National Geological Research Institute(NGRI), in Hyderabad.

 On 14th September, 2018, I was invited as a Chief Guest for the conclusion of the Hindi Diwas at the National Geological Research Institute(NGRI), in Hyderabad. I was hesitant and did not accept the invitation for after 1984,I have hardly spoken in a public platforms in Hindi. The organisers persuaded me saying Madam every year we pick up a theme and this year it is on Gender and after a lot of hesitation and doubts, I accepted. Earlier, when I taught at Allahabad University from 1978 to 1981,it did not matter to me if the notes kept in front of me were in Hindi or English and I could speak for an hour in any language,  but after having come to Hyderabad in 1982,I hardly used Hindi for Public speaking. I feel sad that, I have lost this skill. Thanks to my short stint in Maulana Azad National Urdu University from 2005 to 2007,I started picking up the reigns of Hindi/Urdu, but after my deputation got over, I found myself back in Hyderabad University and never had a chance to address in Hindi. I am glad that I was persuaded to accept this and though I was a little nervous and anxious, I managed to speak in Hindi. May be the plus point was that this was in Hyderabad and I was not facing the Hindi belt. After this experiment which I think went on well for after a point language hardly matters and it is the subject knowledge and understanding that comes to the forefront, I  have now decided that I am going to find time, however scarce a commodity this may be, to go back and also read Hindi novels and books. It was nice to meet an old student of mine who passed on in 1991batch now working in the administration of NGRI.

National Commission for Women, consultative meeting

 On 13th September, 2018, attended  in Delhi, the National Commission for Women, consultative meeting related to the Swadhar Greh, the short stay homes for women. There is a plan to do a large all India study related to this issue in the light of the recent happenings in these short stay homes in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. It was nice to meet some activists and old friends from Women's Studies. The National Commission looks very serious in exploring this issue from various dimensions.

With Renu an Old friend

 Spent a lovely day on 11 th September, 2018, with a very old and dear friend Renu, with whom I studied during my  undergraduation   and then post graduation. It was fun catching up and we hardly realised that so much water had flown down the Ganga since our Allahabad days of the University. We both roamed around the city in our bycycles then and had so much to talk and share about different issues. Our interests span around the world, on  issues of the country, the nation, philosophy, history, our future and God knows what all. She went into the Financial area and I into academics. Her husband Chavi Nath Pandey, another dear friend, retired from IFS and is currently a Professor at IIT. It was great catching up with her and her family.

History National seminar at Anand in Gujarat

 Day two of the History National seminar at Anand in Gujarat saw many interesting speakers speak on very important issues. I chaired a session which had two eminent speakers. Dr. OmPrakash Pandey a scientist from NAASA gave an interesting paper on the Indian concept of time and compared it to the western notion of time. He drew a lot of evidence from the Vedas as to how we understood time. Dr. Surjeet Jolly looked at the sources of Medieval history and discussed the problems related to them and how we as historians have to be careful while using the sources. A very interesting seminar where, I could meet a lot of scholars of ancient India from different parts of the country.

History faculty in Gujarat

 With various participants, History faculties from different colleges of Gujarat during the seminar.

National seminar , History Department, Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel University

 Attended on 8th September, 2018, the National seminar organised by the History Department at the Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel University at Anand in Gujarat. The Governor of Gujarat,Sri, Om Prakash Kohli inaugurated the Conference and gave a very good opening speech. In this seminar on Indian perspectives of History writing, I presented a paper  on the Writings of Bhakti by the Orientalist, Indologists and modern scholars. I was very happy to meet an old student of mine Sabita Kumari, who is teaching in a College in Gujarat and came all the way to meet me. It was really nice to meet scholars and Historians from Benaras, Haryana, Delhi and many more from Gujarat. The hospitality of the hosts is so good and I am enjoying Gujarati, Kathiawadi food.

Talk by Prof. lalit Joshi

On 6th September, 2018 Professor Lalit Joshi,  from the University of Allahabad and a well known Film historian gave a very scholarly talk in the University of Hyderabad on, "Recasting the Courtesan",  in a programme coordinated by the Centre for Women's studies and the Department of History. Prof. Joshi traced back the history of the tawaif and explained how the representation of the Tawaif change through the course of History with paintings, Texts, Photography and finally the Cinema. He described the world of the tawaif, the spaces that they occupied and spoke of the   male gaze. He also looked back at the long history where from the repositories of art,culture ,   etiquette, music and dance,  they were slowly getting converted into prostitutes, through the various laws that were passed and he highlighted the role of the Colonial state and the refashioning of a new patriarchy. A very interesting talk that lead to a lot of discussion. The  students of my optional course on,  Women's History must have benefited a lot from this talk, that discussed the tawaif both in North, South and East India.