Sanjay Kumar – författare

This collection presents a new perspective on the role of culture in shaping the ambivalent attitude towards economic development of many marginalized people. The strength of this volume lies in how the essays provide examples from both within India and without, to illuminate old Dalit/Savarna and also Hindu/Muslim dynamics specific to India. The volume clearly defines how asymmetrical complementary relationships between Dalits and Savarnas are being replaced by short-term contractual labour relations that no longer involve long-term intergenerational reciprocal obligations. The essays draw attention to the non-modern, non-Western agents that have rendered invisible the dynamics of cyclicity, bio-cultural regeneration, and social and ecological reproduction (SER). What the volume achieves is an understanding of the specifics of Western modernism and modernism in India. Also, through specific examples in India, the US, and elsewhere, it clarifies some of the profound differences between modern, capitalist processes of marginalization as well as non-modern ones.

This book is the fourth in the series of statewise volumes on threatened birds of India, and is largely derived from Threatened Birds of India (2012) by Dr. Asad R. Rahmani, published by BNHS/OUP. Information has been updated according to the latest IUCN 2013 Red List for Birds, incorporating the changes in threat status recommended by BirdLife International, UK. The book describes the threatened and near threatened avian species of the state of Uttar Pradesh, with notes on their distribution, ecology, historical records and current distribution. Based on this updated information, appropriate recommendations have been made regarding the conservation action that needs to be taken for each species. The Introduction has been supplemented with short notes on extinct birds of Uttar Pradesh as well as threatened birds likely to be found in the state. Detailed descriptions are given for the species for which Uttar Pradesh holds critical habitats. Shorter descriptions are given for species marginal to the state. The book is intended to be a handy reference for interested readers, as well as decision makers at the state level, where conservation actions are implemented.

This book explores the attitudes, anxieties and aspirations of India’s burgeoning young population in a globalised world. Drawing upon time-series survey data of the Indian youth aged between 15 and 34 years across 19 Indian states, it provides key insights into a range of themes along with an overview of the changing trends and patterns of their behaviour. The volume examines the job preferences of the Indian youth, their career priorities and opinions on reservations in employment and education sectors. It measures their degree of political participation and studies their attitude regarding political issues. It looks at aspects relating to their social and cultural contexts, preferences and practices, including lifestyle choices, consumption habits and social customs such as marriage, as they negotiate between tradition and modernity. Further, it discusses the anxieties and insecurities that the youth face, their mental health and their experiences of social discrimination. The essays here offer an understanding of a critical demographic and shed light on the challenges and opportunities that the Indian youth confront today.Lucid, accessible and empirically grounded, this volume will be useful to scholars and researchers of sociology, political sociology, political studies, youth psychology and anthropology as well as policymakers, journalists and the interested general reader.

The general elections held in 2014 in India — the largest democracy in the world — to elect the 16th Lok Sabha brought in dramatic results. This important volume explains not only the startling victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) but also the equally surprising downfall of the Congress Party. It examines not why BJP won and the Congress lost, but why the scale of BJP’s victory and that of Congress’s defeat was so very different from the results in the years 2004 and 2009. The volume presents an in-depth analysis of the electoral results, state-wise studies, the factors leading up to these outcomes, and the road India has travelled since then. With contributions from India’s leading political scientists, psephologists, sociologists and political commentators, this book will be of great interest to scholars and researchers of Indian politics, democracy and political parties, as well as South Asian studies.

For decades, India has been a conservative democracy governed by the upper caste notables coming from the urban bourgeoisie, the landowning aristocracy and the intelligentsia. The democratisation of the ‘world’s largest democracy’ started with the rise of peasants’ parties and the politicisation of the lower castes who voted their own representatives to power as soon as they emancipated themselves from the elite’s domination. In Indian state politics, caste plays a major role and this book successfully studies how this caste-based social diversity gets translated into politics. This is the first comprehensive study of the sociological profile of Indian political personnel at the state level. It examines the individual trajectory of 16 states, from the 1950s to 2000s, according to one dominant parameter—the evolution of the caste background of their elected representatives known as Members of the Legislative Assembly, or MLAs. The study also takes into account other variables like occupation, gender, age and education.

