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PublicationBook Chapter Exploring Indian peace perspectives in the new millennium(Oxford University Press, 2013) Priyankar UpadhyayaThe chapter argues that India's recent scorecard in leading indigenous and innovative peace discourses onto the global template is not impressive despite the rich legacy of peace ideas and values including those of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. It also highlights the growing inclusion of the issues of justice and structural violence embedded in the existing political arrangements in Indian scholars' analysis of both domestic and international conflicts. © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved.PublicationArticle Description of Cylindrospermum solincola sp. nov. from Jammu and Kashmir, India and Further Insights into the Ecological Distribution and Morphological Attributes of Cylindrospermum badium(MDPI, 2023) Naresh Kumar; Aniket Saraf; Sagarika Pal; Prashant SinghTwo cyanobacterial strains KUT1-PS and 18C-PS were collected from the soil surface and vernal pool, respectively, from the Basantgarh village, Udhampur district of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India and characterized by a polyphasic approach. The morphological characterization indicated that both the strains showed typical Cylindrospermum-like morphology and probably belonged to the genus Cylindrospermum. Further, phylogenetic interpretations at the genus level were made using the 16S rRNA gene while the 16S-23S ITS region phylogenetic analysis and secondary structure analysis were conducted to enhance the resolution at the species level. The results from the comparative morphological analysis, the 16S rRNA gene percent similarity and phylogenetic analyses, the 16S-23S ITS percent dissimilarity and the ITS secondary structure analyses provided enough evidence that the strain 18C-PS is a representative of Cylindrospermum badium, providing further insights into its ecological distribution and morphological attributes. Additionally, the strain KUT1-PS was a novel species of the genus Cylindrospermum and is referred to herein as Cylindrospermum solincola sp. nov., in accordance with the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi and plants. This study also discusses the importance of comparing the newly sequenced strains with previously established species before making final taxonomic interpretations. © 2023 by the authors.PublicationArticle How do adolescents classify foods as healthy and unhealthy?: A qualitative inquiry from rural India(Cambridge University Press, 2023) Sangeeta Kansal; Aryan Raj; Kumari Smita; Anthony Worsley; Neha RathiIndian adolescents exhibit obesogenic dietary habits including low intake of fruits and vegetables and increasing consumption of fast food and carbonated beverages. Adolescents' classification of healthy and unhealthy foods is likely to have significant implications for their dietary behaviour, and consequently, their health. However, there is limited evidence about the ways Indian adolescents classify foods as healthy or unhealthy. Hence, this qualitative study was designed to explore how Indian adolescents classify nutritious or non-nutritious food choices. Convenience sampling was used to recruit the study participants from Tikari village in Uttar Pradesh, India. Underpinned by the social constructivist lens, the adolescents were interviewed face-to-face in Hindi. All the interactions were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim, and translated into English prior to data analysis. Transcribed data were analysed thematically using inductive as well as deductive coding, and subsequently, conceptual themes were extracted. A total of thirty-nine adolescents (twenty boys; nineteen girls) aged 10-19 years participated in this qualitative inquiry. The adolescents classified healthy and unhealthy foods based on the following six themes: (i) Food groups and nutrients; (ii) Health and immunity; (iii) Type of ingredient; (iv) Place and time of food preparation; (v) Packaging; and (vi) Parental influence. These findings can inform school-based food literacy interventions to foster healthy dietary habits and cooking skills among Indian adolescents. © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Nutrition Society.PublicationArticle Emplacement ages of Paleoproterozoic mafic dyke swarms in eastern Dharwar craton, India: Implications for paleoreconstructions and support for a ∼30° change in dyke trends from south to north(Elsevier B.V., 2019) Ulf Söderlund; Wouter Bleeker; Kursad Demirer; Rajesh K. Srivastava; Michael Hamilton; Mimmi Nilsson; Lauri J. Pesonen; Amiya K. Samal; Mudlappa Jayananda; Richard E. Ernst; Madabhooshi SrinivasLarge igneous provinces (LIPs) and especially their dyke swarms are pivotal to reconstruction of ancient supercontinents. The Dharwar craton of southern Peninsular