SAMHiTA-Bharat ki Soch Public Lecture Series

Traditional Yoga and Hatha Yoga: Bridging Ancient Wisdom with Modern Health Practices

Speaker: Dr Sunil Sharma, Assistant Professor of Yoga, Centre for Yoga, Wellness & Integrative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Mahatma Gandhi University of Medical Sciences and Technology, Jaipur., and has served as Consultant with the Ministry of AYUSH.

Chair:  Prof. Alka Tyagi, Dyal Singh (Eve) College, DU

Traditional Yoga emphasizes self-discipline, meditation, and spiritual growth, while Haṭhayoga focuses on āsana, prāṇāyāma, and purification practices. Together, they offer timeless wisdom that supports physical health, mental well-being, and balanced living in modern society. Marking the International Day of Yoga 2026, this lecture will highlight the enduring relevance of Traditional Yoga and Haṭhayoga in fostering holistic health and well-being.

Fourth lecture of the series on “Health, Wellness and Nutrition”, organised by IIC- International Research Division and Bharat ki Soch Foundation

Tashi and the Monk
(52 minutes; 2014; English)
Director: Andrew Hinton and Johnny Burke

Recipient of the 2016 Emmy Award for Outstanding Short Documentary; Recipient of multiple international awards including the IDA Best Short Award and Pare Lorentz Award (2014)

The documentary that follows Buddhist monk Lobsang Phuntsok and the children of Jhamtse Gatsal, a Himalayan community built on love and compassion. Through the story of young Tashi, the film offers a deeply moving portrait of healing, belonging, and the transformative power of care.

(Collaboration: Foundation for Universal Responsibility of His Holiness The Dalai Lama)
 

Punishing the Professor

(28 minutes;2025; Tamil with English subtitles)

Director: Aayna, documentary filmmaker at People’s Archive of Rural India.

Special mention at Panchajianyam International Film festival (Kerala)

Dr.P. Senrayaperumal a Dalit folk artist was forced to drop out of school to play his part in the ancestral caste-bound genre of Raja Rani Attam folk performance. He and his brothers spent their childhood playing female roles — enduring slurs, sexual harassment, and bearing the burden of tradition. After 12 years at age 23, he made a desperate gamble to reclaim education all by himself, even while dancing through nights to survive. But his education, the very tool meant for liberation, became the reason for his punishment. Today, he is being questioned: Why did you even get educated?

Bollywood calling Lal Singh

(19 minutes;2026; Hindi with English Subtitles)

Director:  Aayna, documentary filmmaker at People’s Archive of Rural India

Pechanan (Identity)" traces Lal Singh's ongoing struggle to claim his identity. Hailing from a small agricultural labour family, he works as a cook in Mumbai to survive while over a decade tirelessly pursuing a dream that is questionable not for his lack of hard work and talent but for the space that he wishes to be a part of. This documentary follows Lal’s persistent journey through this intimidating and inspiring city space, where he navigates a capitalistic world to arrive at his individuality by claiming his aspirations.

The film screenings will be followed by a Q&A with P Sainath, Founder, Pari Network and the Director, Aayna

(Collaboration: People’s Archive of Rural India (PARI Network)
 

The Thinking Game
(84 minutes; 2024; English)
Director: Greg Kohs

Witness the thrilling highs and crushing lows of scientific discovery in The Thinking Game, a documentary that delves into the brilliant minds at DeepMind. Follow Demis Hassabis and his team as they pursue the quest to unlock the secrets of artificial general intelligence (AGI).

(Collaboration: Foundation for Universal Responsibility of His Holiness the Dalai Lama)

SAMHITA-BHARAT KI SOCH PUBLIC LECTURE SERIES 
Health, Wellness and Nutrition: An Ayurveda Perspective

Speaker: Prof. G. G. Gangadharan, Ayurveda expert and practitioner

Chair: Dr. Manoj Nesari, Advisor-Ayurveda, Ministry of AYUSH

Rooted in the timeless wisdom of Ayurveda, this lecture explores the connection between health, wellness, and nutrition through a holistic lens. It highlights how balanced living and natural practices can support overall well-being.

