For example, feeling stressed or anxious can raise blood pressure, while feeling relaxed can lower it.

Emotions can also affect a person’s mental health, with negative emotions such as sadness, hopelessness and anger being linked to an increased risk of developing mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety.

On the other hand, positive emotions such as joy, gratitude and love have been linked to improved mental health and overall well-being.

It is important for individuals to manage their emotions and seek support when needed in order to maintain their physical and mental health.

At present it is difficult to provide specific research findings on human emotions as there have been many studies conducted on this topic, and the findings can vary depending on the specific focus of the research.

Some common themes that have emerged from research on human emotions include: Emotions are a normal and necessary part of human experience.

It serves as an adaptive function and can help us to navigate and respond to different situations in our environment.

Emotions can be influenced by a range of factors, including genetics, life experiences, hormones, physical health, social support, environmental factors and cognitive processes.

Emotions can have a significant impact on a person’s physical, mental and social well-being.

It is important for individuals to manage their emotions and seek support when needed in order to maintain their well-being.

There are many different approaches to understanding and studying emotions, including psychological, neurological and cultural perspectives.

Relation between emotions and health: There is a strong connection between emotions and physical health.

Emotions can have a significant impact on the body, as they can cause physiological changes that can affect a person’s physical health.

For example, feelings of stress and anxiety can increase the production of stress hormones such as cortisol which can raise blood pressure and increase the risk of heart disease.

Negative emotions such as anger, sadness, and hopelessness can also weaken the immune system and increase the risk of developing physical health problems.

On the other hand, positive emotions such as joy, gratitude, and love have been linked to improved physical health and overall well-being.

They can reduce stress and boost the immune system, leading to a lower risk of developing physical health problems.

It is important for individuals to manage their emotions and seek support when needed in order to maintain their physical health.

There is a strong connection between emotions and mental health. Emotions play a significant role in a person’s mental well-being and can affect their risk of developing mental health problems.

Negative emotions such as sadness, anger, and hopelessness can increase the risk of developing mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety.

On the other hand, positive emotions such as joy, gratitude, and love have been linked to improved mental health and overall well-being.

It is important for individuals to manage their emotions and seek support when needed in order to maintain their mental health.

This can involve a variety of strategies, such as practicing relaxation techniques, seeking social support, and engaging in activities that bring joy and fulfilment.

In some cases, it may also be necessary to seek professional help, such as through therapy or medication.

Factors behind emotions: There are many factors that can affect human emotions. Some of the most common factors include: Life experiences or past experiences, particularly negative ones, can have a strong impact on a person’s emotions.

In line, some studies suggest that emotions may be partly influenced by genetics, while hormones produced by the body can affect a person’s emotions.

For example, changes in hormone levels during pregnancy, menopause, and other times can affect a person’s emotional state.

In the whole system overall, physical health can have a significant impact on emotions. For example, someone who is experiencing chronic pain or fatigue may be more prone to negative emotions.

Having a strong network of supportive friends, social support, and family members can help to buffer the negative effects of stress and promote positive emotions.

It is also affected by the environment factors when a person is in it, can affect their emotions.

For example, being in a cluttered or chaotic environment can increase stress and negative emotions, while being in a peaceful and organised space can promote positive emotions.

The next one is cognitive processes and a person’s thoughts and beliefs can influence their emotions.

For example, someone who has a negative outlook may be more prone to negative emotions, while someone who has a more positive outlook may be more resilient in the face of stress and more prone to positive emotions.

Adjustment with emotions is the process of coping with and adapting to changes or challenges in one’s life while also managing and expressing one’s emotions effectively.

This can be a complex and multifaceted process, as emotions can often be intense and can have a strong impact on how we think and behave.

To adjust with emotions effectively, it can be helpful to develop strategies for managing and regulating one’s emotions, such as through mindfulness, relaxation techniques, or seeking support from others.

It can also be helpful to practice effective communication skills, such as expressing emotions in a healthy and constructive way and seeking to understand and validate the emotions of others.

Adjusting to changes or challenges in life can be difficult, and it is natural to experience a range of emotions.

It is important to allow ourselves to experience and express our emotions, but also to find healthy ways to cope with them and move forward.

— The writer is Professor and Head, Department of Political Science, B N Mandal University, Madhepura, Bihar, India.

Tipu Sultan’s descendent: Noor Inayat’s saga of valour | By Sultan M Hali

WHILE 1 January is celebrated in most of the world as New Year’s Day, few people—especially in our part of the world—are aware that on this day in 1914, a descendant of the Tiger of Mysore, Tipu Sultan was born in the Russian capital Moscow.

She won fame much after her painful death but has belatedly been acclaimed for her bravery.

While Tipu Sultan sacrificed his life fighting the British East India Company in 1799 trying to rid his homeland of the British occupation, his descendant sacrificed her life in the service of the Crown.

Her name is Noor-un-Nisa Inayat Khan, also known as Nora Inayat Khan and Nora Baker.

She was a British spy in World War II who served in the Special Operations Executive (SOE), which was responsible for conducting espionage and reconnaissance in occupied Europe and to aid local resistance movements.

