INDIAN ARCHAEOLOGY 
Megalithic Culture of South India with special reference to Recent Excavations at Adichanallur, Tamil Nadu
By Dr. Arun Raj. T, Regional Director (Central), ASI, Bhopal. He holds a PhD on Arikamedu, the early historic Indo-Roman port site, and former Director of the Institute of Archaeology.

Chair: K.N. Shrivastava, Director, IIC

Moderator: Pratap Bhanu Singh Sengar, former Director (Monuments) Archaeological Survey of India

Megalithic burials, built primarily from large stones, illuminate the material culture, rituals and beliefs of Iron Age communities in South India. Recent excavations at Adichanallur, Tamil Nadu, uncovered urn burials, skeletal remains, metal objects and other antiquities. The talk examines these findings and their significance for understanding South India’s Megalithic culture and burial traditions.
 

BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

Main Ek Gurezaan Lamha Hun: Kathak Guru Shovana Narayan 
By Maya ‘Parijat’ (Vitasta, 2025)

Chair: Geetanjali Shree, Novelist and Short -story writer

Moderator: Sahar Zaman, Journalist and Author

Discussants: Sachchidanand Joshi, Member Secretary, IGNCA; Sajan Mishra, Indian Classical Vocalist (TBC); Maya ‘Parijat’, Author of the book

Baithak
On the Occasion of World Mental Health Day 2026

Chair: Dr Swati Kashyap, Psychiatrist, Director Mind Clinic  
Chief Guest: Prof (Dr) Rajinder Dhamija, Director IHBAS
Host: Gp. Capt. Ashok Marwaha VSM (Retd) President, RFS Delhi

A gathering to celebrate the healing power of words and connections. Let us share stories, inspire hope, and champion mental well-being for all— because mental health is a fundamental human right.

(Collaboration: The Richmond Fellowship Society, Delhi)
 

Is France a More Reliable Strategic Partner than US.at the Centre

Moderator: Ambassador Surendra Kumar, Founder President, IAFA

Discussants: Discussants: Ambassador Rakesh Sood, former Ambassador to France, Nepal & Afghanistan & PM’s Special Envoy on Disarmament & Non-proliferation; Ambassador (Dr) Mohan Kumar, former Ambassador to France, currently Dean/ Professor OP Jindal University; Prof  Swaran Singh, former Prof , JNU; TK Arun, Editor, Political & Economic Weekly of India; Dr Manoj Joshi, Distinguished Fellow, ORF, journalist & columnist.

The discussion examines the evolving dynamics of India’s strategic partnerships with France and the United States. It will explore whether France, with its emphasis on strategic autonomy and a long-standing defence and diplomatic relationship with India, offers a more consistent and reliable partnership in an increasingly complex global order

Book Discussion Group

Signature on the Wind

By Kailash Vajpeyi; translated by Ananya Vajpeyi (Sahitya Akademi, 2026)

Discussants: Dr. Udayan Vajpeyi, Hindi poet, essayist, short fiction and script writer; Prof. Rita Kothari; Professor of English and Co-director, Ashoka Centre for Translation, Ashoka University: Prof. Prasanta Chakravarty, Dept. of English, Delhi University ; Dr Ananya Vajpeyi, Author and Professor, Centre for the study of Developing societies.
 

INDIAN ARCHAEOLOGY
Prehistoric Vindhyan Childhoods: Investigating Rock Art as a Knowledge System in Indian Prehistory

Speaker: Dr. Ajay Pratap is former Head and Professor, Department of History, Banaras Hindu University.

Chair: K. N. Shrivastava, Director, IIC

Moderator: Pratap Bhanu Singh Sengar, former Director (Monuments) Archaeological Survey of India

The emergence of an archaeology of childhood recognises the crucial roles of women and children in prehistoric cultures and communities. The presentation explores their role as active users of visual symbolic representation, as teachers and learners, through rock art depicting self-images, designs, narrative scenes, line drawings and practice figures. It examines rock art as a means of transmitting traditional knowledge, aesthetics and memory. 
 

1940s–1960s: The 13th Dalai Lama's ‘Declaration’ in Tsepon Shakabpa's Tibet: A Political History

Speaker: Dr. Scott Relyea, Associate Professor of East Asian History and Assistant Chair, Department of History, Appalachian State University

Chair: Prof. Kaveri Gill, Non-Resident Senior Fellow, Centre of Excellence for Himalayan Studies, Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence.

Discussant: Dr Swati Chawla, Associate Professor, Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities, O.P Jindal Global University, Sonepat

In 1967, Tsepon W.D. Shakabpa published Tibet: A Political History, the first book to focus on the political history of Tibet, based on research begun in the early 1950s. This lecture examines the intellectual, political and geopolitical contexts—from India and the United States to the United Nations and Yale University—that shaped this decision and influenced the framing of Tibet's political history during the era of decolonisation.

(Collaboration: Institute of Chinese Studies (ICS)
 

BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP 

Just Being: A Memoir (The India List)
By Romila Thapar (Seagull Books, 2026)

Moderator: Prof. Kunal Chakravarti, Professor of History, JNU

Discussants: Professor Kumkum Roy, Professor of History, formerly of JNU; Professor Neeladri Bhattacharya, Professor of History formerly of JNU; Ambassador TCA Raghavan, Former High Commissioner to Pakistan; Prof Romila Thapar, Author of the Book
 

13TH CREATIVE THEORY COLLOQUIUM: 4 TO 6 SEPTEMBER 2026
Indian Political Theory: Creative Exploration

The Inaugural Session and Panel Discussion
Debating Indian Political Theory: 
Chair: Prof. Manoranjan Mohanty
Speakers: Peter Desouza; Gopal Guru

Day 2: 5 September from 9:30 hrs onwards
Session: What is ‘Indian’ in Indian Political Theory?
Chair: Yogendra Yadav
Speakers: Manindra Nath Thakur and Hilal Ahmed
Discussants: Dhananjay Rai & Smruti Ranjan Dhal

Day 3: 6 September from 9:30 hrs onwards
Session: Prakriti
Chair: Akhil Ranjan Dutta
Speakers: Ruchi Shree and Suranjita Ray
Discussants: Varun Wighmal & Varsha Rani

For more details regarding the sessions of the Colloquium kindly     click here

Kindly register for the same: 

(Collaboration: Association of Creative Theory & Foundation for Creative Social Research; International Herbert Marcuse Society, USA; The Raza Foundation; and Shanti Sahyog)
 

13TH CREATIVE THEORY COLLOQUIUM: 4 TO 6 SEPTEMBER 2026
Indian Political Theory: Creative Exploration

The Inaugural Session and Panel Discussion
Debating Indian Political Theory: 
Chair: Prof. Manoranjan Mohanty
Speakers: Peter Desouza; Gopal Guru

Day 2: 5 September from 9:30 hrs onwards
Session: What is ‘Indian’ in Indian Political Theory?
Chair: Yogendra Yadav
Speakers: Manindra Nath Thakur and Hilal Ahmed
Discussants: Dhananjay Rai & Smruti Ranjan Dhal

Day 3: 6 September from 9:30 hrs onwards
Session: Prakriti
Chair: Akhil Ranjan Dutta
Speakers: Ruchi Shree and Suranjita Ray
Discussants: Varun Wighmal & Varsha Rani

For more details regarding the sessions of the Colloquium kindly     click here

Kindly register for the same: 

(Collaboration: Association of Creative Theory & Foundation for Creative Social Research; International Herbert Marcuse Society, USA; The Raza Foundation; and Shanti Sahyog)