Speakers: Ms Urmi Goswami, Assistant Editor, The Economic Times;  Dr. S. Sreekesh, Professor, Centre for the Study of Regional Development, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University; and Dr. Srikanta K. Panigrahi, Director General, Distinguished Fellow, Indian Institute of Sustainable Development (IISD)

India, as we understand, is now prioritizing climate adaptation and looking at a bottom-up approach through ground-level initiatives, while mitigation measures will continue. Even as efforts for emission cuts remain critical, reducing the vulnerability of communities across the country is now the focus of climate action in the country. The speakers will address the issue of India’s climate action plan; the changing global dynamics and India’s stance; and the way forward

(Collaboration: Toxics Link)
 

Lead presentation by Shri Asok Kumar G., IAS (retd.), Senior Fellow, Centre for Policy Research and formerly Director General, the National Mission for Clean Ganga

Followed by a panel discussion

Panelists: Shri D.P. Mathuria, Chief Engineer, Central Water Commission; Shri Manu Bhatnagar, Principal Director, INTACH Natural Heritage Division; and Dr. Srinivas Chokkakula, President and Chief Executive, Centre for Policy Research

The river Yamuna or Kalindi is not only the most important tributary of the river Ganga, but also has a standing on her own. It flows almost parallel to the Ganga before merging with it at Prayagraj. Although steeped in mythology and has witnessed historical events, the river in recent years has been facing an existential crisis. Its 22 km stretch of Delhi witnesses its deadly phase – dark stagnant water for most of the year. Many attempts have been made to rejuvenate and revive it. The Yamuna Action Plan did not deliver the expected results. Shri Asok Kumar G. will engage with the idea of reviving the Yamuna building on his rich experience of leading the National Mission for Clean Ganga

(Collaboration: Centre for Policy Research)

Mandal Dhwani
By Malashri Lal (Hawakal Publishers: 2025)

Discussants: Prof. Anamika, contemporary poet, novelist and academic; Prof. Rekha Sethi, academic, writer, scholar, and translator; Dr. Alka Tyagi, Professor, Dept. of English, Dayal Singh College (Evening), University of Delhi, poet and Editor of the bool; and Prof. Malashri Lal, Convenor, English Advisory Board, Sahitya Akademi and author of the book

Moderator: Kriti Sengupta, bilingual poet and translator
 

In Her Footsteps: Women who made India
By Mandira Ghosh (Parchment Publications: 2025)

Discussants: Dr. Rita Malhotra , mathematician, essayist, poet and translator; Dr. Amarendra Khatua, former Director General, Indian Council for Cultural Relations, former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs , Govt. of India; Amb. Reena Pandey, former Ambassador to Armenia and Georgia; Shri Nirmal Kanti Bhattacharjee, Editorial Director, Niyogi Books; and Smt Mandira Ghosh, poet and author of the book

Chair: Shri B.P. Singh, eminent author and former Governor of Sikkim

The Indian Way: Constructing norms in Indo-Pacific
 

Speakers: Dr. Rahul Mishra, Associate Professor, Centre for Indo-Pacific Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University; and Dr. Pooja Bhatt, Associate Professor, Jindal School of International Affairs, Jindal Global University and South Asia Visiting Fellow 2025, Stimson Centre, Washington DC

Moderator: Prof. Rajiv Ranjan, Associate Professor, Department of East Asian Studies, University of Delhi

Chair: Prof. Harsh Pant, Vice President, Observer Research Foundation, Delhi
 

Speakers: Shri Gaurav Dwivedi, CEO, Prasar Bharati; Shri Ajit Pai, Chairman, Delhi Urban Art Commission, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs; and Ms Swapna Liddle, historian, author, curator and heritage conservator

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

Moderator: Ms Vertika Sharma, Visiting Faculty, Heritage law, School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi

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)