DIALOGUES IN HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Conceptualised by Dr.Ashwani Kumar

Talk & Workshop from 10:00 to 13:00
    Practical Spine Care. 
    Mobility training for Healthy Aging.  
1. Posture Assessment: Stooping, sagittal imbalance, walking pattern.
2. Balance Testing: Single-leg stance, chair rise test, gait observation.
3. Guided Demonstrations: Getting out of bed safely, lifting techniques, sitting posture, walking posture.
4. Simple Spine Exercises: Chair exercises, core activation, stretching, balance drills.
5. Fall Prevention Tips: Footwear, bathroom safety, lighting, muscle strengthening.

Open to IIC members and staff members of IIC

At 16:00
Short Talk on The Aging Spine: How to Stay Upright, Active & Pain-Free
Aging of the spine is one of the common causes of pain, stooping posture, imbalance, reduced walking capacity, and loss of independence in senior citizens. However, many problems associated with the aging spine can be prevented, delayed, or effectively managed with timely awareness and appropriate lifestyle measures.
This interactive public lecture will discuss the common spinal problems seen after the age of 60, including back pain, cervical and lumbar degeneration, osteoporosis, spinal deformity, and balance-related issues.  Practical guidance will be provided regarding posture, spine-friendly daily habits, exercise, fall prevention, bone health, and maintaining mobility in later life.

Speaker: Dr. Bhavuk Garg, Prof., Department of Orthopedics  

Followed by a panel discussion on ‘Spine Care made Simple’

Moderator: Dr. Bhavuk Garg, Prof., Department of Orthopedics  

Panelists: Dr. Rajesh Malhotra, Former Prof. & Head, Department of Orthopedics, A.I.I.M.S., New. Delhi; Dr. Achal K. Srivastava, Prof., Department of Neurology, A.I.I.M.S, New Delhi; Dr. Puneet Khanna, Prof. of Anesthesiology, Pain Medicine & Critical Care, A.I.I.M.S., New Delhi.
                      
Followed by interactive Q & A session with the audience

Chair: Dr. Ashwani Kumar
 

Tashi and the Monk
(152 minutes; 2014; English)
Director: Andrew Hinton and Johnny Burke

Recipient of the 2016 Emmy Award for Outstanding Short Documentary; Recipient of multiple international awards including the IDA Best Short Award and Pare Lorentz Award (2014)

The documentary that follows Buddhist monk Lobsang Phuntsok and the children of Jhamtse Gatsal, a Himalayan community built on love and compassion. Through the story of young Tashi, the film offers a deeply moving portrait of healing, belonging, and the transformative power of care.

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

MUSIC APPRECIATION PROMOTION

Carmen: More than an Opera
An illustrated presentation by Dr Punita G. Singh

This presentation will encounter the many facets of Carmen, the lead character of Georges Bizet’s opera, based on a story by Prosper Mérimée. First performed in 1875 to a mixed response, the opera has since become legendary and a favourite with performers and audiences around the world. The opera has also drawn criticism for its stereotypic, exoticized and negative representation of the Roma (gitano/gypsies). Some artists, writers and academics have presented counternarratives to claim Carmen as a symbol of autonomy and agency, rallying against machismo, patriarchy, racism and fascism. With its catchy music and scope for interpretation and reinvention, the opera will evidently endure and Carmen shall keep reincarnating to assert her rebellious spirit.
Dr Punita G Singh is a musicologist, linguist, acoustician, editor and educator based in New Delhi
 

BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

How Robots stole our jobs: struggles of Suzuki Workers in the Age of AI 
by Nandita Haksar (Aakar Books, 2026)

Discussants: Dr. Madhusudhan Raman, Department of Physics, Ashoka University will be in conversation with the Author

Iran War and the Global Economy

Chair: Amb. K.P. Fabian, Professor, Indian Society of International Law, New Delhi and Symbiosis University, Pune

Discussants: Amb. Dammu Ravi, Former Secretary (Economic Relations), Ministry of External Affairs (MEA); Prof Gulshan Dietl, Former Professor, School of International Studies, JNU, New Delhi

The war on Iran initiated by Israel and the United States on 28 February continues to have serious repercussions on the global economy, particularly in the areas of energy security, agriculture and fertiliser supply chains. The discussion will examine the wider geopolitical and economic consequences of the conflict, while addressing the urgent need for a negotiated settlement in the interest of global stability and humanity. The Global South, in particular, continues to bear a disproportionate share of the economic burden arising from the crisis.
 

IIC FILM CLUB
WINDOWS INTO THE NORTHEAST
Presents a curated selection of contemporary films from Northeast India, bringing together distinctive cinematic voices from the region. Spanning diverse languages, landscapes and lived experiences, the films offer intimate reflections on identity, memory, community and change. 
The Elysian Field (Ha Lyngkha Bneng), Meghalaya 
(123 min; 2025; Khasi with English subtitles)
Director: Pradip Kurbah
With Richard Kharpuri; Helena Duiia; Baia Marbaniang; Albert Mawrie; Merlvin Mukhim; Jeetesh Sharma
Recipient of the Golden Saint George for Best Film and Silver Saint George for Best Director at the 47th Moscow International Film Festival, 2025; NETPAC Award for Best Asian Film, Moscow International Film Festival, 2025.
Set in the Khasi Hills in the year 2047, the film follows the lives of six remaining villagers negotiating loss, memory and survival in an increasingly fragile world. Rooted in community and human resilience, the film reflects on belonging, isolation and the enduring strength of collective spirit. 
(This month’s film club films are open for all)
(Collaboration: Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) 
 

IIC Summer Festival of Music & Dance: 11 & 12 June 2026

IIC Summer Festival of Dance

Odissi Recital

By Sourav Mohanty from  Bhubaneswar, disciple of Guru Durga Charan Ranbir  & Shri Rahul Acharya

At 19:00

Bharatanatyam Recital

By Sandhya Easwar  from Chennai, disciple of Smt.Shanta & Shri V.P Dhananjayan