather than fixed essence. Through close textual analysis, the study argues that Divakaruni portrays selfhood as culturally contingent and relational — shaped by the friction between tradition and modernity, homeland and host land, self and community. Study argues that the diasporic people, in it women are not simply a victim of passive trapped between varied cultures. Instead, women portrayed as an active in every single individua who shapes their identity through memory, negotiation, and adaptation. Divakaruni's novels shows that identity is fixed not constantly evolving. By presenting culture, gender, and as fluid the self-changing, the research contributes to postcolonial feminist criticism and diasporic studies both. The study focuses on culture, personality, identity, gender, and diaspora.
Customer Satisfaction in Social Media Marketing: An Analysis of Influencing Factors and Educational Differences
This study investigates customer satisfaction in social media marketing by examining the key factors that influence consumer perception and engagement. In the contemporary digital landscape, social media platforms such as Instagram play a significant role in shaping purchasing behavior, particularly among younger consumers. This study is based on primary data collected from 148 respondents. The key variables analyzed included visual appeal, influencer promotions, discounts, and video-based content, which are considered critical determinants of marketing effectiveness. Furthermore, this study evaluates whether customer satisfaction varies across different educational qualification groups using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The findings reveal that while these factors significantly influence customer satisfaction, there is no statistically significant difference across educational levels, indicating the consistent impact of social media marketing strategies on diverse consumer groups.
Determinants of Passenger Satisfaction and Behavioural Intention: Evidence from Tamil Nadu State Corporation (TNSTC) Bus Services
This study examines passenger satisfaction and behavioral intention towards the services of Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) by applying the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). This study aimed to analyze the influence of key psychological constructs— attitude Towards behavior, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control —on passengers’ intention to use public bus transport services. A structured questionnaire was administered using convenience sampling, where 150 questionnaires were distributed, and 131 valid responses were collected for analysis.This study employs descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and regression analysis to evaluate the relationships among the variables. The findings revealed that attitude Towards behavior and perceived behavioral control had a significant positive impact on behavioral intention, while Subjective Norms showed a moderate influence. Additionally, service-related factors, such as reliability, affordability, and accessibility, were found to contribute significantly to overall passenger satisfaction.This study provides practical implications for the TNSTC to enhance service quality and increase passenger retention by focusing on customer-centric strategies. It also contributes to the existing literature by extending the application of TPB in the context of public transportation in developing economies.
Women's Agency in Local Governance During the Pandya Period: An Epigraphic Study of Madurai Region
This study examines women's agency in local governance during the Pandya period (c. sixth–fourteenth centuries CE) through an analysis of epigraphic records from the Madurai region. While medieval South Indian administrative institutions such as the ur, sabha, nagaram, and temple organizations have been widely studied, the role of women within these institutional frameworks has received comparatively little scholarly attention. Drawing upon inscriptions published in South Indian Inscriptions and the Annual Report on Indian Epigraphy, this paper investigates how women participated in governance through property ownership, religious patronage, land transactions, and temple endowments.The study argues that although women rarely occupied formal positions within village assemblies, they exercised meaningful influence by supporting institutions that formed the administrative and economic foundations of local society. Donations of land, livestock, lamps, and other endowments initiated administrative procedures involving temple authorities and village institutions, thereby integrating women into governance processes. The inscriptional evidence also reveals significant variations in women's participation based on social status, caste affiliation, and access to economic resources, with queens, elite women, and temple-associated women enjoying greater opportunities for public engagement than women from lower social groups.By reinterpreting governance beyond formal political office, this paper demonstrates that women's contributions were embedded within the interconnected spheres of religion, economy, and local administration. It contends that female agency in the Pandya period was negotiated within prevailing patriarchal structures rather than exercised through direct institutional authority. The study contributes to the historiography of medieval South India by foregrounding gender as an essential dimension of local governance and by offering a more inclusive understanding of political participation in the Pandya kingdom.
Artificial Intelligence versus Human Expertise in Wealth Management: A Comparative Study of Robo-Advisory and Traditional Financial Advisory Services
The rapid advancement of financial technology (FinTech), artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and digital transformation has fundamentally reshaped the global wealth management industry. Investment advisory services, once dominated by human financial advisors, are increasingly being supplemented and, in some cases, replaced by algorithm-driven digital advisory platforms known as robo-advisors. These platforms automate portfolio construction, investment monitoring, and asset allocation through sophisticated algorithms, enabling investors to access professional wealth management services at significantly lower costs than traditional advisory models.
Manipulated Masculinity: Women as Architects of Male Identity in Perumal Murugan’s Fiction
Men are known for their power, strength, vulnerability why not known for their softness, can a men be soft is that suits the framework of masculinity a tons of framework had been created to the male gender in the name of social constructiveness but the hidden truth is all these framework were fabricated by the female gender. Men can be easily manipulated by women this pattern is existing till date. A typical example from Adam, he was manipulated by the Eve, though Adam knows not to break the rules but he was forced to do that. That’s the start of every male whenever their ego in the name of masculinity is triggered they fall in the trap. This paper reflects how men are manipulated by the women through the fictional characters from the Perumal Murugan’s selected novels.
Societal Pleasure, Structural Chaos, and Alienation in Nayantara Sahgal’s Rich Like Us
People in India are categorized into groups and classes based on a variety of factors, including caste, community, economic status, religion, and more. As a result, one segment of society starts dominating the other. The dominant groups create inequity and injustice against the voiceless. As a result, they lose their identity, cultural heritage, and moral rights. The Indian Emergency of the 1970s, which caused a serious political crisis in the nation, serves as the setting for Nayantara Sahgal’s Rich Like Us. The theme presented in the novel is the concept that consumerism has the potential to make developing countries wealthy. Sahgal reveals how materialism and the delusion of progress enable the ruling class to pursue luxury and wealth, which ultimately undermines social fairness and democratic ideals. This paper attempts to bring forth the scenarios of societal pleasure that lead to structural disorder and alienation in the novel.
Subjugation and Survival: Examining Patriarchy and Marriage in Jean Sasson’s Princess Series.
While the glittering facade of a Saudi palace evokes visions of unimaginable luxury and royal splendour, the lived reality for women within this deeply conservative, male-dominated society tells a far darker story. Behind gilded doors, female autonomy is systematically constrained by rigid patriarchal structures and religion-centric governance. Over the past two decades, courageous writers such as Taslima Nasrin, Latifa, and Jean Sasson have brought national and international visibility to these suppressed lives behind the veil, exposing the systemic human rights issues hidden beneath cultural traditions. Sasson’s literary output occupies a pivotal space in this discourse, specifically highlighting the quiet suffering and quiet resilience of Saudi women navigating extreme subjugation. The foundation of her most influential work was laid in 1983 through a rare, intimate friendship with a Saudi royal, Princess Sultana. This unique bond granted Sasson unprecedented access to the heavily guarded private sphere of the Saudi elite, eventually culminating in her groundbreaking Princess trilogy. By critically examining the narrative arc across Princess, Daughters of Arabia, and Desert Royal, this paper explores how institutionalized patriarchy and religious fundamentalism function not as separate entities, but as interconnected forces acting as two sides of the same coin. Through this lens, the paper demonstrates how moral, legal, and social codes are weaponized to enforce female submission, while simultaneously celebrating the covert acts of resistance through which these women reclaim their humanity and voice.
Objectification of Women in Upamanyu Chatterjee’s English August – A Subaltern Study
This paper breaks from this pattern to look at the elite hero concerning his connection to the subaltern, giving explicit consideration to narrative voice both the third-person omniscient narrator and Agastya's monologues; that is, the elite portrayal of the tribal woman is generally currently imbricated in her subalternity. Since subaltern cognizance is generally liable to the "cathexis of the elite," an investigation of the self-avowedly elitist narrative voice intervened by the narrator's class position, his social roots, and his location, considers a more deliberate examination of the outlining of subalternity. This makes the assignment of recuperating subaltern organization a perusing of narrative contrary to what would be expected, in a manner of speaking. From these holes and nonappearances arises a subaltern epistemic structure that honors quiet and the body over discourse. The manners by which the portrayal of Para’s character entangles our understandings of the subaltern as an ontological classification and adjusts how we might interpret the subaltern's connection to the political.
