Vaccines: Emerging Viral Outbreaks

Speaker: Dr. Virander Singh Chauhan, distinguished scientist, Chancellor of GITAM Deemed to be University, Rhodes Scholar and recipient of the Padma Shri awardee (2012). He is known for his contributions to the development of a recombinant vaccine for malaria and for synthetic structural peptides with biological functions.

Moderator: Prof. (Dr.) Narendra Kumar Arora, distinguished Indian paediatrician and Executive Director, The INCLEN Trust International, New Delhi

The talk will explore the growing importance of preventive vaccines in addressing emerging viral threats such as Ebola, hantavirus and Nipah virus. It will examine the scientific and economic challenges of vaccine development, recent advances in vaccine technology, and issues of affordability, access, public trust and equitable distribution, highlighting the need for preparedness against future outbreaks.
 

The Journey to the Unknown
By Mohammad Naseem Khan, Delhi-based contemporary artist known for his evocative landscapes inspired by his travels through the mountains and coastlines of India. 
The exhibition presents a series of landscapes that evoke serenity through subtle shifts of tone, texture and light. Inspired by nature and the elemental forces of air, water and fire, the works invites viewers into expansive landscapes that are both timeless and deeply immersive.
The exhibition will be inaugurated on Tuesday, 18th August’26 at 18:00 hrs
The exhibition will remain open daily from 11:00 to 19:00 hrs
 

BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

The Quiet that Remains: A poetic mapping of memory and emotion 
By Usha Mujoo Munshi (‎Vitasta, 2026)

Chair: K. N. Shrivastava, Director, IIC

Discussants: Dr Lakshmi Kannan, Poet, Novelist, Bilingual Writer; Mridula Garg, Writer & Poet; Sunit Tandon, President, Delhi Music Society; Amb Amarendra Khatua, Poet & Former Director, ICCR; Jayashree Misra Tripathi, Poet & Writer; Dr. Usha Mujoo Munshi, Author of the book

Readings by Prof. Malashri Lal; Prof. Sukrita Paul Kumar; Prof. Swati Pal; Prof. Nandini C Sen; Gauri Shankar Raina; Dr Payal Nagpal; Mandira Ghosh; Achla Bansal; Sangeeta Gupta
 

Building Resilient Relations: People as Stakeholders

Speaker: H.E. Riaz Hamidullah, High Commissioner of Bangladesh to India

Moderator: Dr Ashok Behuria, Editor (Hony.), Journal of Peace Studies and Chairman (Hony.) Centre for Peace Studies

People are central to bilateral relations. Bound by centuries of shared history and culture, human connections give depth, resilience, and direction to enduring ties between nations.

(Collaboration: Centre for Peace Studies)
 

Unconfined

By Ravi Shail, Delhi-based artist and photographer. Recipient of Lalit Kala Akademi National Academy Award and the National Photography Award (Govt. of India)

The idea that art exists beyond conventional boundaries and can be discovered in the ordinary moments of everyday life. Through mixed-media works inspired by photographs, the exhibition invites viewers to pause, observe and engage with familiar forms in new ways.

The exhibition will be inaugurated on Friday, 14th August’26 at 18:00 hrs by Amb Shyam Saran, President, IIC

The exhibition will remain open daily from 11:00 to 19:00 hrs

MUSIC APPRECIATION PROMOTION

The Teaching Legacy of Franz Liszt                                                                                                                 Illustrated lecture by Francesca Khalifa

Franz Liszt, a master of the piano, composer, and the father of the modern concept of the "piano recital", was also a prolific teacher. This lecture will explore the lineage through the work of modern musicians connected to the tradition via the teaching of Claudio Arrau, a student of Krause who embraced and structured the core elements of Liszt’s philosophy and approach.

The conversation will be followed with the screening of the documentary Piano Lessons: The Life and Art of Germán Diez, based on Khalifa’s research on Diez’s background and musical legacy.

Francesca Khalifa, an Italian-Egyptian concert pianist, researcher and educator. Her research work focuses on passing on the piano tradition inherited by Franz Liszt through the teachings of her late mentor, Germán Diez
 

LIVING LANDSCAPES 
Conceptualized by Anuj Srivastava

Art as Ecology: Learning from the Ecosystems of the Western Ghats
Speaker: By Arunkumar H G, Artist, Conservationist

The talk will be followed by a Panel Discussion

Moderator: Anuj Srivastava, Architect, Writer and Photographer

Discussants: Vijay Dhasmana, Rewilder and Ecological Restoration Practitioner; Ghazala Shahabuddin, Ecologist and Author

The talk and discussion will focus on how artistic practice can foster ecological consciousness and community engagement, drawing from Arunkumar's conservation work with SARA and its initiatives in ecosystem restoration, biodiversity conservation and environmental education.

(This is the eigth talk in the series on Living Landscape)

Amma’s Way: A Journey to Embrace the World Again
(2022; 85 minutes; English)

A documentary that follows the life and humanitarian work of Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, widely known as Amma or "The Hugging Saint." The film explores how one person's message of love and care has inspired millions around the world, inviting reflection on the power of kindness and our shared responsibility toward one another in an increasingly divided world.

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

BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

The Unbecoming: Let Life Reveal its Purpose 
By Kartikeya Vajpai (‎Penguin eBury Press, 2025)

Kartikeya Vajpeyi in conversation with Neelima Dalmia Adhar, Hindi poetess and novelist

BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

Jayaprakash Narayan: The People's Leader. 
By Arvinder Singh (Niyogi Books, 2026)

Chair: Vinod Sharma, former Political Editor, Hindustan Times

Discussants: Prof Apoorvanand, Professor, DU; Sanjay Hegde, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court; Qurban Ali, Journalist; Arvindar Singh, Author of the book