"The concept of dissimulation and deception isbuilt into the Indian psyche," he said, citingseveral examples of dishonesty in India's recenthistory, including its 1974 launch of a nucleardevice and its false declaration of not being achemical weapons holder in 1995.

During the question and answer period followingKamal's lecture, several students objected to hisopinions.

"You have painted a very lopsided...picture toan audience that does not know very much about theregion," said Shondip Ghosh '01 of Bombay.

Other students appreciated the awareness Kamalraised for the tensions in South Asia.

"I think it's really easy to underestimate howfrightening the situation between India andPakistan is," said Eben E. Kenah '00. "It's partof the basic racism in [the U.S.] outlook on otherparts of the world."

Sameera Fazili '00 also criticized U.S. failureto monitor the situation in South Asia andlamented the cost to human development thebuild-up of nuclear weapons has caused.

"India spends $4 billion for troops, and yetthe per capita income is less than $450," saidFazili.

"The lack of investment in human developmentalso leads to fundamentalism, for the lack ofeducation leads the people to be easily swayed bynationalism and rhetoric," she said