VidyaSubramanian @[email protected]

Thrilled to announce that my book is finally here! Published by @OxUniPress it talks abt how ICTs and TV took cricket and turned it into the IPL, how new kinds of spectators have taken shape, and how cricket is only one of the things that the IPL is about

Why long immersion and slow journalism/public documentation of fragile landscapes matter, how is it done using diverse storytelling approaches? Next AquamuseDialogue feature @pankajsekh's multimedia documentation on A&N islands. Do join us: 23 Jan 2026, 5pm, LHC @IISERPune

"Mamdani reminds Indians that a cosmopolitanism that embraces diversity is politically possible. His message to Umar Khalid reminds us that Khalid is, like Mamdani, a cosmopolitan" Mukul Kesavan is one my top favourite writers. Here's one reason why: telegraphindia.com/opinion/two-co…

"I am really happy for the others, who got bail! So relieved", Umar said. "I'll come tomorrow for Mulaqat", I replied. "Good good, aa jana. Ab yahi zindagi hai". #UmarKhalid

More bad news for mobile phone users in India (after SIM binding): Our government is mandating a government app (sanchar saathi) on every new phone, permanently, Reuters reports. Will be pushed to your phone via OTA. New smartphones need to have it. Users cannot delete it. This is a first. India has never before required an unremovable state app on every device. Russia does btw, with its MAX Messenger (started September 2025). A few comments regarding this: 1. Sanchar Saathi is a lost phone tracker, but if it gets embedded with no possibility of removal, it becomes a government tracker on your device. IF the government is allowed to get away with this, what’s next? A mandatory digital ID app? Digiyatra forcefully installed on each device? An app that disables VPNs or tracks your app and browser history? An app that sends copies of your messages to the government once a month? Once the OS layer is opened to the state, it doesn’t close. 2. Legally, one can argue that your mobile phone is your personal space, and this is an invasion of your personal space. It’s where we have our most private conversations. Exchange sensitive information with people we trust. How do we know this app isn’t used to access files and messaging on our device, which is unencrypted on device? Or a future update won’t do that? This is clearly an invasion of our privacy. 3. Remember how the government exempt itself from much of the Data Protection Law. This explains why. The Data Protection Law will make private companies more accountable and the Indian government less accountable. 4. Bloatware is already an issue with some phones (It’s why I don’t use Samsung). Now there’s more, and this time the government is forcing bloatware. I guess we’ll all have to root our phones now. When you buy a phone with bloatware, you're choosing to buy it with bloatware. This is different. 5. The way things work with India’s Department of Telecom, there was no public consultation, the order wasn’t disclosed. Just forced. This is dictatorial in nature. If they get away with this, more will follow.

We are thrilled to share the latest post published on Nexus, the STS-IN blog titled "Re-orienting the Lens: A Reflexive Account of Entering STS" by Dr. Rishabh Kachroo. Read here: stsin.org/re-orienting-t…

Zahra Nader is right. "Women’s rights in Afghanistan are not separate from women’s rights elsewhere, we are part of the same global struggle. Democracies like India must align their foreign policy with their own professed commitment to gender equality." indianexpress.com/article/opinio…

In this week's @DeccanHerald's #OpinionMatter, read: - @bsarun24 on #CasteCensus and Congress - @manojkjhadu on #DoubleEngineSarkar mirage - @Rehna_AntiCaste on threatening the electorate - @vidyas42 on Gen Z’s silent rebellion tinyurl.com/OpinionMatterS…

Am I really optimistic about GenZ's politics? I guess I am! deccanherald.com/opinion/from-m…

i'm on a writing retreat (i've retreated from writing)

So sad to hear of the passing of Michel Callon.

The Science and Technology Studies India Network (STS-IN) blog 'Nexus' is now accepting submissions. Vist stsin.org/nexus/

Posting a bit late, but I wrote about what our internet has become and what it used to be for @DeccanHerald deccanherald.com/opinion/intern…

@airindia @GP_Kalra Looks like there's a cease fire and the air space has opened up... Please get us out of here this am!

@GP_Kalra Dear Ms. Kaur, we never intend to delay flights or disrupt travel plans. The flight AI2030 stands cancelled due to unavoidable operational reasons. Rest assured, we're alerting our ground team to provide the necessary assistance and the latest updates.

And Delhi AI2030 too for Mon, 23rd June. Flight cancelled without appropriate arrangements for food and any accommodation whatsoever from Air India. Hundreds of passengers stranded at Frankfurt Airport. @airindia @MoCA_GoI @TataCompanies @CGIFrankfurt

🚨 URGENT: Stranded at Frankfurt Airport. All @airindiain flights to Mumbai cancelled without notice. No alternate flights, no ground staff support, no transit visa. We’re left on our own. Elderly & children included. #AirIndia #Frankfurt #Stranded

@MNoel75 Wow!

@MNoel75 Haha! Perfect! ;)

Just for you @vidyas42 #RG25 #Paris

Your one-stop destination for the best opinion articles! tinyurl.com/OpinionMatterA… *ing: @Bharatitis on what next after #PahalgamAttack @BhadraPunchline on India-China-US @sivaetb on Tamil Nadu politics @kartha_tara on China-Bangladesh @vidyas42 on #IPL and cinema @DeccanHerald

Hobbes dropping knowledge bombs—turns out being a tiger is harder than Calvin thought! Who knew hunting involved physics and art? 🐅📚 #CalvinAndHobbes #TigerLessons

I wrote about the #IPL after a long time, and really enjoyed writing this