Prof. G. Gangadharan is an Ayurveda researcher and practitioner, with a PhD from Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth, Pune. He has worked extensively on the preservation and promotion of Ayurvedic practices, including medicinal plant conservation, local health traditions and standardization of clinical protocols, to ensure Ayurveda’s relevance and efficacy in the modern world.

Third lecture of the series on “Health, Wellness and Nutrition”, organised by IIC- International Research Division and Bharat ki Soch Foundation
 

TO MARK WORLD EARTH DAY 2026

Mission Life and Ocean Ecosystem
Talk by Dr. R. Venkatesan, Gujarat Maritime University, Gujarat and Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi

Introduction: Dr. Malti Goel, President and Chief Executive, Climate Change Research Institute

Special Remarks: Prof. D. P. Agrawal, Chairman, Governing Council, CCRI and Ex-Chairman UPSC

Guest of Honour: Andreas B. Schei, Counsellor for Climate and Environment, Royal Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi

Chief Guest: Dr. M. Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Govt of India

(Collaboration: Climate Change Research Institute)
 

Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things
(78 minutes; 2016; English)
Director: Matt D’Avella

A documentary that takes the audience inside the lives of minimalists from all walks of life - families, entrepreneurs, architects, artists, journalists, scientists, and even a former Wall Street broker - all striving to live a meaningful life with less.

(Collaboration: Foundation for Universal Responsibility of His Holiness the Dalai Lama)
 

The establishment of the India-Australia trade and the influence of India on the Australian colonies in the early nineteenth century

Speaker: Dr Charmaine O’Brien, author, culinary historian, and educator whose work explores the rich intersections of food, culture, and identity. Authored books like The Penguin Food Guide to India, The Colonial Kitchen: Australia 1788-1901, Eating the Present: Tasting the Future: exploring India through her changing food.

Special Invitee: Gemma Haines, Counsellor Strategic Communications & Public Diplomacy, Australian High Commission New Delhi

Moderator: Gunjan Goela, Chef, author and a food consultant

This talk explores the early foundations of India–Australia trade, beginning with a famine-driven exchange in 1791 and evolving into a dynamic commercial relationship in the nineteenth century. It examines how trade with Calcutta enabled colonial survival, generated wealth, and fostered enterprise, while also tracing India’s cultural influence on settler life, including food, labour, and domestic practices.

BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

Where I am From
By Shyla Kumar Sapra ( Har Anand Publications, 2026)

Discussants: Dr Shovana Narayan, Padma Shri, Kathak Guru ; Prof. Radha Chakravarty, Former Professor & Poet ; Amb. Amarendra Khatua, Poet & Former Director General, ICCR

Chair : K N Shrivastava, Director, IIC 
 

Mindfulness for All

An immersive mindfulness programme with cross-sector panel discussion with experiential practice, exploring stress, emotional balance in life. The session offers practical tools to cultivate mindful awareness in everyday living.
The programme will begin with a flute recital by Pankaj Mishra, flutist-vocalist, direct disciple of late Jagannath Ghoshal and bansuri-shehnai maestro Pandit Rajendra Prasanna followed by a panel discussion. 
Discussants: Dr. Sanjiv Saigal, Principal Director & Head of Hepatology and Liver Transplant Medicine at Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket; Anuradha Joshi, senior educationist, National Teacher Awardee (2015); Pallavi Singh, Vice President–Human Resources at a global multinational bank; Narender Singh Rawat, Vice President and Chairman of the Umpire Committee, Taekwondo Association of India; Debika Mitra, Co-Founder, Escapades for the Soul, and a Certified Mindfulness Coach. 
Moderator: Nidhi Jarwal, faculty at Miranda House, University of Delhi, and Program Coordinator at the National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR)