Meera Nanda

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. Meera Nanda taught History of Science at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali from 2009 to 2017,[2] and later - from 2019 to 2020 - she was a Guest Faculty in Humanities and Social Sciences at IISER Pune.[3][4] In 2023 she became a fellow with the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry.[5]

Life and career

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.[6][7]

She was a John Templeton Foundation Fellow in Religion and Science (2005–2007).[1][8] 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.[9] She was also a visiting faculty of history and philosophy of science at Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali from 2009 to 15 May 2017. She was a visiting faculty member of the department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IISER Pune[10] in 2019 and 2020.

Religion and Hindu nationalism

Nanda has authored several works on religion, most notably Prophets Facing Backward: Postmodern Critiques of Science and Hindu Nationalism in India (2004),[11] 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.[12][13]

Works

  • 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.[14]
  • A Field Guide to Post-Truth India. New Delhi: Three Essays Collective, 2024. ISBN 978-93-83968-44-2.

References

  1. ^ a b Meera Nanda Profile Archived 29 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine Three Essays.
  2. ^ Meera Nanda (2024). "A Field Guide to Post-Truth India." New Delhi, Three Essays Collective. ISBN 978-93-83968-44-2. (From the book jacket.)
  3. ^ "Intolerance unplugged". Frontline. 28 September 2016. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
  4. ^ "Meera Nanda – The Wire Science". Retrieved 25 November 2023.
  5. ^ "Committee for Skeptical Inquiry Elects Twelve New CSI Fellows". centerforinquiry.net. Center for Inquiry. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  6. ^ Reception of Darwinism in India (A talk by Professor Meera Nanda) Archived 10 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Indian Institute of Science
  7. ^ "Mukto-Mona Writers' Corner - Meera Nanda". mukto-mona.com. Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2010.
  8. ^ Ranjit Hoskote (21 November 2006). "In defence of secularism". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 14 January 2010.
  9. ^ List of scholars invited to JNIAS Archived 16 July 2010 at the Wayback Machine JNIAS Jawaharlal Nehru University website.
  10. ^ "IISER Pune". www.iiserpune.ac.in. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  11. ^ Ranjit Hoskote (3 May 2005). "Book Review: Paradigm shift". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2010.
  12. ^ William Dalrymple (18 January 2010). "Review: The Glitter in The Godliness". Outlook. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  13. ^ "Books: A market for holy men: How globalization has had an impact on Hinduism and our public sphere". Mint. 21 August 2009.
  14. ^ Nanda, Meera (16 September 2016), "Hindutva's science envy", Frontline, retrieved 14 October 2016

Further reading

Wikiquote has quotations related to Meera Nanda.