Doha: Dr. Amitav Ghosh, a renowned author and environmentalist, was welcomed to the Podar Pearl School by the school's President and a few of the Board Members.
Dr. Ghosh is the author of several English books and the winner of the Padmasree and the Janapith award, India's highest literary honour. Additionally, he is a passionate environmentalist and the holder of four honorary doctorates.
In his interactions with senior students and teachers, he shared his early life experiences at Doon School, St. Stephen's College, and Oxford University, as well as other subjects of interest.
Sam Mathew, the school's President, moderated a round table conversation on a variety of issues, including empathy and compassion, consumerism, literature, and the environment.
In response to a question on instilling empathy and compassion in students for their fellow citizens, Dr. Amitav said, "We need to get out of our own way and focus on the common good since empathy and compassion are what make us human."
Regarding consumerism, he said that it is one of the greatest issues of the 21st century. Globally, corporations encourage and incentivize us to consume more often, which is very damaging to our nature and the environment. He provided an illustration of our textile usage and the amount of natural resources, such as water, required to cultivate cotton for weaving into cloth. When we discard a cotton cloth and purchase a new one, there is a considerable and mind-boggling natural cost.
He alluded to the impending disaster caused by the systematic devastation of the ecosystem. The Earth will cease to exist and begin to respond, as shown by climate change. Everyone, according to him, is accountable for defending the environment.
The twenty minutes of the question-and-answer period for students addressed a variety of themes, including his works, education, travels, and the influence of his teachers and professors on his transformation into a writer.
