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This paper explores the intricate interplay between mass-mediated communication, the formation of publics, and the political landscape within the culturally diverse and politically vibrant state of Tamil Nadu, located in Southern India. The study focuses on the unique context provided by the annual readers' meetings of the vernacular political satire journal, Thuglak. Employing a comprehensive political ethnography approach, the paper uncovers a complex web of interactions, ideologies, and identity formation that shape the publics of Thuglak. The paper further reveals that the political character of the journal's readership is profoundly influenced by the journal's core tenets, particularly Brahminism and Hindutva. Through a nuanced exploration of the Thuglak readers' meetings, the paper contributes to a broader understanding of the role of mass-mediated communication in shaping public sentiment and, subsequently, the political landscape in Tamil Nadu. This study serves as a testament to the powerful influence of local media in shaping the political destiny of a region and underscores the critical importance of examining such connections in an increasingly interconnected and globalised world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

If a woman begins life as a malnourished child, with frequent illness and poor nutrition in childhood, she arrives in adulthood in a suboptimal state to take on pregnancy and lactation. As the conditions that lead to malnutrition continue to affect her and her offspring, they are further disadvantaged by a vicious intergenerational cycle of poverty and malnutrition. This study relies exclusively on secondary sources of information. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between the nutritional status of mothers and their children under 5 years of age in India. The study was selected through a literature search following a standard protocol. The search included electronic databases (Research Gate, BMC Paediatrics, BMC Public Health, IJCM and IJCR etc.). A total of 84 research papers from the years 2003-2023 were searched. Only English-language literature was included in the study. Of the 84 research papers, a total of 13 research papers were included in the current literature review. In this review, the impact of maternal nutritional status on children in India is largely examined using cross-sectional studies. Thus, it is necessary to use other study designs in this context to obtain more information. Some maternal factors such as maternal age, BMI, education, occupation, maternal anaemia, nutritional knowledge etc. are considered to assess the nutritional status of the children. In addition to these factors, the number of children, previous birth interval, women's ability, income, type of family nutritional factors, etc. should also be considered to assess the nutritional status of the child. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an analysis of the caste system as a cultural construct. Esteemed social anthropologists and sociologists have perceived caste as a set of cultural beliefs and practices prevalent in Indian society. Caste is traditionally viewed as a cultural system shaped by specific norms and values that dictate the interrelations among individuals. Essentially, the caste system is a codified set of beliefs and practices observed within society. It is posited that a cultural approach to analyzing the caste system yields a deeper understanding. G. S. Ghurye (1932) characterizes caste by six features: segmental division of society, hierarchical structure, dietary and social interaction restrictions, civil and religious rights and disabilities, occupational restrictions, and marriage limitations. The entrenched social hierarchy of the Indian caste system has evolved notably in recent times. While caste is a unique societal stratification in India, this paper investigates its current socio-cultural transformations, focusing on significant cultural practices and processes such as Sanskritization, Westernization, Secularization, Modernization, and Globalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A healthy existence depends on adequate nutrition, which is a basic human need. As a result of their economic, social and cultural activities, indigenous peoples have different dietary habits that vary throughout the world. The nutritional status of tribal groups is inadequate because they do not know about their food and the nutrients associated with it. Numerous factors influence their knowledge, including their level of education and their proximity to government institutions. However, they also have a strong traditional knowledge about their environment, food availability, health problems, etc. This paper is based on some studies and articles dealing with the traditional knowledge and food habits of the tribal groups. It also deals with the food available to the people in different places, the nutrients they get, their impact on health and the risk factors arising from nutritional deficiency. It also covers the details of research publications that have been published and analysed by specific time periods, groups and areas. The current review includes data from the research articles available on Google Scholar, Pub Med and J-Store. According to the research papers, we can say that the tribal community has a distinct knowledge about the availability of food in their environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tangsas are rich in their traditional knowledge-based medicinal practices. They employ various traditional healing mechanisms like spiritual healing, herbal healing and zootherapeutic healing to deal with numerous health-related problems. This paper investigates the traditional knowledge of animal-based remedies among the Tangsa community of Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh, India. The paper deals with three important areas; first, it attempts to identify some of the animal species which are useful for medicinal purposes, secondly to understand how animal-based medicines are prepared and applied, and lastly to know about different diseases that can be treated traditionally with animal-based products. The present study is based on the empirical data collected during fieldwork conducted in seven villages located in different parts of Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh. It has been observed that use of animal-based remedies among the Tangsa community is gradually declining due to varied reasons like modern medical facilities, education, intervention of the govt., lack of resources and products, shortage of medicine experts, and so on. Thus, this study is important to document the use of animal-based remedies as part of a traditional knowledge