Swarantar: A Journey Through Indian Classical Music

The concert will feature two prominent artistes: Pt Abhay Rustam Sopori, an accomplished santoor maestro and composer, cultural ambassador of Kashmir, torchbearer of Sopori musical lineage of Kashmir and Pt Ojesh Pratap Singh, an eminent Hindustani classical vocalist, known for his mastery in Khayal.

(Collaboration: AntarHriday Connect)
 

The Last Shaman( 2016;80 min;English)

Director: Raz Degan

How far would you go to save your own life?
Disillusioned with his all-American life, a young man is confronted by thoughts of suicide. To save his life, he embarks on a journey into the depths of the Amazon rainforest, where stories of Shamans and Ayahuasca ceremonies promise psychic redemption. His experiences with tribal medicines are life-changing—but he is also forced to confront the parts of himself he has long struggled to understand.

(Collaboration: Foundation for Universal Responsibility of His Holiness the Dalai Lama)

Mudras. Tejiendo hilos invisibles
A dance performance by Mónica de la Fuente and Nazaré de la Fuente—mother and daughter, and Spanish professional contemporary dancers trained in Bharatanatyam and Kathakali, combining both Spanish and Indian cultural heritage.

Followed by a documentary screening of the same name, Mudras. Tejiendo hilos invisibles (Mudras: Weaving Invisible Threads)
(90 min; Spanish with English subtitles)
Producers: Anna Saura
Co-producers and Directors: Bobby Bedi and María Salgado

The film marks the first co-production between Spanish and Indian filmmakers. It tells the story of a mother and a daughter that travel all the way to India to discover its art and culture.

(Collaboration: Embassy of Spain in New Delhi)

THE IIC DOUBLE BILL: MUSIC AND DANCE RECITALS

At 18:30

Hindustani Vocal Recital

By Deepak Singh from Meerut, disciple of Pt. Madhup Mudgal
Accompanists: Shambhu Nath Bhattacharjee (Tabla); Chetan Nigam (Harmonium); Shashank & Arun (Tanpura)
 

Multilateralism and the future of AI

Speaker: Amandeep Singh Gill, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies 
Chair: Shyam Saran, President, IIC

This talk examines how multilateral cooperation can shape the responsible governance of artificial intelligence, balancing innovation with ethics, equity, and global security. Drawing on international policy perspectives, it explores the role of global institutions in ensuring AI benefits humanity at large.

 YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/live/kQ8RWmL1N2Q?si=V67yYP6SSJiOeDS7

Day of Mindfulness: The Way Out is in
Speakers: Pháp Hữu, Abbot of Plum Village; Jo Confino, Author and Journalist; Monastics and teachers from Thich Nhat Hanh’s Plum Village tradition
Chair: Dharmacharya Shantum Seth
This Programme is grounded in the teachings of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh and offers participants an opportunity to engage with contemplative practices that cultivate awareness, compassion, and insight. The programme will include guided mindfulness meditation, reflections by Plum Village monastics, and periods of dialogue and inquiry.
Participants are requested to register in advance at www.ahimsatrust.org or by writing to ahimsatrust@gmail.com
(Collaboration: Ahimsa Trust)

Soorma 
(131 min;2018; Hindi with English subtitles)
Director: Shaad Ali

Based on the life of Sandeep Singh, the film chronicles the remarkable rise of a gifted young hockey player from Punjab to the Indian national team. At the peak of his career, a tragic gunshot accident leaves him paralysed from the waist down, seemingly ending his future in the sport. Defying medical odds through extraordinary grit and determination, Singh stages a dramatic comeback, returning to international hockey and eventually leading India as captain.

(Collaboration: Jaipur International Film Festival (JIFF)

Dr. Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani
(124 min; 1946; Hindi with English subtitles)
Director: Shantaram Rajaram Vankudre

Set against the backdrop of World War II, the film narrates the extraordinary true story of Dr. Dwarkanath Kotnis, an Indian doctor sent to China to treat soldiers fighting the Japanese invasion. Based on a story by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, it follows Kotnis’s tireless medical service in war-ravaged Yan’an, his personal bond with a Chinese woman, his success in containing a devastating plague, and the ultimate sacrifice of his own life in the cause of compassion and international solidarity.

(Collaboration: Jaipur International Film Festival (JIFF)

THE IIC DOUBLE BILL: MUSIC AND DANCE RECITALS 
Kathak Recital
By Badal Bariha from Delhi, disciple of Guru Malti Shyam
Accompanists:  Amaan Ali (Tabla); Jaywardhan Dadhich (Vocal and Harmonium)
Ashish Gangani (Pakhawaj) & Harshita Sharma (Padhant) 
    
At 18:30

Kuchipudi Recital
By Rajashree Holla, from Bengaluru, disciple of Guru Dharani T Kashyap

Concert 
Piano recital by Marouan Benabdallah, well-known pianist from Morocco, and faculty at the Budapest Liszt Academy of Music

(Collaboration: Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in New Delhi)