Rohini Lakshané
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aldebaran14.bsky.social
Rohini Lakshané
@aldebaran14.bsky.social
620 followers 860 following 990 posts
Engineer, interdisciplinary researcher, Wikimedian, polyglot. Writing. Teaching. Gaia is god. Personal views. The personal is political. https://about.me/rohini
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aldebaran14.bsky.social
I was a speaker at an event in Mumbai today. The yummiest speaker swag I have ever received. 😋 Gourmet chocs in 6 flavours.

#food #Mumbai
This image depicts a closed, rectangular box with a matte finish. The box is a pale, dusty rose color, appearing slightly desaturated. Centered on the top surface of the box, in a small, delicate font, is the text “VANILLA MIEL”. The box appears to be made of cardboard and has a slight seam indicating where the lid connects to the base. A rectangular, open box is filled with twelve hemi-spherical chocolates of 6 different flavours arranged in a grid pattern. The box has a pink interior. Six of the candies are dark brown and six are pale yellow. They are neatly aligned in two rows of six.
November 28, 2025 at 5:16 PM
aldebaran14.bsky.social
#TIL about Avani, a welfare/ employment scheme for women introduced by the Maharashtra Government. The banner on this food truck parked near Khau Galli says that it is a part of Avani.
November 27, 2025 at 2:31 PM
aldebaran14.bsky.social
Typewriters are still around on Mumbai's sidewalks, outside big government offices. Affidavits, stamp papers and notaries.

If you come to Mysore, I'll show you the street where to find them.

#Mumbai #Mysore #travel #typewriters
November 27, 2025 at 12:22 PM
aldebaran14.bsky.social
The Laadli Media and Advertising Award for Gender Sensitivity for the most difficult writing I have ever done—a longform article on image-based abuse for the first year of my fellowship at FactorDaily. factordaily.com/the-crying-s...

My LinkedIn post: www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
#LMA2025
The trophy of the Laadli Media Awards. A red metallic ribbon with a round base reaching upwards. It is kept on a wooden surface. The round base shows the name of the award, its winner, the winning entry and category. In the background is a pamphlet titled "The Crying Shame of Image-based Abuse".
November 23, 2025 at 4:57 PM
aldebaran14.bsky.social
A patch of farmland surrounded by the city, trash, and construction debris.

(Hi-Tech City, #Hyderabad, but this could be the outskirts of any metropolis in India.)
An aerial view shows a landscape transitioning from a field of green vegetation to a dense urban cityscape in the distance. The foreground is dominated by a large area covered in waste, including plastic bags, various debris, concrete, and stones, partially obscuring the ground. A winding waterway flows through the green field, with patches of blue water visible. Beyond the field, numerous tall buildings, predominantly white and gray, form a sprawling city skyline. The sky is hazy because of smog, contributing to a muted color palette throughout the scene.
November 19, 2025 at 8:08 AM
aldebaran14.bsky.social
Bhel puri and toast sandwich were had from a small shop in Colaba. This note came along with the food. It's not a restaurant. It's a chaat shop. Everyone hustles in #Mumbai.
The image is a close-up of a small, rectangular white card with a black border consisting of a repeating floral pattern. The card contains black text printed on it. The text reads: "Do you like My Snacks", "Pls Send the Feedback", "Review 5star And Also", "Sine item Rating 5stars", "On each item menu to", "MY RESTURANT", "Thankyou For ordering", and "Hane a Nice Days".
November 18, 2025 at 5:54 PM
aldebaran14.bsky.social
I'm in Hi-tech City, Hyderabad. I asked my auto-rickshaw driver whether he was listening to music (via Bluetooth). He replied that these are noise cancellation headphones because of the incessant honking on the roads.

