ShodhKosh: Journal of Visual and Performing Arts

RURAL-URBAN COMPARISON OF ANTHROPOMETRIC AND RESTING PHYSIOLOGICAL PROFILES AMONG COLLEGIATE ATHLETES OF PUNJAB

Ramanpreet Kaur — 2026-05-19

Background: The environmental context of an athlete's upbringing, encompassing socioeconomic status, nutritional access, and infrastructure availability, is theorized to influence physical and physiological development. While previous literature highlights distinct disparities between rural and urban youth, the extent to which these differences persist among actively competing collegiate athletes remains underexplored. Objective: To examine whether rural and urban backgrounds significantly influence the anthropometric and resting physiological characteristics among collegiate athletes of the Malwa region in Punjab. Methods: A comparative cross-sectional design was utilized to assess 400 active collegiate athletes, evenly divided into rural (n = 200) and urban (n = 200) cohorts. Measurements included five anthropometric variables (arm length, leg length, height, weight, BMI) and five resting physiological variables (resting pulse rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, vital capacity, respiratory rate). Data were analyzed utilizing independent samples t-tests, with effect sizes calculated via Cohen’s d. Results: The groups demonstrated highly comparable physical profiles. Descriptive and inferential analyses revealed no statistically significant differences in any anthropometric variables or major cardiovascular metrics between rural and urban athletes. The only statistically significant finding was a slightly elevated resting respiratory rate in urban athletes compared to rural athletes (t(398) = -2.64, p =.009, d = -0.26). However, the effect size for this difference was small, and all other differences were categorized as trivial. Conclusion: Rural and urban collegiate athletes demonstrate largely comparable anthropometric and physiological profiles, suggesting minimal environmental differentiation at the collegiate competitive level. The findings indicate that collegiate athletic environments effectively homogenize physical conditioning, overriding developmental geographic disparities.

PERCEPTION-BASED EVALUATION OF URBAN PUBLIC SPACES IN DELHI: A MULTI-DIMENSIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR ASSESSING CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS FIVE TYPOLOGICALLY DISTINCT SITES

Simran Vats — 2026-05-19

Urban public spaces are indispensable to social, ecological and cultural life of the city, but their experiential quality is assessed in an inconsistent manner, more so in the quickly growing metropolises like Delhi. Delhi is one of the most densely populated urban conglomerations in the world and the capital of the country, making it a complex city with a variety of public space typologies, socio-spatial dynamics, heritage contexts and user demographics. This study involves the development and validation of a multi- dimensional perception-based evaluation framework of urban public spaces, which is tested in an empirical study of five typologically diverse urban public spaces in Delhi: Sarojini Nagar Market (commercial stretch), Rajiv Chowk (transit hub), Mehrauli Archaeological Park (heritage space), Lodhi Garden (green space), and Connaught Place (civic plaza). The framework is based on user experience (UX) design methods, environmental psychology and urban design theory, and incorporates four evaluative dimensions: (1) Spatial Quality, (2) Accessibility and Inclusivity, (3) Ecological and Environmental Comfort, and (4) Socio-Cultural Vitality. A validated 38 item questionnaire was used to collect data from 500 respondents at all five sites, systematic behavioral observation was conducted using an adapted SOPARC protocol, and GIS based spatial analysis was employed. A 3-D Importance- Performance Analysis (IPA) is a diagnostic tool model identified the critical design gaps that included Accessibility and Inclusivity (mean gap: -2.36) and Ecological Comfort (mean gap: -1.49), and showed high degree of variance across sites and across demographics. The resulting framework provides a replicable diagnostic tool for Indian urban planners, designers and policy makers that can be directly applied to the Smart Cities Mission, AMRUT 2.0, and SDG 11 targets, and is grounded in the context of India.

CYBERSECURITY AND DATA PROTECTION LAWS IN INDIA: CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS

Gargi Bhattacharya — 2026-05-19

In an increasingly digitized world, the protection of personal data and the assurance of cyber security have emerged as fundamental legal and ethical imperatives. Privacy, long recognized as a core human right, has evolved from the classical notion of “the right to be let alone” to encompass the protection of personal information in digital spaces. This paper examines the evolution of data privacy and protection laws globally and within India, tracing their development from early international instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and the European Convention on Human Rights (1950) to modern frameworks like the OECD Guidelines (1980) and the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The study highlights the progressive recognition of informational privacy as an extension of constitutional rights under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, particularly following the landmark judgment in Justice K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India (2017).