system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The essay utilises autoethnography while adopting an explorative research strategy. The PhD thesis project on randonneuring served as the inspiration for the paper. The article details the complete process in a chronological way. It is a reflection on the fieldwork experiences. The fieldwork was carried out between August 2015 and October 2018 in Hyderabad, India. It is divided into three stages. The paper presents a detailed descriptive account of how the researcher was moving through different stages of the study. In stage 1, I describe how I stepped into the cycling world. This stage is marked by learning about the cycle and getting acquainted with the city's cycling community. This includes more of commuting and leisure riding. In stage 2, I participate in local races and venture into longer rides and eventually become a randonneur, i.e., further improving my skills, training and gauging my fitness level. In Stage 3, I have participated in the randonneuring events as a randonneur completing the Super Randonneur series (i.e., 200, 300, 400 and 600kms rides). The article provides specific anecdotes to build a better context for understanding the subjective experience of the cycling culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper is a qualitative-based work on the ethnographic study of Ema keithel of Manipur. The study put forth the after-effect of the economic lockdown of Ema keithel due to COVID-19 and the present condition of women traders after the upliftment of the lockdown. The economic data was comparatively based on the pre-COVID-19 situation and the post-lockdown period. The women in Ema keithel are predominantly the sole bread earners and providers in their families; through their income, financial expenses are sustained. However, with the sudden lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, many thousands of women and their families had lost their only hope and financial support system. This study brings out the present situation of the women in the economic activities in the Ema keithel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The classical village studies in India have focused on ideas of caste, kinship, village as a social reality, with an emphasis on the sociological conditions of life, specifically the socio-cultural and economic aspects of a rural society. The sociological condition of people living in rural areas which have witnessed sustained periods of violence in settings like Jammu and Kashmir, Naxal affected parts of India, and the insurgency affected North-East has not been explored fully and calls for attention of scholars. This paper discusses the experiences of people with an emphasis on displacement from such rural areas-where protracted violence and conflict define everyday life. Some of the questions that need to be addressed include: How can we understand the social life of rural inhabitants whose physical and social setting is profoundly affected by the violence? What about the impacts of displacement, dislocation, exodus from one's native areas affected by violence and conflict within or outside? What about the narratives of resilience, of coping, living together, holding each other's hand, and of facing the violence collectively in a rural setting? These are pertinent questions in contemporary times when many rural areas are affected by violence and conflict. There is a need to re-examine the rural areas through a social anthropological lens to understand the disturbed social milieu. The questions this research poses are: do we need to alter the homeostatic model of Indian villages? Do we need a new search for the perspectives that will help us understand this social aspect of everyday rural life? The understanding of the village has to include the accounts of villages affected by violence and conflict and look beyond the perspectives and approaches of understanding caste and kinship. Drawing mainly from the first author's notes of fieldwork conducted during 2001-2003 in few villages of the then State of Jammu and Kashmir, an attempt is made here in this paper to map the changes in both the physical landscape and social life of the village due to 'living under threat', migration and displacement of its inhabitants triggered by violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Changthang region is a part of the high altitude Tibetan plateau. In eastern Ladakh, the Changthang stretches approximately 1,600 kilometers east into Tibet. The region is rich in wildlife and home to vast species of flora and fauna and scenic lakes attracting mainly international tourists and recently saw a huge inflow of mass domestic tourism. The Changthang region shot to limelight in India recently due to the yearlong border standoff in the Galwan valley and Pangong Lake. However, the region is located on a historically important trade route for travelers, pilgrims and traders on their way to Tibet. This centuries old trade route came to an end by 1950's with the Chinese occupation of Tibet and the subsequent India-China war in 1962. The paper presents a critical analysis of the potential revival of the centuries old trade route for pilgrim tourism and trade fostering cross-border cooperation between India and China. The paper considers the possibility of re-opening the Kailash-Mansarover route through the Leh-Demchok route which will in turn contribute to the sustainable development of the Changthang region. The study encapsulates the potential of developing cross-border tourism which could bring numerous benefits to the border regions of the Changthang in India and China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The indigenous peoples of India, commonly referred to as tribes or Adivasis, have always lived in hilly, forested areas in various parts of the country, most of which are inaccessible. These tribes have been exploited, subjugated and marginalized from their forest rights, which were once part of their customary practices. This paper critically examines how tribal forest rights have been systematically violated in the post-colonial period from a subaltern perspective. It also analyzes how contemporary laws to restore tribal customary rights over the forest have failed to empower the indigenous population. To uncover the reality of this issue, this study employs anthropological methods that are important to gain a deeper understanding of tribal cultural practices and beliefs and their relationship with the forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We all know that a coin has two sides, which are seen as the beauty of a thing, a person, a place, a thought, and so on. Just as there is unity and diversity, these two phenomena are connected. Unity has several dimensions such as