Contemporary Mental Health Issues among Indian High School Students: Challenges and Protective Factors
Mental health has emerged as one of the most significant public health concerns affecting adolescents worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries such as India. High school students experience a developmental period characterised by rapid biological, psychological, cognitive, emotional, and social changes that increase their susceptibility to mental health challenges. The increasing academic competition, examination pressure, parental expectations, peer influence, digital technology use, cyberbullying, social media exposure, body image dissatisfaction, substance use, sleep disturbances, and emotional instability collectively contribute to psychological distress among adolescents. This review paper critically examines the contemporary mental health landscape of high school students in India by synthesising empirical studies published between 2020 and 2026. It explores the prevalence, determinants, and consequences of common mental health problems, including stress, anxiety, depression, emotional disorders, behavioural problems, and suicidal ideation. The paper further discusses protective factors such as resilience, emotional intelligence, positive school climate, family support, life skills education, mindfulness, and school-based mental health interventions. Special emphasis is placed on preventive strategies aligned with the National Education Policy (2020), the National Mental Health Programme, and the World Health Organization's recommendations for promoting adolescent mental well-being. The review concludes by advocating a collaborative and holistic approach involving schools, parents, teachers, counsellors, healthcare professionals, and policymakers to establish mentally healthy educational environments that foster resilience, emotional competence, academic success, and overall well-being among Indian adolescents.
Professional Excellence and Teaching Effectiveness among School Teachers
Professional excellence and teaching effectiveness are two fundamental pillars of quality education. In the rapidly changing educational landscape of the twenty-first century, school teachers are expected to possess not only sound subject knowledge but also pedagogical expertise, technological competence, ethical values, communication skills, and a commitment to continuous professional development. Professional excellence enables teachers to perform their responsibilities with competence, confidence, and dedication, whereas teaching effectiveness reflects the teacher's ability to facilitate meaningful learning experiences that enhance students' academic achievement, creativity, critical thinking, and holistic development. The quality of a nation's education system largely depends on the professional excellence and effectiveness of its teachers. This article discusses the concept, dimensions, characteristics, determinants, challenges, and strategies for enhancing professional excellence and teaching effectiveness among school teachers. It also examines the relationship between these two constructs and highlights their significance in improving educational outcomes.
The Mutation of Mannity: Reimagining Masculine Identity in the Selected Novels of Perumal Murugan
Liberation of men is not yet happened even in this era, there is a structure which had built by the society that the world is ruled by men called patriarchal system, women are portrayed as a weak one , they are marginalized, no way to have a power system for women and a lots of mythical tale about feminism and masculinity. But the truth is the so called voiced men are marginalized by the pseudo constructiveness of the society. It had become a pattern for generation after generations and now most of the men are in the state of mutation. This paper explicit the mutation of masculinity from the Perumal Murugan’s selected novel through the male characters
Language Component and Shift in Narratives in Upamanyu Chatterjee’s The Last Burden
Upamanyu Chatterjee is a powerful emergent voice in Indian postcolonial literature. He has written a handful of short stories and novels. His second novel, The Last Burden, appeared in 1993 which depicts familial relationships in an Indian middle class family at the end of the twentieth century. In the novel, he traces the lives of different people constituting a joint family, superbly portraying their emotions, needs, desires and frustrations. The novel portrays the financial, social and emotional issues that make people favour a nuclear family in contrast to a joint family. The novelist employs somewhat strong language but definitely makes the readers aware of the actual frictions that exist within the joint family structure. It elegantly portrays the decisions and sacrifices made by different people in a family and the frictions and the frustrations thereby. It also portrays the struggle of the newer generation in order to move into a nuclear family structure from a strictly hierarchical joint family structure where even the elders have an even more elderly person who dictates the terms, having two fold structure of patriarchy of the Indian society, of the State and family. The novel tells about Jamun, a work less young man and his old father, Shyamanand and, his dying mother, Urmila. The novel opens at the death bed of Urmila and takes us through the story of this middle-class family. The emotions and seriousness bind the readers to the story and keep him engrossed till he is through it. The paper would like to explore about the narrative technique and style of the novel The Last Burden.
Left Out in the Cold: Abandonment, Secrets, and Displacement in Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s Oleander Girl
This paper explores how abandonment, secrets and displacement occur to shape Karobi’s thrust of anxiety and her identity. She experiences a primal sense of abandonment that her attachments turn into anxiety and distrust. The revelation of secrets from her grandfather and grandmother shook her sense of home, which led her to travel to America to find her identity and biological father. Secrets act as both wound and catalyst. Displacement played a vital role in Karobi’s fragmented identities. Karobi, the protagonist, doesn’t choose recovery by staying at home; instead, she chooses displacement. In this novel, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni beautifully conveys the experience of a woman archetypal protagonist’s quest for Identity through her core desire, beset by challenges, to rebuild who she is, where we can feel the depth of her pain at a young age and her emergence as a proud identity. She also shows how a resilient individual turned into an independent one.
Digital Governance, and Democratic Accountability: A Comparative Analysis of Emerging Political Systems
The rapid advancement of digital technologies has transformed governance systems by reshaping public administration, service delivery, citizen participation, and governmental accountability. Digital governance has emerged as a critical component of contemporary democratic reforms, enabling governments to enhance transparency, efficiency, responsiveness, and public engagement through the adoption of information and communication technologies (ICT), artificial intelligence, big data analytics, and digital public services. While these technological innovations present significant opportunities for strengthening democratic accountability, emerging political systems continue to face substantial institutional, technological, and socio-economic challenges, including digital inequality, cybersecurity threats, data privacy concerns, bureaucratic resistance, and uneven digital infrastructure. This paper provides a comparative theoretical analysis of digital governance and democratic accountability across emerging political systems by integrating perspectives from Good Governance Theory, Digital Democracy Theory, Network Governance Theory, Institutional Theory, Principal–Agent Theory, and New Public Management. Through comparative examination of governance practices across selected developing democracies, the study evaluates how digital transformation influences transparency, citizen participation, public trust, administrative efficiency, and institutional accountability. The paper concludes that successful digital governance depends not only on technological modernization but also on robust democratic institutions, inclusive policymaking, effective legal frameworks, and sustained citizen engagement that collectively strengthen democratic accountability and sustainable governance.
Where There’s a Will by Mahesh Dattani: The Politics of Non - Conformist Sexuality
This research looks at how Dattani displays and defies gender stereotypes. The purpose of the paper is to investigate how Dattani has represented gender and undermined gender norms. In order to demonstrate Dattani's perceptions and responses in relation to gender and gender constructions vs those of society, the study uses relevant examples from the literature. In addition, the study makes the most of the text's examples to demonstrate how Dattani simultaneously embodies and dismantles gender norms. Additionally, it depicts the hierarchy of genders and their respective positions within the patriarchal, heterogeneous, dominant society. Additionally, to determine the author's inspiration for composing these plays as well as the ideology they represent. Dattani is well-known for both his broad range of themes and subjects and his technical mastery. Essentially, the study is text-focused. In an effort to effect social change and a sociocultural revolution to raise public awareness of the necessity for reforming the current social structure, these chosen plays have undertaken audacious inventions and experiments and dealt with issues relevant to the current social context. The plays portray the intense conflicts of modern city life and address the ambitions of the underprivileged and marginalized segments of society.
