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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

Indian students strike gold

Mumbai: India’s brightest young scientific minds have once again proven their mettle on the global stage, securing exceptional medal hauls at two of the world’s most prestigious science competitions for secondary school students. Showcasing unprecedented academic prowess, the Indian delegation brought home a historic all-gold sweep at the 58th International Chemistry Olympiad in Uzbekistan, alongside an impressive haul of one gold and three silver medals at the 37th International Biology...

Indian students strike gold

Mumbai: India’s brightest young scientific minds have once again proven their mettle on the global stage, securing exceptional medal hauls at two of the world’s most prestigious science competitions for secondary school students. Showcasing unprecedented academic prowess, the Indian delegation brought home a historic all-gold sweep at the 58th International Chemistry Olympiad in Uzbekistan, alongside an impressive haul of one gold and three silver medals at the 37th International Biology Olympiad in Lithuania. These stellar performances cement India’s position as a powerhouse of STEM talent, reflecting the rigorous training and dedication cultivated by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE) and a nationwide network of educators, said national coordinator of Science Olympiads Prof. Anwesh Mazumdar. In a landmark achievement, all four students representing India at the International Chemistry Olympiad, held in Tashkent from July 10 to 19, bagged gold medals. This marks India’s first-ever all-gold sweep in the history of the competition. The victorious quartet includes Debadatta Priyadarshi from Bhubaneswar, Harshit Singla from Mandi Gobindgarh, Kabeer Chillar from Delhi, and Sandeep Kuchi from Hyderabad. This year’s event was the largest to date, featuring 363 students from 93 countries. India’s flawless performance tied the nation for the top spot in the country-wise medals tally, sharing the first position with China, Vietnam, and an individual participant from Russia. The students navigated highly complex experimental and theoretical tasks, including decoding the composition of historical and natural artifacts, calculating the mass of uranium used in a 1966 detonation, and performing advanced pH-metric titrations. The team was guided by Head Mentor Professor Subhajit Bandyopadhyay, Mentor Dr. Indrani Sen, and Scientific Observers Dr. Anubendu Adhikary and Dr. Jayasree Gopalakrishnan. Running concurrently in Vilnius from July 12 to 19, the International Biology Olympiad saw the Indian team secure one gold and three silver medals against a highly competitive field of 307 students from 78 nations. Bhavyaa Gunwal from Mahendragarh clinched the gold medal, while Soumil Maity from Howrah, Nishit Kalani from Pali, and Anmol Kumar from Mansa each brought home silver. The biology competition pushed the boundaries of secondary education with a gruelling six-hour theoretical exam and an intensive six-hour practical laboratory test designed by the Vilnius University Life Sciences Centre. In the labs, students executed complex molecular biology tasks like restriction digestion, evaluated the pharmacokinetics of aspirin, performed precise insect morphology dissections, and utilized cutting-edge digital software for plant transcriptome analysis. The delegation was led by Professor Rekha Vartak and Dr. Anupama Ronad, alongside Scientific Observers Dr. Ranjithsinh Devkar and Dr. Siddhesh Ghag.

From Cable TV to OTT: Journey of Freedom and Controversy

Cable TV to OTT

The Indian entertainment landscape has undergone a dramatic transformation over the last few decades, moving from the simple, censored broadcasts of Doordarshan in the 1980s to the unregulated content explosion on over-the-top (OTT) platforms today. While this shift has brought global content into Indian homes, it has also sparked debates about regulation, cultural influence, and content control.


The journey began in October 1992 when India saw the launch of Zee TV, the country's first privately-owned cable channel. This was followed by the launch of the Asia Television Network (ATN). These channels marked the beginning of India's foray into private television broadcasting. A few years later, global networks like CNN, Discovery Channel, and National Geographic entered the Indian market, providing viewers with a broader range of content.


This era represented a significant departure from the limited and heavily censored programming offered by Doordarshan. Private television opened the floodgates for content driven by Western cultural influences, creating a shift in the way Indian audiences consumed entertainment.


The Rise of OTT Platforms

The next major disruption came in 2008 with the launch of BIGFlix by Reliance Entertainment, marking India's entry into the world of OTT platforms. This was followed by the launch of the nexGTv app by Digivive in 2010, which allowed users to access live TV and on-demand content on mobile phones. Notably, nexGTv became the first platform to live-stream Indian Premier League (IPL) matches on smartphones during 2013 and 2014, further cementing the popularity of OTT services in the country.


The arrival of Hotstar and Netflix shortly thereafter changed the entertainment landscape entirely. Indian audiences could now watch content from around the globe, at any time, and on any device. This newfound freedom came with its own challenges, as OTT platforms operated without the stringent censorship typically imposed on television content.


Ruling on OTT Regulation

As OTT platforms gained popularity, concerns over content regulation emerged. On Friday, the Supreme Court dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking the establishment of an autonomous body to monitor and filter content on OTT platforms.


The bench, headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, ruled that the regulation of such platforms was a policy matter for the executive branch, requiring extensive consultation with various stakeholders.


The court’s ruling highlights a growing debate in India about content control and the responsibilities of OTT platforms. While some advocate for creative freedom, others argue for the need to regulate explicit content, especially to protect minors.


Controversies over OTT

The unregulated nature of OTT platforms has led to controversies, such as the case against Balaji Telefilms, its founder Ektaa R Kapoor, and her mother, Shobha Kapoor.


The Mumbai Police have registered a case under Sections 295-A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Information Technology (IT) Act, and Sections 13 and 15 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The charges relate to the Alt Balaji series Gandi Baat, which is accused of using minors for pornographic purposes.


The Debate Over Content

Reflecting on the past, there is a stark contrast between the decency and censorship of Doordarshan in the 1980s and the wide-open world of OTT content today. With the rise of private networks, Western cultural influences began seeping into Indian entertainment, and this trend has only intensified with the rise of OTT platforms. Today, anyone with a smartphone can access a vast ocean of content, often without restrictions on what they can watch.


However, this freedom comes with a dilemma. While nobody is advocating for strict censorship or dictating what people should or should not watch, the question remains: Who is responsible for regulating this content? Is it the government’s role to intervene, or should it be left to individuals to decide what is appropriate for themselves and their families?


There is no doubt that OTT platforms provide valuable and diverse content, ranging from informative documentaries to well-crafted films and series. Yet, alongside these high-quality productions, there is a significant amount of sexually explicit content, which is more common in Western media but now prevalent on Indian OTT platforms.


The Path Forward

So, what is the solution? The responsibility for regulating OTT content cannot lie solely with the government, nor can it be completely left in the hands of viewers. Content creators and OTT platform owners also need to take responsibility for what they are producing and promoting. It is essential to strike a balance between creative freedom and ethical responsibility.


The debate over content regulation is similar to the one surrounding cigarette advertising.


Until a comprehensive policy is developed and implemented, it is up to the viewers to decide how deep they want to dive into the OTT sea. The power of choice is in their hands, but so is the responsibility.


(The author is a communication professional. Views personal.)

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