iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Did you know that apart from our regular episodes, we also have bonus episodes we call 'Supplementary Materials'? New episode: open.spotify.com/episode/3ABm...

open.spotify.com

Supplementary Materials 9: Marginalised faculty and the performance of excellence

Desi Academia Podcast · Episode

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Link to previous seasons: bsky.app/profile/desi...

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Many many thanks to Professor Indranil Dutta @academicmargin.bsky.social for supporting this season.

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

New episode alert! 🎊 We conclude our season on linguistics with Prof. Shakuntala Mahanta @smphon.bsky.social with a chat on the fundas of phonology, lab vs field research, and the responsibilities of linguists in India's North East Region. Tune in: open.spotify.com/episode/2utg...

open.spotify.com

S13E3: Phonology and Linguistics with Dr. Shakuntala Mahanta

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

"The modern institution wants impact, inspiration, representation, transformation, leadership, visibility, resilience and a compelling personal journey. Ideally, all before lunch." medium.com/@riazleghari...

medium.com

Why universities increasingly seem to want professors who have already invented the future

The Super-Scholar Industrial Complex

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Do faculty in India get special training to turn into the heartless psychopaths that their institutions need? Or is it targeted hiring? What are students supposed to think when they see a faculty responding to a student suicide with this tweet?

I am what you would call a "strict" faculty,l
carry a Brahmin surname.
The @iitbombay fiasco is genuinely scary. Am I supposed to discipline students based
on their caste now?
I don't want to lose my job/go to jail.

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aphex twink @peregrinator.net · 07/09/2026

since we're talking about people with PhDs going for 180 and turning brainrotted boomer pilled, my father who is a PhD in ecology thinks any random shit he reads online about psychiatry that looks like a scientific publication is to be trusted. the rest is history

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

New episode alert! Co-hosted by Indranil @academicmargin.bsky.social and feat. Remo and Charlie, we discuss the impact of India on our linguistics careers,the field's glories and controversies, the Sapir Worf Hypothesis, Chomsky,the Bouba/Kiki effect, and much more! open.spotify.com/episode/1zHu...

open.spotify.com

S13E2: Linguistics by way of India with Indranil, Charlie, and Remo

Desi Academia Podcast · Episode

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

Previous episodes: bsky.app/profile/desi...

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

It's time for a new season!🥳🥳 For E1, we are joined by friend-of-the-pod Prof Indranil Dutta @academicmargin.bsky.social and Prof Chandan Narayan @ch-narayan.bsky.social for a fantastic discussion on language science fundamentals, ling data, and much more! Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/0wqH...

open.spotify.com

Linguistics 101 with Chandan and Indranil

Desi Academia Podcast · Episode

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

🎙️ New Episode Alert! Why do we do science, and what does it mean to "humanize" it? Megh and Vatsal sit down with Dr. G. V. Pavan Kumar, Physics Professor at IISER Pune, to explore an often ignored topic: the philosophy of science. open.spotify.com/episode/1x8Y...

open.spotify.com

S12E3: The philosophy of science with Dr. G. V. Pavan Kumar.

Desi Academia Podcast · Episode

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

Did you know that the Desi Acad Pod does special episodes outside our seasons? Tune in to the latest ‘Supplementary Materials’ where we get into the “physics is totally over” grift economy with Hassaan Saleem @superconformal.bsky.social: open.spotify.com/episode/73VL...

open.spotify.com

The “Physics is ded” discourse with Hassaan Saleem

Desi Academia Podcast · Episode

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

Curious about the full story behind this

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

We join the Bharatiya Junta Pod to discuss The Juggernaut and its position vis-a-vis academic contributors and influencers from the Global South. and how this diaspora publication found itself in the path of LifeofPujaa and the discourse around rural authenticity. open.spotify.com/episode/1z0m...

open.spotify.com

BJPod Thoughtein hi Thoughtein- Popculture radio hour! South Asia

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

“In 2022, a State-backed tribal welfare body assumed powers it did not legally hold to issue consent—now challenged in the Calcutta High Court—on behalf of the Shompen, a reclusive indigenous tribe in the Andaman archipelago...“ article-14.com/post/a-state...

article-14.com

A State-Backed Tribal Body—Without Authority—Grants Consent On Behalf Of A Tribe For The Great Nicobar Project

In 2022, a State-backed tribal welfare body assumed powers it did not legally hold to issue consent—now challenged in the Calcutta High Court—on behalf of the Shompen, a reclusive indigenous tribe in ...

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Vivek Nityananda @viveknityananda.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

Thanks to @wildanimals.bsky.social for the funding and this beautiful coverage of our work. Very exciting to be taking these ideas out into the field. Sarah has been absolutely brilliant and the results are coming in- watch this space for more!