A Critical Study of History, Nationalism, and Human Values in Manohar Malgonkar’s Distant Drum and Shalimar
Indian English fiction has significantly contributed to the representation of the social, political, and cultural changes that India underwent during both the colonial and postcolonial eras. Among the authors who have made notable contributions to this literary tradition, Manohar Malgonkar stands out due to his historical insights, realistic depiction of military life, and deep understanding of human relationships. His novels illustrate the connection between personal experiences and broader national issues. Distant Drum and Shalimar are two key works that showcase his artistic talent in merging history with fiction and in depicting the intricacies of Indian society.This study explores the themes of history, nationalism, cultural identity, and human values in Distant Drum and Shalimar. It examines how Malgonkar portrays military ethics, social change, emotional struggles, and the quest for identity within a shifting political landscape. Additionally, the paper analyzes the narrative techniques utilized by the author and emphasizes his impact on Indian English literature. Through a comparative analysis of the two novels, the study posits that Malgonkar’s fiction goes beyond simple historical storytelling, evolving into a profound exploration of human bravery, moral duty, and national awareness. The paper concludes that Malgonkar adeptly fuses historical truth with literary creativity, thereby enhancing the legacy of Indian English fiction.
To Spin a Yarn is to Pick up the Pieces: Art, Storytelling and Healing in Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s Queen of Dreams
This paper explores how Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s female protagonists undergo displacement, trauma and loss of identity in their survival. Here, storytelling acts as a part of therapeutic survival. Through the protagonist, Jaya, a dream teller and her daughter, Rakhi, a painter, this novel demonstrates that “to spin a yarn” - to narrate the dream and “to pick up the pieces” - pain of migration, loss of identity and historical violence 9/11. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni always uses her intricate way of writing, which shows the immigrants spinning a yarn and how they pick their pieces to know their identity for their origin, purpose, self-satisfaction and healing. Using the themes of art, storytelling and healing, this paper explores the importance of finding one's identity as an immigrant to survive in foreign countries. This research explains how Jaya and Rakhi bridge their identity gap between Kolkata and Berkeley through their way of finding. Healing which acts as a mechanism of recovery to survive and self-reinvention.
Humanistic Vision in the Select Novels of Sudha Murty
Sudha Murty is a prolific Indian author, philanthropist and social worker whose storytelling, which is simple and profound, is grounded in humanistic values, placing her in a unique place of contemporary Indian English literature. This paper discusses the humanistic themes that are embedded in four of Murty's novels: the themes of compassion, empathy, social responsibility, and moral integrity as displayed in the daily life of people. Themes of Dollar Bahu, Mahashweta, House of Cards, and The Old Man and His God explore issues of human suffering, dignity, gender discrimination, class disparity, and the redemptive power of kindness. She has simple stories which are easy to read, but have a great depth of philosophy and concern for human welfare and social justice. The research in this work has revealed that Murty was not only a good storyteller but also an ethical one, and in his fiction he challenges materialism, self-centeredness and social bigotry, and urges the reader to search for a different moral alternative: humility, generosity and connectedness. By analyzing the challenges and changes faced by her characters and their subsequent development, this paper reveals Murty's humanism and her subordination of the particular to the universal, placing her among the humanistic works of literature, which are grounded in an Indian cultural ethos.
Marriage, Family, and the Construction of Female Subjectivity in Anita Nair's Ladies Coupé, Mistress, and Lessons in Forgetting
Marriage and family remain central institutions in Indian society, shaping women's identities through cultural expectations, gendered responsibilities, and emotional relationships. Contemporary Indian women writers increasingly interrogate these institutions by exploring the tensions between social conformity and individual autonomy. This paper examines the representation of marriage, family, and female subjectivity in Anita Nair's Ladies Coupé, Mistress, and Lessons in Forgetting. Drawing on feminist literary criticism, particularly the ideas of Simone de Beauvoir, Elaine Showalter, and Nancy Chodorow, the study analyses how Nair's female protagonists negotiate patriarchal norms embedded within domestic life. Rather than portraying marriage as either wholly oppressive or inherently fulfilling, Nair presents it as a complex social institution where identity is continuously negotiated through love, silence, compromise, and resistance. Through close textual analysis, the paper argues that female subjectivity in Nair's fiction develops gradually through self-reflection and emotional resilience rather than dramatic rebellion. Her protagonists challenge conventional notions of womanhood by seeking relationships grounded in dignity, equality, and mutual recognition. Ultimately, Nair reimagines domestic life as a site of both constraint and transformation, demonstrating that personal freedom begins with self-awareness and the recognition of women as autonomous individuals. By foregrounding the psychological complexities of ordinary women's lives, her novels make a significant contribution to contemporary Indian English literature and feminist discourse.
A Study on Socio -Political Vision in Kamala Markandaya’s Select of Novel “Nectar in a Sieve”
Indian English Literature is an endeavor of showcasing the rare gems of Indian Writing in English. Throughout history, women have always struggled to gain equality, respect and the same rights as men. The authors have chosen the novel “Nectar in a Sieve” The novel tells the story of Rukmani, a young woman who is married off at the age of twelve to a tenant farmer in rural India. Over the course of her life, Rukmani faces numerous hardships, including famine and poverty. Through it all, however, she remains resilient and determined to survive.
A Study on Environmental Perspectives in Amitav Ghosh’s The Hungry Tide
Nature and literature have always had a tight association, as proven by poets' and other writers' works throughout history in practically all societies. Many writers have emerged in the twenty-first century to show the relevance of environmental concerns and their profound connection to literature. AmitavGhosh is one such writer. In a country like India, where ecosystems range from the Himalayas in the north to the Indian Ocean in the south, and from the Sunderbans in the east to the parched Thar in the west, the relationship between nature and society is particularly important. The purpose of this study is to analyse AmitavGhosh's novel The Hungry Tide in in order to see how far an ecocritical approach enriches the story.
Interpersonal and Intra-Personal Issues in Mahasweta Devi’s Rudali
Mahasweta Devi’s Rudali is a powerful indictment of the cultural and socioeconomic systems that sustain marginalization especially for women in rural India. The protagonist of the novel Sanichari, a low-caste woman who turns into a professional mourner, provides a lens through which to examine interpersonal and intrapersonal issues. The novel is set in the impoverished area of Chhotanagpur. Through Sanichari’s life Mahasweta Devi explores the intricate interactions between social relationships and personal struggles bringing to light issues of caste gender exploitation and emotional repression. This paper analyses and looks at how intrapersonal and interpersonal conflicts mirror larger systemic injustices and influence Sanichari’s transformation.
Resistance, Nationalism, and Historical Consciousness in Manohar Malgonkar's The Sea Hawk: Life and Battles of Kanhoji Angrey and A Bend in the Ganges: A Critical Study
Manohar Malgonkar holds a unique place in Indian English literature due to his skill in merging history with fiction, transforming historical events into engaging literary works. His writings demonstrate a deep comprehension of nationalism, colonial resistance, and the intricacies of human relationships. Among his many contributions, The Sea Hawk: Life and Battles of Kanhoji Angrey and A Bend in the Ganges signify two crucial periods in Indian history. The Sea Hawk reconstructs the life and accomplishments of Kanhoji Angrey, the renowned Maratha naval leader who opposed European expansion, while A Bend in the Ganges depicts the Indian freedom struggle and the harrowing events of Partition. This study explores the themes of resistance, nationalism, violence, and human values within these two texts. Utilizing a historical and thematic lens, the paper examines how Malgonkar weaves factual history with literary creativity, highlighting the moral challenges faced by individuals during times of social and political upheaval. Additionally, the analysis delves into the portrayal of colonialism, communal strife, and national identity. It posits that Malgonkar's fiction goes beyond mere historical recounting, serving as a potent commentary on the interplay between history and humanity. Through authentic characterization and a balanced narrative style, the author preserves historical memory while underscoring universal principles such as bravery, sacrifice, tolerance, and dignity.