territory, language, etc. Moreover, pilgrimage is another important element of togetherness and falls under the umbrella term of diversity. This paper attempts to capture the need for unity in the present context of India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India is home to many different cultures, traditions and customs articulated and represented by different ethnic groups, communities and castes. The cultures have emerged in India through the development of indigenous civilizations and the arrival of different cultural groups from different parts of the world at different times. Kapala is a distinct community living in Kodagu district in the state of Karnataka. They look like the mixed descendants of the Ethiopian Siddis (Siddhis) of the South African continent. Kunhi Boltu is a folk deity and immortal personality of the community who has attained god-like status. The Kapalas worshipped their ancestors and respected the forces of nature that governed their lives. The aim of the ethnographic study is to get to know the Kapala community and their way of life, beliefs and practises. To learn more about the Kapala society and their culture, anthropological research tools and techniques such as holistic, ethnographic, comparative and historical methods were used. Participant observation and in-depth interviews were used in the study. Both primary and secondary data were used for the study. The primary data required for the study was collected in the field while the secondary data was obtained from the existing literature on the Kapala community. The research paper is organised as follows: The first part deals with detailed information about the Kapala community. The second part deals with the Kapala society and their way of life, beliefs and practises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various identified and unidentified plant species are used by different communities in the state for the treatment of a number of diseases. However, the ethnomedicinal practices of the Ahom community of the state are hardly known. Therefore, an attempt was made to study the ethnomedicinal practices of these communities. The Ahoms are one of the major Mongoloid population groups in Assam. In this paper, I have tried to describe the vegetables, how they are used in their daily life and how they cure diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recurrent floods cause a lot of damage to life and livelihoods of people in India annually. Every year around 75 lakh hectares of land is affected by floods, around 1600 lives are lost and damage to crops, houses and public utilities are to the tune of Rs. 1805 crores. It has been estimated that over 40 million hectares or around 12 percent of land is prone to floods in India (DM policy, 2009). This prioritizes research in this area in the backdrop of the national mission to reduce risk due to disasters. Approximately 11 percent or 27 lakh hectares of area are inundated due to floods every year in Uttar Pradesh. The vulnerability of people to floods gets aggravated in the context of luke-warm response of the state to disasters like floods. Uttar Pradesh scores low on the Human Development Index (HDI). The HDI value for UP is .380 which is below the all-India value of .467. This has important bearing on the capacity of the people in the context of disaster resilience. When disasters are seen within the larger context of development then a low HDI has direct bearing on the vulnerability of the people. In this context, the paper tries to understand that how disaster risk reduction can be achieved through community participation and other measures envisaged in the various national and global strategies for disaster risk reduction. The paper also recommends flood risk reduction from an emic perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The term 'indigeneity' and 'ethnicity' are often used interchangeably. Both tend to represent a group of people, who claim common identity based on the basis of shared experiences of marginalization, oppression and exclusion. They also tend to represent people or communities engaged in varying degrees of self-assertion, power struggle and demand for autonomy or independence. However, some ethnic minority communities in India who already enjoy a distinct ethnic identity, autonomy and rights over resources go on to claim indigeneity. Why would recognized ethnic minorities feel the need to be identified as indigenous people? What is the difference in their claim as ethnic minorities and indigenous communities? This paper closely examines the categories 'indigenous people' and 'ethnic minority'. Using case studies from South Asia, in particular Northeast India, it explores the context in which such claims are made. Finally, it argues that although these terms share conceptual similarities their usage in practice makes them distinct entities for community and individual agency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we consider age at marriage to explain the risk of experiencing domestic violence by married women through some measures of women's empowerment using data from NFHS-4 in India. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression is fitted to estimate the relative risk of experiencing domestic violence by women marrying at different ages. In the North and North Eastern region urban women marry later than rural women whereas in Kerala both urban and rural women marry at approximately the same age. Results show that women marrying between 18 - 25 years have a better status and less risk of experiencing domestic violence as compared to those married early or late in all the regions under study. Women who are involved in making household decisions have less risk reporting domestic violence and women who justify wife beating are at a higher risk of reporting domestic violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most fertile areas of modern cultural research is the study of Rituals performed by indigenous communities. Rituals maintain and preserve the cultural identity of a society, especially, in preliterate oral tribal societies of the world. In such communities, Agriculture and Religion are intrinsically linked to the socio-religious sphere of their life. Their survival is solely based on human-nature dynamics. Such communities practice nature-worshipping and believe in the interconnectivity of the physical and supernatural worlds. Hence, they perform many rituals to appease the malevolent and to express gratitude to benevolent supernatural beings, deities, and spirits. Tangams are one such animist community that is the least populated and lesser-known ethnolinguistic group of Arunachal Pradesh. Their everyday life is based on the performance of several rites and rituals. These ritual performances are part of their cultural heritage. However, such practices are slowly in decline due to various internal and external factors. Therefore, this paper is a descriptive attempt to document, elucidate, preserve, and disseminate the dying Maye ritual practice and its associated belief systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tribal population is at a higher risk of undernutrition. It leads to different deficiency diseases and even death by decreasing body immunity. The problem of undernutrition is more severe among PVTGs. Therefore, the present paper aims to investigate the prevalence of undernutrition through the two most conventional anthropometric indicators. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 143 (68 males and 75 females) adult Birhor (PVTGs) tribal people of five Birhor villages of Purulia district, West Bengal, India. The present study's findings revealed that the mean values of height, weight and MUAC among males were significantly higher than their counterparts. However, no significant sex difference was noticed in the mean BMI. The overall prevalence of BMI-based undernutrition was 39.72 %, and females (44.59 %) were more undernourished than males (34.33 %). Whereas the overall prevalence of MUACbased undernutrition was 32.87 %, females (40.00 %) shared more undernutrition rate than males (25.00 %). The present study revealed that this Particularly Vulnerable Trible group still suffers from undernutrition stress. Both State and Central Government agencies should take appropriate steps to reduce the burden of malnutrition among the vulnerable tribal people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Witchcraft and witch-hunt cases are frequently reported in the news media from Assam, India. Most often, women are the victims of witch-hunts in this region. They identify a witch based on suspicion without any evidence of harm being done. Upon identification as a witch by a mibo (a ritual specialist), they are subjected to severe punishments such as physical abuse, humiliation, social boycott, and even death. In several cases, the witch-hunt victims go through severe psychological trauma from which they could never recover. There is no social support mechanism as the community disowns them. In this context, the present study inquires into the belief system of the Mising society of Assam and the role of witchcraft. It further explores the accusations causing the witch-hunt and the implications on the witch-hunt survivors from a feminist perspective. In doing so, the paper analyses the power struggle in the Mising community and its operation in stigmatising women and making them the victims of violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women's health and nutrition are of the utmost importance in India, where numerous nutritional programs and policies focus on them. Globally, women are the primary caretakers of their families, and rural women play a crucial role in sustaining their households by ensuring food and nutrition security, generating income, and improving rural livelihoods and overall well-being. The contribution of women to their societies from pre-natal to postnatal life regarding the growth and nutrition of their children is indisputable. It is crucial to protect women's health and nutritional status to ensure their own well-being, that of their children, their families, and future generations. This literature review offers a comprehensive appraisal of existing research on chronic energy deficiency (CED) among Indian women. The present review comprises 70 publications on the prevalence of undernutrition and body mass index (BMI). The mean weight, height, and BMI of the reviewed studies ranged from a minimum of 39.25 (kg), 147.28 (cm), and 16.2 (kg/m²) to a maximum of 64.0 (kg), 161.0 (cm), and 25.0 (kg/m²), respectively. Similarly, the prevalence of CED ranged from 4.2% (least) to 98% (highest). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The belief system of the tribes regarding Traditional Ecological Knowledge enables the community to come up with better solutions for various situations, as it provides not only information about the environment but also an understanding of cultural dimensions such as responsibilities toward others, reciprocity, and sustainability. Using TEK, this paper investigates forest management dynamics among three tribal groups in the Gandhamardhan hill range of western Odisha. The data collected for the study is based on fieldwork conducted in three villages that topographically share the Gandhamardhan forest as their commons. Consequently, TEK can be used as an educative tool to teach effective strategies for conserving biodiversity. Hence, this study attempts to demonstrate the significance of TEK as a means to enhance the governance of the commons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parental involvement plays a major role in the educational success of students. Parental involvement improves student's achievement, high school completion and reduces the probability of high school dropout and increases the college enrollment rate. So, the present paper aims to examine the parental involvement in secondary education among secondary school going tribal children in Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh, India. The present study was carried out among 500 Secondary School Going Tribal Children in Sidhi District, Madhya Pradesh, India. The present study found low level of parental involvement and highly significant relationship between gender, parent's education, family income and parental involvement. The study also found that highly insignificant relationship between family size and parental involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rape is one of the burning issues in India, but rape victims are the most ignored ones. Needless to say, victims are the product of victimization. The victimization has a deep impact in the life of a victim and our society too. The prime focus of this paper is to emphasize on the spatial differences of rape in West Bengal the and position of this State in India through the lens of the crime statistics from 2014 to 2019. In this research, data have been collected from secondary sources like National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) and State Crime Record Bureau (SCRB) to explore the propensity of rape cases in West Bengal. The collected data have been analysed both in qualitative and quantitative ways. This study reveals some significant findings that while overall rape rate is declining, attempt to commit rape have been increasing in a big way. In West Bengal, mostly adult women, i.e. women above the age of 18 years are targeted as prey for rape and above 70% of such victims know their offenders. Spatial distribution shows that the districts of North Bengal are quite