VOLATILITY SPILLOVER BETWEEN NIFTY FIFTY INDEX AND SELECTED MUTUAL FUNDS IN INDIAN STOCK MARKET: DCC GARCH TECHINQUE

Monika — 2026-05-18

Purpose: This study aims to examine the volatility spillover effects and measure the time varying correlations between nifty fifty index and selected mutual funds in Indian mutual fund market. Methodology: The research uses Exponential GARCH proposed by Nelson (1991) to explore the direction and magnitude of spillover effects between nifty fifty index and selected mutual fund. It employs Dynamic Conditional Correlation (DCC) GARCH proposed by Engle (2002) to demonstrate the time varying conditional correlation between heteroscedastic coefficients of the share (nifty) and mutual funds market. Findings: Empirical results show that significant and asymmetric bi-directional volatility spillover effects exist in case of most of the selected mutual funds even though, the magnitude of volatility spillover is found larger in the direction from nifty to equity mutual fund. The dynamic correlation between the conditional variance of the nifty and mutual fund markets is found to be significant in case of all the selected mutual funds. It proves that significant volatility spillover effect is present between nifty fifty index and selected mutual funds. Implications: Understanding of volatility transmission and interrelationship between nifty and mutual fund market will help investors make right investment decisions, portfolio optimization and financial risk management. Policy makers and regulators can use this knowledge in planning and implementing appropriate regulatory framework. Originality/Value: Much of the past research focuses on inter market volatility spillover taking into consideration two or more different financial markets. This study focuses on intra market volatility spillover by studying the interactions of stock and mutual fund markets. Also, considering the time-varying nature of conditional correlations, this study employs EGARCH and multivariate GARCH (DCC) to capture the volatility spillover effects instead of univariate GARCH or standard linear VAR models.

FINE-GRAINED VISUAL ART ANALYSIS VIA YOLOV9 AND K-MEANS

Huafei Ma — 2026-05-19

Using the most recent YOLOv9 model and optimized K-means clustering for adaptive feature extraction and objective classification, this research suggests a universal framework for fine-grained visual art analysis. With an emphasis on eliminating subjectivity in conventional visual art analysis, the framework converts qualitative artistic qualities into quantifiable parameters by quantifying 12 fundamental morphological features, such as line curvature (σ=0.85), symmetry index (using Hu moments), and contour regularity (using Fourier descriptors). Tested on a variety of 1,000 high-resolution images (including jade carvings, ceramic patterns, and pieces of murals), the framework partitions samples into five different categories: Normative Geometric, Free-Form Geometric, Natural Bionic, Minimalist Line, and Symbolic Pattern. It achieves automated clustering with an overall accuracy of 92.7% and a silhouette coefficient of 0.91. Three art historians' cross-validation shows 94.8% consistency with expert classifications, greatly exceeding conventional AI techniques (e.g., ResNet50 with 84.2% accuracy on the same dataset). In support of applications in digital archiving, stylistic evolution research, and cultural heritage preservation, this work develops a strong technical instrument for extensive digital analysis of visual arts.

FISCAL MANAGEMENT AND FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ODISHA AND WEST BENGAL

Balaram Roula — 2026-05-19

The present study examines the comparative fiscal performance of Odisha and West Bengal during 1991–92 to 2022–23 with emphasis on fiscal sustainability, debt management, revenue mobilisation, and fiscal discipline. The study is based on secondary data collected from RBI publications, Finance Accounts, Budget Documents, CAG Reports, and Finance Commission Reports. Trend analysis, ratio analysis, Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR), Fiscal Performance Index (FPI), and Independent Sample t-Test are used for the analysis.

The findings reveal that Odisha achieved comparatively better fiscal performance than West Bengal during the study period. Odisha significantly improved its fiscal sustainability through reduction in debt burden, lower interest payment obligations, improved revenue mobilisation, higher capital expenditure, and better fiscal discipline. In contrast, West Bengal continued to experience relatively high debt burden and persistent fiscal deficits. The Fiscal Performance Index also confirms stronger fiscal performance in Odisha compared to West Bengal. Overall, the study concludes that Odisha demonstrated relatively better fiscal management and fiscal sustainability during the post-reform period.

