Price Re. 1/-

v o l u m e X X VI. No. 3 May–June 2012

INDIA INTERNATIONAL CENTRE

DISCUSSION: Himalayan BiodiversitySpeaker: Dr. Ajay Singh Rawat, May 2

Eminent environmental historian and keen photographer Ajay Rawat presented an insightful and thought-provoking illustrated talk on Himalayan biodiversity, focusing primarily on Uttarakhand. He covered a wide gamut ranging from deforestation, land erosion and imperilled flora and fauna like rare orchids and wild berries celebrated in folklore. The narrative was enriched with strikingly beautiful slides and personal anecdotes regarding illegal mining, poaching and environmental degradation caused by burgeoning population pressure.

In recent years, the fragile ecosystem of the entire Himalayan region has been under severe stress. The crisis has been exacerbated by short-sighted human intervention. Climate change and global warming are linked with retreating glaciers, flash floods following cloud bursts have become frequent, and forest fires ravage once thickly wooded hills. Developmental imperatives have all but negated serious efforts at conservation. To most of us dwelling in the plains, all this is too distant from our daily lives. There is urgent need to put things in a holistic perspective before it is too late. This is what Ajay Rawat succeeded in doing during his talk. Addressed to the concerned citizen, it sought to engage the audience seriously, yet maintained a light engrossing touch. It blended sociological, historical and scientific streams to emphasize his points.

INDRAJIT

Imperilled Heritage

Discovery of Akbar’s Ibadat Khana

A pictorial presentation of the different aspects of Akbar’s rule provided the historical context for this erudite talk about archaeological explorations at Fatehpur Sikri during 1981-83 and the discovery of Akbar’s Ibadat khana (house of devotion). Dr. Muhammad bridges the gap between the two approaches to the past—the archaeological and the historical. He uses ‘historical archaeology’ or text-aided archaeology that takes the help of written records to identify and locate the Ibadat khana, and the first Catholic church of north India (briefly mentioned) at Fatehpur Sikri.

The descriptions available in several texts reveal that in 1575, Akbar ordered the construction of the Ibadat khana by rebuilding the cell of Shaikh Abdullah Niyazi Sirhindi with spacious galleries on all four sides and specific seating arrangements for the nobles (east), Sayyids (west), Ulema (south) and sufi shaikhs (north). This structure was located near the Jama masjid and by the side of the imperial palace in Fatehpur Sikri.

The location and identification of this structure, however, has evaded a final answer. Dr. Muhammad excavated this site and discovered the remains of a square pyramidal structure with three tiers and seating arrangements on all four sides surrounded by a wall. The western portion of this wall had five arches indicating the direction of prayer. These details were cross-checked with the literary descriptions and a miniature painting from the Akbarnama to establish the identity of the Ibadat khana.

MeeNAkshI khANNA

TALK: Identification and Discovery of Akbar’s Ibadat Khana at Fatehpur SikriSpeaker: Dr. K.K. Muhammad. Chair: Professor Mushirul Hasan, June 5

focus

2

Buddhist HeritageDISCUSSION: Gilgit Lotus Sutra Manuscripts Launch of NAI publication by Smt. Sangita GairolaPanelists: Dr. Lokesh Chandra; and Dr. Kapila VatsyayanChair: Professor Mushirul Hasan, May 3 SEMINAR: Remembering the Bamiyan Buddhas Collaboration: Himalayan Research and Cultural Foundation, May 7

Buddhism travelled to the East and West of India, and left behind a rich spiritual and cultural legacy that demands our attention afresh in a world riven by conflict. Sometimes that conflict has directly affected aspects of that legacy. At the same time, there are positive efforts at revival and reconstruction that need to be celebrated. These two separate events centred on the world’s Buddhist heritage: one celebratory, the other, unfortunately, less so.

On 3 May, The National Archives of India’s facsimile edition of the Gilgit Lotus Sutra Manuscripts was launched by Sangita Gairola. Chair Mushirul Hasan highlighted the work done by the NAI, and asked for greater material support to continue this urgent task of preserving the precious heritage of the region. Akash Keji Ouchi from Japan read out a congratulatory message from Daisaku Ikeda, President of the Soka Gokkai International, a

sect of Buddhism that holds this particular sutra in high regard.