safe compared to the districts in South Bengal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional festivals are the amalgamation of various aspects of the Intangible Cultural Heritage which reflects the worldview and culture of a particular community. Understanding festivals in the natural socio-cultural context is very important to understand the culture of a particular community. This paper attempts to describe the Ronghoan festival of the Nocte tribe inhabiting in Tirap district of Arunachal Pradesh, India and discusses various aspects of the festival by interpreting the associated rituals and symbolic attributes, which largely manifest their worldviews. It also highlights the multifaceted nature and role of festival in Nocte society and tries to identify a variety of tasks performed by festival. Ronghoan is a harvest festival of millet celebrated by Nocte community of Khonsa (Hakhun) village during the month of June-July every year. It is celebrated to propitiate the god, Almighty Rang for his blessing in order to attain good crops and well-being of the village. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large number of populations are suffering from haemoglobinopathies including tribal populations. Sickle-cell-anaemia and Thalassemia are two major genetic mutations in human haemoglobin. Toto is one of the PVTGs in India, living under the foothills of Himalayan region in the Indo-Bhutan border. The objective of the paper is to find out the status of haemoglobin and the types of haemoglobins found among them. CBC and HPLC tests were performed by collecting blood samples from 114 genetically unrelated couples from the community. On the basis of CBC test inferences were drawn that 72.4% individuals have normal blood haemoglobin and 23.2% people have low blood haemoglobin. Different types of haemoglobin like HbF, HbA2 and HbA are also found from HPLC test. Where, 63.6% have HbF and 100% have HbA in low range, 12.3% have HbF and 69.3% have HbA2 in high range, and the rest are normal. From both the tests it is seen that 49.1% people have HbE heterozygous, 19.7% have HbE homozygous type. In conclusion it can be said that besides having HbE type of haemoglobin among the studied population they have very good haemoglobin status and good health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cinema is one of the important popular medium of communications in the modern world and India becomes one of the leading cinema producing countries in it. India used to make an average of nearly one thousand films every year. The rich diversified regional, linguistic and cultural variations of the Indian subcontinent lead to the different cinema industries within the Indian subcontinent. The Tamil cinema industry is one among them that is popularly known as Kollywood. Tamil cinema has always functioned as a medium of political communication and reflected the political scenario of the respective periods. It represents an ideological discourse through their cinemas, wherever the technicians dominated the screen. The content of Tamil cinema changed its discourse from time to time. It depends on the political climate of Indian society, especially Tamil society. In this context, this particular paper will trace and discuss the evolution of thematic contents/trends of the Tamil cinemas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper based on an explanatory design and focused on four dimensions of emotional intelligence (self-awareness, self-regulation, self-motivation and empathy) of school-going children drawn from standard 8th, 9th and 10th with an objective to trace relationship between emotional intelligence and academic achievement. For this, a small sample of 120 (60 boys and 60 girls) was drawn from a co-education school of South Odisha, India. The data obtained through a pre-tested schedule-cum-questionnaire having both open and closed ended questions after considerable rapport was established. Close observations were made for a little more than two months on activities of the children in-situ during recess period on every working day continuously. It hypothesises that emotional intelligence is directly proportional to the academic achievements of school going children with significant difference between boys and girls. The result of the analysis at the outset indicated that boys have a higher value of understanding concerning the different dimensions of emotional intelligence than girls. However, there is no significant difference of the 't' value (at 5% level of significance) between the boys and the girls regarding understating of the emotional dimensions. Thus, it is ascertained that irrespective of gender, the manifestation of emotional intelligence remains unaltered. Thus, the proposition of boys being better than girls is falsified. However, it was observed that those who suffer from strong wanted-control differ in their emotional intelligence and academic achievement from those who have least wanted - control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mineral iodine is required by our body to make thyroid hormones which, in turn, control the body's metabolism and other important functions like bone and brain development in infants. Deficiency in iodine leads to a wide range of health issues in individuals collectively known as Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDDs) which become more prevalent when the daily requirements are not met properly. Due to its geographical location in an intense goiter belt, the Indian population is prone to IDDs. According to World Health Organization (WHO), school-aged children, adolescents and pregnant mothers are at a high risk of the adverse effects of IDDs. The present paper focuses on the prevalence of TGR (total goiter rate) and UIE (urinary iodine excretion) level and household consumption of iodine salt among school-aged children in the world and in India with special reference to West Bengal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data based on family health and nutrition in India are reported by the national surveys of the country. The National Family Health Survey 3 (NFHS-3) and 4 (NFHS-4) released the report of 2005-06 and 2015-16. The NFHS-5 also released the data set for 22 states and union territories for the year 2019-20 very recently. Anaemia is among the major public health challenges which affect the vulnerable segments of the population which includes children and women. The men are also affected by the deficiency of anaemia but to a lesser extent. The present paper compares the NFHS-3 and NFHS-4 reports for the prevalence of anaemia among children belonging to 6-59 months and adults across 29 states. The study also discussed various factors, causes and consequences which serve as an important determinant for the occurrence of