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 02/05/2026

New episode release! We talk to Aman Bhargava @thedivtagguy about his career in DatViz and visual storytelling. We talk about how he uses his degree in design for SciComm, his experience with Reuters, and his cool project with Censorship Data, #CBFCWatch. open.spotify.com/episode/5BKo...

open.spotify.com

S12E2: Making Data Talk with Aman Bhargava

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 08/04/2026

What does it take to build a digital environment where students actually thrive? Dr. Robin Sharma joins the pod to discuss his journey from Mathematics to the forefront of EdTech and game-based learning. Don’t miss this deep dive into learning science! open.spotify.com/episode/1wtJ...

open.spotify.com

S12E1: Learning science masterclass with Dr. Robin Sharma

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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 07/04/2026

KSENIIA PETROVA (Harvard clawed frog embryo computational biologist) wins her Vermont habeas case on partial summary judgment: the Court finds the cancellation of her visa was arbitrary and capricious and must be set aside, and therefore the revocation of her visa is set aside.

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Reposted by Desi Academia Podcast

Vivek Nityananda @viveknityananda.bsky.social · 07/04/2026

Sobering and depressing story about the awful conditions faced by several international students, and how this stems from the terrible politics behind university fees and immigration. www.theguardian.com/education/ng...

theguardian.com

‘I see it as trafficking’: the brutal reality of life as a foreign student in the UK

The long read: Universities in Britain rely on overseas applicants paying full fees, which has given rise to some unscrupulous recruiters and left many hopefuls and their families deep in debt

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 07/04/2026

New publication on ant communication from DAP listener, Dr Joshi. Do check it out!

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

From observing birds and spiders in Bangalore to studying the soil ecology of Australia, our latest episode follows Dhruti’s incredible academic journey! We dive into her transition from studying botany/zoology to her PhD research on microbial ecology. open.spotify.com/episode/1P5E...

open.spotify.com

Spotify – Web Player

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

Very telling that the Union government is attempting to go back to colonial-era laws with expanded medical surveillance, policing, and fearmongering. Who is this for? Not the transgender community, clearly: www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/s... 🏳️‍🌈

hindustantimes.com

'Self-perceived' sexual identities not part of new transgender definition bill

The definition “shall not include, nor shall ever have been so included, persons with different sexual orientations and self-perceived sexual identities.”| India News

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 22/02/2026

Desi Academia Podcast’s Golden Jubilee episode is now live🌟! We talk to Dr. Saurabh Singh about his journey as a mathematician. We talk about the pursuit of truth, mathematics’s place within and outside academia, and the intrinsic value of pure science. open.spotify.com/episode/2QDg...

open.spotify.com

S11E2: Mathematics, or, the pursuit of perfection in an imperfect world, with Saurabh

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 17/02/2026

It's almost time for a fantastic conversation on mathematics, 'labless science', and seeing the world in an elegant way!

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Kaustubh Naik @kaustubh.bsky.social · 31/01/2026

In my new Substack post, I write about ‘this survived the brutal Portuguese rule’ hook for Insta reels and the algorithmic flattening of Goan history. open.substack.com/pub/kaustubh...

open.substack.com

The Algorithmic Flattening of Goan History

The Instagram algorithm rewards retention and engagement.

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 25/01/2026

Previous episodes: bsky.app/profile/desi...

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 25/01/2026

We start Season 11 and 2026 with insights into a serious question: what if your chosen research path is beyond a PhD ? We are joined by Harsha to continue the story of his research journey- onto an industry career: open.spotify.com/episode/16aF... podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s...

open.spotify.com

S11E1: Pivoting from a PhD- navigating an alternative career path with Harsha

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 24/01/2026

It's time for Season 11, and we start 2026 with a discussion on resilience and grace. Harsha joins us again to share how he navigated a career shift when his academic program failed him, the harsh reality of funding games, and the price PhD students pay for systemic problems.

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Chinmay Hemant Joshi @chjoshi.bsky.social · 29/12/2025

Pre-print alert 🚨🐜!!! I am really excited to share results from the first empirical chapter of my PhD. We ( @dornhaus.bsky.social and I) set out to examine how fire ants deal with perturbations to communication during foraging. Turns out their foraging is not robust to this perturbation. (1/5)

biorxiv.org

Persist or Give up? Fire ants motivated to search for a high-quality food source even if they don’t know how to find it

Finding resources for the colony is one of the most difficult and risky tasks for a social insect worker. A worker on a foraging trip can face a number of challenges, including interference from other...

