Poetry Readings
 

By Ibbar Rabbi & Anurag Vats (Delhi); Ketan Yadav (Gorakhpur); and Devesh Path Sariya (Alwar) who will read from their original works

(Collaboration: The Raza Foundation)

Unseen Paths: Spirituality and Consciousness
 By Romola Butalia (Motilal Banarsidass Publishing House: 2024)

Discussants: Shri Umesh Kabir, spiritual master, educationist, researcher of theology; Shri Himanshu Joshi, classical singer and Member of the Indian Ocean band; Ms Sunita Pant Bansal, mythologist, publisher and author; Prof. Trilochan Shastri, Professor, IIM, Bangalore; and Ms Romola Butalia, spiritual practitioner, teacher and Editor of the book

The Many Routes to Bhav in Thumri                                                                                                                         
An illustrated lecture presented by Vidya Rao

If there is one thing that clearly marks thumri as different from other musical forms, it is its emphasis on bhav, on the creation of the emotional universe(s) of the sung text. What is less clear is how exactly this magical affect is to be created.

This presentation will devote to thumri and dadra in the voices of some singers to understand the many ways that they use sound and silence, voice modulations and rhythmic play to create bhav--the many meanings in what becomes the multiple narratives within a single text.

Vidya Rao is a performer of thumri-dadra and ghazal. For many years the disciple of the legendary singer, the late Vidushi Naina Devi, she continued her study of this form under the late Vidushi Shanti Hiranand and the late Vidushi Girija Devi. In addition to her work as a performer, she has also researched and written extensively on music and the performing arts.

Keynote Address: Shri Vijay Ramachandran, storyteller and knowledge navigator

Welcome and Introductory Remarks: Smt Reena Ramachandra, former CMD, Hindustan Organic Chemicals Ltd.

(Collaboration: IC Centre for Governance)
 

Stout and Tender: A Collection of Poems Pure and Impure
By Badri Raina (AuthorsUpFront: 2024)

Discussants: Dr. Shashi Tharoor,  writer and diplomat; Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar, former Minister, Member of Parliament, writer and former diplomat; Prof. Ratna Raman, Professor, Dept. of English, Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi; Dr. B. Mangalam, Professor of English, Aryabhatta College, University of Delhi; and Prof. Badri Raina, well-known commentator on politics, culture and society, former Professor of English, Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi and author of the anthology
 

Recitation by Prof. Kesavan Veluthat, formerly Professor of History, Delhi University; and Dr. Sudha Gopalakrishnan, Executive Director, IIC-International Research Division

Moderator: Dr. Naresh Keerthi, Dept. of Sanskrit, Ashoka University

(Organised by the IIC-International Research Division)

Speaker: Prabha Sankaranarayan, President and CEO of Mediators Beyond Borders International (MBBI). Drawing on her extensive mediation experience across the USA, Africa, and Asia, her lecture will delve into mediation as a transformative experience, emphasizing compassionate interaction over transactional settlement

The fourth edition of IIC-WISCOMP Dialogues: Conversations on Mediation, will present a compelling case for placing compassion at the heart of peace mediation. Drawing on her extensive experience working in Ukraine, Gaza, Colombia and Syria, internationally acclaimed mediator Prabha Sankaranarayan will explore the mediation as a transformative process beyond transactional settlement.

Programmes with Prof. Priyamvada Natarajan

Prof. Priyamvada Natarajan is Joseph S. and Sophia S. Fruton Professor of Astronomy and Professor of Physics; Chair Astronomy; Chair Women Faculty Forum, Department of Physics, Yale University

An informal interaction with Prof. Priyamvada Natarajan

Chair: Dr. Pratibha Jolly, physicist and Principal Investigator, GATI (Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions)

Amidst an intellectual revolution in cosmology and astrophysics, the interplay of powerful ideas and innovative instruments is radically reshaping our understanding of the universe. As part of Her Voice: Engendering the Discourse, internationally acclaimed astrophysicist Priyamvada Natarajan will be in conversation with Pratibha Jolly, Indian physicist and Principal Investigator, GATI (Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions). This special conversation will explore their personal trajectories, glass ceilings breached, the opportunities and challenges for women navigating the discursive terrain of science.

(Collaboration: Wiscomp)
 

A conversation between Madhu Tandan and Richa Vadini Singh on whether dreams are a wasteland or a secret garden

Madhu Tandan, the acclaimed author of Dreams & Beyond: Finding Your Way in the Dark and The Logic of Dreams, brings four decades of experience in researching and interpreting dreams.

Richa Vadini Singh is a writer who explores the fascinating realm of dreams and has studied psychodynamic dreamwork.

Together, they will explore what our dreams might be trying to tell us, unravel why they often seem so bizarre, and ponder their true significance. They will also welcome any dreams shared by the audience for discussion.
 

By Vishwas Hari (mandolin); and Charulatha Chandrasekar (veena)
With Abhishek Avadani on mridangam and Ujith Udaya Kumar on tabla

(Collaboration: Shanmukhananda Sangeetha Sabha)