This book looks at different dimensions of political participation of women voters in India. Elections in India have witnessed an increasing electoral participation of women, both as political actors and as voters. Taking note of this positive development, the book looks at what has contributed to this increased turnout among women voters in Indian elections and discusses in detail the factors that facilitate or hinder this participation. Drawing on empirical data from 11 Indian states, it looks at key issues like the voting behaviour and political activities of Indian women; individual and motivational factors affecting participation; the political socialization of women at home; the role of internalized patriarchy and political opinions; along with the challenges faced by women in attaining representation in Indian politics.An important contribution in the study of voting patterns, this book will be indispensable to scholars and researchers of political studies, women’s studies, gender studies, sociology, Indian politics, political sociology, voting behaviour and South Asian studies. It will also be useful for journalists and activists.

This book looks at the patterns and trends of participation in Indian elections since 1952 – the first elections held in independent India. It engages with debates around the nature of the multi-party electoral politics in India and its impact on the voting behaviour of Indian voters.The book uses extensive empirical data from the state and national elections to analyze the history and evolution of the country’s electoral systems as well as the challenges and safeguards for conducting fair elections in the world’s largest democracy. The author explores the trends in turnout in regional and national elections and its relationship with electoral outcomes. He analyzes electoral patterns over the last seven decades as well as patterns of participation of marginalized groups, the younger population, and the narrowing gap of women’s electoral participation. The book discusses the role of money, the criminalization of electoral politics, and its influence on Indian elections. It also focuses on the issue of irregular delimitation of electoral constituencies and its implication on political representation.Topical and comprehensive, this book will be an essential read for scholars and researchers of political studies, political sociology, public administration and governance, and South Asian studies. It will also be useful for journalists and think tanks interested in India’s electoral processes and debates. It could serve as a guidebook as well for those interested in the nitty-gritty of Indian elections.

The conception of modernity as a radical rupture from the past runs parallel to the conception of Europe as the primary locus of global history. The essays in this volume contest the temporal and spatial divisions—between past and present, modernity and tradition, and Europe’s progress and Asia’s stasis—which the conventional narrative of modernity creates. Drawing on early modern Chinese and Indian history and culture instead, the authors of the book explore the provenance of modernity beyond the west to see it in a transcultural and pluralistic light.The central argument of this volume is that modernity does not have a singular core or essence—a causal centre. Its key features need to be disaggregated and new configurations and combinations imagined. By studying the Bhakti movement, Confucian democracy, and the maritime and agrarian economies of China and India, this book enlarges the terms of debate and revisits devalued terms and concepts like tradition, religion, authority, and rural as resources for modernity. This book will be of great interest to researchers and academicians working in the areas of history, Sociology, Cultural Studies, literature, geopolitics, South Asian and East Asian Studies.

For decades, India has been a conservative democracy governed by the upper caste notables coming from the urban bourgeoisie, the landowning aristocracy and the intelligentsia. The democratisation of the ‘world’s largest democracy’ started with the rise of peasants’ parties and the politicisation of the lower castes who voted their own representatives to power as soon as they emancipated themselves from the elite’s domination. In Indian state politics, caste plays a major role and this book successfully studies how this caste-based social diversity gets translated into politics. This is the first comprehensive study of the sociological profile of Indian political personnel at the state level. It examines the individual trajectory of 16 states, from the 1950s to 2000s, according to one dominant parameter—the evolution of the caste background of their elected representatives known as Members of the Legislative Assembly, or MLAs. The study also takes into account other variables like occupation, gender, age and education.

