Read the above new item that appeared in Indian Express today.
Private players are now entering the field of heritage conservation. Since the liberalisation of 1991–92, Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) have gradually become the norm across sectors, with private actors sharing the state’s burden in almost every domain. It was, therefore, only a matter of time before this model extended to the sphere of history and heritage as well.
This trend is also linked to the decline of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The institution has long been in a sorry state, with repeated CAG reports pointing out glaring lapses—sometimes even monuments “going missing.”
Personally, I am not against profit-making. In fact, without a profit motive, many initiatives may not function effectively. But this must never come at the cost of restricting people’s access to their own heritage. Hopefully, that will not be the case.
My only concern is that PPPs in heritage conservation should not create more problems than they solve. If a PPP model goes wrong in, say, passport seva kendras, passports will still be delivered eventually, even if delayed. But if something goes wrong with the conservation of a monument, the damage is often permanent and irreversible.
The ASI may not be doing a stellar job either, but the accountability dynamic is different. When a sovereign body fails, the responsibility is collective; when a private player is at fault, the loss of heritage feels even harder to accept.
Private players are now entering the field of heritage conservation. Since the liberalisation of 1991–92, Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) have gradually become the norm across sectors, with private actors sharing the state’s burden in almost every domain. It was, therefore, only a matter of time before this model extended to the sphere of history and heritage as well.
This trend is also linked to the decline of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The institution has long been in a sorry state, with repeated CAG reports pointing out glaring lapses—sometimes even monuments “going missing.”
Personally, I am not against profit-making. In fact, without a profit motive, many initiatives may not function effectively. But this must never come at the cost of restricting people’s access to their own heritage. Hopefully, that will not be the case.
My only concern is that PPPs in heritage conservation should not create more problems than they solve. If a PPP model goes wrong in, say, passport seva kendras, passports will still be delivered eventually, even if delayed. But if something goes wrong with the conservation of a monument, the damage is often permanent and irreversible.
The ASI may not be doing a stellar job either, but the accountability dynamic is different. When a sovereign body fails, the responsibility is collective; when a private player is at fault, the loss of heritage feels even harder to accept.
❤21🔥3💯3
In Marathi, my generation grew reading books on various scientists in 1990s. Our childhood heroes were Jayant Naralikar (astro), George Washington Carver (crops), Jane Goodall (animals), Ramanujan (maths), Booker T Washington (edu), Vishweswariya (engg)...
I was especially hugely influenced by Carver and his jabardast inventions... and for girls around, career of Jane Goodall was the symbol of what they can achieve in life....
Later, when we started reading English language books, it was but natural to follow it up with Carl Sagan, Isaac Asimov and Stephen Hawking.... The first ever English language book that I read in life was Brief History of Time by Hawking... in 2003 or 2004... In college, we would often debate various scenarios of the laws of robotics by Asimov.
Looking back, it seems improbable now. The genre of popular science and science fiction is not talked about these days much.
The passing away of Jane Goodall has brought back all the memories.
I was especially hugely influenced by Carver and his jabardast inventions... and for girls around, career of Jane Goodall was the symbol of what they can achieve in life....
Later, when we started reading English language books, it was but natural to follow it up with Carl Sagan, Isaac Asimov and Stephen Hawking.... The first ever English language book that I read in life was Brief History of Time by Hawking... in 2003 or 2004... In college, we would often debate various scenarios of the laws of robotics by Asimov.
Looking back, it seems improbable now. The genre of popular science and science fiction is not talked about these days much.
The passing away of Jane Goodall has brought back all the memories.
❤40🔥1
Forwarded from Level Up IAS (Official Channel)
Ever caught yourself saying "bas thodi der reels dekhleta hu" and then realizing an hour is gone?
That one hour could have been the difference between one more NCERT chapter done... or one more mock test revised.
In this competitive race, the truth is simple, your biggest distraction is also in your pocket. And every scroll is silently costing you marks.
Can you really afford to let your phone decide your UPSC rank?
Join the Digital Detox Workshop on 5th Oct | 2 PM Online and learn practical ways to study with focus, without getting trapped by your phone.
