Monday, 5 October 2026
Sunday, 4 October 2026
'A Very Safe Place' by Rachel Heng – Short Story – New Yorker - Review
I read this short story in The New Yorker, titled “A Very Safe Place” by Rachel Heng. The story is about a nine-year-old boy, Shawn, and his father, who finds a man on the beaches of Singapore. Shaun’s father takes the stranger home despite stiff resistance from Shawn’s mother.
I followed my usual method of reading and listening to the story, which was read by the author herself. The story deals with migrant issues that plague the small but well-ordered island nation of Singapore, often regarded as a role model for the world in terms of governance and economic growth.
The presence of the stranger in his home and bedroom makes Shawn talk about violence with his English teacher. It also makes his mother feel insecure about having a stranger in their home. The sickly, abandoned cat that Shawn’s father takes care of becomes a symbol of how the lives of human beings are sometimes devalued even in comparison with those of animals. It also shows how sympathy and empathy play a part in Shawn’s father’s life—qualities that seem to be largely absent in the others.
The story is notable for its deep observations and sharp dialogues. The way even a young boy is bereft of sympathy and empathy is particularly striking when he commands the stranger to leave his parents’ home. Homelessness, along with the desire for a sense of belonging and safety, is one of the main themes of the story.
The rotan, or police cane, is another powerful symbol that represents the strict rule of law in the country. In the interview accompanying the story, which is also part of the October 12, 2026, issue of the magazine, Heng talks about her visit to Singapore, where she saw a signboard put up by the police asking the public to be cautious about strangers swimming in the sea. This signboard became the seed for the story.
I was reminded of Gabriel García Márquez’s short story “The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World” and the eighth segment of the 2009 Malayalam anthology film Kerala Café, titled “Bridge” which is about abandonment and unwanted existence.
If you are interested, listen to the story.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4yNFTkRtCrZnyu8Pz5dxc7?si=b7wJj6SQRgy7iGVganzE7A
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Friday, 2 October 2026
Thursday, 1 October 2026
Wednesday, 30 September 2026
When Academia Stops Questioning: India’s Drift from Reason to Ritual - Article Summary - 30-09-26
The article “Indian Academia’s Drift from Reason to Ritual” questions whether Indian universities are moving away from reason, critical inquiry and academic freedom towards ritual, hierarchy and unquestioning respect for authority. The author argues that universities should be spaces where students and teachers can question established ideas, challenge authority and engage in open debate. While traditions and cultural practices may have a place in academic life, they should not replace evidence-based thinking or intellectual independence. The article also raises concerns about political influence, institutional autonomy and restrictions on dissent, suggesting that these can create an atmosphere of self-censorship within academia. The concluding reference to Tagore’s “Where the Mind is Without Fear” reinforces the ideal of an education system based on freedom, courage and the pursuit of truth. Ultimately, the article reminds us that the purpose of education is not simply to preserve what we know, but to teach us to question, think and seek knowledge freely.
The article ‘Indian Academia’s Drift from Reason to Ritual’ appeared in the Hindu e-paper on 30th September 2026.
Tuesday, 29 September 2026
Monday, 28 September 2026
First Year - 26UENG1A - Revision Exam - Answer Key
This answer key is intended for revision and reference. Minor variations in answers may be accepted where appropriate.
Beyond Grammar: Learning English as a Language - Article Summary - The Hindu - Education Plus Supplement - 28-9-26
The article argues that English teaching should move beyond memorising grammar rules and terminology. Knowing grammar does not automatically make students effective communicators. Instead, learners need opportunities to listen, speak, read and write English in meaningful contexts. The author highlights the importance of interesting reading, real-world communication and meaningful exposure to English, drawing on Stephen Krashen’s ideas about language acquisition. Grammar should support communication rather than become an end in itself. In the Indian context, English should be treated not merely as a subject to study, but as a language to acquire and use.