Green Materials in Civil Engineering provides a comprehensive resource for practitioners to learn more about the utilization of these materials in civil engineering, as well as their practical applications. Novel green materials such as fly ash, slag, fiber-reinforced concrete and soil, smart materials, biological materials, and waste materials such as mineral wastes, building and demolition waste, recycled asphalt, coal gangue and industrial by-products are discussed in detail. Emphasis is placed on understanding the qualities, selection criteria, products and applications, durability, life cycle, and recyclability of these materials.The book will be a valuable reference resource for academic and industrial researchers, materials scientists, and civil engineers who are working in the development of construction materials, utilization of waste, and other fine by-products in the production of concrete and other construction materials.Provides an up-to-date and comprehensive resource on the use of green materials in civil engineeringCovers green concrete, agricultural waste, industrial by-products, biological and waste materials such as smart materials, microbially generated calcium precipitation, recycled asphalt and natural fibersDiscusses selection criteria, durability, lifecycle, recyclability, and regulatory measures

The design of structures and infrastructure facilities has typically assumed a future climate that is much the same as today’s. However, a changing climate and the resulting more extreme weather events mean those climate bands are becoming outdated, leaving infrastructure operating outside or at the limit of its tolerance levels.With its evaluation of a host of assets in the built environment, Climate Change Effects on Infrastructure: Advanced Tools for Monitoring, Mitigation, and Lifecycle Optimization instructs readers how to assess and predict structural vulnerabilities resulting from climate change as well as ensuing hazard patterns using mathematical tools and data-driven models. The carefully compiled contributions also comprehensively survey the latest technological developments and the most useful approaches to counteract and/or prevent damage and connected socio-economic risks.The volume proves to be an even more invaluable resource thanks to its real-world application examples that spotlight the urgency of further investigations into the implementation of cost-effective and sustainable adaptive measures that can enhance or extend the reliable performance, durability, and efficiency of structures and infrastructure systems throughout their entire lifecycle.Reviews advanced computational models, simulations, and data analytics techniques for determining the effects of climate change on infrastructure.Describes advanced methods to enhance infrastructure resilience and offset or prevent the adverse impacts of climate change.Features case studies and applied examples for different structure types and infrastructure systems from a variety of regions and assorted scenarios.

The AI Frontier in Molecular Modelling and Drug Designing aims to provide a comprehensive guide on the application of AI concepts in drug designing, discovery, and molecular modeling. The book delves into machine and deep learning techniques that predict structural properties of molecules, identify druggable pockets, and assess physicochemical properties of targets. Sections explore current and potential computational resources to tackle complex biological challenges. Each chapter is enriched with relevant examples, text boxes, and case studies that illustrate the practical application of AI techniques, their outcomes, and the challenges faced during implementation.This resource is tailored for researchers, students, and professionals in both academia and industry, providing them with the latest methodologies, advancements in technology, and practical insights into AI-driven drug research, structural biology, computational biology, and translational science.Provides the latest concepts of Artificial Intelligence, methodologies, and technological advancements in drug researchCovers a wide range of topics, including protein structure prediction and molecular docking methods, bridging Artificial Intelligence technology with pharmaceutical sciences for translational researchIncludes detailed practical applications of AI, with case studies demonstrating how AI-driven approaches expedite drug discovery and molecular modeling processes

Blockchain-Enabled Innovations in Location-Based Services for Healthcare addresses the growing need for secure, intelligent healthcare solutions integrating location-based services (LBS), Internet of Things (IoT), and blockchain technologies. This reference explores how these technologies transform healthcare delivery improving autonomy and real-time care while safeguarding sensitive data. It responds to the challenges posed by the proliferation of wearable sensors and smart medical devices by proposing decentralized, privacy-preserving frameworks.The book’s comprehensive chapters cover blockchain trust models, adaptive privacy for patient trajectories, wearable computing, deep learning for medical imaging, secure communication in healthcare IoT, and AI-powered diagnostics. Contributions from global experts provide case-driven analyses and technical depth, addressing current challenges in healthcare data security, interoperability, and predictive modeling. The interdisciplinary approach integrates computer science, data privacy, and healthcare informatics, making it a valuable resource for researchers and professionals.Blockchain-Enabled Innovations in Location-Based Services for Healthcare benefits academic researchers, industry practitioners, graduate students, and policymakers by offering cutting-edge knowledge in secure, decentralized healthcare systems. It equips readers with advanced methodologies and practical solutions to design inclusive healthcare technologies, fostering innovation in smart health monitoring, medical image analysis, and data-driven diagnostics within privacy-compliant frameworks.Provides comprehensive coverage of blockchain, AI, and IoT integration in healthcarePresents case-driven methodologies with real-world healthcare implementationsOffers advanced research insights on big data analytics and medical image processingIntegrates privacy-preserving technologies with IoT and big data analytics

