Meera Nanda

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Meera Nanda
Born1954 (age 69–70)
India
OccupationWriter, academic

Meera Nanda (born 1954) is an Indian writer and historian of science,[1] who has authored several works critiquing the influence of Hindutva, postcolonialism and postmodernism on science, and the flourishing of pseudoscience and vedic science. In 2019–2020, she was a Guest Faculty in Humanities and Social Sciences at IISER Pune.[2][3] In 2023 she became a fellow with the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry.[4]

Life and career[edit]

Nanda was educated in science and philosophy with a PhD in biotechnology from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, and a PhD in science studies from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.[5][6]

She was a John Templeton Foundation Fellow in Religion and Science (2005–2007).[1][7] In January 2009, she was a Fellow at the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute for Advanced Study, in the Jawaharlal Nehru University for research in Science, Post-Modernism and Culture.[8] She was also a visiting faculty of history and philosophy of science at Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali from 2010 to 15 May 2017. She was a visiting faculty member of the department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IISER Pune[9] in 2019 and 2020.

Religion and Hindu nationalism[edit]

Nanda has authored several works on religion, most notably Prophets Facing Backward: Postmodern Critiques of Science and Hindu Nationalism in India (2004),[10] and her 2009 book The God Market which examined how India is experiencing a rising tide of popular Hinduism, including government financing of Hinduism despite the nation's secular characteristic. The book was reviewed by William Dalrymple in Outlook Magazine.[11][12]

Works[edit]

  • Postmodernism and Religious Fundamentalism: A Scientific Rebuttal To Hindu Science. New Delhi: Navayana. 2000. ISBN 81-89059-02-5
  • Breaking the Spell of Dharma and Other Essays. New Delhi: Three Essays Collective, 2002. ISBN 81-88394-09-2.
  • Prophets Facing Backward: Postmodern Critiques of Science and the Hindu Nationalism in India. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 2004. ISBN 81-7824-090-4. Excerpts
  • Wrongs of the Religious Right: Reflections on secularism, science and Hindutva. New Delhi: Three Essays Collective, 2005. ISBN 81-88789-30-5
  • The God Market. Random House, 2010. ISBN 81-8400-095-2.
  • Ayurveda Today : A Critical Look, with C. Viswanathan. Penguin, 2010. ISBN 9780143065128.
  • Science in Saffron: Skeptical Essays on History of Science. New Delhi: Three Essays Collective, 2016. ISBN 978-93-83968-08-4.[13]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Meera Nanda Profile Archived 29 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine Three Essays.
  2. ^ "Intolerance unplugged". Frontline. 28 September 2016. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
  3. ^ "Meera Nanda – The Wire Science". Retrieved 25 November 2023.
  4. ^ "Committee for Skeptical Inquiry Elects Twelve New CSI Fellows". centerforinquiry.net. Center for Inquiry. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  5. ^ Reception of Darwinism in India (A talk by Professor Meera Nanda) Archived 10 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Indian Institute of Science
  6. ^ "Mukto-Mona Writers' Corner - Meera Nanda". mukto-mona.com. Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2010.
  7. ^ Ranjit Hoskote (21 November 2006). "In defence of secularism". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 14 January 2010.
  8. ^ List of scholars invited to JNIAS Archived 16 July 2010 at the Wayback Machine JNIAS Jawaharlal Nehru University website.
  9. ^ "IISER Pune". www.iiserpune.ac.in. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  10. ^ Ranjit Hoskote (3 May 2005). "Book Review: Paradigm shift". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2010.
  11. ^ William Dalrymple (18 January 2010). "Review: The Glitter in The Godliness". Outlook. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  12. ^ "Books: A market for holy men: How globalization has had an impact on Hinduism and our public sphere". Mint. 21 August 2009.
  13. ^ Nanda, Meera (16 September 2016), "Hindutva's science envy", Frontline, retrieved 14 October 2016

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]

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