meeting Tarun Sharma and family in Hyderabad

 It is such a wonderful feeling  to meet Tarun or Chotu as we called him, that little  little boy next door and our neighbour, who was studying in sixth or  seventh class in front of us in the late eightees. Tarun also did Baby sitting  for Bittu once  during holidays  by travelling with Suresh to Dharwar and other places during his tour when I was busy and could not be there to take care of Sankalp Pande  then a toddler. Tarun told us that he would love to borrow books and Reader Digest from us as a student and wanted to know if we still had a library. He showed his children our library. Tarun is  today all grown up and a Doctor in the US and settled there. He came to Hyderabad for just two days for a school reunion  and came  to visit us  with his wife Kavita who is also a Doctor and his two very sweet children. Kavita Sharma and Tarun we are so moved that though your kids were jet lagged you brought them to meet us and spend some time with us. It is amazing to think how some relationships, though not blood relationships, stay with you for life. God bless you all.

Talk with the students of Banasthali

 I found the students of Social Sciences at Banasthali very interactive in the talk and discussion that I had with them on Engendering Higher Education through Women’s studies,  on 22nd December, 2017. We discussed various issues related to Women's Studies. It was fun talking to them. After this I visited the Centre for Women's Studies. I also met Sheetal Mohanty who was a student of Sociology in HCU and is presently teaching at Banasthali.

Banasthali Vidyapeeth

 I am on 20th December, 2017, at Banasthali Vidyapeeth, about 72 kilometers from Jaipur in Rajasthan which is one of lthe world's largest residential University. The faculty also has to stay in the campus itself and classes go on late in the evening too. It has courses from primary to Ph. D. It is one of the leading institutions established in 1935, for girls education by a Sastri family in the memory of  their daughter Shantabai , who died at the young age of twelve and who was very involved in social work and  Women's education and  from whom there was a big expectation that she would  contribute to women's cause in a big way. This University combines the spirituality of East with the rational and scientific ideas of the West. There is emphasis on spirituality and wearing of khadi . The girls are taught horse riding, flying, the University has eleven Gliders for flying, swimming, shooting besides the Indian games of kho kho, kabbadi over and above the regular courses of study. I was taken around the campus and we went to the initial building where this whole campus which is today of a thousand acres started in 1935. This was close to Gandhi's heart and Nehru too spoke highly of the education given here. They have a band which plays folk and Rajasthani music and they have won various awards in International competitions for their ghoomer dances. So many people contributed to Women's education in the beginning and Banasthali also stands tall amidst these initial efforts.

Suresh Chief Guest at Oakwood International

 Suresh was invited as a Chief Guest to the Annual Function of a school, Oakwood International on 16th December, 2017. The children from class nursery to tenth had put up a beautiful cultural programme. There was a variety of dances by all the school children and there was a big festive atmosphere the whole evening. It took us, back to our school days when we would have our Annual Programmes. But things were much simpler  then. Today there was a  huge stage, LED screens, coloured lights, music, a huge backdrop in the background as one spoke from the podium.The was a video recording and the programme was being streamed live. A  drone captured the event and things were high tech. I found a lot of dependence for dance on Bollywood film music and less on regional  and folk songs. But it was fun to see the children putting  out their best.  Suresh gave his message on environment and climate change and how children can help and he was able to connect to the children very well. In all an evening  to remember.

Broucheurs for the National Women's Summit Released

 Finally released the Broucheurs for the National Women's Summit to be held in Hyderabad from 1st to 3rd February at the Shipa kala Vedika. The paper prsentation and Short film competition posters were also released. Two famous producers of the Telugu Film industry, Raj Kandukuri and Tripuraneni Varaprasad graced the occassion. It was a great team work and now more hard labour to make the Conferecne a success needs to follow. Will now be looking forward to receiving the abstracts from students, scholars and otheres interested in attending the Conference. It is going to be an interesting Conference with films, talks, paper presentations, Cultural shows and Trade fare. Please get ready to come and spend three fruitful  days in Hyderabad.

Moodle Workshop

The University organised a four day workshop from 11th to 14th December, 2017, to teach us how to use Moodle and put our courses on line. It will still take a lot more time and practice before we fully master this. It was nice to sit in a class with Computer Science Faculty and all the young and enthusiastic faculty from different disciplines across the University. This will now be the future of education where most of the courses would be put online and available to many. Interesting to be a student again and getting home work. Found this very interesting and as an advocate of free and open courses, I am all for these kind of course. Thanks Prof. Prabhakar and Indrani for opening a new world for us.

Allahabad University in 1978

Today this looks almost like Pre History  but in 1978 but when Prof. R. P. Tripathi and his wife visited the Department of Medieval Modern History, there was a group photo taken of all the faculty members. I was a young lecturer then just getting into teaching. I am so happy that my student Harish Srinivasa   who is now a faculty member in the Department found this photo and sent it to me. Thanks Harish. This is such a gem of a collection. I do not recognise most of the people now since thirty nine years have passed  but I am in a white sweater standing third  in the second row, next to Rita Bahuguna, Madhu Tripathi. Those days photography was so rare. I can recognise Heramb Chaturvedi, DrYogeshwar Tewari. They will now freshen up my  memory and let me know who all are the Professors seated in the first row. I know the names but cannot put the face to the photo. Thanks Harish. You made my day today.

Nidhi Leaving for the States

 Children leave home and create a void. Nidhi left for the States on 7th Novemeber, 2017. Best of journey Nidhi. Have a safe flight. The house has become empty now.

Lecture at IIT, Hyderabad

On 1st Novemeber, 2017, gave  a lecture at IIT Hyderabad on Women in the Miniature paintings of the Deccan, in the Liberal arts department as part of the Cultural heritage of Hyderabad. This was the first time that I travelled to this campus and it reminded me of the initial days when the Hyderabad University Campus was being established in the 1980's. There was a lot of constructions and lots of open spaces. The buildings and the structures that are coming look beautiful. It was really nice interacting with the students.

Life time Achievement Award for Suresh

 Very happy  to share with every one that on 31st October, 2017, Suresh Pande has received the Life time Achievement award  and an Award of Honour for his contributions to Plant Pathology. This was conferred on him at Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University at Solan in Himachal Pradesh. It is a very happy moment when one is recognised for one's achievements and contributions to academic life and help in bringing some change in society. The moment becomes all the more special when the award is conferred in a University where one has studied and whose portals one had entered as a student and just started dreaming of having a  career. Indeed  a very happy  moment and proud of your achievement.