As an SOE agent under the codename “Madeline” she became the first female wireless operator to be sent from the UK into occupied France to aid the French Resistance during World War II.

Noor was captured after being betrayed, and executed at Dachau concentration camp in Germany.

For her service in the SOE, she was posthumously but belatedly awarded the George Cross, the highest award bestowed by the British government for non-operational bravery, which is equivalent to the Victoria Cross, the highest military gallantry award.

She is also the recipient of the French Croix de Guerre with a silver star (avec étoile de vermeil).

A memorial bust of Noor Inayat Khan was erected in Gordon Square Gardens, Bloomsbury, London. It is the first memorial to either a Muslim or an Asian woman in Britain.

Noor has also been commemorated on the FANY (First Aid Nursing Yeomanry) memorial in St Paul’s Church, Wilton Place, Knightsbridge, London, which lists the 52 members of the Corps who gave their lives on active service.

Noor was commemorated on a stamp which was issued by the Royal Mail on 25 March 2014 in a set of stamps about “Remarkable Lives”.

In 2018, a campaign was launched to have Noor represented on the next version of the £50 note.

On 25 February 2019, it was announced that Noor Inayat Khan would be honoured with a blue plaque at her wartime London home at 4 Taviton Street in Bloomsbury—the house that she left on her final and fatal mission and the address that she etched onto her bowl while in prison before her execution, so she could be identified.

Noor is the first woman of South Asian descent to have a blue plaque honouring her in London.

Her contribution to the war came to light after author Shrabani Basu wrote Noor’s biography, “Spy Princess”, in 2006.

Numerous other books, plays, poems, films and documentaries have been produced to pay homage to this gallant and selfless Muslim girl of the sub-continent.

While the irony of the contrast between Tipu Sultan’s martyrdom and Noor has been mentioned, it is important to point out that the Tiger of Mysore himself, was not just a ruler and soldier but also a scholar, and a poet.

He was a devout Muslim but the majority of his subjects were Hindus. At the request of the French, he built a church, the first in Mysore.

Noor’s father, Inayat Khan, a direct descendant of Tipu Sultan, had moved to Europe as a musician and a teacher of Sufism.

Her mother, Pirani Ameena Begum (born Ora Ray Baker), was an American from Albuquerque, New Mexico, who met Inayat Khan during his travels in the United States.

In Russia, Inayat Khan was received as a guest of the Czar Nicholas II, whose country, troubled by internal unrest and looming war, was seeking spiritual solutions to the problems facing his regime.

Therefore, the influential Gregory Rasputin invited Inayat Khan to visit Russia in order to share with the Emperor’s family and court his Sufistic doctrines of peace and love.

In 1914, shortly before the outbreak of the First World War, the Khan family left Russia for London and lived in Bloomsbury.

In 1920, they moved to France. After the death of her father in 1927, 13-year-old Noor took on the responsibility for her grief-stricken mother and her younger siblings.

She went on to study child psychology at the Sorbonne, as well as music at the Paris Conservatory.

As a young woman, Noor also began a career as a writer, publishing her poetry and children’s stories in English and French, becoming a regular contributor to children’s magazines and French Radio.

In 1939, her book “Twenty Jataka Tales”, inspired by the “Jâtaka tales” of Buddhist tradition, was published in London.

After the outbreak of the Second World War, when France was invaded by German troops, the family fled to Bordeaux and, from there by sea, to England.

Although Noor was a pacifist by nature, she raised her voice for India’s freedom yet she and her brother Vilayat decided to help defeat Nazi tyranny.

Vilayat Inayat Khan later became head of the Sufi Order International. In November 1940, Noor joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) as an Aircrafts woman 2nd Class and was sent to be trained as a wireless operator.

In June 1941, she applied for a commission. Owing to her fluency in French and proficiency as a wireless operator, Noor was picked up by SOE and in early February 1943 she was posted to the Air Ministry, Directorate of Air Intelligence.

During her training she adopted the name Nora Baker. She was promoted to Assistant Section Officer (the WAAF equivalent of RAF Pilot Officer), and flown clandestinely by a Lysander aircraft to France.

Her mission was highly dangerous and she was the first female wireless operator to be sent to France. Her new identity was a children’s nurse, “Jeanne-Marie Regnier”, using fake papers.

After a successful stint, Noor became endangered as Germans began to round up British spies owing to a mole leaking information.

Noor was given the option to return but she chose to stay on because of the sensitivity of the mission and being the only wireless operator behind enemy lines.

Unfortunately, like her ancestor Tipu Sultan, she too was betrayed by a fellow agent and arrested.

Noor attempted to escape twice but was apprehended and sent to Germany. Despite extreme torture, Noor refused to reveal any vital information to her captors.

On 13 September 1944, Noor, along with four other captives was executed and buried in an unmarked grave.

According to Pat Kinsella, her last word was ‘Liberté. ’ The legend of Noor Inayat Khan lives on and she is a source of inspiration to women in Britain as well as the sub-continent.

—The writer is a Retired Group Captain of PAF, who has written several books on China.