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This paper critically examines three seminal works—M.N. Srinivas’s The Remembered Village, A.R. Desai’s Social Background of Indian Nationalism, and André Béteille’s Caste, Class and Power—to investigate the theoretical trends in the sociological study of agrarian society in India during the formative period of empirically orientated Indian sociology. These writings were seminal in their respective eras and remain pertinent in modern discourse regarding Indian agrarian systems. The importance of these works is in their methodological and theoretical diversity. These studies exemplify different epistemological perspectives and collectively illustrate the intricate intellectual terrain of postcolonial Indian sociology’s development. This study aims to elucidate the diverse methodological approaches that influenced early sociological studies on agrarian India by analysing these canonical texts and to comprehend how these frameworks shaped the discourse on rural society. Furthermore, as Marx, Durkheim (structural functionalist), and Weber are regarded as classical sociologists, these three writings on Indian society assist students in comprehending the application of Marxist, structural-functionalist, and Weberian perspectives within the context of India.

Climate change is rapidly becoming a crucial global threat to human security, particularly in developing countries, and India is no exception. One of its critical repercussions is the displacement of people, which can result from various slow-onset effects such as sea-level rise, desertification, and declining agricultural yields. Although predicting the exact number of people displaced by climate change is challenging, several studies have attempted to estimate the scope of this issue. The terms “environmental refugees,” “ecological migrants,” “climate refugees,” and “environmentally displaced people” have emerged over recent decades to describe individuals and communities forced to leave their habitual homes due to environmental changes, particularly those exacerbated by climate change. While usually used interchangeably, these terms differ in scope, legal standing, and implications, reflecting the complex interplay between human mobility and environmental degradation (Tripathy, 2024).

The investigation covering the period from 2015 to 2024 provides a critical lens through which we need to examine this phenomenon, as it coincides with heightened global awareness of climate change, increased frequency of extreme weather events, and significant advancements in data collection on displacement. This paper explores the definitions, trends, challenges, and broader implications of environmental displacement over this decade, drawing on the wider contextual insights.

Keywords: Climate-induced displacement, Internal migration, Urbanisation, Environmental stressors.
JEL codes: Q54 , J61 , O15 , F22

This study empirically investigated the determinants of farmers’ climate change perceptions, applying a Maximum Likelihood Probit Model in Tamil Nadu. The data used in this study came from a primary survey conducted for the first author’s doctoral thesis. The quantitative and qualitative information were collected from 660 farmers across 10 districts, representing five agro-climatic zones. The study showed that 79 per cent of farmers correctly perceived climate change. The estimated results of the Probit Model revealed that education, farming experience, and land ownership significantly increased the probability of perceiving climate change. However, older age and the presence of non-farm income sources decreased this probability. Agro-climatic zones also played a crucial role, with farmers in the southern zone demonstrating greater perception compared to those in the western zone. By differentiating between organic and conventional farmers, the study offered comparative insights into how various farming systems shaped climate perception. The findings highlighted the need for government interventions and policymakers to strengthen farmers’ perception of climate variability through education, training, and zone-specific extension programmes. Enhancing perception was essential to promote effective adaptation strategies that protected farmers’ livelihoods amid increasing climatic challenges.

Keywords: Agriculture, Climate change, Perception, Probit Model, Tamil Nadu.
JEL Classification: P28, Q12, Q54

The Lalmai-Mainamati region in Cumilla, Bangladesh, designated as a UNESCO Tentative World Heritage Site, is historically associated with the ancient Buddhist civilisation of Samatata. This study aims to comprehend the cultural significance of Buddhism in the region through a comprehensive Geographic Information System (GIS)-based database of archaeological sites, featuring a structured data table with geographic coordinates and additional information, complemented by scaled digital maps. Notwithstanding its historical importance, documentation is insufficient, with about 23 sites officially recorded by the Department of Archaeology, Bangladesh. Nevertheless, significantly more than 55 sites have been recognised in literature and surveys. Numerous sites remain unexcavated, and current maps differ in both scope and precision. A mixed-methods approach was utilised, integrating GIS, Remote Sensing, literature studies, and ground-truthing. Research indicates that 77% of locations remain unexcavated. The dense aggregation of Buddhist edifices on the eastern inclines indicates a deliberate positioning for both spiritual and defensive purposes. This is the inaugural endeavour to comprehensively document the region digitally. The resultant database will facilitate future research on the dissemination of Buddhism from Devaparvata to Southeast Asia, positioning Lalmai-Mainamati within the broader context of archaeological and Buddhist studies discourse.