GENDER EQUALITY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: THE ROLE OF WOMEN WELFARE PROGRAMMES IN SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION

Anika Gandhi — 2026-05-18

Gender equality and women's empowerment are universally recognised as foundational prerequisites for sustainable development, enshrined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5) of the 2030 Agenda. Despite substantive policy commitments and the proliferation of women welfare programmes across India, the translation of these interventions into lasting social transformation remains uneven, contested, and insufficiently evidenced at the aggregate level. This study undertakes a systematic secondary data analysis to examine the role of women welfare programmes in advancing gender equality and fostering sustainable social transformation in India. Drawing upon nationally representative and internationally validated datasets — including the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5, 2019-21), NFHS-4 (2015-16), the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS, 2022-23), the World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap Report (2023), the UNDP Gender Inequality Index (2022), the Economic Survey 2022-23, and MoWCD Annual Reports — the study evaluates trends across economic empowerment, educational attainment, health and nutrition, and social and political agency dimensions. Findings reveal that welfare programmes have produced measurable gains across key access indicators: women's bank account ownership rose by 25.6 percentage points to 78.6%; institutional delivery rates reached 88.6%; and the SHG ecosystem now covers 142 million families through 12 million women-led groups. However, structural transformation indicators — spousal violence (−1.8 pp), child marriage (23.3%), and cash-paid employment (+0.8 pp) — remain near-stagnant, exposing a fundamental paradox at the heart of India's gender policy: impressive programme reach has not yet produced commensurate changes in power relations, economic agency, or social norms. The study contributes an intersectional, multi-source analytical framework to the gender equality literature and concludes with evidence-based policy recommendations for rights-based, convergent, and intersectional welfare programme design.

VOICES OF THE TRADITION: RITUALS, RELIGION, AND PERFORMATIVITY THROUGH BHOJPURI MARRIAGE SONGS

Sanghmitra Bairagi — 2026-05-18

The Bhojpuri speaking region occupies a very important position in the cultural landscape of Northern India. Bhojpuri is a language spoken in eastern Uttar Pradesh and western part of Bihar. The Bhojpuri marriage songs carry with itself a very rich and layered cultural traditions. It combines with itself ritual practice, religious symbolism, social memory, gendered expressions, and performatives aesthetics. These songs are sung during various stages of wedding ceremony. They are known by different names as per the ceremonies. The songs function not only as entertainment but as a repository of cultural values, community ethics, emotional experiences, and collective identity. This paper focuses on the importance of Bhojpuri marriage songs, which can be seen as a form of ritualized performance, it is deeply embedded in in the ceremonial life of Bhojpuri region. Hence, the effort here is to explore the ritual, religion, their performance through the marriage songs. The paper also highlights that how these songs are also used as a social commentary on various issues faced by the region. Further, as these songs are sung by women, it makes them the custodians of the oral tradition and cultural continuity. The paper tries to create an understanding about how the Bhojpuri marriage songs constitute an important form of intangible cultural heritage.

PRESERVING AND PROMOTING INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS: A CASE STUDY OF THE CHINMAYA MISSION

Vineeta Mishra — 2026-05-18

This case study narrates how the Chinmaya Mission, which was founded in 1953 by Swami Chinmayananda Saraswati, could be considered as a living case study of how Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) could be maintained, institutionalized and scaled with values-based leadership and strategic coherence. The study reveals the overlap of philosophy, pedagogy and social innovation in the ecosystem of the Chinmaya Mission through first-hand field experience with the Chinmaya Mission Sidhbari Ashram and the Chinmaya Organisation for Rural Development (CORD) villages, as well as secondary research.
It also explores the operationalization of the concepts of Advaita Vedanta by management practices such as leadership development, participatory governance, knowledge transfer, and sustainability.
The analysis reveals that the Chinmaya Mission has a replicable model that can be applied in the modern-day organizations with the aim of integrating purpose and performance by indigenizing ethics and awareness frameworks.

A COMPARATIVE SAAS FRAMEWORK FOR REAL-TIME SOCIAL MEDIA SENTIMENT ANALYSIS USING MULTI-MODEL APPROACH

Papiya Mukherjee — 2026-05-18

The process of examining a piece of text to identify whether the underlying sentiment expressed is positive, negative, or neutral is known as sentiment analysis. While it may seem straightforward, sentiment analysis is currently playing a vital role in comprehending how people perceive and interact on social media platforms, which is critical information for businesses and content creators. By gauging the sentiments conveyed through textual data, companies and individuals creating online content can gain valuable insights into the emotional responses and engagement levels of their target audiences. This paper presents our platform “Analytix” which is designed for analyzing sentiments across YouTube, Facebook, Reddit, Twitter and WhatsApp etc. It supports 197 languages and can handle multiple languages at once. The core of our platform is its user-friendly dashboard that pulls out the sentiments (positive, negative, or neutral) from posts across different social media platforms. It offers users the flexibility to choose from three different model options for sentiment analysis: GPT, transformer models, and a custom proprietary sentiment analysis model developed inhouse. It deeply analyzes each post to identify the overall sentiment people have towards it