China’s Grand Strategy: India’s Long-Term Response in an Asymmetric Strategic Environment

Chair: Amb. Shivshankar Menon, former NSA and Foreign Secretary

Discussants: Rear Admiral K. Raja Menon (Retd.), former Indian Navy. Author and Expert on Maritime and Nuclear Strategy, and on defining Emerging Geostrategic Scenarios; Amb. Ashok Kantha, former Indian Ambassador to China and former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India; Prof. Srikanth Kondapalli, Professor of Chinese Studies, Centre for East Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and Dean, School of International Studies.

The discussion examines the concept of grand strategy in circumstances where war is not the preferred instrument of national policy. Drawing upon official Chinese documents and strategic writings, it explores the long-term objectives that underpin China’s grand strategy and assesses their implications for India.
 

ART MATTERS

Protest and the Arts

Discussants: Ananya Vajpeyi, Veer Munshi, Aditi Mangaldas (TBC)
 

(Collaboration: Raza Foundation)

IIC/MEDIA DIALOGUES
Easy to Launch, Difficult to Sustain? The Future of Independent Digital Media

Moderator: Shuma Raha, Journalist. Author

Discussants: Ritu Kapur, Co-founder & Managing Director, The Quint; Ashutosh, Co-founder, Satya Hindi; M.K. Venu, Founding Editor, The Wire; Rahul Kotiyal, Founder Editor, Baramasa.in

(Collaboration: The Media Foundation)

BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

The Quiet that Remains: A poetic mapping of memory and emotion 
By Usha Mujoo Munshi (‎Vitasta, 2026)

Chair: K. N. Shrivastava, Director, IIC

Discussants: Dr Lakshmi Kannan, Poet, Novelist, Bilingual Writer; Mridula Garg, Writer & Poet; Sunit Tandon, President, Delhi Music Society; Amb Amarendra Khatua, Poet & Former Director, ICCR; Jayashree Misra Tripathi, Poet & Writer; Dr. Usha Mujoo Munshi, Author of the book

Readings by Prof. Malashri Lal; Prof. Sukrita Paul Kumar; Prof. Swati Pal; Prof. Nandini C Sen; Gauri Shankar Raina; Dr Payal Nagpal; Mandira Ghosh; Achla Bansal; Sangeeta Gupta
 

DIALOGUES IN HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Conceptualised by Dr. Ashwani Kumar

Talk & Workshop from 10:00 to 13:00
Short Talk: Pulmonary Functions
By Dr. Anant Mohan

Followed by clinical assessment which includes respiratory screening, checking of vitals such as BP, oxygen saturation, lung function testing with diagnosis and appropriate counselling.

(Strictly for IIC members and staff members only)

At 16:00
Short Talk on Allergies in Everyday life: Recognition, Prevention and Management!

Allergies are exaggerated immune responses to substances that are usually harmless, such as pollen and dust mites. Allergic reactions can cause sneezing, a runny or blocked nose, and coughing. In more severe cases, allergies may trigger asthma, a chronic condition in which the airways become inflamed, making breathing difficult. Proper diagnosis and avoiding known allergens can help manage symptoms effectively. Early management improves respiratory health and overall quality of life.

Speaker: Dr Anant Mohan

Followed by a panel discussion on ‘Simplifying the Enigma of Allergies’                                                    

Moderator: Dr. Anant Mohan

Discussants: Dr. Rakesh Kumar, Professor & Head, Department of E.N.T., and Head & Neck Surgery, A.I.I.M.S., New Delhi; Dr. Binod Khaitan, Former Professor, Department of Dermatology, A.I.I.M.S., New Delhi.
                      
Followed by interactive Q & A session with the audience

Chair: Dr. Ashwani Kumar

25TH BCF ANNUAL LECTURE

Compassion in Action: Journey of Courage and Commitment

Speakers: Dr Prakash Amte & Dr Mandakini Amte, Co-Founders and pioneers of Lok Biradari Prakalp (LBP), Padma Shri 2002, Ramon Magsaysay Award 2008

Chair: Ravneet Pawha, Deakin University

Moderator: Dr. Mathew Varghese, St. Stephen’s Hospital

Vote of Thanks: N.S. Katoch, BCF Treasurer
 

The discussion will explore the extraordinary journey of Dr Prakash Amte and Dr Mandakini Amte, reflecting on over five decades of service to the tribal communities of Hemalkasa, Gadchiroli. Focusing on their pioneering work in healthcare, education, wildlife conservation and humanitarian service.