anaemia. The interventions by the government in relation to anaemia were also analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Education is the process of learning that runs through a person's entire life, from birth to death. It can also be said that education is a social process that encourages people to engage in developmental activities. Academic stress and anxiety can be caused by the learning process. The present study was conducted to find out the factors influencing academic stress and anxiety among 1200 school going girls (600 each for stress and anxiety) in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, India. A pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire, focus group discussion and observation tool were used for collecting information and a standardized psychological instrument was used for assessing academic stress and anxiety. The present study shows that in addition to studies, family problems, domestic violence, emotional peer pressure and health problems have a significant impact on academic stress and anxiety. More attention should be paid to understanding the need for a studentand teacher friendly environment at school as well as a positive environment at home so that students' academic stress and anxiety can be reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pregnancy outcome is a powerful indicator of the health status of its women and the quality of health care available to the community. A two-way relationship between women's health and pregnancy outcome exists and high rates of foetal and early infant mortality are well known. The use of opium for medicinal or recreational purposes has a long history in many parts of the world and thus continues to be common. Infants born to mothers who use opiates do have impaired growth, smaller head size, and significant neuro-behavioral dysfunction due to withdrawal. This paper reports the adverse pregnancy outcome and its predictors, particularly the opium addiction among 234 married Wancho tribe of the Longding district of Arunachal Pradesh, India. Data were collected from women through a pretested questionnaire. Data reveal that a high rate of stillbirths (4.91 percent) and spontaneous abortion (6.06 percent) among addicts than the non-addicts. Pregnancy wastage is not only unwanted in itself but also has an adverse impact on women's health and hence public health intervention is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the status of antenatal care received by the Kabui Naga women of the Tamenglong district, Manipur and its impact on fertility and infant and child mortality. For this study, a cross-sectional method was adopted using purposive sampling. Data on antenatal care and health of the children were collected from a total of 434 ever-married women aged 15-49 years by using Interview Schedule. All data were managed and analyzed using SPSS 16 software by setting the level of significance at 5%. The Kabui Naga women of the Tamenglong district seldom visit health centers for the ANC check-ups due to their lack of awareness about its importance during pregnancy. The present study reveals that certain bio-social factors like improving women's education, health care practices and socio-economic status play a significant role in lowering fertility as well as infant and child mortality. Among all the independent factors considered, maternal age is significantly associated with ANC attendance. Further, in this population feeding of colostrums to the new born is found very common (97.21%). Among all the immunizations considered, the coverage of polio vaccine shows the highest followed by BCG and then measles and whooping cough respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Siblings of autistic individuals are often overlooked in autism research. This study examined the lived experiences of 50 typically developing siblings of autistic individuals from India. Using a qualitative methodology, the study employed semi-structured, in-depth interviews to highlight the sibling experiences. Thematic analysis yielded four themes that describe the complex experiences shared by participant siblings, reflecting on their journey from childhood to present. Findings indicated participant siblings' roles in the lives of their autistic siblings' and the challenges faced while uncovering the complexities of their relationships which contributes to the scarce literature on sibling relationships in families with an autistic individual. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus pandemic originated in Wuhan, China, in December 2019 and swiftly spread worldwide, resulting in 1,813,811 deaths in 2020 and approximately 3,000,000 excess deaths. Amidst this crisis, Asians with Mongoloid features faced wrongful psychological and physical abuse globally due to unfounded accusations of spreading the virus. This discrimination extended to North Eastern Mongoloids in India, who suffered harassment from their compatriots. Interestingly, some Indians perpetrating such abuse within their country have themselves faced racial discrimination abroad, blamed for the spread of the Delta variant. This examination will explore the forms, nature, and scope of such racial harassment against Asian Mongoloids globally and North Eastern Mongoloids in India, drawing from various sources. It will critically analyze ethnocentric racial profiling, particularly of Mongoloid individuals, through the lens of biological diversity and the sociocultural framework of critical cultural relativism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent endocrine disorder affecting numerous women of reproductive age, marked by hormonal imbalances, irregular menstruation, and ovarian cysts. Beyond fertility concerns, PCOS correlates with metabolic issues like insulin resistance, obesity, and heightened risks of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. This study explores the pathophysiology of PCOS in Bengali-speaking Hindu and Muslim women from Kolkata, West Bengal, India. It involved 723 young adult women, aged 15 to 30, split between 371 Hindus and 352 Muslims. The research gathered data on PCOS prevalence, associated general and socio-demographic characteristics, menstrual patterns, dietary habits, anthropometric data, and clinical variables such as blood pressure, random blood glucose, and hemoglobin levels. The findings indicate that despite sharing the same locale, Hindu and Muslim women show distinct PCOS manifestations and burdens due to their ethnic and cultural differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines a small-scale local business, specifically an ice factory in Bira, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal. Employing three workers, all related, the factory has been operational since 2002. Daily production