BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP
India’s Vaccine Growth Story: From Cowpox to Vaccine Maitri
By Sajjan Singh Yadav (Penguin Ebury Press: 2023)
A Conversation with the author, Dr. Sajjan Singh Yadav, Additional Secretary, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, Govt. of India; and Shri Lav Agarwal, Resident Commissioner, Andhra Pradesh Bhavan and former Additional Health Secretary
Moderator: Shri Manish Khurana, Senior Commissioning Editor, Penguin India
Are Values Relative?
Speaker: Prof. Carol Rovane, Violin Family Professor of Philosophy; Chair, Contemporary Civilization, Department of Philosophy, Columbia University, New York
Chair: Dr. Kranti Saran, Associate Professor of Philosophy and Head, Department of Philosophy, Ashoka University
Carol Rovane will argue that debates about relativism ought not to proceed without first arriving at an adequate formulation of the doctrine, and clarifying what most fundamentally divides relativists and their opponents. After offering the needed formulation and clarification, she will go on to explore arguments for and against embracing relativism in the domain of morals — eventually coming down in favour of it.
Gender and the Indian City: Revisioning Design and Planning
Edited by Madhavi Desai (South Asia Press: 2022)
Discussants: Ms Mukta Naik, Fellow, Centre for Policy Research, architect and urban planner; Dr. Rukmini Sen, Dean,
School of Heritage Research & Management, Director, Outreach and Extension Division, Director, Centre for Publishing,
& Professor, School of Liberal Studies, Ambedkar University; Shri Aravind Unni, urban rights researcher, Urban Poverty Thematic Lead at Indo-Global Social Service Society; and Ms Madhavi Desai, architect, researcher and teacher, and editor of the book
Moderator: Shri Rohit Raj Mehendiratta
Ms. Vandini Mehta (Vote of Thanks)
BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP
Indo-Aryan and the Linguistic History and Prehistory of North India
By Claus Peter Zoller (Harrassowitz Verlag: 2023)
Discussants: Prof. Anvita Abbi, linguist and scholar of minority languages; Dr. Peggy Mohan, Writer, Visiting Professor, Ashoka University; Dr. Ayesha Kidwai, theoretical linguist and Professor, Centre for Linguistics, School of Language Literature and Culture Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University; and Dr. Claus Peter Zoller, linguist and Professor of South Asian Studies, Department of Culture Studies and Oriental Languages, University of Oslo and author of the book
Chair: Prof. Anvita Abbi, linguist and scholar of minority languages.
SOUNDS OF POETRY
A Multilingual Recitation by Dr Karan Singh
Chair: Shri Muzaffar Ali, filmmaker, designer, poet, artist, cultural revivalist, and social worker
(Organised by IIC-International Research Division in collaboration with The Poetry Society, India)
Global Semiconductor Industry – The Lifeblood of a Digital Economy
Speaker: Prof. Arogyaswami J. Paulraj, Professor Emeritus, Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University.
Prof. Paulraj is the inventor of MIMO wireless communications, a technology break through that enables improved wireless performance. MIMO is now incorporated into all broadband wireless systems. He also pioneered MIMOOFDMA that is now the core physical layer technology for 4G, 5G mobile, and WiFi networks
Moderator: Ms Aruna Sundararajan, IAS (retd.) former Secretary Telecom and Chairperson, Telecom Commission
Chair: Cmdre C. Uday Bhaskar
Prof. Paulraj will offer his views on the criticality of semiconductors, the structure of the global industry, its competitive dynamics, and then focus his talk mainly on its huge entry barriers.
BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP
India’s Foreign Policy in Changing Times
By D.K. Giri (Global Books Organisation: 2018)
Discussants: Prof. Mahendra P. Lama, former Vice Chancellor, Sikkim University; Prof. Ajay Darshan Behera, Academy of International Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia University; and Prof. (Dr.) D.K. Giri, columnist and author of the book
Chair: Amb. K.P. Fabian, Professor, Symbiosis University and Indian Society of International Law
BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP
Guilt Trip and Other Stories
By Lakshmi Kannan (Olive Turtle: 2023)
Discussants: Prof. Malashri Lal, author and Convenor, English Board, Sahitya Akademi; Prof. Anisur Rahman, academic critic and translator; Prof. Payal Nagpal, academic; and Dr. Lakshmi Kannan, poet, novelist and author of the book
Chair: Ms Mridula Garg, writer and poet
NEIGHBOURHOOD FIRST
Coordinated by Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Ashok K. Mehta
The Return of Nawaz Sharif: How it will change Election Scene in Pakistan
Panelists: Dr. Shalini Chawla, Distinguished Fellow, Centre for Air Power Studies; Amb. Sharat Sabharwal, former Ambassador to Pakistan; and Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Kamal Davar, President, Delhi Forum For Strategic Studies (DFFSS)
Chair: Maj. Gen. Ashok K. Mehta
BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP
Devotional Music of India: Spreading Harmony and Peace
Edited by Amarendra Khatua and Mandira Ghosh (Shubhi Publications: 2023)
Chair: Dr. Karan Singh
Discussants: Vidushi Sharon Lowen, well-known artist, dance guru and writer; Dr. Amarendra Khatua, former Director General, Indian Council for Cultural Relations, former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs and Co-editor of the book; and Ms Mandira Ghosh, poet, writer and Co-editor of the book
