Article 19

Category: Op-Eds

  • Some Are More Equal Than Others

    In this op-ed, Vishal explores how structural inequalities—rooted in caste, class, and language—persist in academic and educational spaces, masked by the ideals of meritocracy and neutrality. Read More

    6–9 minutes

  • On Liberal Bigotry, the HS Department and the “Progressive” Space: How Does Implicit Islamophobia and Casteism Permeate?

    – Yatin Satish This article describes a very particular kind of person who thinks it doesn’t apply to them. Yes, you. It has to do with the modern political Liberal, who takes it upon themselves to play reasonable “peacemaker” between the Left and the Right.  From Biden’s U.S.A., to Trudeau’s Canada, to Macron’s France, to Read More

    12–17 minutes

  • The Invisibility of Dignity: How We (Un)See the Cleaning Workers at IIT Madras

    We live in one of the top institutes in the country—surrounded by intelligence, innovation, and ambition. But when it comes to the way many students treat the cleaning workers here, there’s a staggering lack of something basic: consideration. Read More

    3–4 minutes

  • How are Talented Women Writers Cut Down in the Infancy of Their Creative Journeys?

    Some Micro-Observations on Male Behaviour – Yatin Satish This article will seem hollow and obvious to many – as articles of this kind often are.  For here lie only some scattered observations that the author, a complicit cis man, has collated from the everyday and wishes to put to paper. (I really, really wish I Read More

    14–21 minutes

  • Can IIT Madras Benefit From More Outdoor Benching? 

    This article discusses the utilisation of the outdoors, specifically outdoor benching in IIT Madras. Read More

    6–8 minutes

  • Insti’s meritocratic elections: why do we keep pretending it works?

    – Anonymous The past few days have been filled with discussions, reactions, and, of course, plenty of memes about the insti elections. Social media is flooded with discourse on just how far some are willing to go to win—often ignoring even basic decency. Many are questioning the state of student governance, wondering if it has Read More

    5–7 minutes

  • The Algorithmic Self: Identity and AI

    The ‘algorithmic self’ emerging out of such interactions is a product of the ‘gaze’ of the algorithm which, based on its vast collections of our data dictates what aspects of our identity are to be amplified, minimized or erased. Read More

    2–3 minutes

  • The Unfinished Battle for Gender Equality in Sports

    Despite the progress in in gender equality in various spheres, sexism, discrimination, and structural and systematic barriers continue to shape the experiences of women and marginalised genders in sports. This is not just an oversight, but an injustice that demands an urgent and unwavering response. Read More

    4–6 minutes

  • Hood Violence, Christianity and Black Cultural Politics in Kendrick Lamar’s GNX

    Kendrick Lamar’s latest album ‘GNX’ features a cover with the artist posing on a ‘black Grand National’. In this article, Akhil, our guest correspondent, discusses how this album serves as a powerful celebration of black culture, hood politics, faith, and the complexities of modern rap. Read More

    11–16 minutes

  • Throwing the Baby Out With the Bongwater: On The New Substance Abuse Policy

    The new ‘Substance Abuse’ Policy recently announced by the Hostel Affairs Secretary on behalf of the Hostel Office is sorely misguided in its intent, and extremely inadequate in the larger context of student wellbeing at IIT Madras. Read More

    7–11 minutes