India represents a substantial portion of Archean crust and has been considered to be a principal constituent of Superia, Sclavia, Nuna/Columbia and Rodinia supercontinents. The craton is intruded by numerous regional-scale mafic dyke swarms of which only a few have robustly constrained emplacement ages. Through this study, the LIP record of the Dharwar craton has been improved by U-Pb geochronology of 18 dykes, which together comprise seven generations of Paleoproterozoic dyke swarms with emplacement ages within the 2.37–1.79 Ga age interval. From oldest to youngest, the new ages (integrated with U-Pb ages previously reported for the Hampi swarm) define the following eight swarms with their currently recommended names:NE–SW to ESE–WNW trending ca. 2.37 Ga Bangalore-Karimnagar swarm.N–S to NNE–SSW trending ca. 2.25 Ga Ippaguda-Dhiburahalli swarm.N–S to NNW–SSE trending ca. 2.22 Ga Kandlamadugu swarm.NW–SE to WNW–ESE trending ca. 2.21 Ga Anantapur-Kunigal swarm.NW–SE to WNW–ESE trending ca. 2.18 Ga Mahbubnagar-Dandeli swarm.N–S, NW–SE, and ENE–WSW trending ca. 2.08 Ga Devarabanda swarm.E–W trending 1.88–1.89 Ga Hampi swarm.NW–SE ca. 1.79 Ga Pebbair swarm. Comparison of the arcuate trends of some swarms along with an apparent oroclinal bend of ancient geological features, such as regional Dharwar greenstone belts and the late Archean (ca. 2.5 Ga) Closepet Granite batholith, have led to the hypothesis that the northern Dharwar block has rotated relative to the southern block. By restoring a 30° counter clockwise rotation of the northern Dharwar block relative to the southern block, we show that pre-2.08 Ga arcuate and fanning dyke swarms consistently become approximately linear. Two possible tectonic models for this apparent bending, and concomitant dyke rotations, are discussed. Regardless of which deformation mechanisms applies, these findings reinforce previous suggestions that the radial patterns of the giant ca. 2.37 Ga Bangalore-Karimnagar dyke swarm, and probably also the ca. 2.21 Ga Anantapur-Kunigal swarm, may not be primary features. © 2018 Elsevier B.V.PublicationArticle Ocular manifestations and human immunodeficiency virus retinopathy in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in North India(2006) V. Satya Suresh Attili; Vijay P. Singh; A.V. Bhaskar Reddy; Datla V. Varma; Madhukar Rai; Kumar A. Gulati; Shyam SundarAim: To evaluate the spectrum of eye diseases in patients with human immunodeficiency virus, with special reference to human immunodeficiency virus retinopathy and its risk factors. Methods: All patient with human immunodeficiency virus attending the Infectious Disease Clinic at Sir Sunderlal Hospital, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, India, between January 2001 and December 2003 were enrolled. All patients underwent a thorough eye examination. Patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome retinopathy were analysed separately for predisposing factors. The risk factors analysed were positive C-reactive protein, low CD4 levels, associated central nervous system infections, and other eye diseases. Statistical analysis was done using Medcalc version 7.5. Results: Of 460 analysable patients, 88 patients (19%) had some eye manifestations, and 54 patients had human immunodeficiency virus retinopathy. Univariate analysis disclosed that immunosuppression (CD4 levels, <20/μL), positive C-reactive protein, associated eye lesions, and any central nervous system pathology were significant risk factors for the development of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome retinopathy. Conclusions: Human immunodeficiency virus could be a risk factor for retinopathy as a significant number of patients did not have any other findings or risk factors for the development of retinopathy. However, it would be premature to draw definitive conclusions about the risk factors, as the number of patients analysed was small. © 2006 Scientific Communications International Limited.PublicationArticle Emplacement age and isotope geochemistry of Sung Valley alkaline-carbonatite complex, Shillong Plateau, northeastern India: Implications for primary carbonate melt and genesis of the associated silicate rocks(2005) Rajesh K. Srivastava; Larry M. Heaman; Anup K. Sinha; Sun ShihuaThe early Cretaceous (Albian-Aptian) Sung Valley ultramafic-alkaline-carbonatite complex is one of several alkaline intrusions that occur in the Shillong Plateau, India. This complex comprises calcite carbonatite and closely associated ultramafic (serpentinized peridotite, pyroxenite and melilitolite) and alkaline rocks (ijolite and nepheline syenite). Field relationship and geochemical characteristics of these rocks do not support a genetic link between carbonatite and associated silicate rocks. There is geochemical evidence that pyroxenite, melilitolite and ijolite of the complex are genetically related. Stable (C and O) and