An India Reimagined: Governance and Administration in the World’s Largest Democracy

By M.N. Buch, Editor: N. Ravichandran (Penguin Random House, 2019)

Launch of the book 

 

Introduction: Suhas Borker, Managing Trustee, Jan Pahal Trust

 

Chief Guest: Dr. Manmohan Singh, former Prime Minister of India 

Chair: Shri N.N. Vohra, President, IIC

 

Closing Remarks: Smt. Nirmala Buch, former Union Rural Development Secretary and former Chief  Secretary Madhya Pradesh

 

Mahesh Neelkanth Buch did his Economics Tripos from Cambridge University before he joined the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in 1957. Widely recognized and respected for his integrity, professionalism and societal contributions, Buch was known as the architect of New Bhopal. He famously wrote five letters to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh - ranging from the deterioration of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) to Indo-American relations and how India must not be deferential to the US, and to assert the country's right to help rebuild Afghanistan. This book is a collection of twenty articles that have been divided into six major themes, namely the IAS, reforms (police, judiciary and electoral system), economics, social challenges (health, corruption and reservation), and governance and environment. Original and thought-provoking, the collection reflects Buch's deep concern with safeguarding the idea of India and how change can be brought

 

(Collaboration: Jan Pahal Trust; National Centre for Human Settlements and Environment; and Penguin Random House)

 

Staged scenes from Operas by Mozart, Gounod, Rossini, Donizetti and others

Presented by young singers from the Neemrana Music Academy

 

Voice coach: Jasmin Martorell

Stage director: Yashraj Jadhav

Pianist: Philippe Engel

 

(Collaboration: The Neemrana Music Foundation)

 

POSTPONED TO 29 AUGUST 2019


Vipassana Meditation for Vibrant Heath and Mental Well-being
 

Lecture and demonstration by Shri B.M. Khanna, former Chairman, Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd.

 

Rowzaneh: Iran Through my Lens

An exhibition of photographs on Iran – architecture, people and landscapes

By Dr. Aziz Mahdi from Delhi

 

Inauguration on Tuesday, 23rd July 2019 at 18:30

 

Dr. Mahdi has spent more than a decade studying and teaching Persian in Iran and has travelled extensively through the country living among the indigenous people in the busiest as well as remotest corners of Iran. His exhibition presents a rare glimpse into the everyday life of the country

 

Water Wise Cities

 

Panelists: Ms. Karuna Gopal, MRICS; Dr. A.K. Gosain; Dr. Nupur Bahdadur; Dr. Suresh Kumar Rohilla; and Dr. Paritosh Tyagi

 

Chair: Professor Joseph V Thanikal, Associate Dean & Director, School of Real Estate

 

 

“Cities of future”, Smart Cities”, and “Affordable housing” are terms now familiar among the public. Can we have cities, above mentioned, without safe water to drink and good air to breath? Does the dense population means economic growth without a drop of water to drink? When cities like Brisbane, thought much earlier about recycle and reuse the water, where are rest of cities? ‘Water-wise’ behaviour means that leadership culture, governance arrangements, professional capacity and innovative technology are all aligned with the objective of maximising sustainable urban water outcomes. Sustainable urban water management means that all water within the city (including reservoir and aquifer water, desalinated water, recycled water and storm water) is managed in a way that recognises the connection between services, urban design and the basin, with an approach that maximises the achievement of urban liveability outcomes, and resilience to unexpected social, economic or bio-physical shocks, while replenishing the environment. The objective of this dialogue is to collectively discuss and engage, urban leaders, water managers, individuals and other stakeholders to be inspired for collective solution and wisely preserve this rare commodity “WATER”.

 

 

 

The speakers will discuss the following issues - sources of water; planning and distribution; contamination and control; sustainable urban water; and water wise communities

 

 

 

 

 

(Collaboration: RICS School of Built Environment, Amity University)

GANDHI MATTERS

 

Singing Gandhi: Kumar Gandharva’s “Gandhi Malhar” and other music

Presented by Kalaapini Komkali and S.N. Subba Rao

 

(Collaboration: The Raza Foundation)

The 2nd Nelson Mandela Annual lecture 2019

 

Nelson Mandela’s Struggles and Worldview

Speakers: Prof. Rajen Harshe, President, G.B. Pant Social Science Institute, Allahabad and former Vice-Chancellor, Allahabad Central University; and Ambassador Shiv Shankar Mukherjee, former Indian High Commissioner to South Africa

 

Welcome Remarks: Suhas Borker, Covener, Working Group on Alternative Strategies

 

Closing Remarks: H.E. Mr. Joel Sibusiso Ndebele,  High Commissioner of South Africa

 

Chair: Shri N.N. Vohra, President, IIC

 

Second in the series of annual lectures in honour of Nelson Mandela started in 2018 at the IIC to mark his centenary. The Mandela Centenary Lecture was delivered by Ambassador Shiv Shankar Mukherjee, former Indian High Commissioner to Pretoria, last year

 

(Collaboration: South African High Commission; and Working Group on Alternative Strategies)

 

Bornadi Bhotiai (In love, by the river/Assamese)

(120 min; 2019; dvd; English subtitles)

Written, Produced & Directed by Anupam Kaushik Borah

 

Set on the island of Majuli, Bornodi Bhotiai follows the story of four boys who fall head over heels for the same girl. Educated but unemployed, all they dream of is a beautiful life with her

 

(Collaboration: Council for Social Development)

 

Mind and Matter: Intersection of Poetry and Science

A discussion on Mandira Ghosh’s volume of verses, Poetry and Science: Opposites Meet

 

Speakers: Mr. Alexey Shaposhnikov, Head, Science and Technology Section, Russian Centre of Science and Culture, New Delhi; Shri Nimish Kapoor, Head-Science Films Division, Vigyan Prasar, National Institute for S & T Communication, Dept. of Science & Technology, Govt. of India; Dr. Rita Malhotra, poet and mathematician, former Principal & Professor, Kamla Nehru College, and President, Poetry Across Cultures; and Ms Mandira Ghosh, poet and author who will read poems from the book

 

Chair: Shri Gauhar Raza, scientist and leading Urdu poet, social activist and documentary filmmaker

 

(Collaboration: The Poetry Society, India)