Keywords: Ancient culture of Bangladesh, Buddhist Heritage of Devaparvata, GIS-mapping and documentation, Geo-database of Lalmai-Mainamati, Importance of exploration and excavation.

Urban Green Space (UGS) gives manifold benefits to human beings. Despite those benefits, rapid urbanisation causes a consequent loss of UGS. This paper emphasises the evaluation of the gradual but ongoing trend of reduced UGS in Itanagar-Naharlagun twin-city of Arunachal Pradesh, India, due to increased built-up area and declining vegetation over one decade, i.e., 2011 to 2021. Cloud-free satellite imagery from sources, i.e., USGS Earth Explorer, was used using Landsat 7 ETM+ and Landsat 8/9 OLI data at Level-1 preprocessing (L1TP) with geometric and radiometric corrections. Preprocessing steps include optional atmospheric correction and band stacking. NDVI and NDBI indices were calculated using specific band combinations (NIR, Red, and SWIR). Our findings indicate a marginal rise in the Built-up Area and a slight decline in the Non-built-up Area, as well as a noticeable decrease in areas with vegetation density from 2011 to 2021. Although these changes are relatively small, our results imply an urban expansion in the region over the decade. The author proposes that extensive research on UGS loss and its impact on the environment of Itanagar-Naharlagun be carried out to further investigate the negative impact of reduced UGS on human welfare and sustainability.

Keywords: Arunachal Pradesh, environment, sustainability, urban green space, urbanisation.

This study explores the role of Community-Based Tourism (CBT) in facilitating environmental knowledge transfer in Kolli Hills, Tamil Nadu. Focusing on four key villages—Semmedu, Solakadu, Thempalam, and Sengarai-the research examines how local communities integrate traditional ecological knowledge into tourism practices. A total of 30 respondents, including community members, tourism entrepreneurs, and environmental advocates, participated in the study. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS, applying descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, correlation, and regression analysis to assess the relationship between tourism participation and environmental awareness. Findings indicate that CBT plays a crucial role in preserving Indigenous knowledge while fostering sustainable tourism. However, challenges such as commercialisation risks, lack of formal training, and limited government support hinder its full potential. The study concludes with recommendations for strengthening local governance, promoting eco-tourism policies, and integrating digital platforms for enhanced knowledge dissemination. These insights contribute to sustainable tourism models that balance economic growth with environmental conservation.

Keywords: Community-Based Tourism, Environmental Knowledge Transfer, Sustainable Tourism, Indigenous Knowledge, Eco-Tourism.

Education is a key driver of development, yet gender disparity in education remains prevalent among marginalised groups in India. This study examines the recent trends in tribal education, particularly focusing on the gender gap within the Scheduled Tribes of West Bengal. Four districts—Alipurduar, Birbhum, Purulia, and South 24 Parganas—were selected, representing diverse tribal populations. Secondary data from the Census of India (2011) and Statistics of School Education (2010-11) were supplemented by primary data from fieldwork across these districts. The study utilised both qualitative and quantitative methods, including structured surveys, interviews with teachers and parents, and case studies of students. Findings indicate significant district- and community-specific variations in educational outcomes, with a positive trend in girls’ education and a narrowing gender gap, primarily due to developmental programs aimed at promoting tribal girls’ education. This paper contributes to the broader discourse on social equity and development.

Keywords: Education, Tribal Girls, Gender Gap, Development Schemes, Change.

Adherence to the untouchability and caste systems is a religious imperative. Among the many forms of discrimination that were prevalent when Ambedkar was writing, the term “caste” was most commonly employed to express racial bias. “It is the caste system which represents a divine, sacred or natural order of things,” the article will declare, suggesting that the term “caste” should only be used to denote the Hindu system. With order to remove caste, Ambedkar argues, one must first undermine the divinity and holiness that caste has been involved with. The Vedas had already materialised by 1500 BC. The Purusha sukta, a creation hymn recorded in the tenth volume of the Rig Veda, is the first known poem mentioning the fourfold origin of the castes. Consider two countries that use caste systems: Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. However, these states pale in comparison to India and Nepal in terms of size. It would be inaccurate to say that caste influences every facet of social and economic life in these countries because they do not have a majority Hindu population (e.g., 18% of Sri Lankans are Tamils and 10% of Bangladeshis are Hindus). The second and third nations are the only ones on Earth whose populations are mostly Hindu, and both of them have pervasive and systemic caste discrimination.