radiogenic (Nd and Sr) isotope data clearly indicate a mantle origin for the carbonatite samples. The carbonatite εNd (+0.7 to +1.8) and εSr (+4.7 to +7.0) compositions overlap the field for Kerguelen ocean island basalts. One sample of ijolite has Nd and Sr isotopic compositions that also plot within the field for Kerguelen ocean island basalts, whereas the other silicate-carbonatite samples indicate involvement with an enriched component. These geochemical and isotopic data indicate that the rocks of the Sung Valley complex were derived from and interacted with an isotopically heterogeneous subcontinental mantle and is consistent with interaction of a mantle plume (e.g. Kerguelen plume) with lithosphere. A U-Pb perovskite age of 115.1±5.1 Ma obtained for a sample of Sung Valley ijolite also supports a temporal link to the Kerguelen plume. The observed geochemical characteristics of the carbonatite rocks indicate derivation by low-degree partial melting (∼0.1%) of carbonated mantle peridotite. This melt, containing a substantial amount of alkali elements, interacted with peridotite to form metasomatic clinopyroxene and olivine. This process could progressively metasomatize lherzolite to form alkaline wehrlite. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.PublicationArticle Gradient profiling for the investigation of groundwater saturated fractures in hard rocks of Uttar Pradesh, India(2008) G.S. Yadav; Shashi Kant SinghGradient profiling (GP) has been successfully utilized as a preliminary tool to identify fractured zones saturated with groundwater in hard-rock areas of Robertsganj, Sonebhadra district, Uttar Pradesh, India. Conducting geoelectrical sounding at randomly selected places may not provide fruitful results since fractures are sparsely distributed in hard rocks. In gradient profiling, current electrodes with large separation remain fixed while the potential dipole is moved between the current electrodes in the central one-third portion of the profile at a small station interval. A GP survey was conducted along seven profiles having different lengths in two small sectors of the study area. Low resistive zones have been identified which correspond to the fractured zones. A few geoelectrical soundings were carried out to investigate the depth and thickness of the fractured zones. Two test boreholes, one drilled in each sector, yielded continuous discharge of fresh water (18,000-24,000 L/h). The present study confirms the findings of previous work that the GP survey is a powerful initial technique that identifies the presence of a fractured zone, especially in a hard-rock area covered with a thin soil layer. © Springer-Verlag 2007.PublicationBook Chapter Understanding Soft Power and India’s Health Diplomacy: A Pursuit of SDG3 Fostering Mental Health(Springer Science+Business Media, 2025) Harleen Kaur; Sidhyendra SisodiaDiplomacy has been an essential tool of any country’s foreign policy in the international system. Through diplomacy, nations conduct their international affairs; however, with the changing times, the nature of diplomacy has been widening, and health diplomacy has been one of the significant tools of any country to establish cordial relations with nations worldwide. To put this in place, it has emerged as one of the crucial components of “soft power.” Moreover, it is a vital conduit for international cooperation in addressing global health challenges, particularly advancing Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3)—ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all. This chapter explores the intersection of health diplomacy, particularly India’s involvement, and the crucial role of mental health within SDG 3. It explains health diplomacy as a form of soft power and its importance in governing global health. The chapter discusses SDG 3’s goal of ensuring overall well-being, stressing the significance of mental health due to its profound impact on our lives. Tracing the history of India’s Health diplomacy, it further discusses how it aligns with SDG 3 and strategies to maintain progress, particularly amidst challenges like Coronavirus. It explores India’s efforts to promote mental health in the nation and across the country. The conclusion offers recommendations to strengthen India’s health diplomacy efforts. It emphasizes the need for global efforts to support SDG 3 and mental well-being, alongside improving health outcomes within India. The chapter advocates for recognizing “health diplomacy” as a tool for building peace and urges a holistic approach to integrating mental health into global health discussions. © 2025 The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.PublicationArticle Mineralogical and Geochemical Behavior of Sediments Solely Derived from Bundelkhand Granitic Complex, Central India: Implications to Provenance and Source Rock Weathering(Pleiades Publishing, 