stands at 2000 units, with 1500 units sold. In addition to the core team, five ice cream tricycles riders/cart vendors are employed to distribute the ice cream in the market. The research focuses on the daily work management of the individuals and investigates whether the company's earnings align with the workers' lifestyles. Furthermore, it explores the economic conditions of both owners and workers through an anthropological lens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rivers have been pivotal to human progress, providing essential resources for ancient societies. The Ghaggar River, flowing through three states and one Union Territory, has been a cornerstone for settlements due to its fertile lands. However, its proximity to mining, agriculture, and industrial zones has altered its chemical dynamics, making the monitoring of its water quality a critical task. Recent literature reviews, utilizing comprehensive databases and search strategies, have highlighted the socio-economic significance of water quality. Economic shifts, land use changes, industrial growth, and increased chemical usage have impacted water quality, leading to accessibility, availability, and affordability issues. Moreover, gastrointestinal and skin ailments among the river's users underscore the urgency of the situation. Local communities are now facing a crisis as the degradation of this vital water source forces them to seek alternative solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the reproductive health, nutritional status, and disease burden of Hill Kharia tribal women in the Mayurbhanj district of Odisha. We included 174 women aged 18 to 60 years. Our findings revealed that these women had a mean conception rate of 3.01, a mean live birth rate of 2.26, and a mean reproductive wastage rate of 0.75. Based on BMI, 55.2% of the women were underweight. Central obesity (WHtR) also shows that 38.5% of the women were underweight and 30.4% were anemic. The prevalence of hypertension and high blood sugar among the women was found to be 12.16% and 8.6%, respectively. It is clear that the alarming trend of anaemia, reproductive performance, under nutrition, hypertension, and diabetes among the Hill Kharia women demands the urgent incorporation of a specific health management policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the distinct marriage customs of two Hindu Bengali communities in West Bengal: the Brahmins and the Poundra-Kshatriyas. It delves into the rituals, actions, and symbols integral to the marriage processes of these groups in Kolkata. The Brahmins, at the top of the caste hierarchy, have specific marriage rituals that affirm their caste status. In contrast, the Poundra-Kshatriyas, who are at the lower end of the hierarchy, follow different practices. The study compares these rituals and the significance of various traditional actions and changes, drawing on memoir interviews, genealogies, and case histories. It interprets these actions within the context of traditional activities, local terminology, rituals, beliefs, and marriage symbols. The research indicates that the observed differences in marriage customs between the two communities are historically rooted and reflect their social interactions and the material and symbolic aspects of their relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus. The WHO recognized the spread of COVID-19 as a pandemic on 11 March 2020. The present study sheds light on the mental health of adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic by assessing the 4 psychological problems - post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety and stress. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 60 individuals from the Delhi NCR region of India. An online questionnaire was created using "Google Form" and sent to all participants through social media platforms. The 2 psychological scales IES-R and DASS-21 were used and the collected data was statistically analyzed. The data from this study indicated that gender was a risk factor for overall high levels of PTSD, depression, anxiety and stress, with all 4 factors significantly elevated in women. There was no association between age and education with the 4 parameters. However, a person's occupation contributed to high levels of psychological distress, with all 4 parameters significantly elevated in students compared to working professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study had focused on exploring the cultural traditions and beliefs surrounding the ante-natal, post-natal, and postpartum periods. Pregnancy and childbirth are significant life events that are associated with different cultural beliefs and practices, which can vary across regions, ethnicities, and religions. Understanding these cultural traditions and beliefs, is important for healthcare providers to provide culturally sensitive care to pregnant and postpartum women. This study had used mixed method research design to explore the cultural traditions and beliefs surrounding the ante-natal, post-natal, and postpartum periods. The study was conducted on 110 subjects in the Nauni and its adjacent environs in the state of Himachal Pradesh, India. It involved in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with pregnant women and with the women who have at least one child and their families. The data collected was analyzed using thematic analysis to identify common cultural traditions and beliefs related to pregnancy and childbirth. The study aimed to provide insight into how cultural beliefs and practices influence healthcare-seeking behaviors, decision-making, and perceptions of care during the ante-natal, post-natal, and postpartum periods. The findings of this study can inform the development of culturally appropriate healthcare interventions and policies to improve maternal and child health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The health care system in India is famous for its dynamics with its sources of medicine and treatment systems. The healing system in different rural communities consists of Shamanistic healing and traditional herbal medicine. The Bru communities settled in Mizoram, India, use indigenous herbal medicine due to various transportation issues, affordability and accessibility to modern health care services. This study examines the types of healers present and their healing mechanisms for different purposes of community life, including illnesses and diseases using the lens of anthropological, historical and sociological perspectives. Methodologically, it is an ethnographic study that emphasized the in-depth interview sessions of the herbalists in five villages in the Mamit district of Mizoram. The study was conducted for 10 months in 2019 and 2022. However, a worry about losing such traditional knowledge