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Scroll.in
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Scroll.in
‘A Queer Reading of Nawabi Architecture and the Colonial Archive': Guide to Lucknow's queer history
'… Wargue that the cultural vibrancy of Lucknow was due to its debauched nature. Nawabi architecture materialised – in pleasure palaces, harems, and other spatial types – as a gradual adaptation of existing formal archetypes to accommodate theatricised ways of dwelling; deviant practices of power politics; gender-bending forms of dance, theatre, poetry; and performed non-normative sexuality. The EIC targeted the nawabs' race, gender, sexuality, physical appearance, cultural pursuits, and architectural expression – to refute the nawabs' efficacy as political rulers – gendering the superiority and credibility of a political leader.' When Nawab Asaf-ud-Dawla shifted the capital of Avadh from Faizabad to Lucknow in 1775, he had no idea that he and the last of his successors would turn out to be two of those rulers whom the British loved to hate. Historians still debate why Asaf shifted his capital: some say it was to get away from his mother, Bahu Begum, others that it was to establish a more prosperous city. Whatever the reason, the result was that Lucknow gained a unique culture, some of which survives in its architecture, by way of an independent style that Asaf established during the 22 years of his reign. That style would come to an end in 1856 – the year before the Uprising of 1857 – when the East India Company (EIC) took over the kingdom, and the focal point here is that takeover, for it was done under the cleverly named Doctrine of Lapse, under which the British could decide to take over kingdoms that were either misgoverned, or had no legitimate heir to the throne. And since the Nawab of the time, Wajid Ali Shah, had a son, the British had to establish some measure of misgovernance to justify using this doctrine. With the end of Wajid Ali's rule also ended one of the most colourful periods of India's colonial history. A Queer Reading of Nawabi Architecture and the Colonial Archive looks at the architecture of Lucknow during this period, particularly under the reigns of Asif and Wajid rather than the six nawabs who ruled in between them. The queer influence Post-Independence Indian historians have put forth substantial evidence against British claims of misgovernance by the nawabs. To quote Dr GD Bhatnagar in his book, Awadh Under Wajid Ali Shah, 'Wajid Ali Shah's character was complex. Though he was a man of pleasure, he was neither an unscrupulous knave nor a brainless libertine. He was a lovable and generous gentleman. He was a voluptuary, still he never touched wine, and though sunk in pleasure, he never missed his five daily prayers. It was the literary and artistic attainments of Wajid Ali Shah which distinguished him from his contemporaries.' What these historians have omitted is the queer influence on the culture and architecture of Lucknow. Asaf was an accomplished Urdu poet, and in some of his work, he reveals his longing for men, a longing that the straight-laced British of his time found abhorrent. But that poetry also established the difference between the way most rulers conducted their politics and the way a queer ruler might do it. And so, while this book might be about a queer look at architecture, it also contains a look at the power play amongst four different players towards the end of the rule of the Nawabs: on the British side are the East India Company (EIC) and the Crown, and, on the Indian, the Nawabs of Lucknow and the fading Mughal dynasty. A queer city To start with, the book is divided broadly into two sections, the first about methods and the second about the architecture of the buildings covered. Methods matter, because parts of the city were wiped out in the Uprising. So were some of the writings of the Nawab's historians, and perhaps of the Nawabs themselves. The authors have followed up with many archives: the remaining Lucknow archives, the written works of these two Nawabs, archives of the East India Company and the Crown, and, of course, archives of the Government of India. One of the more appealing illustrations here is a single chart that offers a timeline that shows Nawabs, British Residents, British Governors General, and various plans and sketches of the city, all in one, offering the reader a bird's eye view of the history of the city. The British archives show their contempt for the Nawabs and the queerness of their culture. The British were contemptuous of queers until well into the second half of the 20th century: witness their imprisonment of, say, Oscar Wilde in the 1890s, or their encouraging Alan Turing's suicide in the 1960s. Thus, some of history reflects their resistance to the British: to quote the authors, 'Despite this [contempt], the two nawabs continued to hold their political position through acts of transgression, resistance, and even