Family and kinship : a study of the Pandits of rural Kashmir

Introduction: There are many general ethnographic studies of Indian tribes, castes and village communities but very few empirical studies of kinship and descent. Several writers have written on the Hindu joint family, but the emphasis in these studies has been on Sanskrit texts, and the picture of the Hindu family given therein, rather than on its actual working in different parts of India. Chapter One: The Valley of Kashmir and its People: Historically Kashmir has been in close contact with the rest of India for many centuries. Geographically and culturally, Kashmir and its people are distinct from the neighbouring regions and peoples of India. The native inhabitants of Kashmir have distinctive physical features, and the majority of them are Muslims. There are also Hindus and Sikhs in the Valley. Most of the native Muslims are believed to be the descendants of Hindus who were converted to Islam between the 14th and 19th centuries. All the native Hindus are of the Brahmin caste and are known as the Pandits. Chapter Two: Village Utrassu-Umanagri and its Inhabitants. Utrassu-Umanagri is situated in south Kashmir at an altitude of over 5000 ft. Part of its territory lies on the lower slope of a hill, and part in the valley below. Wet paddy, wheat and maize are the main crops raised. It is a bi-nucleated village of about 1543 acres, with a population of 2644, 2122 of whom are Muslims and the rest Pandits. The Muslims and the Pandits do not interdine or inter-marry but are bouxdtogether by many ties arising from coresidence in the same village, including the ties of economic interdependence

Structural and optical properties of CsI thin films: Influence of film thickness and humidity

Structural and optical studies have been performed on the thermally-evaporated "as-deposited" and "humid air aged" CsI thin films. The structural analysis for both "as-deposited" and "humid air aged" films shows a well-oriented peaks position of (110) and (220) lattice planes with a compressive stress in the films. The crystal quality has been investigated through the structural parameters. The increase in peak intensity as well as sharpness with film thickness implies the improvement of crystallinity. The optical absorbance of CsI films has been analyzed in the wavelength range of 190 nm - 900 nm in order to estimate the band gap energy of the films. Slater's model has also been used to explain the degradation of band gap energy with the increase in crystallite size.Comment: Accepted for publication in Physica B: Condensed Matter Journa

Demographic Insights Into College-Going Students in India: A Morphological Analysis

Introduction: In the context of India's diverse culture and changing education system, it is crucial to understand the morphological characteristics of college students, especially with the government actively supporting sports through initiatives like the "Khelo India" program to aid young athletes.  The purpose of the study was to investigate the morphological characteristics of college-level athletes and non-athletes in India. Methods: 287 college students have been randomly selected to acquire a comprehensive set of demographic and anthropometric data. Results: The study revealed significant differences in body mass index (p=0.004), endomorphy (p=0.001), ectomorphy (p=0.02), and body fat percentage (p=0.001). However, no significant difference in mesomorphy (p=0.09) was identified, and only minimal differences in fat-free mass (p=0.57) were observed. College-level athletes exhibit an ectomorphic-mesomorphic physique (2.9-3.9-3.0), characterized by a distinct blend of muscularity and leanness. Non-athletes are mesomorphic-endomorphs (5.0-4.3-2.4), exhibiting higher body fat content and muscularity. Athletes had a significantly lower body fat percentage, highlighting the positive influence of sports training and regular physical exercise on reducing adiposity. The analysis of percentile rankings provides comprehensive insights into the distribution of anthropometric metrics among athletes and non-athletes, assisting in customizing training regimens, identifying areas for potential improvement, and enhancing a comprehensive assessment of individuals' physical characteristics. Conclusion: The study sheds light on the crucial role of morphological traits in discerning differences between college-level athletes and non-athletes within the broader context of the "Fit India Movement." The study will help design an effective training module to improve the overall health of college students.Introducción: En el contexto de la cultura diversa de la India y el cambiante sistema educativo, es crucial comprender las características morfológicas de los estudiantes universitarios, especialmente ahora que el gobierno apoya activamente los deportes a través de iniciativas como el programa "Khelo India" para ayudar a los atletas jóvenes. El propósito del estudio fue investigar las características morfológicas de los atletas y no atletas de nivel universitario en la India. Métodos: Se seleccionaron aleatoriamente 287 estudiantes universitarios para adquirir un conjunto completo de datos demográficos y antropométricos. Resultados: El estudio reveló diferencias significativas en el índice de masa corporal (p=0,004), endomorfia (p=0,001), ectomorfia (p=0,02) y porcentaje de grasa corporal (p=0,001). Sin embargo, no se identificaron diferencias significativas en la mesomorfia (p=0,09) y sólo se observaron diferencias mínimas en la masa magra (p=0,57). Los atletas de nivel universitario exhiben un físico ectomórfico-mesomórfico (2,9-3,9-3,0), caracterizado por una combinación distintiva de musculatura y delgadez. Los no deportistas son endomorfos mesomórficos (5,0-4,3-2,4) y exhiben mayor contenido de grasa corporal y musculatura. Los deportistas presentaban un porcentaje de grasa corporal significativamente menor, destacando la influencia positiva del entrenamiento deportivo y el ejercicio físico regular en la reducción de la adiposidad. El análisis de las clasificaciones percentiles proporciona información integral sobre la distribución de métricas antropométricas entre atletas y no atletas, lo que ayuda a personalizar los regímenes de entrenamiento, identificar áreas de posible mejora y mejorar una evaluación integral de las características físicas de los individuos. Conclusión: El estudio arroja luz sobre el papel crucial de los rasgos morfológicos a la hora de discernir las diferencias entre los atletas de nivel universitario y los no atletas dentro del contexto más amplio del "Movimiento Fit India". El estudio ayudará a diseñar un módulo de formación eficaz para mejorar la salud general de los estudiantes universitarios