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BackgroundThe present study aimed to investigate how often and to what degree older adults living in an area of Gujarat, Western India, enact traditional and modern eating behaviors. Specifically, we aimed to determine which facets of traditional eating are enacted rarely and which facets of modern eating are enacted often. Moreover, we hypothesized that urban older adults show a higher level of modern eating behaviors than rural older adults. Furthermore, we examined which traditional eating behaviors are more prevalent in rural older adults, and which are more prevalent in urban older adults.MethodsA trained research assistant administered a questionnaire in a face-to-face situation with 120 older adults in a rural and an urban area of Gujarat, Western India. Participants were asked how often and to what degree they perform 57 traditional and modern eating behaviors.ResultsOverall, our sample of older Gujaratis reported a high level of traditional eating behaviors and a low level of modern eating behaviors. However, we also found, for example, a low level of the traditional eating facet of men getting preferential treatment and a high level of the modern eating facet of food being readily available. Moreover, most modern eating facets were more pronounced in the urban than in the rural sample. This was also the case for half of all traditional eating facets.ConclusionOur sample of older adults living in an area of Gujarat displayed more modern eating behaviors in urban than in rural areas. At the same time, however, the urban sample showed also more traditional eating behaviors, such as eating more fruits, possibly because of better food availability. Altogether, results might hint at some signs of modernization among older adults in this area of Gujarat with regard to changing gender roles and better food availability. published

Inspired by the life and work of Mahatma Gandhi and Vinoba Bhave, Bhāvyātrā is a walking pilgrimage, a metaphor for ‘slowing down’ in a fast-paced world. The qualitative study was conducted with 11 adults, both men and women, who had undertaken Bhāvyātrā. In-depth interviews were conducted to know their experiences of Bhāvyātrā and its effects on self and interpersonal relationships. Bhāvyātrā gave participants opportunities to reflect on pure intentions ( Bhāv) behind their actions. Offering oneself in service in a variety of unfamiliar contexts enhanced feelings of trust and interdependence. Older, more experienced Bhāvyātris reported better psychological well-being.

The article highlights gender-specific elements in the notions of duty ( kartavya) in the Indian familial context. Using a hypothetical dilemma about gender roles and employment, in depth interviews were conducted with 120 respondents comprising young adults and their parents from the Maharashtrian community of Vadodara city, Gujarat, India. A majority of respondents, men as well as women, could recognize the unfairness (towards women) in the scenario but did not accord it enough importance because doing so could result in negative consequences (like family disharmony or social isolation) for the self as well as the family. Classifying the justifications under the Big Three Ethics of Autonomy, Community and Divinity (Jensen, 1996, Coding manual: Ethics of autonomy, community and divinity, Unpublished Manuscript) showed maximum use of the ethic of community, closely followed by autonomy. There was negligible use of the ethic of divinity. Indicating cultural continuity amidst social change, younger respondents and older women showed flexible mentalities about gender roles and corresponding responsibilities as compared to those of older men. At the interface of gender and culture, the article highlights complexities, which shape ideas of autonomy and fairness in the Indian context.

Food cultures can play a role in health and well-being. This raises the questions of whether nation boundaries unite the food cultures of different regions and ethnic groups, what characterises food cultures from very different parts of the world, and what similarities and differences exist. The present study aimed to investigate these questions with regard to eating traditions and modern eating practices. In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 3722 participants from ten countries - Brazil, China, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Japan, Mexico, Turkey, and the USA. Participants represented 25 regional and ethnic groups. They were queried about 86 traditional and modern facets of their food cultures in interviews, paper-pencil and online questionnaires. First, hierarchical cluster analysis suggested nine distinct clusters of food cultures - the food cultures of the Brazilian, Chinese, Ghanaian, Indian, Japanese, Mexican, Turkish, African and Latin US American samples, and of European descendants. Interestingly, for seven of the ten investigated countries, nation boundaries united food cultures. Second, each of the nine food culture clusters was characterised by a unique pattern of traditional and modern eating practices. Third, the nine food culture clusters varied more in their traditional eating practices than their modern eating practices. These results might promote a better understanding of the link between food cultures and health and well-being that goes beyond nutrients. For instance, food cultures might be linked to well-being via strengthening people's sense of cultural identity. Moreover, the present results contribute to a better understanding of the complex interplay between food and culture, and could help in developing culturally competent interventions to improve diet and reduce the risk of eating-related diseases.

The chapter gives a historical overview of the interface and evolution of the fields of human development and developmental psychology in India. The significance of the field in the past, present, and future is discussed against national and global demographic realities. Research trends in the field across each decade in postindependent India are described against the backdrop of relevant social issues of the time. Important research and outreach initiatives that impacted national policies on early childhood, youth, old age and research-informed recommendations for issues of gender, provisions for child care, and the like are also addressed. Elucidating current research in the field, the shifting focus on different life stages (infancy, adolescence, and emerging adulthood) and Indian theoretical concepts are highlighted. The significance of indigenous perspectives and traditional frameworks guiding contemporary behaviors and attitudes in the changing social landscape of Indian society are discussed. Illustrating unique features of human development embedded in the Indian cultural context, future directions for research in the field are discussed vis-a-vis opportunities in a globalized, technologically connected world.

In contemporary times, adequately knowing “other” (especially non-Western) belief systems becomes imperative to expand and deepen a global understanding of moral development. Central to the Hindu, Indian psyche is Dharma, a guiding worldview that upholds universal moral order and encompasses complex interactions among the “Big Three” ethics of Autonomy, Community, and Divinity. Self-development in India is essentially embedded in a dharmic framework, emphasizing virtues and ecological sensitivity to the dynamic place and role of the self in a larger cosmic order. Seva (selfless service) is an important component in the dharmic worldview that supports processes of self-realization. Cultivating the intention of seva without expecting anything in return purifies and engenders a dharmic self that contributes meaningfully to its spiritual growth by transcending social hierarchies. Gandhi evoked seva as “applied spirituality,” extending it to the community when he said, “The best way to find your Self is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Immersion in seva transforms the self that appreciates interconnectedness among all living systems and practices universal values of compassion, nonviolence and love.

This chapter gives a historical overview about the significance of marriage and family in the Indian context. Contemporary trends and changes in family structure and function are described along with significant areas of intervention for family life education (FLE). This chapter also traces the evolution of FLE in India and describes important policies and programs. Strategies of outreach and counseling that have worked well are also discussed. Lastly, keeping in mind the future needs of dynamic and digital families, possibilities for diversifying and creating innovative FLE programs are discussed.

The article argues that civic engagement and volunteering experiences are potent avenues for propelling positive youth development. Against the backdrop of a ‘demographic dividend’, the article highlights the underutilised potentials of Indian youth in civic participation and volunteering activities. By analysing the experiences of Aakash, a volunteer with an animal rescue and protection organisation in Vadodara, the article focuses on enhanced competencies and shifts in self-perception, accompanied by changes in social–moral thinking that came about due to his civic engagement (animal protection and rescue) activities. The impact of volunteering on others in the immediate context and the community at large is discussed.

The paper examines the Hindu, Indian concepts of karma and dharma as interpreted in the contemporary, urban Indian context. Using in depth interviews, the study was conducted with 30 respondents from Vadodara city belonging to different socio-economic and professional statuses. Results indicate that both the concepts were infl uenced by an individual’s life stage, gender and socio-economic status. Like karma, the concept of dharma also mainly comprised fulfi lling role-related responsibilities and duties. Integrating both the concepts, it can be said that dharma is the larger framework within the peripheries of which individual karma operates. The concepts of karma and dharma seem to provide a background template for deciphering right and wrong human behavior/conduct in the Indian context.