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 01/01/2026

🎙️ Happy New Year to all! In this episode, Vatsal & Megh are joined by the friend of the pod Dr. Rituparna Patgiri (@Rituparna37) who talks about teaching sociology to STEM grads, her mentorship philosophy and the many roles of a teacher. 🎧 Tune in! open.spotify.com/episode/3D6Y...

open.spotify.com

S10E4: Teaching sociology to STEM students: why do we need a sociologist in the room?

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 29/12/2025

I would not have made this connection.

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 23/12/2025

Unconventional data viz is the best! thanks for the inspo with this post. Would you be open to a podcast pitch? we would love to connect with you.

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 22/12/2025

gaah it’s the kind of graph that is so satisfying to knit or crochet.

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 19/12/2025

Aditya, Megh, and Vatsal are back to discuss Vatsal's second postdoc (this time outside his alma mater), working on a different disease and with human tissue We also talk academic HR, dry lab privilege, 9-5, RTO, and much more! open.spotify.com/episode/7spN...

open.spotify.com

S10E3: The Second Postdoc- Vatsal's life in outside his Alma Mater

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 26/11/2025

It’s here!! ✨ Megh, Aditya, and Vatsal are joined by Indranil @academicmargin, as we discuss Megh’s dissertation research. We talk about cooperation, support systems, linguistics, and the impact of AI on the field. Check out the episode: open.spotify.com/episode/19Vq...

open.spotify.com

Spotify – Web Player

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 24/10/2025

It's season 10 (Yes, we can't believe it either!) and the OG gang gets together after a long time to vent about all things academia. In this episode of Desi "postdoctoral" podcast, we catch up with Aditya, talk about our lives post PhD and much more! open.spotify.com/episode/50Uk...

open.spotify.com

S10E1: Desi Academia Podcast founders meet: Postdoc edition!

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 03/10/2025

✈️📚 Ever tried explaining your research to an immigration officer? In this DAP episode, Manan & Sumaira join us to talk about trans-continental poetry, periodicals, studying Islamic communities and what exactly is Islamic studies! open.spotify.com/episode/0p88...

open.spotify.com

S9E4: What is Islamic Studies? Wrong answers only, with Manan and Sumaira

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Olivia Guest · Ολίβια Γκεστ @olivia.science · 06/09/2025

Finally! 🤩 Our position piece: Against the Uncritical Adoption of 'AI' Technologies in Academia: doi.org/10.5281/zeno... We unpick the tech industry’s marketing, hype, & harm; and we argue for safeguarding higher education, critical thinking, expertise, academic freedom, & scientific integrity. 1/n

Abstract: Under the banner of progress, products have been uncritically adopted or
even imposed on users — in past centuries with tobacco and combustion engines, and in
the 21st with social media. For these collective blunders, we now regret our involvement or
apathy as scientists, and society struggles to put the genie back in the bottle. Currently, we
are similarly entangled with artificial intelligence (AI) technology. For example, software updates are rolled out seamlessly and non-consensually, Microsoft Office is bundled with chatbots, and we, our students, and our employers have had no say, as it is not
considered a valid position to reject AI technologies in our teaching and research. This
is why in June 2025, we co-authored an Open Letter calling on our employers to reverse
and rethink their stance on uncritically adopting AI technologies. In this position piece,
we expound on why universities must take their role seriously toa) counter the technology
industry’s marketing, hype, and harm; and to b) safeguard higher education, critical
thinking, expertise, academic freedom, and scientific integrity. We include pointers to
relevant work to further inform our colleagues.

Figure 1. A cartoon set theoretic view on various terms (see Table 1) used when discussing the superset AI
(black outline, hatched background): LLMs are in orange; ANNs are in magenta; generative models are
in blue; and finally, chatbots are in green. Where these intersect, the colours reflect that, e.g. generative adversarial network (GAN) and Boltzmann machine (BM) models are in the purple subset because they are
both generative and ANNs. In the case of proprietary closed source models, e.g. OpenAI’s ChatGPT and
Apple’s Siri, we cannot verify their implementation and so academics can only make educated guesses (cf.
Dingemanse 2025). Undefined terms used above: BERT (Devlin et al. 2019); AlexNet (Krizhevsky et al.
2017); A.L.I.C.E. (Wallace 2009); ELIZA (Weizenbaum 1966); Jabberwacky (Twist 2003); linear discriminant analysis (LDA); quadratic discriminant analysis (QDA).

Table 1. Below some of the typical terminological disarray is untangled. Importantly, none of these terms
are orthogonal nor do they exclusively pick out the types of products we may wish to critique or proscribe.

Protecting the Ecosystem of Human Knowledge: Five Principles

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Desi Academia Podcast @desiacadpod.bsky.social · 03/09/2025

Any researchers or scholars thinking about Return to India should first try and post in support of our peers.

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