The Dance of Bhakti: Bhakti as a Foundation of Indian Experience
Speaker: Acharya Shrivatsa Goswami, Vrindavan

Bhakti or devotion has been the foundation of human, more so, of the Indian experience. The saints and philosophers have regarded it as the core of social and spiritual discipline. Not only the literary, artistic, architectural and a variety of cultural expressions stand upon the foundation of bhakti, the economic and political directions also often times guided by bhakti. What is that dance of bhakti?

The largest tree census by citizens in Delhi and the first in NDMC area

Presentation on the Jorbagh Tree Census by Shri Lalit Agarwal, Jorbagh RWA

Followed by a discussion on The Citizen's Tree Census Campaign - The Way Forward

Chair: Shri Suhas Borker, Founder Member, Green Circle of Delhi

A series of animation films made by children between the ages of 8 to 16 years. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, children from Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Maharashtra, Kerala and Nagaland explain the idea of non-violence to children of the world through these films

Directed by Nitin Donde who will introduce the films and lead a discussion after the screening

Speaker: Archana Shah, textile revivalist and founder of Bandhej

Chief Guest: Laila Tyabji, Chairperson, Dastkar
Chair: Ritu Sethi

As part of the programme, there will be release of the book Shifting Sands: Kutch - Textiles, Traditions, Transformations

Readings by Anna Sujatha Mathai, well-known Indian English poet who will read from her latest collection

Chair: Prof. Harish Trivedi, University of Delhi

Rabindranath Tagore's classic play adapted in Urdu
Dance-drama presented by Living Opera
Director: Sheikh Khairuddin
Music Director: Sujata Pal

Written in 1912, Dakghar (The Post Office) is the story of Amal, a terminally ill eight-year-old boy, who is confined indoors. His only contact with the outside world is through his window from where he watches the village life, engages passers-by in eager conversation and is fascinated by a new Post Office visible in the distance. Amal with his touching curiosity, teaches others life's simple but essential truths while awaiting his own spiritual liberation

A documentary on the life and time of Begum Akhtar
Research, collection of photographs and script: Prof. Rita Ganguly
Designed by Avinash Pasricha

Inauguration of year-long festival by Smt Sheila Dikshit, Chief Minister of Delhi

Life Sketching
By Sudhir Tailang

Shaiyree
By Rajesh Reddy

Talk on Ammi
By Prof. Rita Ganguly

Musical Homage
By Ahmed and Mohammad Hussain

A curtain raiser to the centenary celebrations of Begum Akhtar

Can Nanotechnology Create Utopia?
Speaker: Prof. Subashis Ghosh, Professor of Physics, School of Physical Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University

Chair: Prof. G.K. Mehta, Professor Emeritus, Nuclear Science Centre

The promise and essence of the nanoscale science and technology are based on the demonstrated fact that materials at the nanoscale have properties quite different from the bulk materials. Nanotechnology is an enabling technology that will impact electronics and computing, medicine, novel materials and energy. It has received enormous attention in the last 15 years - some have even gone so far as to suggest that the impact of nanotechnology will be so great that the term will be used to describe a new era or world economic growth. But has nanotechnology advanced as quickly as anticipated?