Concern for public health has been growing with the increasing volume of cases of COVID-19 in India. To combat this pandemic, India has implemented nationwide lockdowns, and unlocking phases continue with certain restrictions in different parts of the country. The lockdown has required people to adopt social-distance measures to minimize contacts in order to reduce the risks of additional infection. Nevertheless, the lockdown has already impacted economic activities and other dimensions of the health of individuals and society. Although many countries have helped their people through advanced welfare protection networks and numerous support aids, several emerging economies face specific difficulties to adapt to the pandemic due to vulnerable communities and scarce resources. However, certain lower-income countries need more rigorous analysis to implement more effective strategies to combat COVID-19. Accordingly, the current systematic review addresses the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns in India in relation to health and the economy. This work also provides further information on health inequalities, eco-nomic and social disparities in the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns and also contributes pragmatic suggestions for overcoming these challenges. These observations will be useful to the relevant local and national officials for improving and adopting novel strategies to face lockdown challenges

Background: Road traffic accidents (RTAs) have emerged as a major public health concern due to the growing number of motorized vehicles all over the world. In India, the burden of road traffic accidents is increasing and from 1991 to 2011, the number of fatal deaths has more than doubled. Madurai district is among road accident-prone regions of the state of Tamil Nadu. Objective: This paper aims to examine and understand trends and patterns of RTAs in rural areas of Madurai District between 2014-2018. Methods: The researchers collected RTAs data from Madurai District Crime Records Bureau. we have considered time-series data from 2014 to 2018 and the number and percentage of deaths by the distribution of relevant factors such as timing, gender, road type, and vehicles to understand holistic patterns of RTAs. Results: Totally 9950 road accidents were reported by Madurai District Crime Records Bureau between 2014 and 2018 and on an average over 1990 accidents have occurred every year. Nearly 40 per cent fatal accidents occurred between 15-21 h. Men were the victims in 87 per cent of deaths and men died 6.8 times higher than females during 2014-2018. Over 57 per cent of fatalities have occurred in National Highways. The proportion of two-wheelers contributed to road deaths is 28 per cent and two-wheelers caused maximum road deaths than other vehicles. Conclusion: The study shows a decreasing trend in road accidents and fatalities in Madurai district. However, a significant number of men dying in road accidents highlights the difficulties of their families.

The deep forests of the Western Ghats are home to the aboriginal tribes Kattunayakans, Categorized under the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in India. Despite various government schemes to improve their economic status, the literacy rates remain very low due to geographical isolation and traditional lifestyle. The main objective is to look into designing educational activity centres that exclusively cater to the needs of the Kattunayakan children, integrating indigenous knowledge and methods with teaching-learning sessions to promote lifelong learning. Technological progress and AI can be game changers for accessing quality education, including visual learning, language translation, and personalized methods while preserving cultural heritage. The research is based on a systematic narrative review, critically examining scholarly articles, policy and government reports. The outcome shows that these programs help improve academic skills while keeping them closer to their culture and identity.

Objectives: To explore parental attitudes toward comprehensive sexuality education (CSE), assess their willingness to discuss sexuality-related topics with their children, and generate evidence to support policy advocacy for age-appropriate CSE in Indian schools. Method: A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted among 113 parents from rural and urban India using a self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive analysis was performed. Results: Parents generally expressed positive attitudes toward CSE; however, stigma persisted around discussing consent, contraception, sexually transmitted infections, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Although parents acknowledged their responsibility, many lacked preparedness and confidence. Family and community support was largely absent, with prevailing stigmatic beliefs reinforcing communication barriers. Preference for teachers or healthcare professionals as CSE providers was also low. Conclusion: Despite increasing acceptance of CSE, strengthening age-appropriate school-based CSE, parent capacity-building, community sensitization, and school-family collaboration is essential to overcome socio-cultural barriers and promote children’s safety, well-being, and holistic development.

With the increasing globalization of the world, social work education must change itself to build students with intercultural competence and global citizenship skills. Cultural immersion programs are a valuable resource for preparing social work professionals to navigate different socio-cultural settings using an inclusive, participatory social development approach. The present chapter will provide an overview of literature reviews, case studies, and theoretical reflections on cultural immersion in social work education. The discussion will consider theories on how such experiences might shape students' conceptualization of social inequalities, community-based interventions, and ethical issues in cross-cultural situations. The chapter will conclude by exploring potential directions for utilizing cultural immersion to design academic and professional development paradigms in pursuit of broader global citizenship and cross-cultural community development agendas.