(55 minutes)

Director: Alexander Kronemer

Nominated for an Emmy Award in Outstanding Lighting Director and Scenic Design by the 39^th Annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards.

It is a powerful historical docudrama set during the Crusades. It tells the remarkable true story of Saint Francis of Assisi, who bravely crossed enemy lines to meet Sultan Muhammad Al-Kamil of Egypt. Their courageous encounter fostered mutual respect and planted the seeds of peace between Muslims and Christians in a time of brutal conflict. 

(Collaboration: Foundation for Universal Responsibility of His Holiness The Dalai Lama)

A talk by Guest of Honour Brigadier Ashok Abbey (retd), India’s best known Himalayan mountaineer

Followed by a short Film directed by Dr. Shankar Barua, a distinguished scholar-practitioner, filmmaker, entrepreneur, and start-up mentor

Winner of Best Animated short film in the Makizmithran Film Festival and Indian Independent Film festival.

Followed by a musical evening

Celebrating the Rains

By Minu Bakshi, a renowned Indian poet, classical singer, academic, and cultural ambassador whose distinguished career spans over four decades.

(Collaboration: The Mountain Climate Trust)

Theatrical Dance performance by Jyotsna Shourie Dance Centre. It uses select couplets from the Krishna Chalisa wherein Bharatanatyam merges with evocative Carnatic music and expressive storytelling. It showcases the different lilas of the playful child. The mentor and the protector who appears whenever hearts call for him in the complete surrender.

Accompanists: Vocalists Kalaimamani Sri O.S. Arun and Sudha Raghuraman (recorded music)

Dissent with Love: Ambiguity, Affect and Transformation in South Asia

Edited by Parul Bhandari (Routledge, 2024)

Discussants: Prof. Janaki Abraham Associate Professor, Delhi School of Economics; Prof. Himadri Roy, Professor, Indira Gandhi National Open University; Dr. Paro Mishra, Assistant Professor, Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, Delhi; and Dr. Parul Bhandari, Director of Studies, Human, Social and Political Sciences, St. Edmund's College, University of Cambridge and Author of the book

Chair: Prof. Patricia Uberoi, Emeritus Fellow at the Institute of Chinese Studies

Tianxia System in the New Era and Limits to China–Pakistan All-Weather Relations

Speakers: Dr. Jabin Jacob, Associate Professor, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Delhi NCR; Dr. Atul Bhardwaj, Visiting Research Fellow, School of Policy and Global Affairs, City St George’s, University of London; Fellow (2022–2024), Prime Minister Museum and Library, New Delhi, and an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Pune; and Prof. Sriparna Pathak, Professor of China Studies and Founding Director, Centre for Northeast Asian Studies, O.P. Jindal Global University, NCR

Moderator: Dr. Rajiv Ranjan, Associate Professor, Department of East Asian Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Delhi

A panel discussion on the evolving contours of China’s strategic worldview through the ancient yet resurgent concept of Tianxia — “All under Heaven.” The idea, deeply embedded in Chinese philosophical and political thought, is being reimagined by the Chinese leadership to structure global hierarchies in the 21st century.

Conceptualised by Dr. Ashwani Kumar

Introductory Talk & Workshop from 10:00 to 13:00

A short talk on keeping your kidneys healthy by focussing on staying hydrated, balanced diet, managing blood sugar and blood pressure, avoiding excessive sugar, salt and alcohol and prioritizing regular exercises. This will be followed by clinical assessments to help understand and prevent kidney-related conditions. Onsite tests to include Height & Weight, Blood Pressure, Random Blood Sugar, HbA1c, Renal Profile, Lipid Profile

(Strictly for IIC members and staff members only)

At 16:00

Protect Your Filters: A Practical Talk on Kidney Wellness

Consultant Speaker: Dr. Sandeep Mahajan, M.D., D.M., FASN, FRCP (London), Professor, Department of Nephrology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi

An informative session on kidney health, its vital functions, early signs of disease, and how simple lifestyle changes can make a lasting difference

Followed by Panel Discussion on: Understanding the Triad: Diabetes, Heart Disease and Kidney Health

Panellists: Dr. Ambuj Roy, Department of Cardiology, AIIMS, New Delhi; Dr. Yashdeep Gupta, Department of Endocrinology, AIIMS, New Delhi; and Ms. Gurdeep Kaur Shetty, Dietician, AIIMS, New Delhi.

Moderator: Dr. Sandeep Mahajan, Consultant

Chair: Dr Ashwani Kumar

Followed by an interactive Q&A with the audience

Talk by Rakesh Sood, Former Ambassador to Afghanistan, Nepal, and France, and India’s first Permanent Representative to the UN Conference on Disarmament in Geneva.

A photo exhibition will be inaugurated  by H.E. ONO Keiichi, Ambassador of Japan on Friday 8 August 2025 in Quadrangle Garden at 10:30

The Exhibition will be on view till 14 August, 2025

Rising Peril of Nuclear Weapons in the 21st Century-A World in Denial

A talk by Gopalkrishna Gandhi, Former Governor, West Bengal and Life Trustee, IIC

80 Years after Hiroshima and Nagasaki were burnt to ashes, their residents turned into flaming torches, the world's stockpile of nuclear weapons continues to expand and threaten another cataclysmic conflagration.

Opening Remarks: Shri Shyam Saran, President, IIC

Chair: Rakesh Sood, former ambassador and India’s first Permanent Representative to the UN Conference on Disarmament in Geneva

The Revolutionaries: A Novel

By Neena Nehru (Speaking Tiger, 2025)

Discussants: Ms Mandira Nayar, Senior Journalist will be in conversation with Neena Nehru, Author of the book