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Present tense, past imperfect: Kurush Dalal

The image has a neon green background, with a faint wave pattern running down the right side. On top, in a yellow rectangle: “Science & Technology” Below that, the headline: Present tense, past imperfect Next, a subhead, in white text: Lessons from the future from our history Below that, the date for the session: 21 August 2022 Below that, in a circular window, the presenters’ portrait in black-and-white, and to its right, the presenters’ names: Kurush Dalal And description: Archaeologist and food historian Then, below, at centre, the logotype for The Goa Project Sessions, which has the words ‘The Goa Project’ in white text next to a stylised sunset-and-water image, and next to that, the word ‘Sessions’ within a stylised video camera image. In a black strip at the bottom: Once every four weeks on Sundays, 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. IST, on Zoom.

Kurush is an archaeologist, historian, food anthropologist and inheritor of a culinary legcay. Recently, he’s taken a keen interest in researching culinary anthropology and food archaeology, and he offers several related courses, amidst his other academic work. It’s not just ancient food that interests him; he was an early food blogger, part of a group he calls the Food Dinos, and his wife and he run Katy’s Kitchen, a beloved and popular Mumbai catering service specialising in Parsi food, founded by his mother, the legendary Katy Dalal (who was also an archaeologist).

Plates of the future: Elizabeth Yorke & Anusha Murthy

The image has a neon pink background, with a faint wave pattern running down the right side. On top, in a yellow rectangle “Science & Technology” Below that, the headline: Plates of the future Next, a subhead, in white text: What we might be eating when India turns 100 Below that, the date for the session: 21 August 2022 Below that, in a circular window, the presenters’ portrait in black-and-white, and to its right, the presenters’ names: Elizabeth Yorke & Anusha Murthy And description: Food system thinkers Then, below, at centre, the logotype for The Goa Project Sessions, which has the words ‘The Goa Project’ in white text next to a stylised sunset-and-water image, and next to that, the word ‘Sessions’ within a stylised video camera image. In a black strip at the bottom: Once every four weeks on Sundays, 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. IST, on Zoom.

With a background as an engineer, Anusha has worked in growing tech startups and strengthening the startup ecosystem in her city. She specialises in technology adoption to improve the food system. Elizabeth is a chef turned food researcher, writer, and advocate for sustainable food systems. She is a co-founder of Edible Issues, a collective that is fostering thought and conversation on the Indian food system, and founder of Saving Grains, an upcycling food initiative inspired by the historically circular relationship between brewers and bakers.

My experiments with the troth: Ameya Nagarajan

The image has a neon blue background, with a faint wave pattern running down the right side. On top, in a yellow rectangle, the words ‘Showcase’ Below that, the headline: My experiments with the troth Next, a subhead, in white text: Drinks, dinner, and social anthropology Below that, the date for the session: 17 July 2022 Below that, in a circular window, the presenter’s portrait in black-and-white, and to its right, the presenter’s name: Ameya Nagarajan And description: Editor, podcaster Then, below, at centre, the logotype for The Goa Project Sessions, which has the words ‘The Goa Project’ in white text next to a stylised sunset-and-water image, and next to that, the word ‘Sessions’ within a stylised video camera image. In a black strip at the bottom: Once every four weeks on Sundays, 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. IST, on Zoom.

Ameya is an editor and podcaster who was inspired, at the age of 32, to look for love in a new way. She started a dating project, 50 Dates in Delhi, where she tried to date 50 different men over one year and see if the numbers might work out. Spoiler: they didn’t. Still single, still occasionally dating, Ameya is still formulating theories about how people date.

Alone, together: Ashwini Jaisim

The image has a neon green background, with a faint wave pattern running down the right side. On top, in a yellow rectangle, the words ‘Society’ Below that, the headline: Alone, together Next, a subhead, in white text: Creating community for older singles Below that, the date for the session: 17 July 2022 Below that, in a circular window, the presenter’s portrait in black-and-white, and to its right, the presenter’s name: Ashwini Jaisim And description: Communications professional, social entrepreneur, writer, teacher Then, below, at centre, the logotype for The Goa Project Sessions, which has the words ‘The Goa Project’ in white text next to a stylised sunset-and-water image, and next to that, the word ‘Sessions’ within a stylised video camera image. In a black strip at the bottom: Once every four weeks on Sundays, 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. IST, on Zoom.

Ashwini has been a single mother for eight years, and a single woman for the last five, so she knows a thing or two about the single life. She has spent years observing and taking notes, years on and off the dating circuit, and years in and out of relationships. She started the Singles Club in November 2021 with a view to providing a platform and building a community for singles over 40. She is also a keen collector of single-people stories, and if you want to share yours, she’d be happy to have it!

Special arrangements: Priyanka Bhardwaj

The image has a neon orange background, with a faint wave pattern running down the right side. On top, in a yellow rectangle, the word ‘Society’ Below that, the headline: Special arrangements Next, a subhead, in white text: Does 21st-Century India need marriage brokers? Below that, the date for the session: 17 July 2022 Below that, in a circular window, the presenter’s portrait in black-and-white, and to its right, the presenter’s name: Priyanka Bhardwaj And description: Writer, logistics operator Then, below, at centre, the logotype for The Goa Project Sessions, which has the words ‘The Goa Project’ in white text next to a stylised sunset-and-water image, and next to that, the word ‘Sessions’ within a stylised video camera image. In a black strip at the bottom: Once every four weeks on Sundays, 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. IST, on Zoom

Priyanka founded India’s first modern matrimonial advisory service in early 2013, before the likes of Tinder and Bumble. In its nine years of operation, Marriage Broker Auntie helped over a thousand successful professionals across the globe find their domestic partners by providing advisory and coaching services. Recently, she shut down the service and moved from love to logistics, which she claims is equally complex if not romantic. She continues to write her not-so-regular newsletter on substack, Shapely Gal.

