FM varsity foundation day
The award will be presented on the occasion of the university's 27th Foundation Day on Friday. The award comprises a citation and a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh.
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Time of India
35 minutes ago
- Time of India
‘Ropni' tradition fast disappearing from H'bag, Chatra villages
1 2 Hazaribag/Chatra: The tradition of singing paddy "Ropni" (sowing) songs, considered to be the soul of a village, is getting lost with time. In the past, groups of women would sing traditional Ropni songs while planting or sowing paddy in the fields. Although one can still hear such songs in a few places, the bitter truth is that this tradition is on the verge of becoming history. Banshi Ganjhu, a sexagenarian of Jamuari village in Kusumbha panchayat of Katkamdag block, said the season of paddy planting in the village was not only a symbol of agricultural work, but it is also a cultural celebration. Before starting the planting, we perform special puja in the fields, which is called 'Panchaathi' or 'Bangadi'. On this occasion, the villagers gathered in the field and offered 'Thekua' and other dishes to please the village deity and Indradev (the rain god), so that the village gets good rain and harvests. Ganjhu, a leader of his community here, further said in his village, few are following the tradition of singing the traditional songs... "... Latar patar kado mei dhan ropa ropi re, chala re chala re khet hariyar...". There are many songs in local dialects which are melodious and make even the listener sing along, he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Dubai villas | search ads Get Deals Undo Ramni Devi, a villager and an employee of Green Valley Public School in Jamuari, said on the day of paddy sowing, the owner of the field have to prepare food of the choice of those who will sow the paddy. Moreover, the owner has to pay Rs 300 per person taking part in the sowing, she added. Talo Manjhi of Tatijharia in Hazaribag said singing songs in local dialects from paddy sowing to marriage functions and other holy events is a tradition of every village. "But it's fast disappearing as you can hear such songs only at one or two places," he added. These songs are full of laughter, jokes, pain of separation and fun. It binds people together and gives the message of unity, he said, admitting that the current generation prefers not to carry on the old tradition now. Recalling that farmers used to plough the fields early in the morning with oxen, many said the rumbling of machines can be heard now. Tractors, power tillers and other machines have replaced traditional agricultural equipment. This mechanical change may be making farming easier, but it is weakening the social and cultural bonding that was the soul of these ancient traditions, added a farmer. In Lawalong of Chatra, farmers also echoed similar sentiments. There was a time when women used to sow paddy in rows and sing songs with lyrics like 'Agahan ke mahina bad sukh ke dinava ho...' They said those voices have disappeared from the fields. Neither does the new generation understand these songs, nor do they have the interest to learn them, many rued. This is the reason why the elders of the villages in the two districts are now worried. A 70-year-old farmer, Dukhan Bhuiyan, of Lawalong said that during his time, they used to feel happy and considered a festival was on when seeing the planting and sowing of crops. The entire field used to be tilled during cultivation. Now, machines are doing everything. In such a situation, this tradition must be preserved. There should be an initiative to preserve the cultural activities and songs related to paddy planting at the school and panchayat levels in rural areas, so that the future generations can know that, along with hard work in the fields, seeds of happiness and faith were also sown, he added. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !
Time of India
35 minutes ago
- Time of India
Minority outreach: KSOU to provide free education to 3k students
Mysuru: About 3,000 students from minority communities are now eligible to receive free education at Karnataka State Open University (KSOU). The state govt has set aside Rs 5 crore for the scheme run by the minority affairs department. Professor Sharanappa V Halse, the vice-chancellor of KSOU, told reporters on Friday under this new initiative, students from the Christian, Jain, Sikh, Buddhist, Muslim, and Parsi communities are eligible for free education. These students are free to join any undergraduate, postgraduate, or diploma course. The total outlay for the scheme is expected to go up to Rs 10 crore next fiscal year, Halse said. In response to a query on gross enrolment ratio at KSOU, the VC said the number has been on the rise. Earlier, open and distance learning education was provided based on age criteria, but courses are now being offered to all those who have cleared pre-university education. Halse said about 36,000 students took admission in 2021, 44,000 in 2022, 61,000 in 2023, and 76,000 in 2024. In the current year, around 77,000 have enrolled for various courses. KSOU has set up regional centres across Karnataka to further increase intake. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like TV providers are furious: this gadget gives you access to all channels Techno Mag Learn More Undo So far, Yadgir, Vijayapura, and Udupi districts have responded positively by providing the required land for setting up facilities. KSOU currently has 38 regional centres and 130 study centres. Halse said the KSOU has been providing free education to visually challenged students and those orphaned during the Covid pandemic. In the 2023-24 academic year, about 79 students, including 71 visually challenged, took admission. In the current academic year, about 43 candidates orphaned during the pandemic, and 65 visually challenged students have enrolled for various UG/PG and certificate/diploma courses. New courses Currently, KSOU is offering 79 different courses. From this academic year, the varsity is offering a course in Jyotish Shastra (Vedic astrology), enrolment for which is already on, the VC said. Meanwhile, KSOU, in association with the National Skill Development Corporation, will offer industry-mandated courses in artificial intelligence and machine learning, data analytics, AR/VR/Meta, cloud computing, cybersecurity, Internet of Things, industrial/home automation, robotic process automation, and semiconductor design. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Masculinity in transition