From Syntax to Semantics: AI-Driven Analysis of Indian Vernacular Languages for Machine Translation
India's linguistic landscape, comprising more than twenty scheduled languages and hundreds of additional dialects spanning multiple language families, presents a distinctive and severe challenge for machine translation (MT) systems predominantly developed and benchmarked on high-resource, Indo-European languages. This paper reviews the evolution of AI-driven natural language processing (NLP) approaches to Indian vernacular languages, tracing the shift from rule-based and statistical syntactic methods toward transformer-based semantic representation learning. The review synthesizes the transformer and multilingual pretraining literature, corpus-development efforts specific to Indian languages, and the growing evidence base on cross-lingual transfer and low-resource neural machine translation (NMT). Particular attention is given to the structural and morphological divergence between Indian languages and the English-centric architectures on which most large language models are trained, and to recent large-scale parallel-corpus and translation-model initiatives targeting this gap directly. Comparative tables summarize corpus scale, language coverage, and reported translation-quality metrics across the reviewed systems. The paper concludes that dedicated multilingual pretraining and large-scale parallel-corpus construction, rather than generic multilingual scaling alone, are the primary drivers of translation-quality gains for Indian vernacular languages, and identifies dialectal and code-mixed language coverage as the central future research prospect.
Analysis of an Advanced Sentiment Classification Model Using Sentiment140 Dataset with Semantic Text Normalization and Comparative Machine Learning
Sentiment analysis of social media text is still an important but difficult problem in Natural Language Processing (NLP) because of the highly informal and noisy text nature. This paper proposes the design and evaluation of an advanced sentiment classification system designed for the Sentiment140 dataset which contains 1.6 million labeled tweets. The work introduces a complex pipeline for semantic text normalization including slang expansion, negation handling, URL/mention removal, and domain-specific tokenization before the feature extraction step. Three classical machine learning classifiers (Logistic Regression (LR), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Naive Bayes (NB)) and two ensemble methods (Random Forest (RF), Gradient Boosting (GB)) are considered in the experimental part. The BoW representation, TF-IDF weighting of unigrams and bigrams, and combination of word-level n-grams are used as the features in the experiments. The results show that the SVM classifier using TF-IDF bigram features produces the best classification accuracy of 87.63%, surpassing the baseline NB classifier by 9.4 percentage points. In general, the presented normalization pipeline consistently leads to better results with respect to all classifiers, with the average improvement being 4.2% in terms of F1-score. This research also includes an ablation study that focuses on the importance of each of the normalization steps and proves the advantage of using linear kernel SVM for solving problems related to high-dimensional sparse feature sets.
An Advanced Cybersecurity Framework for Malware Detection Using Byte N-Grams, Opcode Patterns, ASM Visualization, and XGBoost Classification
The fast growth in the emergence of malware has resulted in the identification of malware detection as one of the vital problems in current cybersecurity issues. Signature-based approaches to malware detection have been proved to have numerous shortcomings in detecting polymorphic and metamorphic forms of malware. This paper describes the evaluation of an advanced cybersecurity solution, which utilizes several static analysis approaches – namely Byte N-Gram features extraction, Opcode sequences analysis, and Assembly (ASM) language representation – along with the XGBoost gradient boosting model. This approach is benchmarked against several well-known baseline models including Random Forest, Support Vector Machine (SVM), Naïve Bayes, and deep learning frameworks. The experiments were conducted on the Microsoft Malware Classification Challenge (BIG 2015) dataset, which consists of 10,868 examples of malware from nine different families. According to the results obtained from the experiments, the integrated framework shows the best classification performance of 98.6% accuracy, 98.3% precision, 97.9% recall, and 98.1% F1-score
Comprehensive Analysis of Content Recommendation Framework for Student Digital Learning
The rapid expansion of digital learning environments has necessitated the development of sophisticated content recommendation frameworks capable of personalizing educational experiences at scale. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of content recommendation frameworks for student digital learning, examining the theoretical underpinnings, architectural components, algorithmic strategies, and empirical outcomes associated with these systems. Drawing on 50 peer-reviewed studies published between 2021 and 2025, this research synthesizes evidence from machine learning, educational psychology, learning analytics, and human-computer interaction to evaluate current approaches and identify emerging best practices. The analysis reveals that hybrid recommendation models integrating collaborative filtering, knowledge-based systems, and deep learning techniques yield the most robust outcomes in terms of learner engagement, knowledge retention, and academic performance. Significant challenges remain in areas of data privacy, algorithmic bias, cold-start problems, and cross-cultural adaptability. This paper proposes a multi-layered Adaptive Content Recommendation Framework (ACRF) that addresses these limitations and charts a course for future research and implementation.
Comprehensive Analysis of IoMT-Based Fall Detection and Prediction System Using Machine Learning Models
Falls represent one of the most critical health hazards for elderly populations globally, accounting for significant morbidity, mortality, and healthcare expenditure. The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) has emerged as a transformative paradigm that interconnects medical devices, sensors, and analytical platforms to enable continuous, real-time health monitoring. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of IoMT-based fall detection and prediction systems leveraging machine learning (ML) models, examining the state-of-the-art methodologies, sensor modalities, algorithmic frameworks, and deployment challenges that define this rapidly evolving field. We systematically review wearable inertial measurement units (IMUs), ambient sensor networks, computer vision approaches, and hybrid sensor fusion strategies, assessing their efficacy in the context of fall detection and proactive fall risk prediction. A detailed survey of ML techniques—spanning classical algorithms such as Support Vector Machines (SVM), Random Forests, and k-Nearest Neighbors (k-NN), to deep learning architectures including Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks, and Transformer-based models—is conducted to evaluate accuracy, latency, and resource constraints. We further analyze edge computing and federated learning strategies for privacy-preserving, low-latency deployment in clinical and home environments. Challenges including dataset scarcity, class imbalance, interoperability, and real-world generalizability are critically examined. The paper concludes with a synthesis of open research directions, including multimodal fusion, explainable AI integration, and standardized benchmarking, providing a roadmap for advancing the next generation of intelligent fall management systems.
Green Management Practices in Small Scale Industries: A Study on Thirumangalam Region (2023-2025)
The transition toward green management practices has become a critical imperative for small-scale industries worldwide, driven by growing environmental concerns, regulatory pressures, and changing market demands. This study examines the adoption of green management practices among small-scale industries in the Thirumangalam region of Madurai District, Tamil Nadu, over the period 2023-2025. Thirumangalam, an emerging industrial hub within Madurai's expanding SME network, hosts a diverse range of small-scale enterprises spanning engineering, fabrication, packaging, plastic molding, and food processing sectors. Using a mixed-method research approach combining survey questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with 120 small-scale industrial units, this study assesses the current level of green practice adoption, identifies key drivers and barriers, and evaluates the impact of green management on operational and financial performance. The findings reveal that while awareness of green practices has increased significantly during the study period—largely due to government initiatives such as the 25% capital subsidy for green technologies and subsidized energy audits—actual implementation remains moderate. High initial investment costs, inadequate employee competence, limited consumer pressure, and lack of clear measurement systems emerge as the most significant barriers. However, enterprises that have adopted green practices report improved resource efficiency, reduced operational costs, and enhanced market competitiveness. The study concludes with policy recommendations for accelerating green transitions in the region's small-scale industrial sector.
Holistic Learning Revisited: NEP 2020, Indigenous Knowledge Systems, and the Employability Orientation of Commerce and Management Undergraduates in Goa
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 does not present itself as an act of modernisation borrowed from elsewhere. It presents itself as a return to India's own intellectual inheritance, invoking the multidisciplinary, experientially grounded learning traditions historically associated with centres such as Takshashila and Nalanda. This paper examines how that self-framing intersects with a contemporary institutional concern: the perceived employability of undergraduate students. Drawing on a survey of 612 final-year Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) and Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) students across government, government-aided, and private colleges in Goa, all studying under the NEP 2020 curriculum and possessing internship exposure, the paper presents a descriptive profile of respondents' demographic and institutional distribution, internship duration, and career intentions, and reads these patterns against NEP 2020's own account of holistic, skill-integrated education. The discussion is situated within the Ministry of Education's 2023 guidelines mandating credit-bearing Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) courses in undergraduate curricula, which operationalise, in institutional terms, the same revivalist logic underlying NEP 2020's employability provisions. The paper works at a conceptual and descriptive level rather than testing a structural model, and argues that NEP 2020's employability provisions function as a present-day institutional expression of an older Indian pedagogical premise: that learning and practical readiness for the world were never meant to be separated. It closes by considering what this framing implies for how Indian higher education institutions discuss, and design for, graduate employability.
