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Hindustan Times
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Word on the street: A delightful collection of poems celebrates Indian cities across 2,000 years
It began with a bout of homesickness. While studying for a degree in economics at Yale in late-2020, Bilal Moin began to feel a yearning for Mumbai. He sought refuge in poems about the city, initially turning to classics by Arun Kolatkar, Adil Jussawalla and Dom Moraes. After a while, he cast his net wider. Entering keywords into the university library archive, he discovered poets he had never heard of, their verses on Bombay preserved in journals and magazines long-since defunct. In 2023, he mentioned his 'Word document of homesick scribbles' to Shawkat Toorawa, a professor of comparative literature at Yale. 'He pointed out that, pretty much by accident, I had put together an anthology,' says Moin, speaking from Oxford, where he is now pursuing a Master's degree. Last month, that collection was released as a 1,072-page hardcover anthology: The Penguin Book of Poems on the Indian City. It holds 375 poems by 264 poets, translated from 20 languages. Readers can explore the very different Mumbais of the Jewish playwright and art critic Nissim Ezekiel and the Dalit activist Namdeo Dhasal. They can lament the loss of Shahjahanabad with the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar. Revisit the colonial-era Delhi of Sarojini Naidu, the Haridwar of Manjul Bajaj, or discover a tiny microcosm of India in Thangjam Ibopishak's Imphal. 'My hope is that as you travel through these poems,' writes Moin in the introduction, 'you will discover that within the magic, malice and masala of urban India, every city-dweller becomes, in their own way, a poet.' Centuries of verse 'on a scrap of dried out / soil under a dried up tree / a deer stands in the very centre of New Delhi…' the Polish poet Katarzyna Zechenter writes, in A Nilgai Deer in the City of Delhi. As his homesick search took him all over, picking what to include in the book, and deciding where to stop, was a huge challenge, Moin says. 'Penguin,' he adds, laughing, 'neglected to give me an upper limit for the number of poems I could include, and I took advantage of that and trawled as far and wide — geographically, linguistically and temporally — as possible.' The oldest poem in the collection is Pataliputra, an ode to that ancient Mauryan capital (and ancestor to modern-day Patna), written by Tamil Sangam poet Mosi Keeranar, sometime between the 1st and 3rd centuries CE. 'May all of Pataliputra, swimming in gold, / where white-tusked elephants splash about / in the Sona River, be yours…' he writes. One of the most recent is Imphal as a Pond, by the 22-year-old queer activist Mesak Takhelmayum: 'My family is like the archipelago at Loktak, / if not the chains of islands in the great ocean far beyond these mountains, / in our separation, we yearn for one another / we yearn for water to connect us.' Jungle of people... Once he had a longlist ready, Moin spent weeks sending out hundreds of emails to poets and publishers, trying to work out how to get permission to feature each piece. 'I've featured writers who maybe had one or two poems published 15 years ago, and then seemingly never published again,' he says. 'So I had to send a lot of Facebook messages to people with similar names, saying 'Hi you don't know me, but are you this poet?'' He was determined that each poem be presented at its best, so he dug through multiple translations, and consulted with linguists, scholars or simply friends and acquaintances, to identify the best or most accurate recreations in English. There was a lot of debate over which translation of Tagore's two poems, Song of the City and The Flute, to choose. For the former, he chose the translation by William Radice: 'O city, city, jungle of people, / Road after road, buildings innumerable, / Everything buyable, everything saleable, / Uproar, hubbub, noise.' In loving memory As he read his way through centuries of verse, Moin says, he noticed something that thrilled him: over and over, certain cities inspired the same sentiment. Whether this was an effect of culture, literary mirroring or an idea that took root and spread, tracing these threads through time felt extraordinary, he says. Kolkata's poets tend to look at the city as a harsh mistress, their unrequited love for her both romantic and torturous. Mumbai poets struggle to come to terms with their city's glaring inequalities, and write of the difficulties of surviving in this maximal metropolis. As for Delhi, 'it doesn't matter if you're reading poetry from the 14th century or the 21st,' Moin says. 'The theme is always that this was once a great city, but it no longer is. And that one loves Delhi for its past.' 'A lot of fantastic gay poets, such as Hoshang Merchant and R Raj Rao, are featured in this collection,' Moin adds. 