Room 209, School of Arts and Sciences
Central Campus
Through a journey into the histories of private engineering colleges and their connections to Tamil Nadu's industrial and political landscapes, this talk illuminates the broader implications for higher education and social mobility in India. Drawing from the research presented in the book Gender, Caste, and Class in South India's Technical Institutions, Hebbar reflects on the socio-cultural underpinnings of technical education and its role in moulding the next generation of global white-collar professionals. The discussion delves into the interplay of family social capital, political patronage, and industry-specific networks in shaping not only access to education but also career trajectories and campus dynamics. It highlights how these factors intersect to create a unique environment where students negotiate their values and professional identities.
Nandini Hebbar is a scholar of education cultures with a PhD in Sociology from the Delhi School of Economics. She is a A UGC-sponsored JRF Awardee and NET-qualified educator, with a published book, Gender, Caste, and Class in South India's Technical Institutions (Oxford University Press, 2024). She was honoured with the Vina Mazumdar Memorial Award by the Indian Association of Women's Studies for best research paper by a young scholar in 2020. She has extensive research experience, with publications included in undergraduate syllabi of various universities. Currently working as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Centre for Learning and Innovative Pedagogy at MICA, her current projects focus on start-up cultures in Tamil Nadu and also integrating Climate Change Education into management programs. She lives in Ahmedabad with her husband Sahil and two children, Vivaan and Sameer.