Comparative Governance and Regulatory Approaches Towards Generative Artificial Intelligence
Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) use is not restricted to ordinary data processing and this is why it has become a key issue in the business landscape related to Corporate Governance and Technology Law. Content generation, impact on organizational decisions, legal, financial and reputational consequences are all areas where GenAI systems can impact. The risk of misinformation, copyright problems, data security and algorithmic bias and insufficient regulation have thus given rise to the need for good corporate governance structures. However, there are distinct jurisdictions' methods of control of such risks. The European Union has a comprehensive and risk-based approach, while the United Kingdom is moving towards a principles-based and sector-led approach; the United States has a primarily fragmented and enforcement-based approach; India has an approach driven by innovation and adaptation; and China has a compliance-based and state-led approach.
Minority Shareholder Protection in Private Equity Transactions in India: Adequacy of the Companies Act and Contractual Safeguards
Indian dealings with private equity tend to include minority shares, which exposes investors to the risk of concentrated power, information asymmetry, and scarcity of exit techniques. Though the Companies Act, 2013, is currently providing a statutory relief to safeguard minority shareholders, there is concern that it may not be enough to address the reality of a private equity investment. This critical review article evaluates the effectiveness of statutory protection measures, namely oppression and mismanagement remedies, derivative actions and the requirement of disclosure in the case of private equity. It also looks at the role of protection by contract, particularly the agreement of the shareholders as the active minority protection. Major clauses of contracts, such as pre-emptive rights, tag-along and drag-along rights, veto powers, board representation and exit clauses, are taken together with a judicial approach to such clauses. The paper has demonstrated that contractual governance mechanisms in supplementing statutory law are a defining factor by both doctrinal and comparative analysis. As described in the paper, a combination of statutory regulation and good contractual design is necessary to protect minority shareholders in an Indian private equity transaction.
The Metricization of Compassion: A Philosophical Critique of Spiritual Care Metrics through the Lens of Karuṇā
Contemporary healthcare systems are increasingly shaped by practices of audit, accountability, and performance measurement associated with New Public Management reforms. While such developments have contributed to important forms of quality assurance and organizational oversight, they have also expanded into relational, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of care. As healthcare organizations increasingly seek to document and evaluate compassion, empathy, and spiritual support, important questions arise concerning the limits of measurement and the nature of compassionate practice. This paper examines whether the growing standardization and measurement of spiritual care may be understood as a form of epistemic and conceptual colonization. Drawing on Michel Foucault's concept of governmentality, Arlie Hochschild's theory of emotional labour, and contemporary discussions of epistemic injustice, the paper critically analyzes how organizational systems may reshape compassion into an object of assessment, documentation, and professional performance. As an alternative philosophical framework, the paper explores the concept of Karuṇā (compassion) within Buddhist thought and situates it alongside insights from the Kerala Model of Health, a widely discussed example of community-oriented public health development. Through this analysis, compassion is reconceptualized not as an individual competency or measurable intervention but as a relational and socially embedded practice that emerges within supportive institutional and communal conditions. The paper argues that an exclusive reliance on metrics risks narrowing the meaning of compassionate care and marginalizing forms of knowledge that resist standardization. It concludes that nursing philosophy and healthcare administration may benefit from greater attention to the structural, cultural, and relational conditions that enable compassionate practice, thereby broadening contemporary understandings of spiritual care beyond the logic of measurement alone.
An Analysis of Perspective-Practice Gap in Spiritual Care Among Nurses in Kerala
Background: While spiritual care is recognized as a fundamental component of holistic nursing, operationalizing it remains challenging, particularly in pluralistic societies like India. Previous assumptions suggest nurses may possess high personal spiritual perspectives but struggle to translate them into clinical practice due to systemic barriers. Objective: This study aimed to quantitatively analyse the "perspective-practice gap" among nurses in Kerala and assess the relationships between their practical spiritual care delivery, philosophical perspective, and religious attitudes. Methods: A descriptive, correlational cross-sectional design was utilized. A cohort of nurses (N = 165) in Kerala, India, completed the Indian-validated 15-item Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale (SSCRS). Data were analysed using paired-samples t-tests and Pearson correlations across the scale’s three validated factors: Spiritual Care (Factor 1), Spirituality Perspective (Factor 2), and Spirituality Attitude (Factor 3). Results: Contrary to the hypothesized gap, participants scored significantly higher in practical Spiritual Care (M = 4.10, SD = 0.76) than in philosophical Spirituality Perspective (M = 3.73, SD = 0.92), t (164) = 6.99, p < .001. A strong positive correlation existed between practical care and perspective (r = .689, p < .001). Notably, rigid Spirituality Attitudes showed no significant correlation with the ability to provide Spiritual Care (r = .016, p = .839). Conclusion: Nurses in Kerala demonstrate an "inverse" perspective-practice gap, excelling in operationalized spiritual care despite lower abstract philosophical perspectives. Furthermore, rigid religious attitudes do not influence clinical spiritual care competence, suggesting that nursing education should prioritize broad humanistic perspectives over specific religious frameworks.
Growth And Development of Green Management Practices in Small Scale Industries in Madurai District
The imperative for environmental sustainability has permeated every sector of the global economy, and the small-scale industrial sectoroften regarded as the backbone of developing economiesis no exception. This article examines the growth and development of green management practices among small-scale industries in Madurai District, Tamil Nadu, one of India's significant industrial hubs. Through a comprehensive review of existing literature, government policy frameworks, and empirical studies conducted in the region, this article explores the current state of green management adoption, the drivers facilitating this transition, and the formidable barriers that impede progress. Madurai District hosts over 214,000 registered MSMEs, predominantly micro and small enterprises, engaged in diverse activities ranging from food processing and textiles to metal-based industries and paper printing. The findings reveal that while awareness of environmental issues and government support mechanisms have emerged as significant motivating factors for adopting green practices, high implementation costs, lack of technical knowledge, inadequate infrastructure, and limited access to green financing continue to constrain widespread adoption. The article further highlights that green management practices in Madurai's small-scale industries encompass energy efficiency measures, waste management, water conservation, and the adoption of eco-friendly production processes. The study underscores the critical role of government initiatives such as the MSE-GIFT Scheme, MSE-SPICE Scheme, and the ZED Certification Programme in accelerating the green transition. However, a significant implementation gap persists between awareness and action. The article concludes with strategic recommendations for policymakers, industry associations, and entrepreneurs to foster a robust ecosystem for green management practices in Madurai's small-scale industrial sector, thereby contributing to both environmental sustainability and long-term industrial competitiveness.
Negotiating Multicultural Identity in Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club
Amy Tan is Chinese American author who talks about Chinese culture in her novels. The Joy Luck Club is the first novel of Amy Tan to claim fame. The novel talks about the conflict between Chinese mothers and their American born daughters there are more autobiographical elements in the novel. There is a constant clash Between Chinese culture And American modernism. This article argues that Amy tan Represents the idea of Chinese American identity To be hybrid I’m constantly negotiated the mothers in the novel Joy Luck Club Represent by their Chinese culture The mothers have memories of China, their experiences during the war, the hardships they face during migration, The losses they faced an oppression in terms of Gender and race. Whereas their daughters are born in American environment They have liberty of being independent to have choices of their own These differences in them not only gives Continuous pressure but also paves way in them to understand culture This paper examines the relationship between Multicultural Identity, how language, memory Storytelling Our connector to an intergenerational Communication There are multiple narrative voices In the novel to prove us the cultural plurality
Film Business and Marketing in the Post Covid Era
It's been more than 3 years since COVID-19 changed almost all aspects of the film business. Right from the fabric of how the business is performed to the medium on which the whole industry relies. COVID-19 was a vital catalyst for the early and widespread adoption of the New Media called OTT (Over-The-Top). The new technology provided new Revenue Models and multiple alternatives for carrying on the film business. A few of the major Explicit Costs borne by the Producers were eradicated. Technology allowed the OTT platforms to target prospective consumers and changed the way Films were marketed. All these changes, though drastic, are permanent and only a few among the many. Therefore, we can expect further changes in the Scope and Aspects of the film business.