sometimes by playing ignorant. Both the nawabs furthered an urban cultural environment that rejected macho military standards of politics and embraced arts as central to shaping the city.' The second section covers the actual shape of the city. Covered here in some detail are the major works of Asaf and Wajid: Asif's architectural legacy includes the Machhi Bhavan, the Daulat Khana, and the Bada Imambada, while Wajid's works include the Qaiserbagh, perhaps the most substantial of the precincts covered. The descriptions are illustrated in detail, and the reconstruction of destroyed parts of these buildings is meticulous and layered, which would appeal to the architect. But what appeals to the layman and the historian in the occasional sidelight that livens up the narrative: to quote, again, 'The British army was disoriented by the labyrinthine interiors of the zenana but found its flat roof quite navigable because of its continuity'. And so, for anyone with more than a passing interest in architecture, history, or Lucknow, this book is a small treasure house and a guide to the chequered history of one of the most important cities of the British Raj. Shashi Warrier is a novelist. His latest novel My Name is Jasmine was published by Simon and Schuster India in 2025.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
SolarEdge Announces Appointment of New CFO
MILPITAS, Calif. & HERZLIYA, Israel, March 03, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SolarEdge Technologies, Inc. ("SolarEdge" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: SEDG), a global leader in smart energy technology, announced today the appointment of Asaf Alperovitz as Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately. Ariel Porat, who currently serves as the Company's Chief Financial Officer, has taken a personal decision to step down from the role, and will remain with the company for a transition period to assist with a smooth handover. With a career spanning over three decades, Mr. Alperovitz brings extensive expertise and leadership experience across multiple industries. Most recently, from 2019 to 2024, Mr. Alperovitz served as the CFO of Delta Galil, a global high-tech apparel company. Prior to Delta Galil, he held CEO and CFO positions at NASDAQ, NYSE and TASE listed companies, including Syneron Medical, Omrix Pharmaceuticals (acquired by J&J), Tefron and Allmed Solutions. He also previously held senior management roles at Ernst &Young. Throughout his career, Mr. Alperovitz has led multiple IPOs, secondary offerings, M&A deals, and strategic transformations. He holds a BA in Accounting & Economics and an MBA from Tel-Aviv University. "We are very excited to have Asaf join SolarEdge," said Shuki Nir, CEO. "He is a seasoned finance executive with a proven track record. I'm confident Asaf's extensive experience in transforming organizations and driving financial strategy will benefit us greatly as we take the next steps in the SolarEdge journey. I would also like to take the opportunity to thank Ariel for his contributions over the past months and wish him success in his future endeavors." "I am honored to take on this opportunity with SolarEdge at such a pivotal time," said Mr. Alperovitz. "I am inspired by SolarEdge's vision, its technological capabilities, its executive leadership team and the many opportunities which lie ahead. I look forward to working with the team to advance our mission and to enhance SolarEdge's financial performance." About SolarEdge SolarEdge is a global leader in smart energy. By leveraging world-class engineering capabilities and with a relentless focus on innovation, SolarEdge creates smart energy solutions that power our lives and drive future progress. SolarEdge developed an intelligent inverter solution that changed the way power is harvested and managed in photovoltaic (PV) systems. The SolarEdge DC optimized inverter seeks to maximize power generation while lowering the cost of energy produced by the PV system. Continuing to advance smart energy, SolarEdge addresses a broad range of energy market segments through its PV, storage, EV charging, batteries, and grid services solutions. SolarEdge is online at Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 This release contains forward looking statements which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include information, among other things, concerning: management transitions, our possible or assumed future results of operations; future demands for solar energy solutions; business strategies; technology developments; financing and investment plans; dividend policy; competitive position; industry and regulatory environment; general economic conditions; potential growth opportunities; and the effects of competition. These forward-looking statements are often characterized by the use of words such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "seek," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "will," "would" or similar expressions and the negative or plural of those terms and other like terminology. Forward-looking statements are only predictions based on our current expectations and our projections about future events. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Given these factors, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, the matters discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, filed on February 25, 2025 and our quarterly reports filed on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and other reports filed with the SEC. All information set forth in this release is as of March 3, 2025. The Company undertakes no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or changes in its expectations. View source version on Contacts Press ContactSolarEdge Technologies, Salkin, Senior Global PR Investor Contacts SolarEdge Technologies, Lowe, Head of Investor Relationsinvestors@ Sapphire Investor Relations, LLCErica Mannion or Michael Funariinvestors@
Associated Press
03-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
SolarEdge Announces Appointment of New CFO
SolarEdge Technologies, Inc. ('SolarEdge' or the 'Company') (Nasdaq: SEDG), a global leader in smart energy technology, announced today the appointment of Asaf Alperovitz as Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately. Ariel Porat, who currently serves as the Company's Chief Financial Officer, has taken a personal decision to step down from the role, and will remain with the company for a transition period to assist with a smooth handover. With a career spanning over three decades, Mr. Alperovitz brings extensive expertise and leadership experience across multiple industries. Most recently, from 2019 to 2024, Mr. Alperovitz served as the CFO of Delta Galil, a global high-tech apparel company. Prior to Delta Galil, he held CEO and CFO positions at NASDAQ, NYSE and TASE listed companies, including Syneron Medical, Omrix Pharmaceuticals (acquired by J&J), Tefron and Allmed Solutions. He also previously held senior management roles at Ernst &Young. Throughout his career, Mr. Alperovitz has led multiple IPOs, secondary offerings, M&A deals, and strategic transformations. He holds a BA in Accounting & Economics and an MBA from Tel-Aviv University. 'We are very excited to have Asaf join SolarEdge,' said Shuki Nir, CEO. 'He is a seasoned finance executive with a proven track record. I'm confident Asaf's extensive experience in transforming organizations and driving financial strategy will benefit us greatly as we take the next steps in the SolarEdge journey. I would also like to take the opportunity to thank Ariel for his contributions over the past months and wish him success in his future endeavors.' 'I am honored to take on this opportunity with SolarEdge at such a pivotal time,' said Mr. Alperovitz. 'I am inspired by SolarEdge's vision, its technological capabilities, its executive leadership team and the many opportunities which lie ahead. I look forward to working with the team to advance our mission and to enhance SolarEdge's financial performance.' About SolarEdge SolarEdge is a global leader in smart energy. By leveraging world-class engineering capabilities and with a relentless focus on innovation, SolarEdge creates smart energy solutions that power our lives and drive future progress. SolarEdge developed an intelligent inverter solution that changed the way power is harvested and managed in photovoltaic (PV) systems. The SolarEdge DC optimized inverter seeks to maximize power generation while lowering the cost of energy produced by the PV system. Continuing to advance smart energy, SolarEdge addresses a broad range of energy market segments through its PV, storage, EV charging, batteries, and grid services solutions. SolarEdge is online at Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 This release contains forward looking statements which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include information, among other things, concerning: management transitions, our possible or assumed future results of operations; future demands for solar energy solutions; business strategies; technology developments; financing and investment plans; dividend policy; competitive position; industry and regulatory environment; general economic conditions; potential growth opportunities; and the effects of competition. These forward-looking statements are often characterized by the use of words such as 'anticipate,' 'believe,' 'could,' 'seek,' 'estimate,' 'expect,' 'intend,' 'may,' 'plan,' 'potential,' 'predict,' 'project,' 'should,' 'will,' 'would' or similar expressions and the negative or plural of those terms and other like terminology. Forward-looking statements are only predictions based on our current expectations and our projections about future events. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Given these factors, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, the matters discussed in the section entitled 'Risk Factors' of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, filed on February 25, 2025 and our quarterly reports filed on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and other reports filed with the SEC. All information set forth in this release is as of March 3, 2025. The Company undertakes no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or changes in its expectations. SolarEdge Technologies, Inc. Lily Salkin, Senior Global PR Manager [email protected] Contacts SolarEdge Technologies, Inc. JB Lowe, Head of Investor Relations [email protected] Investor Relations, LLC Erica Mannion or Michael Funari SOURCE: SolarEdge Technologies, Inc. PUB: 03/03/2025 06:55 AM/DISC: 03/03/2025 06:55 AM