'It's interesting to see, through their eyes, how the city enables the marginalised to express themselves, while on the other hand still stifling them.' There are poets in these pages who are also activists and fighters, soldiers and sages, memory-keepers looking to record a city's present, its culture and its people, its quirks and flaws, before it is all erased and redrawn. But most poets in the anthology, Moin points out, are none of these things. They are simply the 'loafers' of Arvind Krishna Mehrotra's imagination, drifting carefree through gardens, temples and lanes, finding ways to turn the minutiae of the everyday into art. As Nirupama Dutt puts it, in Laughing Sorrow: 'I will go to the poet of the city, / looking for life without restraint. / He will have half a bottle of rum / in one pocket and a freshly / written poem in the other.' Get 360° coverage—from daily headlines to 100 year archives.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Nineteen US colleges are among the best global universities, US News says
Nineteen United States institutions nabbed top positions in the top 100 global universities, according to 2025-2026 U.S. News and World Report rankings. Of those, Harvard University earned first place and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology took second. Stanford University was third, followed by the University of California, Berkeley in sixth, the University of Washington, Seattle in eighth, Yale University in ninth and Columbia University in 10th. Outside of the top 10, were the University of California Los Angeles (13), Johns Hopkins University (14) and the University of Pennyslvania (15). Cornell University, Princeton University, the University of California San Francisco all took 16th place. Beyond those were: the University of California San Diego (21), the University of Michigan (21), California Institute of Technology (23), Northwestern University (24), the University of Chicago (26) and Duke University (27). Read more: 'Far reaching consequences' — UMass Amherst sounds the alarm amid federal uncertainty The ranking includes 2,250 top institutions, spread across 105 countries. The rankings are evaluated by Clarivate™, which creates a group of 2,346 universities that are used to rank the top 2,250 schools. Then the institutions were ranked based on 13 indicators, which included global and regional research reputation, publications, books, conferences and international collaboration. The publication said the list provides 'insight into how U.S. universities — which U.S. News has been ranking separately for nearly 40 years — stand globally," according to its website. 'Far reaching consequences' — UMass Amherst sounds the alarm amid federal uncertainty MIT joins group of universities suing the DOD over funding cuts As federal funding cuts hit Harvard, a private investment firm and other donors step up 20 NIH grants restored to UMass system after judge rules against Trump admin Trump admin asks court to rule against Harvard without a trial Read the original article on MassLive.
Medscape
18 hours ago
- Health
- Medscape
Lisa Sanders: Full Interview Summary
Medscape 2050: The Future of Medicine In just 25 years, your annual medical checkup will undergo a makeover that would make Marcus Welby, MD, think he'd stepped onto the set of Star Trek. There will be no waiting room; you will check yourself in on a digital tablet. Your doctor will still greet you wearing a stethoscope, but it will be outfitted with a mini-ultrasound tool so your MD can see, as well as hear, your heart rate and breathing. Even the standard physician's clipboard will get an upgrade — becoming a mini-tablet containing all of your digital medical records, and the entire global library of medical data. These are just a few ways the practice of medicine (and the traditional annual physical) will change by 2050, according to Lisa Sanders, MD, professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine and medical director of Yale's Long Covid Multidisciplinary Care Center. New technologies — artificial intelligence, electronic medical records, and other med-tech innovations — will make those sci-fi medical transponders Dr McCoy used on 'Star Trek' seem old-fashioned by comparison, Sanders says. She even believes an entirely new medical specialty will emerge: the 'diagnostician,' trained in how best to combine the latest medical technologies with the human touch MDs bring to their practices. But one thing that won't change and may even become more central to the practice of medicine 25 years from now: The connection between doctor and patient. 'Now we have AI and I think that the potential for AI has been tremendous. But…it's still new,' she says. 'You know, people are already trying to get past the physical exam…but the physical exam was invented so that we could try to get a sense of what's going on inside the body. The out to be very important… It's part of a relationship you have — an intimate relationship — with a patient.' That's something Sanders says was emphasized during her treatment of the emerging COVID-19 pandemic, when no medical technology could diagnose or treat the condition. Welcome to Modern Medicine 2050.