has started already. There is a considerable gap in the traditional knowledge of medicine between the younger and older generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One among five children under five years are stunted. There are 149.2 million and 45.4 million preschool children are stunted and wasted respectively. According to the Global Hunger Index report 2022, India ranked 107th among 121 countries having serious hunger level. The present study analyses the Composite index of Anthropometric failure (CIAF) and Z score to assess the nutritional condition of among preschool children under 6 years old of ICDS of Maynaguri Block, Jalpaiguri District, West Bengal. Two anthropometric variables i.e., height and weight were measured from 607 (boys: 301and girls: 306) children and stunting, wasting, underweight and CIAF were calculated. There is a significant mean of height between different age groups where F= 483.62; p<0.0001. There is also a significant mean difference of weight between different age groups F= 170.32; p<0.0001. Age and sex specific maximum prevalence of wasting among 5 years old girls (37.7 %), stunting among 2 years old girls (29.57 %), underweight among 2 years old boys (44.44%) and CIAF among 2 years old boys (59.72 %) was observed. Prevalence of under nutrition according to NCHS standard, current study found that wasting 28.82 %, stunting 19.76 % and underweight 36.57 % respectively. Prevalence of undernutrition using the Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure observed 46.62 % of the studied sample. The Composite index of anthropometric failure of the present study is higher than those of the Kashmiri children, children of Raipur & Santal children from West Bengal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Khampti is a unique tribal population of Arunachal Pradesh that belongs to Tai-group of linguistic family and followers of Theravada Buddhism. Northeast India is recognised as one of the core areas where abnormal haemoglobin E is found abundantly. But till date no investigation of abnormal haemoglobin has been reported from this population. The present study tried to find out the frequency of abnormal haemoglobin E among this community with the help of PCR-RFLP method. We have screened 52 individuals, consisting of 25 females and 27 males for the presence of abnormal haemoglobin E. Out of 52 individuals, 7 individuals were found to have carriers of HbE whereas 2 individuals were found to have in homozygous state (HbEE) showing an HbE allele frequency of 0.105 in this population. The findings may help to scale up further genetic screening of abnormal haemoglobin as well as genetic counselling in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Education is a powerful weapon and an essential component of the social sector. Education can change the social stigmas attached to society through the process of learning. It has an ancient tradition in India, and the ancient roots of education in India can be traced back to the times of the Vedas, from 1500 to 500 BC. Education expenditure has been regarded as an asset because it acts as an investment in human capital. The increasing demand for education in India, coupled with a lack of public expenditure on education, has been resulting in increasing private expenditure on education, which in turn has far-reaching consequences for access and affordability to education. In developing countries like India, since its independence, the government of India has given more importance to education and educational sectors to uplift its people. The future of the budding generations around the world is dependent on education and educational bits of knowledge. In the present study, an attempt is made to analyze the government's expenditure on education in different states of India. In the state of Karnataka, it is found that the per capita expenditure on education gradually increased, but after some years, the expenditure pace changed and increased rapidly. The per capita expenditure on education in states like Sikkim, Goa, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Uttarakhand, and NCT Delhi has been higher compared to the lowest expenditure states like Bihar, Jharkhand, Telangana, and Madhya Pradesh. The study found a noticeable regional imbalance among the Indian states in per capita expenditure on education has been found, but the trend remains the same over the years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the heavy death toll inflicted, smallpox was an abhorred visitor in Travancore (the southernmost princely state in pre-independent India). Ayurvedic medicines and prayers to epidemic deities were the only curative techniques practised by the populace before the introduction of vaccination to the princely state in the early 1800s. From 1813 onwards the administration was occupied with building a vaccination infrastructure which culminated in establishing the department of vaccination in 1865, which later was amalgamated with the Department of Public Health in 1895. Since the early years, the vaccination efforts of the princely state were thwarted by its lack of-trained professionals, financial resources, quality lymph, - adverse climate and hostility among certain caste and religious communities. From the beginning, vaccination was despised by both Muslims and Namboothiri Brahmins, citing religious or caste prohibitions. Extending vaccination to the women of these communities was an arduous task, due to the inaccessibility of their bodies or the private spaces of the household to a male outsider. From 1879 onwards the state decided to make vaccination compulsory, first in public spaces and later in private spaces, which led to the body of the women being a site of a fight between men and the state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutritional status during preschool period is a paramount importance because of their rapid growth and this period is the foundation for lifetime health, strength and intellectual vitality. Given the above fact, present review has been undertaken to get an impression of the overall MUAC based undernutrition and sex variation of undernutrition among the preschool children of India as recommended by WHO guideline. International and national databases were searched using Google search engine, and PubMed etc. This review showed that the prevalence of MUAC based undernutrition was very high among the preschool children of India. It is recommended that the policy maker may implement measurement of MUAC at primary health care level to identify severe and moderate acute malnutrition as measurement of MUAC is a very simple and very much inexpensive and non-invasive method to assess nutritional status among the young children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]