Blood on the Crown (Malta)
(102 min;2021; English/Maltese)
Director: David Ferrario

Recipient of the Award for Best Director, Malta Film Award

Screening will be preceded by a brief discussion with H.E. Mr. Reuben Gauci, High Commissioner of Malta; Shri V.S. Sahney, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha); and Lady Kishwar Desai, Founder and Chairperson, The Partition Museum Delhi and Amritsar on the two parallel events in the histories of Malta and India, the June 7 Uprising in Malta; and the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

Set in the turbulent aftermath of World War I in 1919, the film explores the Maltese people’s uprising for independence from British rule. As tensions boil over, the citizens of Malta rose against their colonial oppressors which was crushed by the British army leading to violent and bloody clashes. The film examines the courage, sacrifice, and resilience of those who dared to challenge power, setting the stage for Malta’s eventual path to independence.
 

Programme Details

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are driving a paradigm shift across industries, reshaping the very fabric of modern life. With the advent of cutting-edge AI models like DeepSeek, the capabilities of intelligent systems are expanding exponentially, impacting sectors ranging from education and finance to healthcare and beyond. AI-driven innovations—such as personalized recommendations on platforms like Netflix, real-time customer engagement through chatbots, and intelligent voice assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri—have seamlessly integrated into our daily routines. These deeply profound advances, which still need a lot of work to do on reliability, will change our lives quite a bit.

However, as AI continues to evolve, it presents both unprecedented opportunities and significant challenges. While AI-driven automation, predictive analytics, and personalized experiences are revolutionizing industries, concerns about ethical considerations, bias in AI models, data privacy, and the future of employment persist. As we move beyond DeepSeek and similar models, it becomes imperative to examine the broader implications, limitations, and future trajectories of AI in shaping human society.

Welcome Remarks: Shri K.N. Shrivastava, Director, IIC

Introduction to the AI-ML National Conclave: Prof. Seyed E. Hasnain, National Science Chair, IIT Delhi

Navigating the New World of AI/ML: A user’s perspective: Presentation by Prof. Debasisa Mohanty, Director, National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi

Societal Impact of AI: Presentation by Prof. Shandar Ahmad, former Dean, School of Computational & Integrative Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University

Computational Gastronomy: Blending Food with AI-ML: Presentation by Dr. Ganesh Bagler, Infosys Centre for Artificial Intelligence, IIIT, Delhi

Trust in AI Systems: Presentation by Prof. Naveen Kumar, Head of Dept. Computer Science, University of Delhi

Presented by Karina Khovalyg (soprano); and  Mikhail Loginov (baritone)

Accompanied by Stanislav Chermukhin on the piano

All three artists are distinguished soloists from the Moscow State Conservatory and laureates of international competitions

(Collaboration: Embassy of Russia)

In Conversation – From Soldier to Storyteller

General Manoj Naravane, former Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army in conversation with Neelanjana Banerjee and Suhas Borker

Nalanda: How it Changed the World

By Abhay K. (Vintage Books: 2025)

Amb. Abhay K. in conversation with Mr. William Dalrymple, historian

Moderator: Dr. Arpan Tulsyan, Senior Fellow, Observer Research Foundation