Register now: https://shorturl.at/ubGhU
That one hour could have been the difference between one more NCERT chapter done... or one more mock test revised.
In this competitive race, the truth is simple, your biggest distraction is also in your pocket. And every scroll is silently costing you marks.
Can you really afford to let your phone decide your UPSC rank?
Join the Digital Detox Workshop on 5th Oct | 2 PM Online and learn practical ways to study with focus, without getting trapped by your phone.
Register now: https://shorturl.at/ubGhU
❤8👍6👎1
Can you imagine this?
This is a story of the Queen Mother of Bijapur in the mid-17th century. She was called Badi Begum and her son was a powerful sultan of Deccan... and when she went to Macca for hajj, she had to undergo this...!!!
When I read this, I couldn't stop laughing....
(Source: a contemporary book named Storia do Mogor by Manucci, Volume 2, page 300-301)
This is a story of the Queen Mother of Bijapur in the mid-17th century. She was called Badi Begum and her son was a powerful sultan of Deccan... and when she went to Macca for hajj, she had to undergo this...!!!
When I read this, I couldn't stop laughing....
(Source: a contemporary book named Storia do Mogor by Manucci, Volume 2, page 300-301)
🤣44❤4👎4🤓2👀2👍1🙈1
What an interesting story...
Gandhiji and Savarkar direct debate took place in London and it was on the day of Dasara in 1909...!
Sharing that story as we recently celebrated Gandhi Jayanti and Dasara on the same day in 2025...!
https://youtu.be/H8ZXsN4LVd4
Gandhiji and Savarkar direct debate took place in London and it was on the day of Dasara in 1909...!
Sharing that story as we recently celebrated Gandhi Jayanti and Dasara on the same day in 2025...!
https://youtu.be/H8ZXsN4LVd4
YouTube
When Gandhi Met Savarkar for the 1st Time | Clash of Ideologies #dussehra
In this video, Nikhil sir revisits the legendary 1909 debate in London between Gandhi and Savarkar, held on Dussehra, where two contrasting visions for India’s freedom clashed. Through the lens of Ramayana and philosophy, they debated violence vs non-violence…
❤20👎3👌1
Today, LevelUp IAS completes 5 years of existence. It has been a very intense and rewarding journey.
In these 5 years, we may have grown older, but we’ve also grown stronger. Our student community has expanded, and we’ve had the privilege of being part of the journey of nearly 400 rankers and the lives of over 20,000 students. We’ve assembled an excellent team of teachers and made it a point to deliver our courses timely and professionally.
But numbers and milestones are only part of the story. What matters most is that we’ve remained true to our values — ethical, student-centric, and teacher-centric. This, I believe, is rare today. In many institutes, teachers are only the face while management and marketing drive everything. At LevelUp, we consciously chose a different path. We promise to keep teachers and students at the core of what we do.
🙏 Thank you for being part of this journey. Here’s to the next chapter together.
Nikhil
In these 5 years, we may have grown older, but we’ve also grown stronger. Our student community has expanded, and we’ve had the privilege of being part of the journey of nearly 400 rankers and the lives of over 20,000 students. We’ve assembled an excellent team of teachers and made it a point to deliver our courses timely and professionally.
But numbers and milestones are only part of the story. What matters most is that we’ve remained true to our values — ethical, student-centric, and teacher-centric. This, I believe, is rare today. In many institutes, teachers are only the face while management and marketing drive everything. At LevelUp, we consciously chose a different path. We promise to keep teachers and students at the core of what we do.
🙏 Thank you for being part of this journey. Here’s to the next chapter together.
Nikhil
❤125👍8👎5👏3🥰2🎉1👌1
This trend is going to stay. AI actors, AI historical personalities, may be AI teachers...
Very soon you and I will have our own AI avatars. With our life, thoughts and emotions all captured online now, these avatars will know exactly what our memories are and how we think...
Our AI avatars don't age. They don't die. They will live long after we will be dead.
Through these avatars, our great great grand children will get to see us, talk to us, and may be with tactile features, feel us as well. For them, we will never depart, even when our physical bodies have long departed forever.