This book explores the attitudes, anxieties and aspirations of India’s burgeoning young population in a globalised world. Drawing upon time-series survey data of the Indian youth aged between 15 and 34 years across 19 Indian states, it provides key insights into a range of themes along with an overview of the changing trends and patterns of their behaviour. The volume examines the job preferences of the Indian youth, their career priorities and opinions on reservations in employment and education sectors. It measures their degree of political participation and studies their attitude regarding political issues. It looks at aspects relating to their social and cultural contexts, preferences and practices, including lifestyle choices, consumption habits and social customs such as marriage, as they negotiate between tradition and modernity. Further, it discusses the anxieties and insecurities that the youth face, their mental health and their experiences of social discrimination. The essays here offer an understanding of a critical demographic and shed light on the challenges and opportunities that the Indian youth confront today.Lucid, accessible and empirically grounded, this volume will be useful to scholars and researchers of sociology, political sociology, political studies, youth psychology and anthropology as well as policymakers, journalists and the interested general reader.

Networking of personal computers and workstations is becoming commonplace in academic and industrial environments. A cluster of workstations provides engineers with a familiar, cost-effective environment for high performance computing. However, workstations often have no dedicated link and communicate slowly on a local area network (LAN), such as the Ethernet. Thus, to effectively harness the parallel processing or distributed computing capabilities of workstations, new algorithms need to be developed with a higher computation-to-communication ratio.Distributed Computer-Aided Engineering presents distributed algorithms for three fundamental areas: finite element analysis, design optimization, and visualization - providing a new direction in high performance structural engineering computing.

This book looks at the patterns and trends of participation in Indian elections since 1952 – the first elections held in independent India. It engages with debates around the nature of the multi-party electoral politics in India and its impact on the voting behaviour of Indian voters.The book uses extensive empirical data from the state and national elections to analyze the history and evolution of the country’s electoral systems as well as the challenges and safeguards for conducting fair elections in the world’s largest democracy. The author explores the trends in turnout in regional and national elections and its relationship with electoral outcomes. He analyzes electoral patterns over the last seven decades as well as patterns of participation of marginalized groups, the younger population, and the narrowing gap of women’s electoral participation. The book discusses the role of money, the criminalization of electoral politics, and its influence on Indian elections. It also focuses on the issue of irregular delimitation of electoral constituencies and its implication on political representation.Topical and comprehensive, this book will be an essential read for scholars and researchers of political studies, political sociology, public administration and governance, and South Asian studies. It will also be useful for journalists and think tanks interested in India’s electoral processes and debates. It could serve as a guidebook as well for those interested in the nitty-gritty of Indian elections.

This book looks at different dimensions of political participation of women voters in India. Elections in India have witnessed an increasing electoral participation of women, both as political actors and as voters. Taking note of this positive development, the book looks at what has contributed to this increased turnout among women voters in Indian elections and discusses in detail the factors that facilitate or hinder this participation. Drawing on empirical data from 11 Indian states, it looks at key issues like the voting behaviour and political activities of Indian women; individual and motivational factors affecting participation; the political socialization of women at home; the role of internalized patriarchy and political opinions; along with the challenges faced by women in attaining representation in Indian politics.An important contribution in the study of voting patterns, this book will be indispensable to scholars and researchers of political studies, women’s studies, gender studies, sociology, Indian politics, political sociology, voting behaviour and South Asian studies. It will also be useful for journalists and activists.