#DigitalIndia #Hyderabad
The image shows the back of a person seated in an auto-rickshaw, viewed from inside the vehicle. The person is wearing a khaki shirt and large black headphones. The view is looking forward through the windshield of the auto-rickshaw, with a blurred cityscape visible outside. The interior of the auto-rickshaw is a bright yellow color, and the frame around the windshield is visible.
November 15, 2025 at 12:36 PM
aldebaran14.bsky.social
Yours truly will be at the Digital Citizen Summit in Hyderabad on November 14 and 15, speaking in this illustrious all-women panel. Say hullo to me if you are around.
The image is a promotional graphic for a workshop titled “Sextortion and Digital Accountability — Safeguarding Dignity and Rights” as part of the Digital Citizen Summit 2025, held November 14-15 in Hyderabad. The graphic features portraits of four people, arranged in a square pattern with a light orange background. Each portrait includes the person’s name and title below it: “ARNIKA SINGH, Director Policy & Research” , “ROHINI LAKSHANE, Technologist, Researcher and Trainer”, “ADRIJA BOSE, Senior Fellow” and “PRATISHTHA ARORA, Visionary CEO, Social & Media Matters”. Below the portraits, the date is listed as “15th Nov, 2025” with a time of “10:05 AM – 10:50 AM”. The workshop is organized by several partners, indicated by logos arranged along the bottom edge of the graphic. There is a QR code with the text “Scan to Register” and the phrase “Moderator” is displayed next to Pratishtha Arora’s portrait.
November 8, 2025 at 3:48 PM
aldebaran14.bsky.social
Another hospital in Kerala displays advertisements for 'keyhole laproscopic surgery' showing similar imagery of green, tender coconuts. Kerala literally means 'the land of coconut trees'.
November 5, 2025 at 7:05 AM
aldebaran14.bsky.social
I just joked to a friend in Trivandrum that if Che Guevara and Hilda Gadea/ Aleida March were alive today, they'd be known as Che Chettan and Chechi Guevara.
A lush, green outdoor scene featuring a variety of trees and dense vegetation. The image is dominated by several tall trees with thick foliage, some appearing to be palm trees with visible trunks. The foreground and midground are filled with a variety of leafy plants and grasses, creating a textured and wild appearance. The overall color palette is various shades of green, suggesting a tropical or heavily vegetated environment. A small glimpse of a river with muddy waters can be seen through the trees in the background, adding depth to the scene.
November 5, 2025 at 6:49 AM
aldebaran14.bsky.social
#Thiruvananthapuram folks, go see the  #documentary Working Girls by Paromita Vohra tomorrow. You may meet yours truly there.
The image is a promotional flyer for a film screening titled "Working Girls", designed with a vibrant purple and pink color scheme. A circular central design features illustrations of people in various poses, surrounded by purple flowers. The flyer announces "Althea Women's Friendship invites you to the screening of:" in white lettering, followed by the large title "WORKING GIRLS" in bold, white block letters. Below the title, additional text reads "Interaction with Paromita Vohra: 3:00 pm. On 4 November, 2025, 3:00 pm. At the Joint Council Hall, Press Club Road, Trivandrum. In solidarity with the struggles of informal sector workers." A small badge in the upper-right corner states "LIVING WAGE". The image includes a headshot of Paromita Vohra in the upper-left corner.
November 3, 2025 at 11:36 AM
aldebaran14.bsky.social
Thread: Congratulations to IT for Change on their 25th anniversary and the release of this landmark publication (People's Digital India). My essay was fun to write: part personal narrative, part public policy memo, part historiographic socio-political-economic commentary, & part hope for the future.
November 2, 2025 at 9:36 AM
aldebaran14.bsky.social
This Indian jewellery brand has designs I like but I am not buying from it because its name means 'f**ker' in my native language.
November 1, 2025 at 4:58 PM
aldebaran14.bsky.social
Indian quick commerce medicine delivery. I ordered throat lozenges (Strepsils) and Eno. 😁
The image is a screenshot of a mobile app interface with a light background.  The content is centered and displays text in several lines. The top line reads "Getting There!" followed by "Your order is getting packed."  Below that, it says, "We'll assign a delivery partner soon."  At the bottom of the image there is a section with a label "View order". The interface has rounded corners and appears clean and minimalist.
October 30, 2025 at 5:45 PM
aldebaran14.bsky.social
It's the best. @orcid.org @datacite.org
October 27, 2025 at 3:07 PM
aldebaran14.bsky.social
Slide deck from a talk titled "The Geopolitics of Knowledge: Who Shapes What We Know Online?" that I delivered at the ISOC India (Mumbai Chapter) yesterday: zenodo.org/records/1745...

