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 
Rabindranath Tagore: The Myriad Minded Man.
By Krishna Dutta and Andrew Robinson (Rupa Publications, 2026)

Chair: Ashok Vajpeyi, hindi poet, critic and art lover

Discussants: Prof Irfan Habib, historian and former Abdul Kalam Azad Chair, National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration; Reba Som, writer, academic, historian; Ananya Vajpeyi, writer and academician.

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 visit our website

Kindly register for the same: https://forms.gle/CnPhCLE7UejqdRqQ9

(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 visit our website

Kindly register for the same: https://forms.gle/CnPhCLE7UejqdRqQ9

(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 visit our website

Kindly register for the same: https://forms.gle/CnPhCLE7UejqdRqQ9

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

BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP 

Your Silent Love: Poems
By Seema Jain (Hawakal Publishers, 2026)
Moderator: Mandira Ghosh, Eminent Poet, Academic & Critic
Discussants: Prof. Malashri Lal, Author, Poet & Critic; Dr. Lakshmi Kannan, Eminent Poet, Novelist, Short Story Writer & Translator; Satbir Chadha, Poet, Novelist & Critic; Prof. Swati Pal, Principal & Renowned Poet, Critic & Academic; Prof. Seema Jain, Bilingual Poet, Editor, Former Vice-Principal & Head, Department of English, KMV, Jalandhar and Author of the book
Poetry Reading Performance: Sanya Tyagi
Poetry Readers: Sangeeta Gupta; Dr. Roopali Sircar Gaur; Kavita Singhal; Sunita Singh; Dr. Sushmindarjeet; Neha Bansal; Misna Chanu

Think Smart

Thinking Strategies

Introductory Remarks: K.N Shrivastava, Director, IIC

Chair: Dr Karan Singh, statesman, philosopher and thinker

Speaker: Mala Varma Thapar; Writer and Poet

Vote of Thanks: Usha Munshi, Chief Librarian, IIC

The discussion will examine the importance of reflective thinking in an increasingly complex world, with a focus on education and culture. Exploring thirteen modes of creative and critical thinking, it will consider how different ways of thinking can enrich decision-making, public discourse and interpersonal relationships, while fostering understanding and peace.
 

INDIAN ARCHAEOLOGY

Buddhist Monasteries in Rock Art Sites of Central India

Speaker: Dr Shyam Sharan Gupta, rock art expert and former Superintending Archaeologist of Archaeological Survey of India (Bhopal).

Chair: K. N. Shrivastava, Director, IIC

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

The session will examine the transformation of prehistoric rock shelters in the Vindhyan plateau of Central India into Buddhist hill monasteries during the early centuries of Buddhism. Drawing on recent archaeological surveys and research, it will examine how these shelters were adapted for monastic life, the architectural and the religious features associated with them.

Book Discussion Group  

Migrants and other poems: A Collection of Reflective Poetry on Loss, Migration, and Displacement

By Prasenjit Mukherjee (Penguin Random House, 2026)

Chair: Parimal K. Brahma, Poet, Author and Former Comptroller and Auditor General of India

Discussants: Ashok Lavasa, Former Election Commissioner of India; Amb. T C A Raghavan, Former High Commissioner to Pakistan; Dr. Meeran Chadha Borwankar, Writer & Former Police Commissioner, Pune; Dr. Prasenjit Mukherjee, Author of the book

(Collaboration: Poetry Society of India)