Why are children from disadvantaged and minority communities overrepresented among academic underachievers, poor learners, and school dropouts? This volume engages with this question and examines classroom learning as a process that involves a multitude of actors situated in specific social, cultural, and historical contexts.The volume covers an interdisciplinary spectrum of educational processes, contexts, educational ambitions, and limitations of low-caste, working-class, and middle-class students from different Indian communities and regions. The volume delves into the problem of academic underperformance from a social identity perspective and probes into social context-based variability in classroom learning, systemic disadvantages in the form of negative stereotypes, and the family as an under-studied social group in all discussions of schooling. It also examines the teachers’ perceptions and attitudes towards Adivasi students and other minority groups in primary schools and their effect on children’s classroom engagement.The chapters in this volume provide insights into unresolved and critical research questions that require the attention of teachers, school management, educators, and policymakers alike. This book will also be useful for academicians, policymakers, teacher educators, pedagogic practitioners in India and abroad, and state and central government institutions working on school education, educational psychology, policymaking in education, learning methods, and research on educational enhancement.

Over one-third of the Indian population is made up of young people aged between 15 and 34 years. Such a large, young population is an asset to any nation, but today, young Indians are grappling with multifarious challenges hindering their growth. This book analyses factors that influence the youth’s decision-making processes, their navigation of societal norms, education choices, identity formation, and the evolving perceptions of tradition and modernity. It focuses on the changing patterns of marriage among the Indian youth, the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the ongoing changes in youth transitions and social reproduction in a modern society. The findings presented in the book provide crucial insights into how young Indians perceive their roles within their families, communities, and the broader society. The volume also offers valuable guidance on how to support and empower the next generation to build a resilient and prosperous future.Lucid, accessible, and empirically grounded, the book is indicative of the momentum and direction of change in the country. It will be useful to scholars and researchers of sociology, political sociology, political studies, youth psychology and anthropology. It will also be of interest to policymakers, journalists, and the interested general reader.

Why are children from disadvantaged and minority communities overrepresented among academic underachievers, poor learners, and school dropouts? This volume engages with this question and examines classroom learning as a process that involves a multitude of actors situated in specific social, cultural, and historical contexts.The volume covers an interdisciplinary spectrum of educational processes, contexts, educational ambitions, and limitations of low-caste, working-class, and middle-class students from different Indian communities and regions. The volume delves into the problem of academic underperformance from a social identity perspective and probes into social context-based variability in classroom learning, systemic disadvantages in the form of negative stereotypes, and the family as an under-studied social group in all discussions of schooling. It also examines the teachers’ perceptions and attitudes towards Adivasi students and other minority groups in primary schools and their effect on children’s classroom engagement.The chapters in this volume provide insights into unresolved and critical research questions that require the attention of teachers, school management, educators, and policymakers alike. This book will also be useful for academicians, policymakers, teacher educators, pedagogic practitioners in India and abroad, and state and central government institutions working on school education, educational psychology, policymaking in education, learning methods, and research on educational enhancement.

The book highlights how technologies including artificial intelligence and machine learning are transforming renewable energy technologies and enabling the development of new solutions. It further discusses how smart technologies are employed to optimize energy production and storage, enhance energy efficiency, and improve the overall sustainability of energy systems.This book:Discusses artificial intelligence-based techniques, namely, neural networks, fuzzy expert systems, optimization techniques, and operational researchShowcases the importance of artificial intelligence and machine learning in the energy market, demand analysis, and forecasting of renewable energy applicationsIllustrates strategies for sustainable development using artificial intelligence and machine learning applicationsPresents applications of artificial intelligence in the domain of electronics transformation and development, smart cities, and renewable energy utilizationHighlights the role of artificial intelligence in solving problems such as image and signal processing, smart weather monitoring, smart farming, and distributed energy sourcesIt is primarily written for senior undergraduates, graduate students, and academic researchers in diverse fields, including electrical, electronics and communications, energy, and environmental engineering.