Keywords: Caste, divine, religious, discrimination, isolation, restrictions, culture, God, unique.

The Kandha people of Kandhamal, Odisha, follow an animistic and polytheistic religion that is deeply rooted in their natural environment. Their religious worldview centres around an interconnected universe of nature, ancestors, deities, and spirits, with their rituals and myths essential for maintaining harmony and well-being within their community. Similar to the ancient Egyptians, known as the children of the Sun God, these indigenous
people of Odisha are also regarded as the children of Dharni Penu. The renowned Meriah festival of the region brings the community together to celebrate Earth Goddess’s glory and, in doing so, affirms the Kandha’s unique cultural identity in the area. This grand ritual was originally aimed at blessing the mother for a bountiful harvest. However, over time, the tribal sentiment linked to Dharni Penu has evolved. Due to market rationality, the crop once offered as a gift from the goddess has become a commodity for sale. This change occurred as the tribal community increasingly integrated with mainstream society. Moreover, as caste Hindus migrated in large numbers to the plains of Kandhamal, the Kandha’s religious practices experienced significant transformations due to this interaction. This paper highlights the rituals and myths of the Kandha community in the Baliguda and G. Udayagiri blocks of Kandhamal district, exploring specific aspects of their livelihood, socio-economic changes, and economy across different periods.

Keywords: Kandha, Rituals, Myths, Penu, Dravidian, Meriah, Kedu, Religion and tribals, etc.

This paper aims to examined the argument that female body as a micropolitical site, where under conventional patriarchal social institutions, the mechanisms of power, affect, and agency intersect. The paper draws arguments from feminists post-structuralist, and new materialist theories, thereby contesting that women’s bodies are simultaneously discursive and material site through which gendered power is exercised, negotiated, and subtly resisted. The paper also contends how women navigate embodied constraints by deploying everyday manoeuvre that reshape and restructure the boundaries of restricted behaviour by drawing concepts of performativity, Foucault’s notion of dispersed power, and Kandiyoti’s theory of patriarchal bargaining. It demonstrates that the paradigm of reproductive and sexual agency emerges not as a singular individualistic choice but as a relational, affective negotiation shaped by desire, fear, temporality, marriage norms, and socio-cultural expectations by integrating from the school of new material insights on affect and assemblages. With the help of Goldfarb’s “politics of small things,” the study highlights how the discourse of micro-interaction, bodily practices, and intimate decisions become political acts that challenge or accommodate patriarchal regulation. The paper, therefore, conceptualises the female body as an active, dynamic and relational space through which women’s everyday micropolitics generate subtly, covertly yet possess consequential shifts in power, autonomy and gendered normativity.

Keywords: affect, assemblages, everyday manoeuvre, feminist post-structuralist, micropolitics, new materialist theories, women’s bodies.

India’s major urban centres are growing rapidly, opening new opportunities for employment, mobility, and social interactions, but also increasing risks for women in these bustling areas. As urbanisation speeds up, patterns of gender-based violence emerge, requiring careful attention. This article examines how crimes against women have changed in five metropolitan cities-Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Jaipur, and Hyderabad by analysing three years of official data from the Crime in India Reports (2021, 2022, and 2023), which are published annually by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) under India’s Ministry of Home Affairs. The study aims to reveal trends in women’s vulnerability within the five selected metropolitan cities and pinpoint regions where crime rates are either rising or holding steady. Using a descriptive approach, it reviews NCRB data on specific crimes such as rape, kidnapping, cruelty by relatives, assault on women, and cybercrime for these three consecutive years. Year-over-year comparisons across metropolitan regions show varied trends: Delhi consistently reports high crime rates, whereas cities such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune see significant rises in cybercrimes and domestic abuse. These patterns imply that urban shifts, particularly post-pandemic mobility and increased digital reliance, impact both the nature and reporting of violence. The article recommends strengthening gender-sensitive urban policies, improving digital safety measures, expanding police capacities, and launching targeted community awareness programs. It emphasises city-specific approaches over one-size-fits-all solutions. Limitations involve dependence on secondary NCRB data, which only captures reported crimes and might not include underreporting or social obstacles. Future studies should consist of qualitative interviews, urban safety audits, and intersectional risk analysis to gain a clearer understanding of women’s everyday vulnerabilities in India’s fast-evolving cities.

Keywords: Gendered Vulnerability; Public Spaces; Law Enforcement; Crime Pattern; Metropolitan Cities.