Ecological Imperialism and Environmental Degradation in Amitav Ghosh’s Ibis Trilogy
Amitav Ghosh’s Ibis Trilogy—Sea of Poppies (2008), River of Smoke (2011), and Flood of Fire (2015)—reconstructs the nineteenth-century history of the opium trade, indentured labor, colonial expansion, and the First Opium War. While the trilogy has been extensively discussed in relation to colonialism, migration, diaspora, and transnational history, its ecological dimension offers an equally significant perspective on the workings of empire. In Sea of Poppies, forced poppy cultivation replaces food crops, impoverishes peasants, disrupts biodiversity, and contaminates the Ganga. River of Smoke expands this ecological critique through botanical imperialism, plant hunting, biodiversity commodification, animal exploitation, and water pollution. Flood of Fire connects these ecological processes to imperial warfare and maritime expansion. This paper examines the trilogy through postcolonial ecocriticism, ecological imperialism, and the concept of slow violence. It argues that Ghosh represents colonialism not merely as the domination of human communities but as a systematic transformation and commodification of the more-than-human world.
History, Identity, and Nationhood in Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children: A Postmodern Perspective
Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children is a portending postcolonial novel that implicates personal narrative with national history to represent the complicated realities of modern India. This paper observes the novel from a postmodern consideration, emphasizing its illustration of history, identity, nationhood, and cultural plurality. Rushdie indistinctly draws the boundaries between fact and fiction through the life of Saleem Sinai, whose birth correlates with India’s independence and whose personal experiences are a spitting image of the political and social reconstruction of the Indian coastline. The novel reimagines exceptional historical events, including Partition, the Indo-Pak wars, and the creation of Bangladesh, while accentuating the disconnected nature of memory and historical truth. Accomplished in magical realism, non-linear narration, and metafictional techniques, Rushdie challenges fashionable historical narratives and presents history as a contested and subjective fabrication. The study also analyses the novel’s portrayal of India’s multicultural and multi-religious society, affirming themes of hybridity, diversity, and ethnological cohabitation. By combining individual expectations with national elaborations, Midnight’s Children contributes a powerful assessment of postcolonial politics and identity formation. The novel ensues as a rich wander through the relationship between self, history, and nation in the postcolonial world.
Cultural Evils and Family Crisis: Testing Faith and Identity in Rohinton Mistry’s Family Matters
Rohinton Mistry’s work always deals with the complex relationship between the family, religion, tradition and the identity of the individual. Family Matters (2002) is an Indian Diasporic novel that examines the suffering of an elderly Parsi man who led his life with economic, political and religious turmoil. This particular work of Rohinton, i.e Family Matters, is a suitable example of Cultural turmoil or evils in which socially inherited practices, prejudices, customs, ideologies and behavioral patterns become destructive when they are treated with undeniable tradition. This paper stands as the central stigma, where he exposes how cultural beliefs play a pivotal role when the self is detached from compassion, logic and dignity. This study focuses mainly on the patriarchal society and ageing, racial and religious purity, gender restrictions and the economy. It also examines the Parsi community’s disquiet, which mainly focuses on their demographic decline and the survival of their culture. This paper is widely interpreted from postcolonial and social perspectives. It simply brings out various observations such as tolerance, compassion, dignity and human responsibility. On the other hand, this paper deals with an identity crisis both in culture and individuality.
Rewriting Orthodoxy: Caste, Gender, and Religious Power in Amish Tripathi’s The Immortals of Meluha
Amish Tripathi’s first novel of Siva Trilogy, The Immortals of Mehula (2010), is a contemporary mythological narrative that retells the story of Lord Shiva by portraying him not simply as a godlike figure but also as a normal human being whose behaviours and ethical actions gradually alters him into the legendary lord, Mahadev. The selected novel blends with mythology, history, fantasy, Indian culture, politics and social commentary. The presented paper explores The Immortals of Meluha through the conceptual framework of cultural evils, with specific focus on caste and gender discrimination, religious orthodoxy, social discrimination, patriarchal authority and political exploitation. The study focuses on Amish Tripathi’s representation of the society Meluha is preciously paradoxical. At first, Meluha is portrayed as a unique perfect and orderly society well-known according to the principles of Lord Ram. The novel also cross-examines gender inequality. The female major character, Sati is a warrior and a capable individual, yet her identity is suppressed by patriarchal and religious laws. Through this character, the author proves the contradiction between women’s actual abilities and the restrictions forced upon them in the name of culture. Further, the novel demands religious orthodoxy by explaining that laws recognized to Lord Ram can be challenged when they become unjust. Applying qualitative textual analysis and close reading, this present study examines selected chapters, characters and dialogues from the prescribed novel. It upholds that Amish mythological reconstruction is not simply an attempt to modernize ancient mythology, it also utilities as a critique of social injustice. The study concludes that The Immortals of Meluha was mythology to question inherited social conventions and clarifies a culture based on merit, equality, rationality, compassion and individual dignity.
From Purchase Intention to Buying Behaviour: A Moderation Mediation Model of Factors Influencing Consumers Purchase of Organic Packaged Food Products
In the last ten years, the global organic food market has grown substantially. This growth is primarily attributed to the growing consciousness of buyers regarding “health, environmental sustainability, food safety, and ethical consumption”. Even though many consumers are “inclined to purchase organic packaged food items” there is still a huge difference between the intentions of consumers concerning the acquisition of organic food and their real-world behaviour. This is called the intention-behaviour gap. The topic is interesting for many researchers, marketers, and policymakers as well. The research aims to create and test an empirical model of moderated mediation to find out what factors affect the decisions of customers who purchase organic packaged goods. The offered model includes health consciousness, environmental concern, perceived quality of organic products, perceived price, and subjective norms and advertisement as independent variables. Purchase intention is the mediating variable, while consumer trust in organic labels and brands is a moderating variable that influences the link between the willingness to purchase and real purchase behaviour. The study adopts the theoretical perspectives of the Theory of Planned Behaviour, Stimulus–Organism–Response Theory, Norm Activation Theory, and Expectancy Value Theory to explain consumer decision-making processes. A quantitative research design is proposed using a structured questionnaire administered to consumers who regularly purchase packaged food products. Data are analysed through Structural Equation Modelling using SmartPLS to evaluate both direct and indirect relationships among variables. Reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, mediation analysis, moderation analysis, and hypothesis testing are performed to validate the proposed model.
Magical Realism, Narrative, and Symbolism: Representing National Identity in Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children
This paper inspects the use of magical realism, narration exploration, and illustrative demonstration in Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children. The novel combines history, myth, fantasy, and reality to present the appearance of modernistic India and the particularities of national identity. Rushdie involves a parallel between disparate experiences and the nation’s historical enhancement by terminating the protagonist and narrator, Saleem Sinai, who was born at the moment of Indian independence. The study identifies how magical realist elements, especially the prodigious powers of the Midnight’s Children, exceed established realism to reveal expanded historical, cultural, and psychological truths. It also deconstructs Rushdie’s inconsistent narrative structure, unsystematic chronology, and the use of wanderings and explorations that reflect the reputation of oral storytelling mythology. Constant arguments such as the perforated sheet, the silver spittoon, and blood imagery situations are symbolical tendencies that support rhetoric within the novel’s intricate narrative framework. The paper examines the cooperation between Saleem and Padma, which determines intellectual espousal and narrative genuineness. Midnight’s Children provides a thoughtful voyaging of memory, history, identity, and nationhood through the distinguishing lens of magical realism.
