Speakers: Prof. G Mohan Gopal, former Director, National Judicial Academy of the Supreme Court of India, and former Vice-Chancellor, National Law School of India, Bengaluru; Prof. Sumeet Mhaskar, Professor of Labour Sociology at the Jindal School of Government and Public Policy, O. P. Jindal Global University; Prof. Vidhu Verma, Professor, Centre for Political Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University; Subhash Ghatade, Independent Researcher, writer, translator and activist; and Prof Y. S. Alone, Professor in Visual Studies, School of Arts and Aesthetics, Jawaharlal Nehru University

Moderator: Suhas Borker, Convener, Working Group on Alternative Strategies and Editor, Citizens First TV (CFTV).

This discussion is part of the series on Social Justice and Empowerment started in 2010 and held every year on 1 May to commemorate the life and work of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar

(Collaboration: Maharashtra Sanskritik ani Rannaniti Adhyayan Samiti and Working Group on Alternative Strategies)

Curator: Prof. Himanshu Prabha Ray

Recentering Southeast Asia

Speakers: Dr. T.C.A. Raghavan, historian and award-winning author, former diplomat and Director General, Indian Council of World Affairs; and Prof. Himanshu Prabha Ray, Tagore National Fellow, Jawaharlal Nehru University

Chair: Prof. Madhavan K. Palat, distinguished historian, scholar of the modern world, and political commentator

The talk will draw on the recently published book Recentering Southeast Asia: Politics, Religion and Maritime Connections (Routledge: 2025) which highlights the ‘restructuring’ of the shared past of India and Southeast Asia through European colonization and the multiple nationalisms of the region in the late 19th and early 20th century. The speakers will present case studies from archaeology and art history; and explore 20th century developments through the lens of political figures like Jawaharlal Nehru (1889-1964); the role of the Greater India Society (1926-1959); and Buddhism in underpinning post-World War II connections across Asia

Medusa and other poems

By Sangeeta Gupta

Discussants: Prof. Sukrita Paul Kumar, Guest Editor, Indian Literature, poet, academic and critic; Ms Mandira Ghosh, writer and author of several books of prose and poetry; Prof. Radha Chakravarty, poet, critic and translator, formerly Professor of Comparative Literature and Translation Studies, Ambedkar University; Ms Sangeeta Gupta, author of the book

Chair: Dr. Amarendra Khatua, Former Secretary, MEA, Poet & Diplomat

Panelists: Dr. Lily Gangmei, Chief Medical Officer, Central Leprosy Division, Govt. of India; Dr. Rashmi Shukla, National Professional Officer, WHO; Dr. Ritu Ghosh, Executive Director, GPZL; Dr. Srilekha Penna, National Coordinator, ILEP; and Dr. Ashok Agarwal, CEO, NLR India Foundation

Moderators: Prof. Srinath Reddy, Former President, Public Health Foundation of India; and Dr. Anil Kumar, Principal Advisor, National Centre for Disease Control, Govt. of India

Leprosy is the oldest bacterial disease known to mankind. India has made major progress towards controlling it over the last 25 years, with around 90% reduction in occurrence of new cases and 70% reduction in new cases with disabilities.

With improved early detection, treatment, contact tracing, and preventive measures, India now has a real opportunity to eliminate leprosy and reduce disability.

(Collaboration: NLR India Foundation)

F.N. Souza: The Archetypal Artist

By Janeita Singh (Niyogi Books: 2024)

Discussants: Shri K.N. Shrivastava, Director, IIC; Prof. Ashis Nandy, political psychologist, social theorist, futurist and critic; Dr. Alka Pande, art historian, author and Curator; Shri Nidheesh Tyagi, journalist, Digital Sherpa of Indic languages and Founder, talkingfish.in; and Ms Janeita Singh, author of the book

Speakers: Amb. Mohan Kumar, Dean, Strategic and International Initiatives, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat and former Ambassador to France; Amb. Manjeev S. Puri, former Ambassador to Nepal and the EU, Distinguished Fellow, TERI; and Ms Indrani Bagchi, CEO Ananta Aspen Centre

Chair: Amb. Y.K. Sinha, former CIC and High Commissioner to the United Kingdom & Sri Lanka, and Head of Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran Division, Ministry of External Affairs

Noon Films and Magical Renaissance of Malayalam Cinema
By V. K. Cherian (Atlantic Publishers and Distributors, 2024)

Discussants: Shri Shantanu Ray Chaudhuri, writer, Editor, Om Books; Shri U. Radhakrishnan, Delhi Malayalee Film Society; Shri Eshan Sharma, historian, Kaarwan; and Shri V.K. Cherian, Digital Consultant and author of the book

Chair: Amb. K.P. Fabian, Symbiosis University
 

A Place called Home: Stories by Susham Bedi
Edited by Rekha Sethi and Hina Nandrajog (Sahitya Akademi: 2024)

Discussants: Ms Neeta Gupta, Member, Executive Committee, Ashoka Centre for Translation; Prof. Rekha Sethi, Indraprastha College for Women and co-Editor of the book; and Dr. Hina Nandrajog, Vivekananda College, University of Delhi and Editor of the book

 Chair: Prof. Malashri Lal, Convenor, English Advisory Board, Sahitya Academy

Speaker: H.E. Mr. Kamel Zayed Kamel Galal, Ambassador of Egypt to India

Chair: Shri Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury, Foreign Affairs Editor, The Economic Times

India-Egypt share millennia old partnership which continued in the current period through friendship between founders of modern India and Egypt. Today the relationship has acquired a new dimension with New Delhi and Cairo bonding over a variety of sectors from defence to investments to connectivity. The two states are playing significant roles to create a peaceful and prosperous West Asia. 
 

Rediscovering Delhi, Rediscovering the City
Half-day Symposium

Presentations by Dr. Alexander Philips, Assistant Professor of English, Ashoka University; and Shri Sohail Hashmi, oral historian of Delhi, social activist, filmmaker and conservationist; Prof. Swati Pal, Principal, Janki Devi Memorial College, University of Delhi; and Dr. Jitender Gill, Convener, Khoj, former Director JDMC Research Centre