The book highlights how technologies including artificial intelligence and machine learning are transforming renewable energy technologies and enabling the development of new solutions. It further discusses how smart technologies are employed to optimize energy production and storage, enhance energy efficiency, and improve the overall sustainability of energy systems.This book:Discusses artificial intelligence-based techniques, namely, neural networks, fuzzy expert systems, optimization techniques, and operational researchShowcases the importance of artificial intelligence and machine learning in the energy market, demand analysis, and forecasting of renewable energy applicationsIllustrates strategies for sustainable development using artificial intelligence and machine learning applicationsPresents applications of artificial intelligence in the domain of electronics transformation and development, smart cities, and renewable energy utilizationHighlights the role of artificial intelligence in solving problems such as image and signal processing, smart weather monitoring, smart farming, and distributed energy sourcesIt is primarily written for senior undergraduates, graduate students, and academic researchers in diverse fields, including electrical, electronics and communications, energy, and environmental engineering.

Over one-third of the Indian population is made up of young people aged between 15 and 34 years. Such a large, young population is an asset to any nation, but today, young Indians are grappling with multifarious challenges hindering their growth. This book analyses factors that influence the youth’s decision-making processes, their navigation of societal norms, education choices, identity formation, and the evolving perceptions of tradition and modernity. It focuses on the changing patterns of marriage among the Indian youth, the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the ongoing changes in youth transitions and social reproduction in a modern society. The findings presented in the book provide crucial insights into how young Indians perceive their roles within their families, communities, and the broader society. The volume also offers valuable guidance on how to support and empower the next generation to build a resilient and prosperous future.Lucid, accessible, and empirically grounded, the book is indicative of the momentum and direction of change in the country. It will be useful to scholars and researchers of sociology, political sociology, political studies, youth psychology and anthropology. It will also be of interest to policymakers, journalists, and the interested general reader.

Advanced Smart Grid Technologies: Industry Applications and Integration Strategies offers a comprehensive exploration of the cutting-edge innovations and integration techniques shaping the future of power systems. This edited volume brings together leading researchers and industry experts to present real-world case studies, emerging technologies, and strategic frameworks that enable efficient, secure, and sustainable energy management.This book:Explores the full spectrum of smart grid technologies, including AI, IoT, machine learning, blockchain, and digital twin concepts.Includes real-world applications from sectors such as manufacturing, transportation, utility services, and smart cities.Provides insight into practical frameworks for integrating distributed energy resources (DERs), microgrids, and renewable energy systems into existing infrastructures.Discusses securing smart grid networks and enhancing resilience against cyber threats and grid failures.Analyses international standards, regulatory policies, and smart grid deployment challenges in various regions.Provides forward-looking chapters that outline the trajectory of smart grid development and emerging opportunities.Covering everything from IoT, AI, and blockchain applications to grid automation, cybersecurity, and renewable energy integration, this book serves as a critical reference for professionals, academics, and policy-makers involved in the evolution of smart grid systems across global industries.

Climate change is an intensifying reality of the present, reshaping land systems, ecosystems, and human livelihoods across the globe. Its impacts are most clearly manifested through changes in land cover and land use, degradation of ecosystems, loss of biodiversity, and growing risks to food systems, water security, and rural and urban livelihoods. Changing Climate–Land–Life Interplay: Spatial Approaches for Biodiversity, Agriculture, and Land Resilience in Emerging Economies examines these interdependencies by placing human well-being and livelihood security at the core of climate–land–life interactions.Focusing on emerging economies such as India, Indonesia, Brazil, and Vietnam, the book addresses regions where climate vulnerability, rich biodiversity, and rapid economic transformation directly affect millions of people dependent on land and natural resources for their survival. Moving beyond siloed treatments of climate, land, or conservation, the volume adopts a systems perspective that links land-use change with ecosystem services, agrobiodiversity, and livelihood outcomes. A defining feature of the book is its use of spatial approaches – remote sensing, geographic information system, and landscape-scale analysis – to reveal how climate-driven land transformations shape livelihoods, equity, and resilience in the Global South.Key features include:Climate impacts on land, ecosystems, and livelihood systemsLand use change and its implications for ecosystem services and human well-beingBiodiversity and ecosystem functions supporting livelihoodsAgrobiodiversity as a basis for resilient, nutrition-secure farming systemsRegional case studies connecting land governance and livelihood outcomesPolicy analysis integrating development, conservation, and adaptationAction pathways using geospatial tools and participatory governanceThis book is intended for researchers, policymakers, planners, conservation and development practitioners seeking integrated strategies to sustain land, life, and livelihoods under climate change.

RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS Providing updated and state-of-the-art coverage of a rapidly changing science, this groundbreaking new volume presents the latest technologies, processes, and equipment in renewable energy systems for practical applications. This groundbreaking new volume examines recent advances in the area of renewable energy systems, including modeling and optimization using different methods like GAMS, HOMER, AI techniques and MATLAB Simulink, and others. Covering extensively diverse topics ranging from solar radiation prediction model to improving solar power output by studying the tilt and orientation angle of rooftop-mounted systems, a multitude of practical applications are covered, offering solutions to everyday problems, as well as the theory and concepts behind the technology. Among these applications are increasing the longevity of PV by studying its degradation and its use by operating an electrolyzer for hydrogen production, using biodiesel as a green energy resource as an alternative to diesel fuel, concentrating the black liquor-based biomass as a source from multiple stage evaporator along with thermo-vapour compressor, and the real-time problems of modeling and optimizing renewable energy sources. Written and edited by a global team of experts, this groundbreaking new volume from Scrivener Publishing presents recent advances in the study of renewable energy systems across a variety of fields and sources. Valuable as a learning tool for beginners in this area as well as a daily reference for engineers and scientists working in these areas, this is a must-have for any library.

ROLE OF MICROBES IN INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES The book covers recent breakthroughs and highlights the major role microbes play in industrial products and processes. With the advent of industrial biotechnology, microbes became popular as cell factories, and with the recent advancements in recombinant DNA technology, the application of microorganisms in various sectors has increased enormously for the development of various processes and products. Role of Microbes in Industrial Products and Processes covers recent breakthroughs and highlights the major role microbes play in industrial products and processes. It mainly focuses on the bio-refinery concept where bio-energy production and wastewater treatment are done simultaneously using micro-algae. Additionally, this book describes the role of microbes involved in the production of various enzymes, organic acids, and bio-polymers. It also provides detailed insight on modeling and simulation of bioprocess for the production of sugar alcohol; recovery of value-added products from organic waste using microbes is also reported. Detailed insights into the treatment of wastewater released from various industries, especially pharmaceutical wastewater, are given. Audience The book is intended for researchers, scientists, and postgraduates in chemical/biochemical engineering and bioprocess engineering, and others working in the domain of food microbiology, bioenergy/refinery, waste valorization to value-added products, and microbial production of bioplastics, sugar alcohols, enzymes, and organic acids.

The general elections held in 2014 in India — the largest democracy in the world — to elect the 16th Lok Sabha brought in dramatic results. This important volume explains not only the startling victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) but also the equally surprising downfall of the Congress Party. It examines not why BJP won and the Congress lost, but why the scale of BJP’s victory and that of Congress’s defeat was so very different from the results in the years 2004 and 2009. The volume presents an in-depth analysis of the electoral results, state-wise studies, the factors leading up to these outcomes, and the road India has travelled since then. With contributions from India’s leading political scientists, psephologists, sociologists and political commentators, this book will be of great interest to scholars and researchers of Indian politics, democracy and political parties, as well as South Asian studies.

The conception of modernity as a radical rupture from the past runs parallel to the conception of Europe as the primary locus of global history. The essays in this volume contest the temporal and spatial divisions—between past and present, modernity and tradition, and Europe’s progress and Asia’s stasis—which the conventional narrative of modernity creates. Drawing on early modern Chinese and Indian history and culture instead, the authors of the book explore the provenance of modernity beyond the west to see it in a transcultural and pluralistic light.The central argument of this volume is that modernity does not have a singular core or essence—a causal centre. Its key features need to be disaggregated and new configurations and combinations imagined. By studying the Bhakti movement, Confucian democracy, and the maritime and agrarian economies of China and India, this book enlarges the terms of debate and revisits devalued terms and concepts like tradition, religion, authority, and rural as resources for modernity. This book will be of great interest to researchers and academicians working in the areas of history, Sociology, Cultural Studies, literature, geopolitics, South Asian and East Asian Studies.