The nature of gender is changing in contemporary Indian society. Traditional traits of masculinity — authority, physical dominance, and emotional stoicism — are increasingly being challenged in both professional and familial spaces. Meanwhile, traits that were once associated with femininity — empathy, adaptability, and emotional literacy — are becoming more widely accepted as essential for success in the 21st century. This shift represents not only a cultural transformation but also a social reconfiguration of gender roles, expressions, and performances in response to structural changes in the economy, technology, and interpersonal relationships. In modern workplaces, communication, collaboration, and emotional intelligence are prioritised over physical strength or hierarchical control. Consequently, the roles associated with femininity have become a valuable form of social capital. Behaviours that were once undervalued in the public sphere are now recognised as essential skills in various sectors, including corporate management, healthcare, education, and teaching. Increasingly, those who can 'read the room', regulate emotions, and engage with relational complexities are increasingly seen as effective and well-suited for future expectations. In contrast, traditional masculinity appears to be struggling to regain its relevance in contemporary expectations. Its conventional traits no longer align with the dominant structures of modern work or family life. As automation makes many manual and physical jobs obsolete, and as corporate and bureaucratic cultures impose greater surveillance, accountability, and transparency on leadership, the space for traditional masculine assertiveness and unilateral control typical of traditional masculinity is shrinking. This shift results in a form of functional redundancy rather than erasure; older forms of masculinity are no longer a prerequisite for productivity or power. This has led to the emergence of alternative spaces for expressing masculinity, which has become apparent in urban India. There is a noticeable retreat into hyper-visible, stylised, and often performative spaces such as gyms, street corners, roadside gatherings, and the digital spectacle of social media reels. These spaces serve as arenas for asserting presence, control, and virility in a society that no longer structurally necessitates these attributes. Bodies are sculpted, not for physical labour, but as a spectacle, and aggression is performed, not for protection or dominance in real-life situations, but for the camera. While these expressions are legitimate in their own right, they highlight a disconnect between cultural understandings of masculinity and their practical relevance. This disruption of masculine identity is especially complicated in a society like India, where views on gender are still closely linked to biological differences. Even among educated people, they can make a little distinction between sex and gender. In this context, gender is often seen as something fixed and binary, rather than fluid and shared. Consequently, when individuals, especially young men, face the expectation to show behaviours associated with femininity, like caregiving, vulnerability, or emotional openness, they often feel a conflict within their identity. This confusion is not just personal; it arises socially, from the clash between traditional norms and modern expectations. In this context, there is a strong tendency to cling to visible, ritualised performances of masculinity. The phenomenon of 'reel masculinity' that proliferates across platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and short-video platforms is not a coincidence; rather, it is an attempt to stabilise an identity that feels increasingly precarious. However, this creates a feedback loop where traditional understandings of gender roles are not only preserved but also glamorised, feeding into cycles of alienation, aggression, and social discontent. The challenge, then, is not to feminise society but to demystify gender itself. A sociological approach requires recognising that masculinity and femininity are not biologically determined traits but learnt behaviours. These behaviours are influenced by history, culture, and social institutions. As those structures change, our understanding of gender roles must change as well. The belief that emotional intelligence is 'feminine' and that decisiveness is 'masculine' is both limiting and unsupported by evidence. In reality, all individuals, regardless of biological sex, can draw from a wide range of emotional and behavioural skills. This has important implications for education, family life, and public policy. Schools and universities must teach gender literacy actively. This should happen not just through abstract theory but as part of daily life, including literature, history, psychology, and personal interactions. Especially, youth should learn that gender is not destiny; it is a framework for negotiating identity. Parents and caregivers should model and encourage behaviours that challenge rigid categories. This includes allowing boys to cry and care and encouraging girls to lead and assert themselves. Media and cultural institutions need to go beyond token representation. They should provide complex, intersectional narratives of masculinity and femininity in transition. The goal is not to make masculinity outdated. Instead, we want to expand it, making it responsive and ethical. Masculinity should evolve to include emotional awareness without shame, to practice care without being condescending, and to give up control without feeling less of a man. Only then can it stay relevant in a world that no longer links power to physical strength or authority to emotional distance. India needs not a negation of either masculinity or femininity but an acceptance of it. In workplaces, this means rethinking leadership to be more empathetic and inclusive. At home, it means sharing emotional responsibilities more fairly. In public discourse, it requires challenging the mistaken link between masculinity and dominance. Most important, femininity is a role and has no link with sexual identity, and both men and women should adopt these roles as per their needs and spaces. Ultimately, the evolution of gender is not a threat to identity; it is a social necessity. As our institutions, technologies, and relationships change, our ideas of what it means to be a man, a woman, or something in between must change too. A future based on mutual respect, flexibility, and shared humanity requires nothing less. ashwinsociology@
