I had the great pleasure of spending a whole day with my PhD cohort at the end of February. This included sharing how we are progressing (or not!) with elements of our PhD. It was also a nice opportunity to blow off steam and get away from our laptops. The session, facilitated by the South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership, included spirited conversations about when, where, why, and how to publish research.

At the end of the session, a kalawa was shared with us all to tie onto our wrists or take away with us to use however we wanted. A kalawa is a red/orange sacred thread Hindus tie around their wrists during puja, rakhi and other rituals, and symbolises protection and well-being. Tamsin Bradley shared this with us all as a symbol of her work with women in Maharashtra. In a PhD context, the kawala could mean:

• A symbol of unity and togetherness between the students with each other and with the faculty.
• Protection of students from obstacles and negativity as we go along our research journeys.
• A blessing and a physical reminder of the course we are on.

I have done community-based work in India before, primarily in Fort Cochin, Kerala. So, when this kalawa falls off, or I take it off after 21 days, I shall put it right next to the others hanging on my olive tree to go back to nature. Until then, I have a reminder of how I go about in the world, right here next to the non-binary bracelet I’ve yet to take off after all this time.