History and Heritage: The Afterlife of Monuments
Illustrated lecture by Prof. Sayantani Mukherjee, Assistant Professor, Department of History and Ashoka Centre for China Studies, Ashoka University Chair: Prof. Madhu Bhalla, former Professor at Delhi University
How were the Eastern Himalayas constructed as a cartographic “truth”? When did the geography of this region become politicised? The spatial constitution of this region as a “frontier zone” emerged through imperial mapping projects that developed as socio-technological discourses in British India and Qing China, transforming how these empires asserted their territorial claims over land. Imperial surveys largely claimed that natural features such as mountains and rivers marked the “traditional” boundaries of the imperial state, against local knowledge productions that framed those same topographical features as connectors rather than dividers. Therefore, this talk foregrounds the deconstruction of the epistemic regime governing the production of geo-knowledge about the Eastern Himalayas by investigating the appropriation and rejection of the interlocuters of local and indigenous knowledge, networks, and actors—exploring whose knowledge(s) could be considered authoritative, and when we might begin to think of the geography of this region as political. |
Delights of Bengali Cuisine Dinner
Notice for the 69th Annual General Body Meeting
Folk Music – Vocal Recital
Lecture –demonstration by Dr. Mannu Yadav, celebrated folk singer from Uttar Pradesh who is a recipient of the prestigious Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar as well as the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. Dr. Yadav will present a flavour of the various folk music traditions of his region with a special focus on songs of Basant, such as Hori, Jogira and Phaag
The foremost proponent of Birha, a much-loved genre of folk singing from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, Dr. Yadav sings primarily in Bhojpuri and Awadhi. Apart from the traditional repertoire, Dr. Yadav has also composed a number of original songs that use Birha as a medium to create awareness about contemporary social issues.
(Collaboration: Nayi Dhara Bhakha)
Draft Digital Personal Data Protection Rules: Of Consent and Concerns
Keynote Address: Shri Vijay Ramachandran, storyteller and knowledge navigator
Welcome and Introductory Remarks: Smt Reena Ramachandra, former CMD, Hindustan Organic Chemicals Ltd.
(Collaboration: IC Centre for Governance)
Healing Mystic Sufi Sounds on the Silk Road: From Turkiye to India
A concert presenting Latif Bolat, Turkish singer, composer and scholar of Turkish music and folklore
With Deepak Castelino, accomplished guitarist and banjo artist; and Amjad Khan on the tabla
Book Discussion Group
Stout and Tender: A Collection of Poems Pure and Impure
By Badri Raina (AuthorsUpFront: 2024)
Discussants: Dr. Shashi Tharoor, writer and diplomat; Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar, former Minister, Member of Parliament, writer and former diplomat; Prof. Ratna Raman, Professor, Dept. of English, Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi; Dr. B. Mangalam, Professor of English, Aryabhatta College, University of Delhi; and Prof. Badri Raina, well-known commentator on politics, culture and society, former Professor of English, Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi and author of the anthology
THE IIC DOUBLE BILL DANCE RECITALS
Kathak Recital
By Ravi Prakash from Chhattisgarh, disciple of Pt. Rajendra Gangani
At 19:00
Bharatanatyam Recital
By Sudipta Chakraborty from Delhi, NCR disciple of Guru Jayalakshmi Eshwar
Accompanists: Guru Jayalakshmi Eshwar (nattuvanagam); K. Venkateshwaran (vocals); Manohar Balachandran (mridangam); and Raghavendra Prasath (violin)
Rubies and Coral: A Necklace of Poems from Medieval Kerala
Recitation by Prof. Kesavan Veluthat, formerly Professor of History, Delhi University; and Dr. Sudha Gopalakrishnan, Executive Director, IIC-International Research Division
Moderator: Dr. Naresh Keerthi, Dept. of Sanskrit, Ashoka University
(Organised by the IIC-International Research Division)
Tsugaru-Shamisen Concert
Presented by Nobuto Yamanaka, leading soloist and national champion of Tsugaru-shamisen
The shamisen is a three-stringed Japanese instrument played by striking the strings with a plectrum, known as bachi. It is sometimes compared to the guitar or banjo. Originally derived from the Chinese sanxian lute, the shamisen was brought to Japan by way of the Ryukyu Kingdom (modern-day Okinawa) many centuries ago. The instrument used for Tsugaru shamisen differs slightly in shape from those used for other shamisen genres, with a thicker neck and strings and a smaller bachi plectrum. However, the most striking difference is actually in how it is played.
(Collaboration: The Japan Foundation)