Fox News
26-02-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
As the father of a Hamas terror victim, I am opposed to
My son, Asaf, 17 years old and in the eleventh grade, was murdered in a terror attack. On March 5, 2003, a Hamas suicide bomber exploded on bus #37 in our hometown of Haifa. Seventeen men, women, and children were killed—nine of them schoolchildren returning home from another day at though I was born and raised in Israel, I was shocked. I couldn't understand what could drive a person to take his own life just to kill as many Jews as possible. I couldn't comprehend the hatred that fueled such an act. Determined to understand, I learned that the mother of the suicide bomber—who, according to Muslim customs, should have welcomed mourners in black clothing and served bitter coffee—chose instead to wear normal clothes and hand out sweets. I was astonished that this mother could hate my child more than she loved her was when I realized we were facing a problem far deeper than we acknowledge. If hatred is taught at home, reinforced in schools, and celebrated in kindergartens—where children are dressed as suicide bombers and school performances glorify killing settlers—then another round of fruitless negotiations, like those we have seen in the past, will not bring change. We are a peace-seeking people. We are willing to go to great lengths to compromise and achieve peace—but only with those who share that desire. Terrorist extremists are not partners seeking peace but rather our complete a family, we wanted to continue our lives and find healing, even though no parent can truly heal from the loss of a child. A couple of years after the attack, we were fortunate to have another baby boy. Normally, parents bring children into the world to give them life, joy, and happiness. In our case, the child we were given brought life back to us. He allowed us to focus on the positive aspects of life, even as we carried our grief alongside joined the activities of OneFamily, an organization that supports terror victims and their families. We had to return to work and live our lives as if we were "normal" people. At work, you must put on a "happy face." You must appear normal, even when something triggers a memory of your murdered son and all you want is to find a quiet place to cry. But in OneFamily meetings, retreats, and trips, we were surrounded by bereaved parents like us. We could share our thoughts and experiences without fear of judgment. We could be ourselves without worrying about how we looked to others. After the October 7 attack, we met with newly bereaved families from our city to introduce them to OneFamily and the support it provides. Sadly, the family of bereaved people continues to grow. Even now, with the return of hostages taken on October 7 and later murdered in Gaza, new families will need tremendous support to rebuild their is paying a high price to bring back its kidnapped citizens—dead or alive. Many convicted terrorists are being freed in exchange. Among them is Ali Hasan Al-Ragbi, who was sentenced to 18 life terms for his role in the attack that killed my son Asaf. Three other terrorists involved in the same attack were released in 2011 as part of the deal to free kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit. I am completely opposed to the release of terrorists. It is unjust, immoral, and wrong. It weakens Israel as a state and erodes our justice system. Worse, it encourages more young people to become terrorists, knowing that another deal will always come. In the past, I fought against these releases. But this time, I chose not to object. The sheer number of hostages, their ages, and the horror of what they have endured demand extraordinary measures. Instead, I choose to fight for the future—to ensure that nothing like October 7 ever happens again. Israel must adopt a harsher policy against terror. No more containment, no more warnings, no more empty threats. We must act differently than we have in the past if we are to be son Asaf was murdered. But I have three more sons and three grandchildren living in Israel. At Asaf's open grave, I swore that I would do everything in my power to keep them safe—and that "Never Again" would apply, first and foremost, to my family.
