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IUCAA 37th foundation day: Open lecture and skygazing event on December 29

IUCAA was founded in 1988 under the leadership of the late Professor Jayant Narlikar and other colleagues.

Pune, Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, IUCAA,The talk on Monday will touch upon the Anthropocene, the era where humans have become a key force in shaping Earth’s systems. (File photo)

Pune’s Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) will celebrate its 37th Foundation Day on December 29. To mark this occasion, a lecture titled ‘Why yesterday matters for tomorrow: Rethinking the Anthropocene’ will be delivered by Professor Mahesh Rangarajan of Ashoka University at 5:30 pm at the Chandrasekhar Auditorium on the university campus. This will be followed by a sky gazing session from 7 pm to 9 pm. Both the events are open for citizens to attend. The lecture will also be streamed live on IUCAA SciPOP’s YouTube channel.

IUCAA was founded in 1988 under the leadership of the late Professor Jayant Narlikar and other colleagues. It was formed to boost university-level research and development in astronomy and astrophysics.

The talk on Monday will touch upon the Anthropocene, the era where humans have become a key force in shaping Earth’s systems. Over the last 250 years, disparities in power, wealth, and knowledge have been evident, coinciding with the rise of fossil fuels as the primary energy source from around 1780.

India, with its record of millennia of sustainable land and waterscape use, offers valuable lessons. Combining ancient insights with modern science in a democratic framework could foster equity and inclusion, while also promoting peace with nature’s living ecosystems and for future generations. The talk will delve into preparing for the future by deriving insights from the past.

Rangarajan is Professor of History and Environmental Studies at Ashoka University and Chair of the Archives of Contemporary India. He was educated at Hindu College, University of Delhi and then at Balliol and Nuffield Colleges, both in Oxford, where he has been a Rhodes Scholar. Prof Rangarajan has worked as Assistant Editor with The Telegraph, Kolkata. He has previously taught at the University of Delhi and at Krea University. He has also been Visiting Faculty at Cornell University, at Jadavpur University, and at the National Center for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru.

Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting. Professional Background Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune. Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics. Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories: 1. Investigations & Governance "Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents. "44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families. 2. Education & Campus Life Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University. "Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial. "Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers. 3. Human Rights & Social Issues "Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India. "'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying. Signature Style Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty. X (Twitter): @SohamShah07 ... Read More


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