No. Join us for an evening of an enchanting story that travels across Vietnam, China and Japan. An ancient Asian Epic written between1766-1820. And with this a chance to rediscover our Asian neighbours, their culture, their politics and some of their policies. An initiative in soft diplomacy…

Storytelling by Neha Bansal, Founder Director ‘Asianism-Retold’ – an initiative in preventive diplomacy and new models of development based on the influence that Asian values including China have in shaping global geo-politics, development frameworks and international concepts

Introduction: Akshay Mathur, Senior Director (Head), Asia Society Policy Institute, Delhi

Programme Details

Workshop on “Familiarization with Quantum Sciences and Technology”
Opening Remarks: Dr. D. Shailaja Donempudi, Vice Chairman, Zaheer Science Foundation (ZSF), New Delhi, Distinguished Scientist BD Group, CSIR HQ and former Chief Scientist and Head, BDRM, CSIR-IICT, Hyderabad

About the Workshop: Dr. Zahid H. Khan, Advisor, ZSF, UNESCO- National Node for India for IDL2025 and former Professor of Physics, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi

Keynote Address: “Quantum Light: Celebrating the International Day of Light and the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology” By Prof. John M. Dudley, International Day of Light 2025 Steering Committee Chair; Professor, University of Franche-Comté, France

(Collaboration: Zaheer Science Foundation, New Delhi)

Curated and introduced by Sunit Tandon

CONCERT
Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 3 in D minor
(106 min; 1991; dvd)

Florence Quivar, contralto
Tölzer Knabenchor
Chorus Master: Gerhardt Schmidt-Gaden
Women of the Enrst-Senff-Chor
Chorus Master: Hellwarth Matthiesen
Berliner Phlharmoniker
Conductor: Bernard Haitink

Mahler's Third Symphony is one of his sunniest, most extrovert scores. It is also his longest symphony, lasting at least an hour and a half. It needs large-scale performing forces and is, indeed, unconventional and all-encompassing. It ended up being six movements but started out as seven. Perhaps most interestingly, the Third Symphony also offers one of the most complete musical statements of Mahler's world view that the composer ever penned. Mahler used the sounds of nature to represent the "worldly tumult," a tumult not only of birdcalls, rustic dances, military marches, and other mundane sounds, but also of emotions. For Mahler, nature meant everything; it was the world. Jean Sibelius recalled Mahler saying something similar to him when the two met in 1907: "The symphony must be like the world. It must embrace everything."
 

Viksit Bharat @2047: Governance Transformed
Edited by C.K. Mathew, Surendra Nath Tripathi, C. Sheela Reddy and A.P. Singh (2025)

Discussants: Shri V. Srinivas, Secretary, Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances and Department of Pension and Pensioners Welfare, Government of India; Shri Surendra Nath Tripathi, Director General, Indian Institute of Public Administration, co-editor of the book; Dr. A.P. Singh, co-editor of the book; and Shri Alkesh Kumar Sharma

An intimate journey through the narrow streets and quiet corners of an old city as seen through the eyes of the artist
Exhibition of watercolour, ink and charcoal by Mohd. Israr

Inauguration on Tuesday, 24 June 2025 at 18:30 by Sh.Rajesh Mehra, eminent artist; Guest of honour Prof Gazanfar Jaidi, art educationist and photographer

Indian National Congress: From Dominance to Decline or Hibernation?

By M.P. Singh and Rekha Saxena (Routledge India: 2023)

Discussants: Prof. Zoya Hasan, political scientist, former Professor of Political Science and Dean, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University; Prof. E. Sridharan, political scientist and Director & Chief Executive Officer, University of Pennsylvania Institute for the Advanced Study of India (UPIASI); Prof. Kiran Walia ; Dr Swapan Dasgupta, Distinguished Fellow, India Foundation and former MP, Rajya Sabha; Dr. M.P.Singh, former Professor and Head of the Department of Political Science at the University of Delhi and co-author of the book; and Prof. Rekha Saxena, Head of Department and Senior Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Delhi and co-author of the book

Curated and introduced by Sunit Tandon

OPERA
Gaetano Donizetti: Don Pasquale
(130 min; 2006; dvd; English subtitles)

From the Opernhaus Zürich with Ruggero Raimondi (Don Pasquale); Juan Diego Flórez (Ernesto); Oliver Widmer (Dottor Malatesta); Isabel Rey (Norina);

Orchestra and Chorus of the Opernhaus Zürich
Conductor: Nello Santi
Chorus Master: Jürg Hämmerli

Lifelong bachelor Don Pasquale is livid when his heir, Ernesto, falls for a penniless widow. Determined to teach him a lesson, Don Pasquale decides to disown Ernesto, marry, and produce a new heir himself. Enter Norina, Ernesto’s love, and her crafty friend Dr. Malatesta. They trick Pasquale into a fake marriage, with Norina posing as the picture-perfect bride. But before the ink on the marriage contract is even dry, Norina unleashes her inner spitfire, turning Pasquale’s tidy world riotously upside down.
 

The workshop will be conducted by Sanya Tyagi, Yoga expert and Odissi artist; and Alka Tyagi, Yoga expert, poet and academic

The workshop will offer five components of Yoga in short 15 minute capsules. The five components will cover Posture – for body alignment, flexibility and physical health; Breathing Practice – for detoxification and vital energy; Yogic relaxation (Yoga Nidra) – for relaxing brain centres; Mantras – for wellbeing and will power; and Meditation – for creativity and intuitive wisdom  
 

Curated and introduced by Sunit Tandon

BALLET
Léo Delibes: Coppélia
(105 min; 2019; dvd)

From The Royal Ballet with Marianela Nuñez (Swanilda); Vadim Muntagirov (Franz); Gary Avis (Dr Coppélius); Ashley Dean (Coppélia); Christopher Saunders (The Burgomaster); Erico Montes (The Innkeeper); Mayara Magri (Peasant Girl); Lukas Bjørneboe Brændesrød (The Duke); Claire Calvert (Aurora); Annette Buvoli (Prayer)

Choreography and Production: Ninette de Valois after Lev Ivanov and Enrico Cecchetti
Orchestra of The Royal Opera House
Concert Master: Sergey Levitin
Conductor: Barry Wordsworth

Ninette de Valois’ charming and funny Coppélia is a classic of the Royal Ballet repertory – a story of love, mischief and mechanical dolls, starring Marianela Nuñez and Vadim Muntagirov. The intricate choreography is set to Delibes’ delightful score and shows off the technical precision and comedic timing of the whole Company. Osbert Lancaster’s designs bring a colourful storybook world to life in this entertaining and joyful ballet.

Conducted by Smt. Bijoylaxmi Hota, a reputed integrated yoga therapist who has written eleven books on yoga and diet including the best seller, Yoga for Busy People

WHO lists old age, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, depression, obesity, smoking, excessive drinking etc. as the causes for dementia. The workshop to be conducted by Yoga Guru Bijoylaxmi Hota will teach simple yogic techniques to eliminate them and to improve your memory. Furthermore, participants will be taught about food medicines for better brain health