Streams of consciousness: Siddarth Agarwal

The image has a neon pink background, with a faint wave pattern running down the right side. On top, in a yellow rectangle, the word ‘Intersections’ Below that, the headline: Streams of consciousness Next, a subhead, in white text: Walking India’s rivers and villages. Below that, the date for the session: 19 June 2022 Below that, in a circular window, the presenter’s portrait in black-and-white, and to its right, the presenter’s name: Siddarth Agarwal And description: Researcher, walker, listener Then, below, at centre, the logotype for The Goa Project Sessions, which has the words ‘The Goa Project’ in white text next to a stylised sunset-and-water image, and next to that, the word ‘Sessions’ within a stylised video camera image. In a black strip at the bottom: Once every four weeks on Sundays, 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. IST, on Zoom.

Siddharth has walked over 6000 kilometres across India, especially along rivers, trying to document and bring stories of marginalised people and the environment into the mainstream. The documentary Moving Upstream: Ganga, from his 3000 km walk along that river, has been doing the festival rounds, and is slated to be released soon. His organisation Veditum India Foundation hosts some of his work, along with efforts towards environmental research, documentation and accountability initiatives.

Artificial intelligence: real dangers: Vidushi Marda

The image has a neon blue background, with a faint wave pattern running down the right side. On top, in a yellow rectangle, the words ‘Fringe & Geekery.’ Below that, the headline: Artificial intelligence: real dangers Next, a subhead, in white text: Studying machine learning in Asia Below that, the date for the session: 19 June 2022 Below that, in a circular window, the presenter’s portrait in black-and-white, and to its right, the presenter’s name: Vidushi Marda And description: Lawyer, researcher Then, below, at centre, the logotype for The Goa Project Sessions, which has the words ‘The Goa Project’ in white text next to a stylised sunset-and-water image, and next to that, the word ‘Sessions’ within a stylised video camera image. In a black strip at the bottom: Once every four weeks on Sundays, 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. IST, on Zoom.

Vidushi is a lawyer and researcher who investigates the societal implications of artificial intelligence (AI). She works at Article 19, where she leads research and engagement on the human rights implications of machine learning. Her work has been cited by the Supreme Court of India in a seminal ruling on the Right to Privacy, and by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, among others. She is a member of the Expert Group on Governance of Data and AI at United Nations Global Pulse. Her recent work investigates predictive policing in New Delhi, emotion recognition in China, CCTV surveillance in Myanmar, and more.

Role play: Lekha Naidu

The image has a neon orange background, with a faint wave pattern running down the right side. On top, in a yellow square, the words ‘Bangalore,’ with the letters “LORE” in a different colour Below, the headline, in white text: Role play Next, a subhead, in white text: How making — and watching — theatre has changed Below that, the date for the session: 22 May 2022 Below that, in a circular window, the speaker’s portrait in black-and-white, and to its right, the speaker’s name: Lekha Naidu And description: Consulting drifter Then, below, at centre, the logotype for The Goa Project Sessions, which has the words ‘The Goa Project’ in white text next to a stylised sunset-and-water image, and next to that, the word ‘Sessions’ within a stylised video camera image. In a black strip at the bottom: Alternate Sundays, 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. IST on Zoom.

When not reluctantly explaining what she does for a living to curious people, Lekha is either facilitating a class for young theatre enthusiasts or rigging lights or translating plays and other pieces of literature from English to Kannada and vice versa, or planning photo shoots while finding ways to get on stage and perform. Some affectionately call her the Girl Friday of the Arts community — conveniently forgetting about the other days of the week — while she often refers to herself as a theatre practitioner. She has made no significant contribution to the world, yet; but she keeps trying. She now utilises all her skills at the city’s newest community space, Bangalore International Centre.

Garden city: Suresh Jayaram

The image has a neon green background, with a faint wave pattern running down the right side. On top, in a yellow square, the words ‘Bangalore,’ with the letters “LORE” in a different colour Below, the headline, in white text: Garden city Next, a subhead, in white text: A narrative through the Lalbagh lens Below that, the date for the session: 22 May 2022 Below that, in a circular window, the speaker’s portrait in black-and-white, and to its right, the speaker’s name: Suresh Jayaram And description: Aesthete, garden enthusiast, die-hard Bangalorean Then, below, at centre, the logotype for The Goa Project Sessions, which has the words ‘The Goa Project’ in white text next to a stylised sunset-and-water image, and next to that, the word ‘Sessions’ within a stylised video camera image. In a black strip at the bottom: Alternate Sundays, 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. IST on Zoom.

Suresh is an artist, art historian, arts administrator and curator from Bangalore. He is the founder and director of Visual Art Collective / 1 Shanthiroad Studio, an international artists’ residency and alternative art space. He is currently involved in art practice, urban mapping, archiving, curation and arts education. His keen interest in environmental and urban developmental issues influences his work. He taught art history at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath’s College of Fine Arts.