Panelists: Prof. Parth Sen, former Director and Professor, Delhi School of Economics; Prof. Surajit Mazumdar, Professor of Economics, Jawaharlal Nehru University; Prof. Siddhartha Mitra, Professor of Economics, Jadavpur University, Kolkata; Prof. Vikas Rawal, Professor of Economics, Jawaharlal Nehru University; Dr Zakaria Siddiqui, Associate Professor, Department of Economics, Jamia Millia Islamia; and Dr Pooja Sharma, Economist and Independent Researcher; and Dr Harun Rasid Khan, former Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India
 

Moderator: Suhas Borker, Convener, Working Group on Alternative Strategies and Trustee IIC
 
Discussion on the State of the Indian Economy (SoIE) is an annual event and is jointly organised by IIC and the Working Group on Alternative Strategies in December each year. This year marks the 32nd anniversary of the Working Group on Alternative Strategies.
 
(Collaboration: Working Group on Alternative Strategies)

Conservation of Churches in Goa
By R.C. Agrawal (Sharada Publishing House: 2024)

Global Tumult: India as a Pole Star

By Sujan Chinoy (Rupa Publications; 2024)

Discussants:  Shri Sunjoy Joshi, Chairman, Observer Research Foundation (ORF); and Amb. Sujan Chinoy, Director General of the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA), New Delhi and author of the book

Chair: Prof Amitabh Mattoo, Dean, School of International Studies, Professor and Chair, Centre for International Politics, Jawaharlal Nehru University

Speaker: Prof. Ajeet Mathur, Director, ISPSO; Professor Emeritus, New Delhi Institute of Management and has been a Professor at IIMs Ahmedabad and Calcutta

Chair: Shri K.N. Shrivastava, Director, IIC

‘Management’ as the process of optimising resources and responses in and across open systems throws up intriguing questions in every arena of human activity-governance, business, military, education, international relations. The study of management has numerous unanswered questions that have baffled practitioners, scholars and policymakers. Many of these black holes concern matters of great significance and high relevance. These mysteries in management will be presented by Prof. Mathur

Sunset in a Cup: Poems

By Santosh Bakaya (Authorspress: 2024)

Discussants: Prof. Radha Chakravarty, writer, critic and translator; Dr. Satbir Chaddha, author and poet; Dr. Payal Nagpal, Professor, Dept. of English, Janki Devi Memorial College, University of Delhi; and Dr. Santosh Bakaya, poet academic, essayist, novelist and author of the book

Chair: Amb. Amarendra Khatua, author and poet, former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs

Speakers: Shri Ashok Vajpeyi, poet, critic and essayist; Prof. Harish Trivedi, writer, translator and academic; Prof. Radha Chakravarty, writer, critic, translator and academic; and Prof. Swati Pal, Principal, Janki Devi Memorial College (JDMC), University of Delhi

Chair: Amb. Navtej Sarna, author, historian and former Ambassador to USA

Life and Loss in Shahjahanabad

A Talk by Ashok Mathur, a long-time resident of Shahjahanabad. The talk will explore the connections between the architecture of Shahjahanabad and its characteristic way of life -- through his primary experience and his family memories of living in a haveli constructed by his great-grandfather over 120 years ago in the Nai Sarak area of Shahjahanabad. What are the tangible and intangible implications due to the degradation and loss of that architecture -- and what may be done to arrest that loss?

The talk will be followed by a dialogue with Anuradha Chaturvedi, HoD Department of Conservation, S.P.A. Delhi;  Shama Mitra Chenoy, Professor, Department of History of Shivaji College, University of Delhi; and Anisha Shekhar Mukherji, Conservation Architect, Author and Visiting Faculty at School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi 
 

Presentation of awards to young crafts persons 

Chief Guest: Ms Amrit Raj, Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India

Awards will be presented to Zainab Bano from Jammu & Kashmir (pashmina kani shawl weaving); Abhijit Sutradhar from West Bengal (Purulia chhau masks); Jadav Sneha from Gujarat (tangaliya hand weaving); Kalyani Behera from Odisha (dhokra craft); Om Soni from Uttar Pradesh (nakkashi on lota); Ira Fatima from Uttar Pradesh (moonj craft); and Jayshree Ajit Bhati from Gaujarat (soof embroidery)

(Collaboration: Delhi Crafts Council)
 

Speaker: Reverend Myosen Sato, Chief Priest and Representative Director, Mitsuishi Fudoson Temple

Chair: Prof. Ranjana Mukhopadhyaya, Professor of Japanese Studies, University of Delhi

Zen and yoga in a broad sense are the basis of Buddhism as the Buddha attained enlightenment through yoga and preached his teachings based on that state of enlightenment. The contemplation method handed down at Mount Koya in Japan includes a distinctive method of meditation. The talk will touch on the commonalities between the meditation methods of the Buddha and Kobo Daishi, and the distinctions between Zen and meditation in Zen Buddhism. The talk will also share the deep ties between India and Japan
 

Speakers: Ms Mohua Moitra, Member of Parliament; Dr Ajay Gudavarthy, Associate Professor, Centre for Political Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University; and Ms Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty, National Affairs Editor, The Wire

Moderator: Suhas Borker, Editor, Citizens First TV (CFTV) and Trustee, IIC

This is the 19th edition of the annual discussion started in 2006
 
(Collaboration: Working Group on Alternative Strategies)