#knowledge #openknowledge #epistemology #epistemicviolence #epistemicjustice #ISOC
October 27, 2025 at 2:45 PM
aldebaran14.bsky.social
I couldn't agree more with this.
The image is a cartoon illustration depicting various people in different scenarios related to work and social commentary. The style is simplistic and colorful, suggesting a satirical or illustrative tone. Several individuals are shown in distinct scenes, including one wearing a hat and carrying a bag in a field, another wearing a suit and seemingly giving a presentation, and others seated at desks with laptops. Text overlays each individual describing a stance they take, such as "Demands fair wage," "Critiques the power," and "Questions unionizing." The image is titled "A Woke Publication" at the top and has a copyright notice "© 2025" at the bottom with text “एक जीन पेजर प्रकाशन.”
October 24, 2025 at 6:06 PM
aldebaran14.bsky.social
This is automated. I didn't set it to spam.
October 20, 2025 at 1:29 PM
aldebaran14.bsky.social
Yours truly is speaking virtually at this #ISOC event on October 26. DM or email me for the registration link.

#openness #OpenKnowledge #epistemicjustice
The image contains a promotional graphic for an upcoming event. The graphic is primarily text-based with a clean white background. The text reads: “ISOC India Mumbai Chapter, an ICANN at Large Structure, presents Women in Technology Leadership event. Geopolitics of Knowledge: Who Shapes What We Know Online? with Rohini Lakshané, Researcher, Technologist, and Wikimedian; Fellow at Factor Daily. Every search, every click, and every story we read online shapes what we know and how we think. In a world where technology quietly decides what becomes visible, how do we reclaim knowledge as something that belongs to everyone?. Join us for a special Women in Tech conversation with Rohini Lakshané as we explore how power, policy, and digital design influence the flow of information, and how women are redefining the Internet as a more open, inclusive, and human space. Date: 26 October 2025 Time: 6:00 PM IST | 12:30 PM UTC. Be part of this inspiring conversation on women shaping the future of technology, policy, and knowledge online. Do register for the event”.
October 20, 2025 at 10:41 AM
aldebaran14.bsky.social
October 16, 2025 at 6:08 PM
aldebaran14.bsky.social
The spirit of Mumbai, I guess.
October 16, 2025 at 4:54 PM
aldebaran14.bsky.social
Indian Matryoshka. Made in Channapatna.
This image shows a collection of decorative items arranged on a shelf. The prominent feature is a set of five Russian nesting dolls, also known as Matryoshka dolls, graduating in size. Each doll is painted with a green base color and features a woman's face with rosy cheeks, dark hair, and a patterned scarf on top of the head. The dolls also have painted blue clothing with floral patterns and red accents. To the right of the dolls is a wooden horse figure, and to the left, several other decorated objects, including a green box with a woven pattern and a fan. The background features a patterned wall covering.
October 9, 2025 at 10:12 AM
aldebaran14.bsky.social
#TIL that goli bajje and paddu have siblings.
October 7, 2025 at 1:31 PM
aldebaran14.bsky.social
Ghee roast has its connoisseurs but I wasn't really expecting this.
October 7, 2025 at 10:07 AM
aldebaran14.bsky.social
My hotel has a small bookshelf. I picked this up although I have read and watched this a few times. In English, Bangla, and Hindi.
The image shows the cover of a book. The background is a warm, reddish-brown hue. Silhouetted figures are depicted across the cover, appearing as dark shapes against the background. Three figures are prominently visible, standing side-by-side and facing to the right, with their heads and bodies obscured by long, flowing drapery. The text on the cover reads: "RABINDRANATH / TAGORE / chokher bali". Below this, in smaller text, it states: "Translated by Sukhendu Ray". A small red logo resembling a stylized bird is located in the bottom right corner of the cover.
October 6, 2025 at 4:03 PM