Seminar on the Syncretic Traditions of the Subcontinent: Voices Past & Present

Welcome Address: Shyam Saran, President IIC
Inaugural Remarks: Dr. Jyotsna Singh, Convener of the Seminar, Director, Dara Shikoh Centre for the Arts
Keynote Lecture: Dr. Karan Singh, statesman, philosopher and thinker
The seminar shall explore the rich syncretic traditions of India and the subcontinent as expressed through art, architecture, literature, material practices and visual narratives. The seminar examines how diverse communities and cultural influences have intersected and evolved across the region. The programme will also include the release of a publication featuring research papers by students of Lady Shri Ram College for Women, University of Delhi. 

For more details about the programme, Please click here:-

(Collaboration: Dara Shikoh Centre for the Arts, Parzor Foundation and Bharat Ram Research Grant)

Celebrating 100 Years of Thich Nhat Hanh: Launching the Year of Mindfulness
To mark Thich Nhat Hanh’s birth centenary with calligraphy and poetry workshops, practices, a documentary film, reading from the book, Touching the Footsteps of the Buddha, and panel discussion

Panel Discussion: 
Chair: Narayani Ganesh, Former Editor, Speaking Tree and Times of India and Author

Discussants: Shantum Seth, Dharmacharya, Plum Village and Co-founder, Ahimsa Trust; Shashi Banerjee, Senior Educator, Shiv Nadar Foundation; Trupti Bhingare, Youth Leader, Wake Up Asia, Plum Village

For more details & registration, please visit our website: http://ahimsatrust.org/tnh100

(Collaboration: Ahimsa Trust)

 Rescheduled -  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)
 

To Die a Frenchman
(2026; 80min; Tamil with English Subtitles)
Director/Producer/Cinematographer and Editor: Pankaj Rishi Kumar

In the crumbling neighbourhood of Ville Noir in Pondicherry, seventy-year-old Monsieur Mounissamy lives as a relic of a world that no longer exists. Each July 14th, (French National Day) he unfurls a flag mirroring the French tricolour, and sings in trembling, imperfect French—an anthem to a “Mother France” he believes could still reclaim him. He fights tirelessly for French citizenship and a tiny plot of Indian land but his life ends unexpectedly. His quiet rebellion looms like a haunting reflection on fractured identities and unhealed colonial wounds.

(Collaboration: Kriti Film Club)

PLAY

A Man Apart
(English; 80 mins)
Written and Directed by Renu Roy

A rib-tickling Indian English comedy by Keshav Roy in a solo performance
 

The Shape of Memory
Artworks by Prasoon Poddar, contemporary artist whose practice explores memory, human relationships and the cultural significance of everyday objects and rituals.

An exhibition that explores tea as a shared cultural ritual and a repository of memory and belonging. Through recurring images of kettles, cups, human figures, birds and foliage, the artist transforms familiar objects into witnesses of everyday life and human relationships.

The exhibition will be inaugurated by Biman Bihari Das, sculptor, Padma Shri Awardee, and President, AIFACS, New Delhi on Wednesday, 7th October’26 at 18:00 hrs

The exhibition will remain open daily from 11:00 to 19:00 hrs

ART MATTERS CXII

An evening on Hindustani classical vocalist Shanno Khurana
Pt. Madhup Mudgal and Naman P.Ahuja will be in conversation with Sushmita Jha about her book on Shanno Khurana.

(Collaboration: Raza Foundation)
 

BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

Arguments with Gandhi
By Ramachandra Guha (Harper Collins, 2026)

Discussants: Dr. Ramachandra Guha, Author will be in conversation with Prof. Apoorvanand, Professor, Faculty of Arts, University of Delhi
 

DIALOGUES ON HEALTH & WELLNESS 
Conceptualised by Dr. Ashwani Kumar

Talk & Workshop from 10:00 to 13:00 hrs

Short Talk: Fatty Liver: How to prevent and treat?
By Dr. Sagnik Biswas, Asst. Prof., Dept. of Gastroenterology, Human Nutrition, A.I.I.M.S., New Delhi.

Followed by Registration, filling of proforma; recording of basic parameters of an individual participant; fibro scan test to measure liver stiffness & fat content  
(Note: Two hour fasting is essential for Fibro Scan Testing)

(Strictly for IIC members and staff members only)

At 16:00 hrs
Short Talk on Pancreatic Cancer: Recognizing the Risks and the Warning Signs! 
Speaker: Dr. Pramod Garg, Prof. & Head, Dept. of Gastroenterology & Human Nutrition, A.I.I.M.S., New Delhi
The pancreas is a small organ that produces digestive enzymes and insulin. Its inflammation causes acute pancreatitis or, when persistent, chronic pancreatitis, which can lead to recurrent abdominal pain, diabetes and poor digestion. Pancreatic cancer is among the deadliest cancers. Risk factors include smoking, diabetes, family history and chronic pancreatitis. Possible warning signs include new or worsening diabetes, unexplained weight loss and abdominal pain, especially after age 50. If you have two or more of these symptoms, consult a doctor. Diagnosis commonly involves an abdominal CT scan; MRI or endoscopic ultrasound may also be used. Outcomes are better when the cancer is found early.
Followed by a panel discussion on Your Pancreas Matters: How to Keep it Healthy! 
Moderator:  Dr. Pramod Garg, Prof. & Head, Dept. of Gastroenterology & Human Nutrition, A.I.I.M.S., New Delhi 
Discussants: Dr. Virinder Kumar Bansal, Prof. of Surgery, General, Laparoscopic & Renal Transplantation Surgeon, Dept. of Surgical Disciplines, A.I.I.M.S., New Delhi; Dr. Deepak Gunjan, Addl. Prof., Dept. of Gastroenterology & Human Nutrition, A.I.I.M.S., New Delhi.
        
Followed by interactive Q & A session with the audience

Chair: Dr. Ashwani Kumar
 

Now the labour of a fully committed heart is finished – Yayoi Kusama
Speaker: Anu Jindal, Scholar-Educator, Artist & Curator and a fellow at The Japan Foundation

Chair: Amarendra Khatua, former Secretary, MEA, Govt of India and Poet

The talk discusses the work of celebrated contemporary Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, her superlative oeuvre and extraordinary output spanning over seven decades. Kusama passed away in August 2026 at the age of 97. This talk pays tribute to her path breaking creativity, expressed in media, painting, sculpture, installation, fashion, performance and more, to conjure up her unique universe, prolifically peppered with polkas to nets to infinity mirrored images - "the consummation of a lifetime"
This programme is under the aegis of Japan Month 2026

(Collaboration:  Embassy of Japan in India)