Is this synthetic immortality?
- Nikhil
Very soon you and I will have our own AI avatars. With our life, thoughts and emotions all captured online now, these avatars will know exactly what our memories are and how we think...
Our AI avatars don't age. They don't die. They will live long after we will be dead.
Through these avatars, our great great grand children will get to see us, talk to us, and may be with tactile features, feel us as well. For them, we will never depart, even when our physical bodies have long departed forever.
Is this synthetic immortality?
- Nikhil
🤯36❤15🤔5🤣3
Ek zamana tha when most of the leaders of our freedom struggle were NRIs. And the diaspora used to initiate a Ghadr movement.
And today, we are debating this.
Whatever we may study in our GS syllabus about New vs Old diaspora (Indian Diaspora, GS2), no one can deny that ab na wo prakhar deshbhakt rahe, na wo Angrez jaise zalim rulers rahe. Dono taraf weakness hai...:p
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/not-proxies-of-govt-of-india-indian-american-leader-rebuttal-shashi-tharoor-claim-of-diaspora-apathy-101759779096695-amp.html
And today, we are debating this.
Whatever we may study in our GS syllabus about New vs Old diaspora (Indian Diaspora, GS2), no one can deny that ab na wo prakhar deshbhakt rahe, na wo Angrez jaise zalim rulers rahe. Dono taraf weakness hai...:p
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/not-proxies-of-govt-of-india-indian-american-leader-rebuttal-shashi-tharoor-claim-of-diaspora-apathy-101759779096695-amp.html
Hindustan Times
'We're not proxies of govt of India': Indian-American leader's rebuttal to Shashi Tharoor's claim of diaspora apathy
Hindu American Foundation's Suhag A Shukla criticised Shashi Tharoor for misrepresenting the Indian-American diaspora's engagement on India-US issues.
❤17👌3👎1
Yesterday, I talked about how AI Avatars can make us immortal.
Today, there is another thing. AI has become God. AI is answering questions on spirituality now.
https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/digital-jesus-people-of-faith-divided-as-ai-enters-religion/article70137910.ece/amp/
Today, there is another thing. AI has become God. AI is answering questions on spirituality now.
https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/digital-jesus-people-of-faith-divided-as-ai-enters-religion/article70137910.ece/amp/
The Hindu
Digital Jesus? People of faith divided as AI enters religion
Artificial intelligence, the technology upending nearly every corner of society, is creeping into religion, serving up virtual Jesus and automated sermons.
🤣8🤓4❤1
Forwarded from History Optional (UPSC)
I am sure this will be an excellent book.
The author has earlier written a book on India's first election. And it was a marvelous book.
This book also offers an interesting perspective. It shows that the Indian Constitution was not solely an elite exercise. We discovered that Indians from across the subcontinent were deeply engaged with Constitution-making and debated it.
Read a review here:
https://www.hindustantimes.com/opinion/imprint-of-the-people-in-shaping-the-constitution-101759595150953.html
The author has earlier written a book on India's first election. And it was a marvelous book.
This book also offers an interesting perspective. It shows that the Indian Constitution was not solely an elite exercise. We discovered that Indians from across the subcontinent were deeply engaged with Constitution-making and debated it.
Read a review here:
https://www.hindustantimes.com/opinion/imprint-of-the-people-in-shaping-the-constitution-101759595150953.html
❤13👎1
FM Nirmala Sitharaman and UP CM Yogi Adityanath unveiled statues of 3 great music composers from South India - Purandara Dasa, Thyagaraja Swamigal and Arunachala Kavi - at Ayodhya. They played a key role in the founding/evolution of Carnatic music in 15th-18th c.
1. Tyagaraja Swamigal was a great composer, saint, and devotional poet of Carnatic music. Born in 1767, he composed hundreds of devotional songs in praise of Ram, including ‘Pancharatna Kritis'.
2. Purandara Dasa was a wealthy merchant from Karnataka but renounced all material possessions to become a Haridasa. He created the foundational texts for teaching Carnatic music by creating swaravali and alankara exercises. His compositions are mostly in Kannada, amd some are in Sanskrit.
3. Arunachala Kavi (1711-79) was a renowned Tamil poet and Carnatic musician who composed the famous Rama Natakam.
It is also announced that the four entry gates to Ayodhya are to be named after saints Shankracharya, Ramanujacharya, Madhvacharya and Ramanandacharya.
1. Tyagaraja Swamigal was a great composer, saint, and devotional poet of Carnatic music. Born in 1767, he composed hundreds of devotional songs in praise of Ram, including ‘Pancharatna Kritis'.
2. Purandara Dasa was a wealthy merchant from Karnataka but renounced all material possessions to become a Haridasa. He created the foundational texts for teaching Carnatic music by creating swaravali and alankara exercises. His compositions are mostly in Kannada, amd some are in Sanskrit.
3. Arunachala Kavi (1711-79) was a renowned Tamil poet and Carnatic musician who composed the famous Rama Natakam.
It is also announced that the four entry gates to Ayodhya are to be named after saints Shankracharya, Ramanujacharya, Madhvacharya and Ramanandacharya.
❤41👌6👏2👍1
Forwarded from Level Up IAS (Official Channel)
We are 5 years old now.
We don't say that time is an illusion or age is just a number. These are real things, not ephemeral.
The efforts are real. The satisfaction is real. And so is the dissatisfaction. You have live it to believe it.
Here is to the journey, past and future! Here is to brilliant success and equally brilliant efforts!
Here is to life. A toast of life.
https://youtu.be/cUZi9veZOBk
We don't say that time is an illusion or age is just a number. These are real things, not ephemeral.
The efforts are real. The satisfaction is real. And so is the dissatisfaction. You have live it to believe it.
Here is to the journey, past and future! Here is to brilliant success and equally brilliant efforts!
Here is to life. A toast of life.
https://youtu.be/cUZi9veZOBk
YouTube
5 Years of LevelUp IAS | A Journey of Guidance, Growth & Grit
Five years ago, LevelUp IAS began with a simple belief, UPSC preparation can be made better.
Not through fear or confusion, but through clarity, consistency, and genuine mentorship.
From a handful of students in one classroom to a growing community across…
Not through fear or confusion, but through clarity, consistency, and genuine mentorship.
From a handful of students in one classroom to a growing community across…
❤17👍1🥰1👌1
Funny story from the Constituent Assembly Debates:
Shibban Lal Saxena, during the debate on the wording of the Preamble, proposed the following amendment: “In the name of god the Almighty, under whose inspiration and guidance…”
Interestingly, adding “god” to the Preamble was opposed in the Assembly.
Thanu Pillai argued against the compulsion implicit in the amendment by saying that “a man has a right to believe in god or not”. He seemed to be equating the rights of atheists with those of believers.
Purnima Banerji said: “I appeal to Mr Kamath [who had originally proposed adding god] not to put us to the embarrassment of having to vote upon god.” In other words, do not bring god into this.
Rohini Kumar Chaudhuri wanted “In the name of god” to be changed to “In the name of goddess” because, as he said, he “belongs to Kamrup where Goddess Kamakhya is worshipped”.
All these proposals were rejected, and nobody got offended.
Shibban Lal Saxena, during the debate on the wording of the Preamble, proposed the following amendment: “In the name of god the Almighty, under whose inspiration and guidance…”
Interestingly, adding “god” to the Preamble was opposed in the Assembly.
Thanu Pillai argued against the compulsion implicit in the amendment by saying that “a man has a right to believe in god or not”. He seemed to be equating the rights of atheists with those of believers.
Purnima Banerji said: “I appeal to Mr Kamath [who had originally proposed adding god] not to put us to the embarrassment of having to vote upon god.” In other words, do not bring god into this.
Rohini Kumar Chaudhuri wanted “In the name of god” to be changed to “In the name of goddess” because, as he said, he “belongs to Kamrup where Goddess Kamakhya is worshipped”.
All these proposals were rejected, and nobody got offended.
👌22😁9❤8🤣5🤓3😱1