(Collaboration: Business and Community Foundation)
 

Climate Change and Sustainability

Speaker: Shyam Saran, President, IIC

Inaugural Remarks: Anil Rajput, Chairman, Bharat Ki Soch

Closing Remarks: RK Pachnanda, Director Bharat Ki Soch

The talk will examine the evolving challenges of climate change and sustainable development, with a focus on environmental diplomacy, ecological resilience, and policy responses. It will consider how governments and institutions can work towards balancing development with environmental stewardship.

This session is a part of the flagship discussion series, 'Mantraṇā'. Derived from the ancient Sanskrit lexicon, Mantraṇā signifies strategic, high-level deliberation and institutional counsel aimed at addressing contemporary governance and security imperatives. Serving as a dedicated platform where policymakers, academics, and domain experts converge to distill complex global challenges into actionable policy pathways.

(Collaboration: Bharat Ki Soch (BKS)

Emergent Quantum Matter: New Paths to Future Technology

Speaker:  Prof. Jainendra Jain, Founding Director, Lodha Theoretical Physics Institute, Mumbai; Evan Pugh University Professor & Eberly Chair in Physics & Director, Centre for Theory of Emergent Quantum Matter, The Pennsylvania State University

Chair: Dr. Shailesh Nayak, Director, National Institute of Advanced Studies

When electrons are confined to two dimensions and exposed to a strong magnetic field, they pull us into an astonishing new world that defies our everyday intuition. Electrons capture quanta of magnetic field to transform into exotic particles known as composite fermions, which serve as the fundamental building blocks of an unexpected and remarkably rich quantum landscape. The talk will begin with the story and the motivations that led the speaker to the concept of composite fermions, describe the new structures they revealed, and touch on ideas for how emergent particles can pave the way to new technology.

DIALOGUES IN HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Conceptualised by Dr. Ashwani Kumar

Talk & Workshop from 10:00 to 13:00
Short Talk: Thyroid Gland: Function and Dysfunction

Followed by workshop on Goitre Detection; Screening for Thyroid nodules; Clinical Assessment of Thyroid Function based on Questionnaire and Physical Examination

(Strictly for IIC members and staff members only)

At 16:00
Short Talk on Know Your Thyroid: Separating Facts from Fiction
An interactive Public Health Awareness Programme on Thyroid Health

Speaker: Dr. S.V. Madhu, Director Professor, Department of Endocrinology & Metabolism, UCMS & GTB Hospital, Delhi

Thyroid disorders are becoming very common and are being recognized across the life span- childhood, adolescence, pregnancy, adults and the elderly. Thyroid function tests are frequently being advised when we visit our doctors. This public lecture will try to bust some of these myths and provide clarity on different facets of thyroid disorders that will help us live better and healthier.

Followed by a panel discussion on ‘Living with Thyroid Disorders’

Moderator:  Dr. S.V. Madhu, Director Professor, Department of Endocrinology & Metabolism, UCMS & GTB Hospital, Delhi

Panelists: Dr. Vandana Jain, Prof. of Pediatric Endocrinology Division; Department of Pediatrics A.I.I.M.S., New Delhi; Dr. Rajesh Khadgawat, Prof. of Endocrinolgy & Metabolism, A.I.I.M.S., New Delhi.
                      
Followed by interactive Q & A session with the audience

Chair: Dr. Ashwani Kumar
 

On Doing Theory in India

Inaugural Remarks: Dr. Manindra Nath Thakur, Associate Professor, Centre for Political Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

Chair: Prof. Manoranjan Mohanty, Former Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Delhi

Discussants: Prof. Savita Singh, Professor, Gender & Development Studies, Women’s Studies and Feminist Thought, IGNOU, New Delhi; Dr. Dhananjay Rai, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Gandhian Thought and Peace Studies, School of Social Sciences, Central University of Gujarat, Gujarat; Prof. Hilal Ahmed, Professor, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), New Delhi

Drawing upon the idea of Doing Theory in India, this discussion explores how India can be understood not merely as a subject of theoretical inquiry but as a site of conceptual and intellectual production. The session will examine how lived experiences, social movements, traditions, and historical realities contribute to the creation of new ideas and frameworks for understanding society. It will introduce the concept of Creative Theory, which emphasizes dialogue, democratic knowledge-making, and human creativity as pathways towards addressing questions of justice, freedom, and social transformation in contemporary times.

(Collaboration: @Crossroads)