Digital Support of Work-from-Home Environments: Organizational Efficiency Outcomes
Though COVID-19 pandemic created a more need of remote working, fundamentally transforming organizational structures, work practices, and approaches to measuring employee and organizational efficiency. This study examines the potential impact of digital work-from-home (WFH) environments on organizational efficiency across different industries. To conduct the analysis, an LSTM (Long Short-Term Memory) neural network was employed for predictive analysis using Python and TensorFlow. The study utilized productivity metrics, communication patterns, and employee performance data collected from 250 organizations over an 18-month period. The findings indicate that digital WFH environments significantly influence organizational efficiency through key mediating factors such as technological infrastructure, communication quality, and work-life balance. The LSTM model demonstrated strong predictive performance, achieving an accuracy of 89.3% by effectively capturing patterns associated with digital work environments. Furthermore, organizations with robust digital infrastructure recorded 34% higher efficiency levels compared with organizations operating with inadequate digital systems. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of the complex relationship between digitalization, remote working practices, and organizational performance, while providing valuable insights for organizations seeking to optimize virtual work environments and enhance overall operational efficiency.
Influence of Kinovea Software and Food Supplement along with Anaerobic Training on Physical Fitness Variable of Sportsmen
The present study is the influence of Kinovea Software and food supplement along with anaerobic training on Physical fitness variable of sportsmen. To accomplish the reason of the study, 60 sportsmen randomly selected from Ayya Nadar Janaki Ammal College, Sivakasi falling in the age group of eighteen to twenty five years will be selected and randomly divide in to three groups. Sportsmen should have been participated in intercollegiate tournament. Random group design will be adopted in this study the researcher make a meticulous analysis to discover out whether there is any major improvement in the mean level of the group in selected Physical fitness variable. They divided in to three groups. Experiment group I had taken Anaerobic Training with Kinovea Software. Experimental group II had taken the Anaerobic Training with Food supplement. Group III was act as Control Group while they will undergo for their regular training. Speed and strength was chosen as Physical fitness variable. Anaerobic Training with Kinovea Software is more effective than Anaerobic Training with Food supplement and Anaerobic Training with Food supplement is more effective than Control group in promoting Speed and strength of the Sportsmen.
A Bird Eyeview on Management Attitude on the Productivity of Employees Pertaining the Software Companies in Chennai
Management attitude constitutes a critical yet often overlooked determinant of employee productivity in knowledge-intensive industries. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the relationship between management attitudes and employee productivity in software companies operating in Chennai, India. Drawing upon recent empirical studies conducted in the Chennai IT sector, the analysis synthesizes findings from multiple investigations examining leadership styles, managerial support, work-life balance initiatives, mental health interventions, and performance management practices. The evidence suggests that management attitudesmanifested through leadership styles, supervisory support, organizational policies, and workplace cultureexert a profound influence on employee productivity through multiple pathways including employee engagement, motivation, job satisfaction, and psychological well-being. The findings reveal that transformational and democratic leadership styles are positively associated with higher productivity, whereas autocratic and control-oriented management approaches tend to undermine employee performance. Furthermore, management attitudes toward work-life balance, mental health support, and continuous learning emerge as significant predictors of productivity outcomes. The article concludes with practical implications for software companies in Chennai seeking to enhance employee productivity through strategic management attitude interventions.
The Politics of Absence: Gender, Caste, and Subalternity in Munshi Premchand’s “The Shroud”
Munshi Premchand’s “The Shroud” (“Kafan”) establishes moral disturbance mostly via the actions of Ghisu and Madhav. While the focus on Ghisu and Madhav results in the neglect of Budhiya, the focus on Budhiya and her absence from direct speech helps bring into view the formal and the political. Budhiya’s presence via her work and her child and her death and her corpse help structure the story. Yet, she remains outside the story in the absence of an articulated perspective. Using social reproductive theory, along with an intersectional, Dalit feminist, and subaltern perspective, the absence of Budhiya as a speaking subject and her presence as a laboring body are analyzed. Gender, caste, and class are not problematized separately. Ghisu and Madhav occupy an inferior position in the village caste hierarchy, but their relative marginalization does not erase the unequal control of work, movement, speech, and hierarchy in the home. The absence of direct speech along with the unequal distribution of direct speech confirms the concentration of speech around the two men with Budhiya receiving none. The analysis then follows the movement of Budhiya’s body from domestic work and the act of reproduction to death and the subsequent male consumption of the charity and ritual obligation she served. The shroud comes to represent much more than the dualism of poverty or ceremonial hypocrisy. Her silence is not a void. It is produced by narrative form, along with the intersecting pressures of gender, caste, poverty, and ritual. Reading this absence reveals the gendered cost of the celebrated ambiguity of the story.
An Empirical Study on Employee Engagement and Workplace Motivation in IT Companies in Chennai
Employee engagement has emerged as a critical determinant of organizational success in the knowledge-intensive information technology sector, where human capital constitutes the primary source of competitive advantage. This empirical study investigates the relationship between employee engagement and workplace motivation in IT companies located in Chennai, India. The research adopts a cross-sectional descriptive-analytical design, drawing upon data from 472 respondents employed across various IT firms in Chennai. The study examines two distinct componentsworkplace motivation and growth opportunitiesand their importance to employee engagement and subsequent impact on employee retention. Statistical analysis employing SPSS v.16 was conducted to test the association between factors highly linked to employee engagement and retention. The findings reveal that employee engagement significantly influences workplace motivation, with growth opportunities emerging as a critical mediating variable. Workplace motivation demonstrates a strong positive correlation with productivity (r ≈ 0.88), while work-life balance and employee engagement together explain approximately 11.3% of the variance in attrition intent among IT professionals in Chennai. The study further establishes that transformational leadership exhibits a robust positive association with work engagement, with psychological capital components specifically self-efficacy and optimism mediating this relationship. The research concludes that IT companies in Chennai must regularly assess motivational factors and provide structured growth opportunities to retain potential talent. The findings offer valuable implications for HR practitioners and organizational leaders seeking to foster engaged, motivated, and high-performing workforces in the competitive Chennai IT landscape.
A Study on the Financial Sustainability of Public and Private Life Insurance Companies in India
Life insurance occupies a central place in India's long-term savings and social security architecture, and the financial sustainability of the insurers that underwrite this promise is therefore a matter of public interest as much as of corporate performance. This paper undertakes an empirical, ratio-based comparison of the financial sustainability of the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), the sole public sector insurer, with a purposive sample of five leading private life insurers, using secondary data published by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) and company disclosures for the period 2020-21 to 2025-26. Sustainability is operationalised through four indicators that jointly capture capital adequacy, persistency of business, claims-paying reliability and market competitiveness: the solvency ratio, the thirteenth-month persistency ratio, the claim settlement ratio and new business premium (NBP) market share. The analysis finds that both ownership groups comfortably exceed the IRDAI-mandated minimum solvency margin of 1.50, though private insurers report a marginally higher average solvency ratio than LIC; LIC, however, retains a decisive lead in market share and claims volume while private insurers outperform on persistency and grievance intensity. The study concludes that public and private life insurers in India are pursuing financial sustainability through distinct strategic pathways rather than converging on a single model, and it offers policy and managerial implications for regulators, investors and insurer management.
