Speaker: Dr. Akshaya Tankha, Assistant Professor of Art History at the University of Washington, Seattle

Discussant: Dr. Annapurna Garimella, Art Historian and Designer

In 2005, chastened by the Baptist elders of a village in the predominantly Christian state of Nagaland in northeast India for making a “pagan statue” that could awaken the Tribal lake-spirit it visualized, Lepden Jamir defended his wood-carved sculpture by exclaiming, “I am a Naga and an artist.” Jamir’s embrace of and the villagers’ anxiety over the efficacy of the visualized icon go to the heart of what Tankha seeks to highlight in this talk: often dismissed as matters of 'belief', ideas like the sentience of matter are critical resources that artists mobilize to make situated claims about art, history, and place, and respond to the state’s hegemonic politics of inclusion.

(Collaboration: The Alkazi Foundation for the Arts)

An international archive highlighting oral testimonies of India's freedom fighters from across the world; Hamaara Itihaas features photographs, documents, audio clips and the film, 'Asli Azaadi'. The work, ongoing since 1995, places a special focus on women freedom fighters.

Curated by writer and filmmaker Sagari Chhabra, Founder-Director of the archive, who will conduct daily walkthroughs at 17:30.

By Girijashankar Sundaresan from Chennai, disciple of Chitravina Shri. N Narasimhan, Chitravina Shri. N Ravikiran & Sri. RK Shriramkumar.

Accompanists: Delhi Sridhar (Violin) and Manohar Balatchandirane (Mridangam)

Gandhi and Music

An illustrated lecture by Dipankar De Sarkar

The talk explores Gandhi’s world of music – the songs and hymns that inspired him through the darkest hours of India’s freedom struggle.

Dipankar De Sarkar is a journalist and amateur musician who writes on politics, music and the politics of music.

Narrative Universes of Disability: Global Perspectives.

Edited by Someshwar Sati, Shilpa Das, Banibrata Mahanta (Springer, 2025)

Discussants: Prof. Renu Adlakha, Professor, Centre for Women & Development Studies; Dr. Karuna Rajeev, Associate Professor, Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi; Prof. Someshwar Sati, Professor and Coordinator, Centre for Disability Studies and Research, Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi & Editor of the book; Prof. Shilpa Das, Professor, Interdisciplinary Design Studies and Leads Master’s programme in Film and Video Communication, National Institute of Design & Editor of the book

Chair: Professor B. Mangalam, Aryabhatta College, University of Delhi

PHULE

(129 min; 2025; Hindi)

Directed by Anant Mahadevan

The film is based on the true story of Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule - India’s first social reformers who challenged caste and gender norms with courage and conviction and played a pivotal role in advancing women's rights and education in Maharashtra, leaving a legacy that continues to influence social reform movements across the country.

(Collaboration: Maharashtra Sanskritik ani Rannaniti Adhyayan Samiti)

Life and Works of Dr Jayant Narlikar : A Talk

Prof. Somak Raychaudhury, Vice Chancellor, Ashoka University (Speaker)

Amb. K. P. Fabian, Professor, Symbiosis University (Chair)

Director: Shri Ramesh Sharma

The documentary is a post-mortem of the 1971 Bangladesh Genocide and the Anatomy of the Coup which led to the assassination of Sheik Mujibur-Rahman.