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

(Collaboration: Shanmukhananda Sangeetha Sabha)

Leonard Bernstein
Composer, Conductor, Teacher, Humanist
Illustrated lecture by Dr. Punita G. Singh

A charismatic conductor, creative composer, prodigious pianist and erudite educator, Leonard Bernstein was a towering figure in music through the 20th century. Besides composing for the classical concert stage, he wrote for Broadway and Film, the diversity of styles evident in music for ‘West Side Story’, ‘Candide’, ‘Chichester Psalms’ and ‘On the Waterfront’. As a conductor, he championed the music of his contemporaries while also breathing life into traditional compositions, especially the music of Mahler. In addition to leading the New York Philharmonic, he frequently conducted major international orchestras. This presentation celebrates the life and legacy of ‘Lenny’—as he was lovingly called. His artistry, intellect and humanism continue to inspire and educate, demonstrating the transformative power of music in shaping a more compassionate world.

Punita is a musicologist, linguist, acoustician, editor and educator based in New Delhi 
 

An evening of Mindfulness, with Sitting, Walking and Tea Meditation
Led by Brother Phap Dung and other Teachers and Monastics in the Plum Village tradition

The programme includes release of a book ‘The Mindfulness Survival Kit: Five Essential Practices’ by Thich Nhat Hanh, published by Aleph Book Company

Chair: Dharmacharya Shantum Seth

(Collaboration: Ahimsa Trust)
 

Poetry Readings
 

By Amarjeet Kaunke (Patiala); Vinay Vishwas, Raki Garg and Anil Analhatu (Delhi NCR)

(Collaboration: The Raza Foundation)
 

Keynote Address: Shri Anurag Goel, former Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Govt. of India and Futurist & Governance Architect

Welcome Address: Shri Prabhat Kumar, President, IC Centre for Governance

(Collaboration: IC Centre for Governance)
 

Ramayana in World Art and Thought
Edited by Shovana Narayan (Shubhi Publications, 2024)

Chief Guest: Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, former Union Minister
Chair: Dr. Karan Singh, statesman, philosopher and thinker 

Discussants: Dr. Yatindra Mishra, poet, cinema and music scholar; and Dr. Shovana Narayan, well-known Kathak artist/Guru and author of the book

Speaker: Mr. Bruno Maçães, Senior Advisor, Flint Global, columnist for the New Statesman, Member of the European Council on Foreign Relations and former Secretary of State for European Affairs, Portugal

Chair: Amb. Shivshankar Menon, former Foreign Secretary and former National Security Advisor
 

Speaker: Amb. Talmiz Ahmad, former Indian Ambassador and expert on West Asia and Ram Sathe Chair, International Studies, Symbiosis International University, Pune

Chair: Amb. Gautam Mukhopadhyaya, Senior Visiting Fellow, Centre for Policy Research and former Ambassador of India to Syria, Afghanistan and Myanmar

The talk will look at the background to the upheaval in Syria, the emergence of the Hayat Tahreer al-Sham as a military and political force in the country, and the factors that facilitated its capture of Damascus. Amb. Ahmad will then discuss the role of different external players in the Syrian regime-change and the uncertainties – political, ideological and economic – that are likely to shape the national scenario in the coming months. Amb. Ahmad will also delve into the longer term implications of developments in Syria for regional and global politics and conclude with some reflections on the larger issues relating to emerging civilizational competitions and world order that will be resonant in the coming years

(Collaboration: Centre for Policy Research)

Life and times of Kris Kristofferson    

An illustrated lecture presented by Paranjoy Guha Thakurta
                                                                                                               

Kris Kristofferson, who passed away on 28 September 2024 at the age of 88, was an anti-establishment American singer, songwriter and actor. Among the famous songs he wrote was "Me and Bobby Mc'Gee," which was dedicated to his friend Janis Joplin; and among the well-known films he acted in with Barbra Streisand was A Star is Born.
 
Paranjoy Guha Thakurta is a journalist, author, publisher, maker of documentary films and music videos, occasional teacher and music lover.

Indian Genius: The Meteoric Rise of Indians in America 

By Meenakshi Ahamad (HarperCollins India: 2024)

Discussants: Dr. Ajay Chhibber, former Assistant Secretary General, UN; Shri Amitabh Kant, former CEO, Niti Aayog and India’s G20 Sherpa; and Ms Meenakshi Ahamed, journalist and author of the book 

Chair: Shri Shyam Saran, President, IIC