The talk will be about the role of foreign architects, largely British, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in India. The late nineteenth century was marked by the stabilization of British presence in the sub-continent and a further spread of influence of a Western way of life and thinking in certain sections of Indian society. This is amply reflected in the architecture of that period.

Speaker: Rajesh Luthra is an architect and urban designer, Principal at Development Consortium, and Visiting Professor at the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi. He is also a published writer and consultant to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.

Moderator: Dr. Punita G. Singh, acoustician, musicologist, linguist, editor and educator based in Delhi. She has taught at Washington University in the US, McGill University, Canada and is currently, Visiting Faculty at Ashoka University, Sonipat

Dalit Journeys for Dignity: Religion, Freedom, and Caste

Edited by Ramnarayan S Rawat; K Satyanarayana ; P Sanal Mohan

(State University of New York Press, 2025)

Discussants:  Prof. Madhulika Sonkar, Assistant Professor, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi; Dr. Harish Wankhede, Assistant Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University; Dr. Charu Gupta, Professor, University of Delhi; Dr. K. Satyanarayana, Professor, English and Foreign Language University, Hyderabad & Editor of the book and Prof. Ramnarayan S Rawat, Associate Professor, University of Delaware, US & Editor of the book

Moderator Dr. Surinder Jodhka, Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University

Dissent with Love: Ambiguity, Affect and Transformation in South Asia

Edited by Parul Bhandari (Routledge, 2024)

Discussants: Prof. Janaki Abraham Associate Professor, Delhi School of Economics; Prof. Himadri Roy, Professor, Indira Gandhi National Open University; Dr. Paro Mishra, Assistant Professor, Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, Delhi; and Dr. Parul Bhandari, Director of Studies, Human, Social and Political Sciences, St. Edmund's College, University of Cambridge and Author of the book

Chair: Prof. Patricia Uberoi, Emeritus Fellow at the Institute of Chinese Studies

The Revolutionaries: A Novel

By Neena Nehru (Speaking Tiger, 2025)

Discussants: Ms Mandira Nayar, Senior Journalist will be in conversation with Neena Nehru, Author of the book

The Once and Future World Order: Why Global Civilization Will Survive the Decline of the West

By Amitav Acharya (Basic Books, 2025)

Discussants: Shri. Sachin Chaturvedi, Vice Chancellor, Nalanda University & Director General, RIS; Dr Rashmi Doraiswamy, Professor, MMAJ Academy of International Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia; Prof. Amitav Acharya, Professor of International Relations , School of International Service, American University and author of the book

Chair/ Moderator: Amb. Sujan Chinoy, Director General, Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses

Interrogating Marginalities across Disciplinary Boundaries: Colonial and Post-colonial India

Edited By Anna Bochkovskaya, Sanjukta Das Gupta, and Amit Prakash (Routeledge; 2024)

Discussants: Prof. Vinita Damodaran, South Asian History, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK; Prof. Nasreen Chowdhory, Department of Political Science, University of Delhi; Prof. Surinder Singh Jodhka, Centre for the Study of Social Systems, JNU; Prof. Anna Bochkovskaya, Editor of the Book; Prof. Sanjukta Das Gupta, Editor of the Book; Prof. Amit Prakash, Editor of the Book

Chair: Neera Chandhoke, Former Professor of Political Science, University of Delhi

CANCELLED

Power and Purpose: Rediscovering Indian Foreign Policy in Amrit Kaal

By Harsh V. Pant & Anant Singh Mann (Rupa Publications; 2025)

The Great Cases series discussion no: 9
Pragya Prasun v. Union of India Case

Speakers: Justice A.K. Sikri (Retd.),Former Judge, Supreme Court of India; Sidharth Luthra, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India; Ila Sheel, Advocate-on-Record, Supreme Court of India; Yamina Rizvi, Legal officer with iProbono; Pragya Prasun, Lead petitioner in the case; Amar Jain, Accessibility rights advocate and co-petitioner in the matter.

Moderator: Anchal Bhatheja, Research Fellow (Disability Inclusion and Access), Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy.

This case marked a milestone in the recognition of digital accessibility as a constitutional right. This case affirms the right to accessibility under section 46 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 and reinforces the State’s duty to create inclusive digital ecosystems that serve all citizens, especially the most marginalized

(Collaboration: Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy)
 

Buddhist Dances: Movement and Mind

By Joseph Houseal (Motilal Banarsidass;2025)

Discussants: Navtej Johar, performer, activist, scholar & somatic practitioner; and Joseph Houseal, Director, Core of Culture Dance Preservation NFP and author of the book

Moderator: Sharon Lowen, performing artist, dance guru and writer

Modernity, Print and Sahitya: The Making of a New Literary Culture, 1866-1919
By Sumanyu Satpathy (Routeledge India: 2023)

Discussants: Prof. Pragati Mohapatra, Associate Professor, IP College, University of Delhi; Prof. Asha Sarangi, Professor, Centre for Political Studies, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University; Prof. Sumanyu Satpathy, Former Professor, University of Delhi and author of the book 
 

Chair: Prof. Harish Trivedi, Former Professor, University of Delhi