2018) S. Kanhaiya; B.P. Singh; S. SinghAbstract: Small rivers commonly drain in a few lithologies making their sediments as a good candidate for investigating provenance and weathering environments. We investigated spatial variation in compositional changes in the sediments of a modern river (Khurar River) from its source to sink for 35 km in Khajuraho area, Madhya Pradesh, India. The Khurar River in its entire course is surrounded by the Bundelkhand granitic complex that provides uniform source to the sediments. The possible physical and chemical controls on the bed-load sediments i.e. grain-size, mineralogy, geochemistry and their climatic control are investigated in detail here. Bed- load sediments of the Khurar River are very coarse to coarse sand-size ranging from –0.63 to 0.80 phi and they are devoid of fine sediments such as clay. The mineralogy of the sediments suggests that they are arkosic in composition. The spatial variation in the chemical composition of the sediments is negligible in the river basin from source to sink in the very coarse to coarse sand size range. The sediments are rich in SiO 2 (≤82.93) and Al 2 O 3 (≤11.03 wt %) and they have lower values of TiO 2 (≤0.27), Fe 2 O 3 (≤1.49), CaO (≤1.12), MgO (≤0.77), K 2 O (≤5.25) and Na 2 O (≤3.48 wt %). The trace elements such as Cr (≤66), Co (≤8), Cu (≤19) and Ni (≤12 ppm) have lower values than UCC; but the Pb (≤21) and Rb (≤142 ppm) have higher values than UCC. Lower concentrations of transition elements, such as V, Ni and Cr imply enrichment of felsic minerals in these sediments, a feature also confirmed by the mineralogical study. The high Zn content at some stations suggests anthropogenic contamination in the sediments. A-CN-K ternary plot suggests total alteration of plagioclase resulting in more removal of CaO and Na 2 O due to continuous weathering in the catchment area. Also, in this plot, sediments lie near to the albite concentration above the anorthite-albite line with gradual depletion in anorthite indicating that they are the weathering products of albite-enriched parent material. The A-CNK-FM ternary plot shows that all the samples plot close to the feldspar apex indicating higher abundance of feldspars. Further, the CIA (54 to 57), PIA (58 to 64) and CIW (70 to 78) values of the sediment samples suggest low to intermediate weathering environment. Chondrite-normalized pattern of REE (Rare earth elements) exhibits depletion of HREE with weak positive Eu anomaly suggesting low fractionation of the plagioclase feldspar. Thus, the major, trace and rare earth elements geochemistry of the bed-load sediments from the Khurar River suggest that they are derived from the weathering of felsic rocks and the original signatures of the granitic provenance remain there even after weathering under sub-humid climatic conditions in the river basin. © 2018, Pleiades Publishing, Ltd.PublicationArticle To disclose or not to disclose? Reasons for HIV serostatus disclosure and non-disclosure by people living with HIV/AIDS in Eastern India(Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine, 2021) Sangeeta Kansal; Madhutandra Sarkar; Alok Kumar; Jaya Chakravarty; Rakesh KumarBackground: Understanding the reasons for HIV serostatus disclosure and nondisclosure and how these reasons differ by certain characteristics of the people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) is important for effective HIV prevention intervention strategies. Objectives: This study was undertaken to investigate/identify the reasons for disclosure and nondisclosure of HIV serostatus by PLWHA, and to find out any association between the reasons for disclosure or nondisclosure and certain demographic and clinical characteristics, i.e. age, gender, WHO clinical stage and CD4 count of the study population. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among all patients of 18-49 years with confirmed HIV infection registered at the antiretroviral therapy (ART) center of a tertiary care hospital in eastern Uttar Pradesh, India for one year, from July 2017 to June 2018. Results: The most common reason for disclosure of HIV serostatus was the presence of any family member at the time of collection of HIV test report (68.5%), and the most common reason for not disclosing the serostatus was stigmatization (68%). The reasons for disclosure was found to be associated with the WHO clinical stage of the respondents (p <0.05). Conclusions: The findings of this study highlights the need for tailoring intervention strategies for improving disclosure decision making according to the specific needs of PLWHA. There is also a need to address the concerns of those who are reluctant to disclose. More emphasis should be given on creating awareness about HIV stigma, on the importance of serostatus disclosure and secondary HIV prevention in the community. © 2021, Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine. All rights reserved.