Art Matters
 

AE Krishna Sobti, An evening on Krishna Sobti writings.

(Collaboration: Raza Foundation)
 

Signing in the air: Poems
By Malashri Lal

Discussants:Namita Gokhale, writer, editor, and Festival Director, Jaipur Literature Festival;Dr Rakhshanda Jalil, writer, translator, and literary historian; Prof. Malashri Lal, writer and academic. Convenor, English Advisory Board, Sahitya Akademi

Theatrical interpretation of selected poems by Ms. Annu Priya, Film Actress and NSD Alumna (Batch: 2023)

Moderator: Dr. Kiriti Sengupta, Poet, Editor, and Director, Hawakal Publishers
 

Conceptualised by Dr. Ashwani Kumar

Talk & Workshop from 10:00 to 13:00

Workshop on Alcohol related Health Risk Assessment 
Alcohol-related health risk assessment involves evaluating the amount and pattern of alcohol use, identifying harmful or dependent drinking through screening tools like AUDIT or CAGE. Basic laboratory tests and identification of high-risk groups such as pregnant women, people with diabetes, obesity, or liver disease. Based on findings, individuals are categorized into low-risk, hazardous, harmful use, or alcohol dependence, allowing timely counselling, brief intervention, nutritional support, lifestyle modification, or referral for de-addiction services to prevent long-term organ damage and improve overall health.
By Dr. Prayas Sethi, Associate Professor, Dept of Medicine, AIIMS            

Followed by Assessment of the Risk Factors

(Strictly for IIC members and staff members only)

At 16:00
A short talk on Lifestyle and Liver Disease!
By Prof. S.K. Acharya, Former Professor & Head, Department of Gastroenterology and Dean (Research), A.I.I.M.S., New Delhi
 

Normal Steatosis Liver Damage Fibrosis/Cirrhosis
Lifestyle and liver disease globally is an obesity epidemic. About 1/3 of global population including India are either obese with or without associated diabetes. They may cause increase amount of fat in vessels and vital organs & may result in various organ dysfunction including liver. Such metabolic dysfunction currently are major drivers of various noncommunicable liver disease like Cirrhosis and liver cancer. Fat in liver can be easily identified by obesity (identified by BMI, increased abdominal girth and other simple techniques and tests). These changes in metabolic dysfunction can be prevented, diagnose early & reversed and even advanced diseases can be successfully treated.

Followed by Panel Discussion on Influence of Alcohol Metabolic Dysfunction Associated with Liver Disease (MASLD). Fat & Alcohol: Are these fire and fuel?

Panellists: Dr. Naval K. Vikram, Prof. of Medicine AIIMS, New Delhi; Dr. S. V. Madhu, Director Professor, Department of Endocrinology & Metabolism, UCMS & GTB Hospital, Delhi; Dr. Govind Makharia, Professor of Gastroenterology, AIIMS, New Delhi.

Moderator: Dr. S.K. Acharya, Medical Consultant

Chair: Dr Ashwani Kumar
                                   
Followed by an interactive Q&A with the audience.
 

3rd Khwaja Ahmad Abbas Memorial Lecture
 

By Saeed Akhtar Mirza, filmmaker, screenwriter, and author, widely regarded as a leading voice of socially engaged Indian parallel cinema, and a recipient of multiple National Film Awards.

The lecture celebrates the legacy of journalist, writer, producer, and filmmaker, Khwaja Ahmed Abbas.  
The programme shall begin with a 12- minute documenatry screening on Khwaja Ahmad Abbas.

Followed by a panel discussion titled ‘Khwaja Ahmad Abbas: A Karmayogi’s Polymathic Vision of Humanity’, where Saeed Akhtar Mirza will be joined by Syeda Hameed, former Member of the Planning Commission; Chairperson, KAAMT; Neelima Azeem, actor; and Neville Tuli, Founder, T.R.I.S. The discussion will focus on the vision and ideals of Abbas that defined his writings and work, while contemplating the relevance of Abbas’ work today.  

(Collaboration: Tuli Research Centre for India Studies (T.R.I.S.) and Khwaja Ahmad Abbas Memorial Trust)

A Persian palace in Patna?
Looking afresh at the Mauryas and Achaemenids
 

Speaker: Upinder Singh, scholar of ancient Indian history, archaeology and political thought. She has authored several books, including A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India and Ancient India: Culture of Contradictions and currently a Professor of History, Ashoka University, Sonepat

Moderator: Prof. Nayanjot Lahiri, Professor of History at Ashoka University. She won the Infosys Prize 2013 in the Humanities-Archaeology.

