BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

The Jihad - Tech Complex
by Lt. General Shokin Chauhan (Har-Anand Publishers, 2026)

Discussants: Shiv Shankar Mukherjee, Former High Commissioner of India to UK & Former Amb. To Nepal; Lt. General Rakesh Sharma, Former Adjunct General, Indian Army & Distinguished Fellow, VIF; Lt General Shokin Chauhan, Author of the book

BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

Democracy in Education
Mala Thapar (Inspirational Education, 2026)

Chair: Dr Karan Singh, Statesman, Philosopher and Thinker

Discussants: Rekha Gupta, Chief Minister of Delhi (TBC); Mala Thapar, Author of the book
 

Legacy for a Just World: Education, Science, and Culture in the Service of Humanity

Inauguration by The Ambassador of Cuba, H.E. Juan Carlos Marsán Aguilera
Presenting Fidel: A Revolutionary and Statesman by Sonya S. Gupta, former Professor of Latin American Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia.

Followed by Panel discussion

Moderator: K.P. Fabian, Professor, Indian Society of International Law, New Delhi and Symbiosis University, Pune

Discussants: Utsa Patnaik, former Professor of the Centre for Economic Studies and Planning in the School of Social Sciences, JNU; Siddharth Vardarajan, Founding Editor, The Wire; Vijoo Krishnan, General Secretary, All India Kisan Sabha.

Taking Discussion forward: Vijaya Venkataraman, Professor of Hispanic Studies and Head, Department of Germanic and Romance Studies, DU; Vibha Maurya, Former Professor of Hispanic Studies, DU

The Colloquium reflects on the legacy of the Cuban Revolution led by Fidel Castro in 1959, its achievements in national sovereignty, human dignity, public health, education and science, despite the longstanding US economic blockade.

BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

Not so Randomly yours
By Vivek Atray (Ferntree Publishing, 2026)

Chair: K. P. Fabian, Distinguished Fellow, School of Law, Symbiosis University

Discussants: Charu Bali, IPS Officer; Neelesh Kulkarni, Author, Poet, Entrepreneur; Vivek Atray, Author of the book
 

Echoes from the Himalayas
Speakers: Rashmi Bharti, Co-founder of Avani and recipient of Jamnalal Bajaj Award for Application of Science and Technology for Rural Development and Rajnish Jain, Co-founder of Avani and Livelihood Innovation Fellow, Royal Academy of Engineering.

Introduction and Chair: Laila Tyabji, craft activist and Founder Member, DASTKAR

The talk will trace Avani’s work in the Kumaon Himalayas and the founders’ vision for bringing together traditional craft, community-based livelihoods, sustainability and renewable energy.

An exhibition at the Quadrangle Gardens on 19 and 20 November 2026 will trace Avani’s journey through curated panels and displays of its crafts.
 

The Border, the War and Our Collective Ignorance
Maj Gen Ashok Singh, YSM, SM (Retd). A recipient of the Yudh Seva Medal and Sena Medal for gallantry
The talk traces the India-China border dispute from its colonial origins to the 1962 war, examining territorial claims through archival records, historical maps and geographical research. It also reflects on the conflict’s lasting impact, contemporary border tensions and the importance of historical understanding in shaping future India-China relations.
 

BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

Militant Nationalism in The Punjab, 1919–1935: Interweaving Region and Nation
by Kamlesh Mohan (Routledge, 2026)

Discussants: S. Irfan Habib, Author & Historian; Queeny Pradhan, Dean, University School of Law & Legal Studies; Vikas Gupta, Department of History, University of Delhi; Kamlesh Mohan, Professor Emeritus, Department of History, Panjab University, Chandigarh & Author of the book
 

Celebration of 155th Birth Anniversary of Dr. Sachchidanand Sinha, Interim President of Constituent Assembly

At 10:30 hrs
Inauguration of a thematic photo exhibition by K.N. Shrivastava, Director, IIC and Chanchal Kumar, Secretary I & B Ministry.

The exhibition will be on view daily from 11:00 to 18:00 hrs at Main Verandah

 On 10th November at 12:00 hrs 
Panel Discussion on the life, legacy and contributions of Dr. Sachchidanand Sinha

Moderator: Uday Sahay, Director, SAUV Foundation

Discussants: Meira Kumar, Former Speaker, Lok Sabha; Shyam Saran, President, IIC; Anamika Kishore, Poet and Academic; Rekha Saxena, Prof. & Head, Dept of Political Science, DU; Kumar Prashant, Director, Gandhi Peace Foundation (TBC)

(Collaboration: Sinha Library Patna; Photo Division; National Archives of India, Lok Sabha Archives, Constitution Club of India; Rajendra Prasad Academy; SAUV Foundation)

Palms and Parchment: Keralam’s Heritage of Reading and Relics
An Exhibition of Literacy, Legacy and the Cultural Treasures of Keralam

The exhibition will be inaugurated by Pooyam Thirunal Gouri Parvathi Bayi of the Travancore Royal Family with Special Invitee Meenakshi Gopinath, Life Trustee, IIC on 30 October at 16:00 hrs

The exhibition will remain on view from 30 October to 3 November 2026, from 11:00 to 19:00 hrs

(Collaboration: State Central Library, Kerala; Oriental Research Institute and Manuscripts Library; Sri Chitra Art Gallery; Raja Ravi Varma Art Gallery; Kerala State Archives; Palm-Leaf Manuscript Museum and Pusthaka Gramam (Village of Books, Perumkulam)

India’s Federal Republic: Regional Parties and the Future of Democracy

Session 4: Agrarian Politics, Caste, and Regional Power
Speakers: Surinder S. Jodhka, JNU; Narendra Kumar, JNU & Anand Mehra, University of Delhi; Indrajit Roy, University of York

To register for the workshop, please click here

For entire schedule, please click here

Regional parties are key vehicles through which India’s social heterogeneity enters its democratic contract, giving political form to caste, language, tribe, agrarian distress, minority claims, statehood demands, and welfare expectations. The 2024 general election revealed both their vulnerability and indispensability. Examining their ongoing re-composition across states, this workshop explores how they mediate linguistic federalism, social justice, minority protection, democratic opposition, negotiation, bargaining, resistance, and accommodation.