Rocking and Rolling with the Stones

Illustrated talk on the music of The Rolling Stones

Dr Punita G Singh

In this musical journey with The Rolling Stones, we explore how a shifting cast of brilliantly idiosyncratic musicians created one of the most enduring bands in rock history. Fusing early rock with the blues, their innovative sound experiments included influences from gospel, R&B, soul, country, folk and even reggae and disco. 

Emerging alongside—The Beatles—in the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones carved out their own image and constantly reinvent themselves. Through iconic audio tracks, video clips and stories, we get a glimpse into the colourful personalities, lives and oeuvre of these musicians who continue to attract listeners across generations.

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

Recovering the Plays of Māyurāja

Conversation between Prof. Andrew Ollett, University of Chicago, and Prof. Naresh Keerthi, Ashoka University

Chair: Dr. Sudha Gopalakrishnan, Executive Director, IIC-International Research Division

The speakers will share their experiences of editing and translating two plays composed by the eighth-century poet Māyurāja, Tāpasavatsarāja (“Udayana the Ascetic”) and Udāttarāghava (“Raghu’s Exalted Descendants”). They will refer to the challenges posed by the manuscripts, of which there is only one extant for Tāpasavatsarāja, and only one accessible to scholars of Udāttarāghava.

Prof. Andrew Ollett works on the literary and intellectual traditions of South Asia, including works composed in Sanskrit, Prakrit, Apabhramsha, Kannada, and Chinese from the first millennium of the common era. He is the recipient of the Infosys Prize for 2025.

Prof. Naresh Keerthi is Head, Department of Sanskrit, Ashoka University and researched on the semantics of colour in Sanskrit, at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore. He is interested in kāvya and nāṭya literature in Sanskrit and Prakrit, and their interactions with South India’s literary cultures. He studies topics at the intersection of the lexicon, grammar and poetics, and is investigating the development of poetic topoi in kāvya literature.

Sixteenth in a series of lectures organised by IIC-International Research Division with the support of Ministry of External Affairs

Paper presentations by the Sectoral Policy Group (SPG) on Social Affairs

The papers examine the entire gamut of issues concerning hate speech in India: the legal and constitutional framework and context; misrepresentation of the past; use of divisive narratives for ‘othering’ of religious minorities (primarily Muslims and Christians), Dalits, Adivasis and communities from Northeast India; role of police, civil administration and media; the way forward to curb hate speech.

Opening remarks: Suhas Borker, Convener, SPG-Social Affairs

Papers presented by Justice (Retd) Madan B. Lokur; Prof. S. Irfan Habib; Dr Meeran C. Borwankar; Prof. Apoorvanand; Shri S. N Sahu; Shri Jafar Alam; Prof. Y. S. Alone and Dr Mercy Vungthianmuang.

The paper of Prof Jagdeep S. Chhokar shall be presented posthumously.

Chair: Justice Dr. S. Muralidhar, former Chief Justice, Orissa High Court

(Organised by the IIC’s Sectoral Policy Group on Social Affairs)

The Classical Compositions of Hazrat Amir Khusrau

An illustrated presentation by Madhumita Ray

A presentation of noted classical compositions created by the Sufi saint known primarily as the father of Kheyal and Qawwali, Hazrat Amir Khusrau. This lecture based on rare ragas will demonstrate his works based on some recordings by eminent artists.

Madhumita Ray is an eminent Hindustani Classical (Khayal) and semi classical (Thumri-Dadra) vocalist performing and teaching nationally and internationally for over 30 years.

Charismatic Chiaroscuro: Poetry and Art

By Meena Chopra (2025)

Discussants: Prof. Sukrita Paul Kumar, Scholar, Poet, Academician, Prof Sudeep Sen, Poet, Literary Editor, Photographer, Ms. Meena Chopra, Author, Poet & Artist

Chair: Prof. Malashri Lal, Scholar, Poet, Academician

By Uditha Devapriya

The talk explores the multifaceted legacy of Sri Lanka’s most celebrated writer, critic, and thinker. Examining how Wickramasinghe — through his novels, essays, and cultural writings — became a bridge between indigenous traditions and modern thought.

Uditha Devapriya is a Sri Lankan researcher, author, and analyst whose work spans culture, politics, and international relations. A former Chief Analyst at Factum think tank and IVLP fellow, he writes extensively on South Asian art, history, and geopolitics

An international conference bringing together eminent historians from Portugal and India to examine the multifaceted Indo-Portuguese encounters through history — from early modern exchanges to intellectual and cultural networks.

Speakers: João Paulo Oliveira e Costa (NOVA University Lisbon), Ernestine Carreira (Aix-Marseille University), Lakshmi Subramanian (BITS Pilani), Syed Ali Nadeem Rezavi (Aligarh Muslim University), Anirudh Deshpande, Amar Farooqui and Farhat Hassan (University of Delhi), and Najaf Haider (Jawaharlal Nehru University).

(Collaboration: Embassy of Portugal, Cultural Centre)

A tribute to a renowned expert on textiles and crafts. The Seminar will be a reflection of Jasleen’s interest in the revival of textiles and crafts as a living tradition, through the amalgamation of appropriate policies and practices.

Please click here for complete schedule

An evening of poetry and reflection by Neelesh Raghuvanshi (Bhopal); Sandhya Nivodita (Delhi); Utpal Banerjee (Indore); Javed Alam Khan (Delhi)

(Collaboration: Raza Foundation)

Sounds of Mesopotamia: An Introduction to Kurdish Music

Illustrated talk by Hakan Çifçi

Kurdish music is a rich and diverse tradition deeply rooted in the culture and history of the Kurdish people of ancient Mesopotamia. Encompassing a variety of styles ranging from ancient folk traditions to more modern forms, it is characterised by unique melodies, scales and instruments. Themes of love and nature are common in Kurdish music, which plays a vital role in preserving Kurdish identity and culture. Traditional songs are often passed down through an oral tradition, with bards (called “Dengbêj”) playing a crucial role in transmitting stories, epic tales and lyrical poems. Join us to learn more about Kurdish music.

Hakan Çifçi represents Commission of Foreign Relations of Kurdistan National Congress – KNK