The establishment of the Maurya empire (c. 324/321–187 BCE) roughly synchronized with the demise of the Achaemenid empire (c. 559-330 BCE). The reign of the third Maurya emperor Ashoka overlapped with the establishment of Arsacid rule in Iran. This lecture revisits the interface of the Achaemenids with India and their possible impact on Ashokan inscriptions. It also discusses the hunt for the Maurya palace in Patna, with a special focus on D. B. Spooner’s conviction that he had found a Persepolitan palace in Pataliputra and a Zoroastrian period in Indian history. Even if these theories went too far, the larger point is that ancient India needs to be understood in a global frame, paying close attention to the centuries-long close interactions between India, Iran and Central Asia.

(Collaboration: @Crossroads)
 

Arundhathi Subramaniam in conversation with Anamika

(Collaboration: Raza Foundation)

The Nalanda Literature Festival is a unique celebration of India’s cultural and literary heritage, with a special focus on Bihar and north eastern states’ rich linguistic traditions — Angika, Bhojpuri, Bajjika, Magahi, Maithili, Surjapuri, Bodo, Mizo, Assammese and many more. 

Through thought-provoking sessions, heritage, creative exchanges, the Festival seeks to revive and promote our regional languages, inspire younger generations, and position Bihar and north eastern states’ literary culture on the national and global stage.

(Collaboration: Dhanu Bihar Trust)

Conceptualized by Dr. Ashwani Kumar

Talk and Workshop from 10:00 to 13:00

Part I: CPR from 10:30 am to 11:30 am

Short Talk on: Hands to Restart Heart to Save Lives by Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) techniques.

By Prof Rakesh Garg, A.I.I.M.S, New Delhi

This technique helps to revive persons whose heartbeat or breathing may have stopped. This session will help participants to recognize and respond to cardiac arrest and give high quality CPR. This is a repetitive extensive training on CPR techniques

Followed by Demonstration and performing of CPR techniques including Automated External Defibrillators (AED) by the participants.

Organized by Dr. Ambuj Roy, Professor of Cardiology & Head, Skill, e-Learning & Telemedicine Facility, A.I.I.M.S., New Delhi. Conducted by Prof. Rakesh Garg, A.I.I.M.S., New Delhi, & associates.

Part II: From 11:30 am to 1:00 pm

‘Meaningful Life Despite Arthritis, with Rehabilitation Medicine!’

Organised & conducted with a short talk by Dr Sanjay Wadhwa, Prof. & Head, Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, AIIMS, New Delhi.

(Strictly for IIC members & staff members only)

At 16:00

A short talk on Freedom from Arthritis, Move Freely Again: The Gift of Joint Replacement

By Dr Vijay Kumar, Professor of Orthopaedics A.I.I.M.S., New Delhi

Joint replacement surgery is a transformative procedure that significantly reduces chronic joint pain and restores mobility for individuals with severe arthritis or joint damage. It offers a renewed chance to move freely and embrace an active, fulfilling lifestyle.

Followed by Panel Discussion on

Restoring Mobility with Conservative Treatments/Joint Replacement

Panellists: Dr Vijay Kumar, Professor of Orthopaedics A.I.I.M.S., New Delhi; Dr. Sanjay Wadhwa, Prof. & Head, Dept. of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, A.I.I.M.S., New Delhi; Dr. Danveer Bhadu. Addl. Prof., Dept. of Rheumatology, A.I.I.M.S., New Delhi

Chair: Dr Ashwani Kumar

Followed by interactive Q & A session with the audience

From Kingmaker to Bystander: Is the Media Still a Force in Indian Elections?

Panelists: Rajdeep Sardesai, Television Anchor; Pawan Khera, Congress Leader; Poornima Joshi, Resident Editor, Hindu Business Line, Delhi; Satish K Jha, Professor of Political Science, Delhi University; Jitendra Kumar. Independent Journalist

Moderator: Bharat Bhushan, Journalist and Editor

(Collaboration: The Media Foundation)

The Shifting Logic of the Indus Waters Treaty

Speaker: Dr. Uttam K. Sinha, Senior Fellow, Manohar Parrikar–Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA)

Discussant: Amb. Ashok K. Kantha, Former Ambassador of India to the People’s Republic of China

Moderator: Dr Srinivas Chokkakula, President & Chief Executive Centre for Policy Research

The lecture explores how the Indus Waters Treaty, once hailed as a triumph of technical cooperation over politics, is being reshaped by shifting geopolitical realities, environmental stress, and the erosion of bilateral trust between India and Pakistan.

(Collaboration: Centre for Policy Research)