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
(52 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.

Mi Bo (Missing Person), Mizoram

(80 minutes; 2024; Mizo with English subtitles)

Director: Raymond Colney

With Maruata Rawite, Zoparmawii, Bunny Colney, Michael, K.Thangbiakzuala

Missing Person tells the emotionally charged story of Remlala, who, diagnosed with a chronic illness, chooses to conceal his condition from his sister, Muani, in an attempt to protect her. However, his well-intentioned efforts inadvertently create emotional distance between them, with a seemingly simple gift—a phone—further straining their relationship. The film powerfully illustrates how our efforts to shield loved ones can backfire, and how material possessions can sometimes create barriers between us and those we care about most.

(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

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

Violin Recital

By Dr.Santosh Nahar from Delhi, disciple of Shri T.M.Patnaik

Accompanist: Pandit (Dr) Raj Kumar Nahar (Tabla)

At 19:00

Hindustani Vocal Recital

By Nila Sinha Roy from Delhi, disciple of Pt Amiya Ranjan Banerjee, Vidushi Dipali Nag & Guru Smt Shanti Hiranand.

Accompanists: Pandit.Durjay Bhaumik(Tabla) & Ustad Murad Ali Khan(Sarangi)

Glacial Mothers: The Numinous Realms of Annapurna and Nanda Devi
Artworks by Vaibhav Kaul
The exhibition explores the sacred and cultural imagination surrounding the Himalayan massifs of Annapurna and Nanda Devi. Through mountain photography, the exhibition reflects on glaciers, geomorphic forms, legends, divinity, and traditional knowledge systems that shape Himalayan communities’ relationship with the landscape.

Vaibhav Kaul, mountain geographer, climate change and disaster risk scholar, curator, visual artist and cultural archivist, fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and Royal Asiatic Society.

The exhibition will be inaugurated on Saturday, 6 June’26 at 18:00 hrs by Chief Guest Dr. Vladimir Zaitsev

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

Smart & Sustainable Mobility Through Cycling

Speakers: Rekha Gupta, Chief Minister of Delhi (TBC); Kuljit Singh Chahal, Vice Chairperson, New Delhi Municipal Council;  K.N. Shrivastava, Director, IIC; Rohina Gupta, Director, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs; Sir Graham Watson, President, World Cycling Alliance; Laurianne Krid, CEO, European Cyclists’ Federation; Mayank Srivastava, Deputy Director General, Sports Authority of India; D.V. Manohar, Chairman, SmartBike and First Vice President, World Cycling Alliance

A national seminar exploring cycling as a sustainable and people-centric mobility solution for Indian cities, with discussions on reducing dependence on fossil fuel-driven transport, addressing air pollution and public health concerns, and learning from global best practices in urban mobility. The seminar will also deliberate upon policy innovations and infrastructure required to build safer and more cycling-friendly urban environments.

Kindly register for the same: https://meraevents.ai/events/smart-and-sustainable-mobility-through-cyc…

(Collaboration: World Cycling Alliance, SmartBike and FIT INDIA)