Ikosmos

Next month, I am scheduled to give a short speech (three to five minutes in length) at the annual induction ceremony of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in Boston. This is a bit different from the usual scientific talks that I am used to giving; there are no slides, blackboards, or other visual aids available, and the audience of Academy members is split evenly between the humanities and the sciences, so this will be an interesting new experience for me. (The last time I gave a speech

FROM THE STATESMAN Arunayan Sharma on Durga Puja and all that it brings with it Yaa Devi Sarva Bhuteshu, Shakti Roopena Samasthita, Namastasyai, Namastasyai, Namastasya, Namo Namah. TODAY is Mahalaya. The day we offer tarpan to our ancestors. This religious observance and the traditional worship associated with it has, apart from being merely an adoration of the divine, a somewhat different significance for us. Today is the day when we welcome Durga and the values she stands for