CNET
a day ago
- Health
- CNET
Orthopedic Doctors Evaluate if Biological Age TikTok Challenges Are the Real Deal
If you've scrolled through TikTok or Instagram, you've probably seen fitness challenges focused on your biological age. In some cases, it's funny to see people attempting these challenges or impressive to see them succeed. You've probably felt inspired to try out some of these challenges and even questioned their legitimacy. 'Most of these challenges, like completing 11 consecutive push-ups (for women), doing pull-ups or performing a kneeling-to-squat jump, are quick screens of muscular strength and functional movement ability,' said Dr. Andrew Jimenez, an assistant professor of sports medicine and hip preservation at Yale's department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation. I'm in my late 30s and I like remaining active. I know exercise is important for aging well and maintaining independence as we age. But should I be able to do over a dozen pull-ups, or is that a sign that I need to work on my fitness abilities? I spoke to orthopedic doctors to break down the truth behind biological aging tests and the best way to determine how well you're aging. What is biological age? Getty/Milan Markovic We know our current age is something we can't control, but our biological age refers to how our body is aging based on biomarkers like our heart function, bone density, skin elasticity and more. In other words, you could be biologically older or younger than your actual age, depending on how well you take care of your health. The same applies to your fitness abilities as you age. The reason people focus on the ability to do certain physical activities is because as we get older, we lose lean muscle mass, which makes these things harder. Dr. Aaron Casp, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine and advisor for Rally, points out that most of the trends we see are loosely determined by population-based data showing what the average person of a certain age is physically capable of. 'An explosive movement from kneeling to a squat requires a certain amount of strength, core stability, flexibility and body control that the majority of 40-year-olds just don't have anymore,' he said. Are these age tests legitimate? One of the viral challenges that has been going around says that women should be able to do 11 consecutive push-ups. This concept stems from an interview with orthopedic surgeon and longevity expert Vonda Wright, MD, on the Mel Robbins podcast. 'While there is a 2019 study in JAMA Network Open demonstrating that healthy men who had higher push-up capacity had decreased risk of cardiovascular events, this specific number is essentially hearsay without great data behind it,' said Casp. The push-up in general is an excellent exercise because it requires upper body muscle, core strength, pelvic floor and shoulder stability. 'Women generally have less upper body strength than men, so focusing on a particular number of push-ups is a good way to ensure that people are prioritizing functional movements,' Casp added. Casp points out that these trends are all quick-hit versions that try to approximate a much more complex calculation that's based on many more factors. 'For a more rigorous evaluation, performance labs and athletic training facilities can test your VO2 max, which is a much more strenuous test of your aerobic capacity and cardiovascular fitness,' he said. Jimenez agreed, saying, 'These trends may reflect certain aspects of strength or power, but true assessment of physical fitness and biological age requires a multidimensional approach.' An accurate way of testing your biological age is having the following factors assessed: cardiorespiratory fitness, body composition, muscular strength, endurance, flexibility and balance. If you're pregnant or newly postpartum, there are other variables that can affect your fitness abilities. 'We know that exercise during these periods [pregnancy and postpartum] improves stress and anxiety, as well as health outcomes, but the physiologic changes in each woman are different and tolerance for exercise may vary significantly,' Casp explained. Jimenez points out that you can't compare someone who is postpartum to others. 'A woman who is six months postpartum may not be fairly compared to a non-pregnant peer since most formal fitness norms exclude pregnant/postpartum data,' he said. Not to mention, the postpartum period consists of hormone changes that can make it difficult to gain muscle, lose fat or increase cardiovascular fitness the way you might want to. During perimenopause and menopause, exercise will look different per individual as well. 