Identical twins complete doctoral studies together

Ahmedabad: They are identical twins with similar taste in clothes, music and activities. But, their similarities do not end here. Mousam and Malka Mehta, 35, made an unusual record recently when they both completed their Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree together from Gujarat University, in the same discipline, under the same guide!
The Mehta twins, who have sung lilting tunes ranging from the popular “Khalasi” to traditional garba renditions, have travelled extensively performing classical and semi-classical music worldwide.However, their yearning kept them on track while pursuing doctoral studies. The twins had earlier completed their BA, MA and MPhil degrees from Gujarat University.
Mousam focused her research on ‘Philosophical and Comparative Study of Bharata’s Rasa-Siddhanta with Reference to Indian-Western Aestheticians,’ while Malka delved into ‘Philosophical Study of Folk Drama - Bhavai Vesh and Indian Cultural Identity,’ aligning their academic pursuits with their passion for cultural documentation.
Mousam says, “My father Jagdip Mehta is member of an orchestra so dance and music has been a part of our lives from a very young age. However, we never neglected our studies and always scored well. Most of the times, we studied in the same class and sat on the same bench. Often, our marks were also the same.”
“The pandemic provided us with the opportunity to fully commit to our academic ambitions. During the lockdown, we dedicated ourselves to our studies without distractions,” explained Malka, adding that both their topics aimed at documenting nearly extinct crafts.
Senior GU officials said that while there are several instances of twins pursuing bachelor courses together, often their paths differ. “It is unusual to have siblings study from the master’s course onwards, if not rare. So, it is remarkable to see them complete their doctoral studies,” said an official.