Banking Stocks vs Equity Mutual Funds: A Comparative Study of Risk, Return and Risk-Adjusted Performance in India
The Indian capital market offers retail and institutional investors two dominant equity-linked avenues within the same broad asset class: direct investment in banking sector stocks and indirect participation through equity-oriented mutual funds. Although both routes derive their returns from underlying corporate performance, they differ materially in diversification, cost structure, professional management, and sector concentration risk. This study undertakes a comparative evaluation of the risk, return, and risk-adjusted performance of five leading Indian banking stocks (representing the Nifty Bank Index universe) against five actively managed equity mutual fund schemes spanning the large-cap, flexi-cap, multi-cap, and small-cap categories, benchmarked against the Nifty Bank Index and the Nifty 50 Index over a five-year study window (FY 2020–21 to FY 2024–25). Using descriptive statistics (mean return and standard deviation), the Capital Asset Pricing Model (beta), and risk-adjusted performance measures — the Sharpe ratio, Treynor ratio, and Jensen's alpha — the study finds that while individual banking stocks such as private and public sector leaders can generate superior absolute returns during favourable credit cycles, they also exhibit materially higher volatility and, on average, weaker risk-adjusted performance than diversified equity mutual funds. Flexi-cap and multi-cap fund categories, benefiting from diversification across sectors and market capitalisations, delivered the most consistent positive Jensen's alpha in the sample. The study concludes that banking stocks are better suited to investors with high sector conviction and risk appetite, whereas equity mutual funds offer a more efficient risk-return trade-off for the average investor, with implications for portfolio construction, financial advisory practice, and future empirical research using extended time-series data.
Exploratory India's UPI Phenomenon: A Nationwide Digital Revolution
To achieve the nation's goals of becoming a prosperous nation by 2047, all citizens must be integrated into a structured financial ecosystem. India has shown success in becoming a more financially inclusive nation through the adoption of digital payments. India is becoming less reliant on cash as digital payments gain acceptance. The digital payment operations are contributing substantially to the rise of commerce as well as trade. UPI is one of India's fastest growing electronic payment options and maintains the most popular in the country. The NPCI developed the Unified Payment Interface, a mobile-based payment system that launched in the fiscal year 2016–2017. It has now evolved into a mechanism for real-time cross-border payments. In February 2023, the RBI announced that eligible G20 visitors could utilize the Unified Payments Interface in India because they would have been issued Prepaid Instruments (PPI) Wallets for use with UPI services at merchant outlets. The wallet can be obtained in three airports they are Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore, The Wallet is issued to foreign travellers by two banks and two non-bank organizations. The foremost objective of this research paper is to present an outline of the expansion then achievement of the Unified Payment Interface. The necessary information was gathered from secondary sources such as NPCI product statistics, The Indian Payment Handbook, and the RBI bulletin. The analysis gives an understanding, of the emerging growth of UPI in the digital era.
The Influence of Employer Branding on Talent Magnetism and Employee Retention: A Study of Private Colleges in Anantapur
In the contemporary higher education sector, private colleges face increasing competition in attracting and retaining qualified, competent and committed employees. Employer branding has emerged as an important human resource management strategy for creating a positive organizational image, communicating an attractive employee value proposition and strengthening the organization's ability to attract and retain talented employees. The present study, titled “The Influence of Employer Branding on Talent Magnetism and Employee Retention: A Study of Private Colleges in Anantapur,” examines the influence of employer branding practices on talent Magnetism and employee retention in selected private colleges in Anantapur. The study focuses on key dimensions of employer branding, including employer reputation, work environment, compensation and benefits, career development opportunities, organizational culture and work-life balance. The study adopts a descriptive and analytical research design. Using a structured questionnaire with a five-point Likert scale, primary data were gathered from employees at a few private colleges in Anantapur. The study proposes to assess employees’ perceptions of employer branding practices and their influence on talent Magnetism and employee retention. The collected data were analyzed and the proposed hypotheses were tested using appropriate statistical techniques like descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis. The study is expected to establish whether effective employer branding practices significantly contribute to attracting qualified talent and encouraging existing employees to remain with their institutions. The study is significant because private colleges increasingly require effective human resource strategies to compete for qualified faculty and administrative personnel. The findings are expected to assist institutional administrators and HR professionals in identifying employer-branding practices that strengthen employee Magnetism , satisfaction, commitment and retention. The study will also contribute to the existing literature on employer branding by providing empirical insights from the private higher education sector in Anantapur. The findings may further support private colleges in developing a distinctive employer value proposition and sustainable human resource practices for long-term organizational effectiveness.
Rewriting Morality: Myth and Ethical Reconstruction in Amish Tripathi’s The Secret of the Nagas
Amish Tripathi’s The Secret of the Nagas (2011), the second book in the Shiva Trilogy, reinterprets Indian mythology into a modern narrative structure characterized by a combination of mythology, history, philosophy, adventure and criticism of society. Tripathi complicates the usual opposition between good and immoral by examining morality through the prism of karma, look, bias in society, disabilities, gender, religion and personal responsibility. While the Nagas are first represented as mysterious and dangerous, they finally become victims of social exclusion and misinterpretation. Shiva’s journey from revenge to understanding makes one rethink the validity of the conventional definitions of good and bad. The novel transforms the idea of Shiva into that of a person whose divinity is not simply a result of miracles. The paper will analyze the representation of myth in the novel, karma ethics and politics of othering, social discrimination, gender, truth, and transformation of the protagonist.
Suffering and Survival: Power, Caste and Poverty in Mistry’s A Fine Balance
Rohinton Mistry plays a significant role in the postcolonial era, dealing with the cocoon of social norms. He brings out an impactful representation of the intersecting structures where the novels deal with a central stigma. In his novel A Fine Balance, he depicts the social and political oppression that happened in Bombay around 1970-80’s. He mainly speaks about the sufferings of the marginalised, representing his community on the verge of extinction. The novel revolves around various characters who tried to survive their daily lives. He represented how minorities struggle to face their basic needs in a financially oppressed state. The major characters depict different struggles that brought them together in unity. Here we see Maneck, who comes in search of a place to stay, while Om and Ishvar, as tailors, struggle financially. It brings out multiple problems such as poverty, suffering for survival, power, age, gender, caste and religion. There is a problem of uncertainty about survival that permeates the novel. Dina, a widower faces gender bias and unequivocally shows how a woman suffers during the period of the Emergency Act. This research paper clearly gives a narrative of economic exploitation, gender inequality, displacement, disability, and the importance of friendship. It argues that disquiet is not about torment but about social and political erections. I feel that disquiet is the core issue. He also speaks about women’s restrictions in the form of culture and predominantly widows who act as a relic. The attachment among Dina, Om, Ishvar and Maneck highlights the nature within this merciless society. Emergency played a role in transforming poverty into political crime mainly through slum clearance, family planning and arbitrary policing.
Women, Silence, and Agency in Amy Tan’s The Kitchen God’s Wife
Amy Tan’s second novel, The Kitchen God’s Wife (1991), stages the life of Winnie Louie, a Chinese immigrant woman who has spent decades withholding the story of an abusive first marriage and a war-torn past from her American-born daughter, Pearl. This study examines how the novel represents women’s silence not as a fixed attribute of feminine passivity but as a mobile condition that is first imposed by patriarchal and cultural authority and later reworked into a resource for self-expression and agency. The research problem it addresses is a persistent tendency in the existing criticism to treat silence, trauma, memory, and cultural conflict as discrete thematic concerns rather than as linked stages of a single trajectory. Working through close reading and feminist literary analysis, and drawing on theories of silence and voice, of trauma and memory, and of gendered agency, the paper argues that the novel is organised around a sustained movement from silence, through oppression, memory, and storytelling, toward voice, agency, and a re-authored identity. The analysis shows that Winnie’s silence originates in fear, marital violence, and social isolation; that her belated narration follows the fragmented rhythm of traumatic recall; and that the act of telling reconstitutes her as the subject rather than the object of her history. It further contends that the agency the novel imagines is partial, negotiated, and relational, achieved with the collaboration of other women and transmitted across generations to Pearl. In foregrounding the interdependence of silence and agency, the study clarifies the feminist logic of Tan’s narrative form and contributes to the criticism of Asian American women’s writing and its recovery of suppressed female histories.