DR MANOJ JOSHI
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Asian Voice | 14th October 2017
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CULTURE
Akram Khan announces his final full-length solo production
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TLIGHT
ON CLIMATE MODELLING, EXPLORING MARS AND APPRECIATING ACADEMIA Sunetra Senior
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One of the most celebrated and highly regarded dance makers working today, Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Akram Khan has announced a new production, Xenos, which will mark his final performances as a dancer in a full-length piece. The production, commissioned by 14-18 NOW, the UK’s arts programme for the First World War centenary, is inspired by Greek mythology with a particular focus on the myth of Prometheus, and by specific events from the First World War. Xenos, co-produced by Sadler’s Wells, will premiere in 2018, sixteen years after the debut of Khan’s acclaimed first full-length production Kaash. Sadler’s Wells will present the UK premiere from 29 May - 9 June, as part of its Spring 2018 Season, and the production’s international tour. Xenos, meaning ‘stranger’ or ‘foreigner’, seeks to express tales of loss, hope and redemption, through a movement language that shifts between classical kathak and contemporary dance. Working from a text by acclaimed playwright Jordan Tannahill, alongside his world-class team of collaborators Khan will draw on the story of a shell-shocked Indian soldier trapped in a trench during the First World War, through the lens of the myth of Prometheus - the Titan who stole fire and gave it to mankind. Akram Khan said, “My interest lies in both the mythological body and the technological body. I want to explore our connection with our past and our future, investigating specific questions that confront me more and more every day, such as how does ‘myth’ play a part in today’s society? “Xenos explores the central question at the heart of the myth – was Prometheus’ gift the blessing or the curse of mankind? And at its centre is a colonial soldier, one of over 4 million men mobilised on behalf of the British empire. 1.5 million of these recruits were Indian, mostly peasant-warriors from North and North-Western India, and they fought and died in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Many sepoys were buried abroad, while those who returned home, often mutilated and traumatised, were estranged from their own histories, homelands, and countrymen, becoming xenoi. “So, do we need to tell other people’s stories just in case they vanish? Who are the ‘other’ people? Are stories of human journeys told and retold again and again, so we can eventually learn from our mistakes? Who are ‘we’, a collective or many individuals? What makes us human? Are we still human?” This autumn Khan’s work has been seen on the Sadler’s Wells stage with English National Ballet’s reprisal of Giselle, and he will curate and perform in the theatre’s inaugural presentation of the Darbar Festival, the established celebration of classical Indian music and dance from 9-12 November. Also in November, he presents a new Channel 4 documentary Can We Live With Robots? In this unique project for the channel, he explores the impact robots and AI are having today on human relationships, and meets the cutting-edge robots of the future.
n honour of World Space Week, which took place from the 4th – 10th October last week, Asian Voice spoke to Dr Manoj Joshi, a prolific Senior Lecturer at the University of East Anglia, specialising in Climate Dynamics. Joshi moved to the area of theoretical modelling of climates and climate change after extensive work into the circulation of planetary atmospheres, such as that of Mars and the very topical phenomenon of exoplanets – planets which closely resemble Earth’s atmosphere, and could thus potentially possess life forms. Of his time under the worldclass institute, NASA, at the Ames Research Centre near Silicon Valley, the friendly lecturer shared with us: “going to the research centre on a fellowship was of course very exciting. Especially at a time when the Mars Global Surveyor had just landed. We were using feeds from satellites with a delay so there was a point at which we weren’t even sure whether the surveyor had actually landed or crashed. It’s interesting how the work of hundreds of people, from engineers to the researchers, hinges on that one, deciding moment: whether this equipment will function or not. It’s nervewracking and thrilling all at the same time.” ***
Computer-simulated image (Copyright: NASA) of first exoplanet: 51 Pegasi b.
derful,” he aptly added. As Corollary to this, although the discipline is not known for being the most lucrative, “let’s not underestimate the liberation of flexible hours and not having to wear a suit!” he said. Thus, though assisting in the prediction of weather and the external by profession, Joshi champions the challenges of the unpredictable in inner life.
Joshi has also spent time as a scientist at the SETI (Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence) Institute as a research scientist before moving to the Met Office in the UK and gravitating closer towards his current earthly post. He commented that there are many similarities between the atmospheres of Earth and Mars which are universally enlightening: “A fundaWhat’s been one of your most mental fact with climate dynamics exciting breakthroughs? is that a planet spins on its axis so It underpinned my research into there are certain rules that apply to exoplanets: there are potentially both weather systems and planets that orbit a star features, which their cliwhich is not The Sun. 4 mates will tend to out of 5 stars are not obey; this gives us a yellow like the sun better physical but rather red and ‘Terraforming – the idea of how the small. As a result, question of finding planets’ climate for the planet to planets that can be features exist get as much radihabitable like Earth – comparatively ation as the and our underEarth and have is still speculative standing of clithe same temperbut carries profound mate generally." ature, they have to importance’ Featured in several be very close and high-profile publicawhat we call ‘tidally tions by this point, locked’; one side always including the Bulletin of faces the star while the the American Meteorological other is turned away. Some people Society and Nature Climate Change, have suggested that this face is boilJoshi then effortlessly demonstrates ing during the day time while comhow intellectual curiosity can be a pletely frozen at night. Earth’s powerful motivator in success. equivalent would be the Tropics and “Academia is an incredibly demandthe Polar regions. However, we used ing lifestyle, but the reward of havan atmospheric model to show that ing your passionate and meticulous a lot of heat is transferred from dayfindings corroborated by journals side to nightside and the initial preand other people’s papers is wondiction turns out not to be true.
Pop Culture has become increasingly obsessed with Mars being the miracle cure for our environmental problems; to what extent do you think that’s true – and do please take the question with the pinch of salt - or rock dust - that it is? Terraforming – the question of finding planets that can be habitable like Earth – is still speculative but carries profound importance. It is certainly an exciting time. Since the discovery of the first exoplanet in 1995, hundreds have been found. Of course, this tremendous discovery and spending our efforts on fixing the mess we’ve made on Earth are not mutually exclusive. We can effectively tackle environmental issues while continuing space exploration. What is a significant step we can take to help preserve the environment, in your opinion? Looking at planet modelling, this is a big issue. I think everyone doing simple yet significant everyday things will have the impact. Was it your concern for the planet that drew you closer to environmental studies? It was a mix of motivations. I have a PhD in the area of planetary and climate modelling , and as I said there is a lot of overlap between Earth’s atmosphere and that of other planets. It was my scientific experience as well as the hope to do something useful which drove me. What is your advice to young people considering an academic career? You’ve got to really love it as you won’t be doing it for the money. Do your higher studies; a MA or a PhD can also be a route into the research industry. That can be very different from academia, sometimes demanding more practical applications as well as the theory. What’s one thing about being a scientist that people might have a misconception about? People tend to think you’re locked away in a little, dark room, but you do have to have the people skills too!