Women in Architecture in India: Changing the Historical Canon
 

Illustrated talk by Madhavi Desai, Architect, researcher, writer and teacher

Chair: Mr. Abhay Purohit, President, Council of Architecture, Nagpur
 

Breaking the Frame: Women’s Shifting Roles in Media
 

Panel discussion with Malini Parthasarthy, Palki Sharma, and Neerja Choudhury
Chair: Sonia Singh, former Editorial Director, Anchor, NDTV Group
 

Film Screening and Conversation 
 

‘The Last Migration – Wild Elephant Capture in Sarguja’ 
(49 mins, 1994, English)
Directed by Mike Pandey
A Conversation with Mike Pandey, Indian film maker and conservationist

Moderator: Madhur Nangia, wildlife and landscape photographer
 

Nangiar Koothu
Emancipation of Ahalya
 

Presented by Usha Nangiar a seasoned Koodiyattam and Nangiarkoothu artist with Rajeev, Mizhavu artiste, Kalamandalam Vineesh, a Mizhavu performer, Kalanilayam Unnikrishnan, an Edakka specialist and Athira Hariharan.

Chief Guest: Shri K.N.Shrivastava, Director, IIC
 

Hindustani Khayal and Thumri Recital
 

Presented by Sniti Mishra, Hindustani classical vocalist, with Milind Vasudev on harmonium; Hrishikesh Majumdar on flute; and Ajeet Pathak on tabla,

Chief Guest: Shri N.N. Vohra, Life Trustee, IIC
 

The Splendour of Malay Dance: from tradition to contemporary
 

Presented by dancers from ASK Dance Company (ADC), featuring six artists. The performers include Zulkarnain Zuber, Jackson Janda, Nadhirah Rahmat, Yu Jun, Sera Nina, and Shan Tie.

The performance will feature a variety of traditional Malaysian dances, ranging from classical to folk styles. The program will also include new contemporary pieces created by young Malaysian choreographers, who have drawn inspiration from these traditional forms.

Chief Guest: Dr. Mahesh Verma, Trustee, IIC

Stree Ratnas – Women Composters of Bharat\
 

Presented by Kalaimamani Smt. Vishakha Hari, renowned Carnatic vocalist and Harikatha exponent, with Violin by Idappally Ajith Kumar and Mridangam by Arjun Ganesh. 
 

Chief Guest: Shri. K.N. Shrivastava, Director, IIC
 

Diva: The Triumph of Woman in Opera 
 

Conceptualised and presented by The Neemrana Music Foundation. Performed by women opera singers with pianist Nadine Jo Crasto, the programme will showcase some of the most celebrated opera arias — from Mozart to Puccini, Händel to Verdi, Tchaikovsky to Bizet — performed in their original languages. The concert highlights how women, in a world once dominated by men, have transcended conventions to be celebrated as divas — the “divine ones.”

Chief Guest: Dr Shailesh Nayak, Life Trustee, IIC.

FRIDAY 10

Inauguration of the Festival
By Shri Shyam Saran, President, IIC

Followed by
Bharatnatyam Recital 
By Malavika Sarukkai
Accompanists: Ms. Neela Sukhanya S; Ms. Krithika Arvind; Mr. Nellai Balaji Azhwar; and Mr. S.Venkata Subramanian

 

A Star named Arundhati
 

This centenary exhibition celebrates the life and legacy of Arundhati Devi (1924–1990), a multifaceted figure in Bengali cinema—actress, director, producer, singer, and writer, whose career spanned four decades. Drawing from rare family archives and private collections in Kolkata, the exhibition presents an intimate portrait of her world through photographs, diaries and other film memorabilia. 
Curated by Mrinalini Vasudevan and Tapati Guha-Thakurta

Inauguration by Shri Ashwajit Singh, Trustee on 11th October 2025 at 11:30

Special Invitees: Professor Kaushik Bhowmick, Department of Film Studies, School of Arts and Aesthetics, JNU; and Professor Bishnupriya Dutt, Department of Performance Studies, School of Arts and Aesthetics, JNU