Social Divides and Diversity

 

Speakers: Ms. Yamini Aiyar, President and Chief Executive, Centre for Policy Research; Dr. Sunil Abraham, Vice-President, Mozilla Foundation; and Shri Osama Manzer, Founder & Director, Digital Empowerment Foundation

 

 

 

Chair: Ambassador Shyam Saran, Life Trustee, IIC

 

 

 

The session will explore how advances in technology are impacting on social interactions and human behaviour particularly in a country with strong traditions and deeply ingrained patterns of thinking. Digital technologies carry the promise of democratizing societies, empowering marginalized sections of society and opening up new opportunities for women. These trends are already apparent in India. However, there are also certain negative aspects to the use of these technologies which may strain the social fabric and even undermine the institutions and processes of a democratic state. The session will aim to address some these very topical issues and promote a well-informed public discourse with particular reference to India

 

 

 

Remembering the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre —100 years later 

Chief Guest: Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, MP and President, ICCR

 

Guest of Honour: Shabana Azmi

 

 

 

Inauguration of the exhibition: Punjab’s Contribution to the Freedom Struggle

 

 

 

Followed by a panel discussion

 

Panelists: Sanjeev Sanyal, author and Principal Economic Advisor, Ministry of Finance; Ashok Malik, political commentator and Press Secretary to the President of India; and Lord Meghnad Desai, author The Rediscovery of India 

 

 

 

Moderator:  Lady Kishwar Desai, author and Chairperson, The Arts and Cultural Heritage Trust

 

 

 

Special reading by Sunit Tandon, Director, India Habitat Centre

 

 

 

2019 marks the centenary of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. To pay homage to the thousands of innocent lives lost, Partition Museum, Town Hall, Amritsar will be presenting a series of programmes and exhibitions throughout the year. This panel discussion is the first in a series planned to highlight various aspects of the massacre and how it changed Indian history

 

 

(Collaboration: The Partition Museum, Amritsar)