'Menopause and perimenopause are on the other end of the spectrum of changes when lean body mass decreases, metabolism slows and bone density decreases,' Casp points out. In this case, weight-bearing exercises are partially protective against these changes, but he notes that each person's fitness journey in this period of life may look drastically different. What you can do to age healthily Getty/PeopleImages Instead of getting caught up on social media challenges or similar trends, Jimenez recommends staying active: 'Successful aging is associated with consistent physical activity, avoidance of prolonged sedentary behavior and individualized exercise programs.' Casp said he likes to focus on these factors: A well-rounded exercise routine: Workouts that include cardiovascular exercise and resistance strength training. Recovery: As we get older, recovery becomes even more important for seeing those fitness results you want. A regular stretching routine: To keep you limber and reduce muscle stiffness, improve blood circulation. Good sleep hygiene: A consistent sleep schedule that guarantees you're well rested and getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night. Body work: This includes mobility and targeted muscle attention for focusing on warm-up and recovery. How to test your biological fitness age at home Getty/Antonio Garcia Recena As you can tell, finding out your biological age is more complex than some sound bites and recommendations found on social media. But if you want to evaluate how well you're aging for fun at home, some tests you can try out include: Mayo Clinic fitness assessment The Mayo Clinic fitness assessment follows age-specific charts that assess a 1.5-mile jog, your waist circumference, BMI, push-up counts and more. 'All of these have some amount of data for how you stack up among your age-matched peers,' said Casp. Age-specific fitness tests According to Jimenez, these tests are commonly used in clinical and research settings to assess age-related fitness: 'These tests have established normative values by age and sex, allowing for comparison to population standards and estimation of fitness age,' said Jimenez. He acknowledges that social media trends are fun especially if they can motivate people to be active and improve physical fitness. But remember that they're just meant to be that -- fun. 'Ultimately, biological age is a multifactor calculation that extends beyond a single viral benchmark,' Jimenez said. 'The best way to make sure you're as fit as possible is to exercise regularly, incorporate strength training and try to maintain a healthy body weight,' said Casp.
India.com
a day ago
- Business
- India.com
Meet Mukesh Ambani's lesser known relative who built Rs 167000000000 empire, is a recipient of Padma Shri, she is..., Isha Ambani is her...
Isha Ambani, the sole daughter of billionaire Mukesh Ambani and philanthropist Nita Ambani, is a powerful symbol of modern Indian leadership. After an education at Yale and Stanford, she is engaged with the strategic direction of Reliance Retail and Jio Platforms, and has established her position in the high-stakes arena of business and technology. In 2018, Isha married Anand Piramal, heir to the Piramal Group, and son of industrialists Ajay and Swati Piramal. Swati Piramal is a well-known figure in the business world. She is a scientist and strategist, and doctor. With a background in medicine and a degree from Harvard, she has authored influential medical research and served on many prominent boards. Swati Piramal's work has traversed pharmaceuticals, finance, and a wide network of wealth management, where her ability to lead and provide counsel has had a global impact. In 2022, Dr. Piramal was awarded with the Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honour) for her contributions in the fields of business and industry, science, medicine, and towards strengthening Indo-French ties. She is a recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Padma Shri in 2012, and the Chevalier de l'Ordre National du Mérite (Knight of the Order of Merit), France's second highest civilian honour, in 2006. She was also inducted into the 'Hall of Fame' by Business Today in 2023. At present, Dr. Swati Piramal is the Vice-Chairperson of Piramal Group, a global business conglomerate with diverse interests in pharmaceuticals, financial services, and real estate.