India’s PhD Boom and the Career Challenge - Article Summary - The Print
India has witnessed a major rise in PhD enrolments, increasing from 1.17 lakh in 2014–15 to about 3.44 lakh in 2023–24. The number of PhDs awarded has also grown significantly. The expansion of universities, research fellowships, growing interest in research and the discontinuation of the MPhil have contributed to this trend.
However, the growth in doctoral education has not been matched by enough career opportunities. Many PhD scholars face limited faculty positions, low-paid contractual teaching jobs, delayed recruitment and inadequate postdoctoral opportunities. As a result, several researchers are looking towards industry, corporate R&D, startups and overseas research positions.
The problem is particularly serious because India’s research ecosystem still has fewer researchers and less research infrastructure compared with countries such as China and the US. Experts argue that simply increasing the number of PhDs is not enough; India needs better funding, laboratories, postdoctoral programmes and stronger links between universities and industry.
The article also highlights the Professor of Practice model, which provides an alternative route for experienced professionals to enter academia. Industry-sponsored PhDs, joint research laboratories and industrial postdoctoral programmes could similarly broaden career opportunities.
The central issue, therefore, is not whether India should produce more PhDs, but whether it can create diverse, stable and meaningful careers for the growing number of people who earn them.
Sunday, 27 September 2026
When Places Remember: Memory, Trauma and Stories - NGC Articles - September 2026
Remembering Sites of Trauma
Photographer Haruka Sakaguchi spent two years visiting former Japanese American incarceration camps from the Second World War. In her project The Camps America Built, she photographed survivors and their families returning to these places. For these families, the camps are not simply historical locations. They are sites of trauma and memory. The photographs help preserve experiences that might otherwise be forgotten.
https://thecampsamericabuilt.com/
Remembering Through Travel
Writer Gary Shteyngart travelled through Uzbekistan, a country he had imagined since childhood through books and pictures of its famous Islamic architecture. His journey shows how books, photographs and stories can create memories of places before we ever visit them. When he finally experienced Uzbekistan, his childhood image of the country met its present reality.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/uzbekistan-silk-road-cities-tourism
Remembering 9/11 - Twenty-five years after September 11, 2001, the memory of 9/11 is also changing. A new generation has grown up without personal memories of the attacks. For them, the event survives through photographs, videos, documentaries, oral histories and stories told by survivors. What was once a living experience is gradually becoming history.
Can Cells Remember Their Youth? The Science of Reversing Aging
What if aging is not simply a process of decline, but also a loss of cellular memory? A National Geographic article on the emerging science of longevity explores this intriguing possibility through the work of scientists investigating whether old cells can be made to behave like younger ones. At the heart of this research is the discovery that cells carry more than their DNA: they also possess epigenetic information that records which genes should be switched on or off and helps maintain a cell’s identity. Shinya Yamanaka’s discovery of four transcription factors demonstrated that mature cells could be reprogrammed into a younger, stem-cell-like state, suggesting that a cell may retain traces—or a molecular memory—of its earlier potential. Researchers are now attempting to use this principle selectively: rather than completely resetting a cell, they want to restore aspects of its youthful state while preserving its identity. Experiments by Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte and others have shown promising results in animals, while researchers including David Sinclair are investigating whether cellular rejuvenation can eventually be applied to humans. Other approaches described in the article, such as eliminating senescent “zombie” cells and manipulating factors in blood, similarly attempt to counter the accumulated biological changes associated with aging. Yet the science remains experimental, and uncontrolled reprogramming can cause cells to lose their identity or become cancerous. The deeper significance of this research lies in its challenge to the idea that aging is an entirely irreversible biological journey. If cells retain molecular traces of their youth, aging may involve not only damage and deterioration but also changes in the way cellular information is stored and expressed. The emerging field of cellular reprogramming therefore raises a fascinating possibility: perhaps the future of longevity will not simply involve repairing old cells, but learning how to read, restore and carefully rewrite the cellular memories of youth.
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