Eminent panelists Lokesh Chandra and Kapila Vatsyayan shared their personal insights into this nodal text’s history and significance, and expressed deep concern for the fast disappearing cultural memory of the Indian people.

On 7 May, a symposium was held on ‘Remembering the Bamiyan Buddhas’. Several speakers from the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University shared their insights into the complex socio-political factors that led to the destruction of the Buddha statues. Organized by the Himalayan Research and Cultural Foundation, headed by Professor K. Warikoo, the event began with the launch of the 15th volume of their journal. The Chair,

Chinmay Gharekhan, highlighted the Bamiyan valley’s strategic location and Lokesh Chandra traced Bamiyan’s deep links with ancient India, including mention in the Rg Veda. Other speakers included several young research scholars from Afghanistan currently studying at JNU whose papers reflected their personal and political engagement with the region. One came away with fresh tidbits of information: for instance, Hazara myths have traditionally seen the statues as those of lovers. Syed Raza, Mansoor Ehsan, Rashid Ahmadi, Kh. Umarov, Mandira Dutta and Ankita Haldar read the Taliban’s actions in demolishing the colossi via diverse lenses, from the poetic to the political.

MAYA JOshI

diary

diary talks

3

What Ails Environmental Governance in India?Speaker: Professor Madhav Gadgil. Chair: Samar Singh, May 24Economics and the EnvironmentSpeaker: Professor E. Somanathan.Chair: Professor Mahesh Rangarajan, May 31Uttarakhand Forests: A View from the VillageSpeaker: Malika Virdhi. Chair: Professor Pushpesh Pant, June 7

Eclectic EcologyTALKS

One subject, three perspectives, each unique, all illuminating. Professor Madhav Gadgil, one of India’s most illustrious ecologists, spoke with the authority of an internationally acclaimed expert who has been instrumental in formulating Indian environment policy and has interacted extensively with the government. In a devastating critique of environmental governance, he decried the pursuit of high GDP growth regardless of its costs as illusory and unsustainable, and said that environmental degradation and social strife were inevitable corollaries. He gave several examples of state environmental agencies’ lack of honesty of purpose and execution: disregard of the Pronab Sen Committee’s recommendations on ecologically sensitive areas; denying access to and destroying material from the Zonal Atlas for the Siting of Industries; systematic blocking of scientific research on forest areas; sabotage of grassroots natural resource protection initiatives as in Plachimada; clearances to purportedly green technologies, ignoring their actual impacts; and shifting of protection agencies away from threatened locations to discourage filing of objections. As head of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel, he described the government’s attempts to bury the panel’s report fearing it would affect economic growth prospects, and the media attention that possibly led to its publication on the eve of the IIC talk.Professor E. Somanathan, Head of Planning at the Indian Statistical Institute, has focused much of his research on the relationship between economic

behaviour and the environment. Highlighting the limitations of markets with respect to public goods, the commons and externalities like pollution and environmental degradation, he said governments had to step in with regulation and taxation in order to ‘get prices right’. Concerned that extreme climate change scenarios could push India back to a 1960s-type situation or worse with low wheat and corn productivity, high food prices and reduced calorific intake among the poor, Professor Somanathan looked at the neglected issue of rural pollution from wood and bio-waste combustion. He also emphasized the need to increase incomes so that the poor could switch from solid fuels to low carbon ones like gas and use more efficient stoves. Stressing the importance of reducing per capita energy consumption and fossil fuel use, he said an internationally coordinated tax, cap and trade mechanism would help finance the transition to more efficient carbon use in the developed and developing world, and could provide revenue for solutions to groundwater depletion. He called for better agricultural research to boost productivity, lowering food and land prices and thus allowing forests to expand.With a degree in Social Work from Delhi University, some three decades of activism on grassroots democracy, human rights and specifically women’s rights, an enviable mountaineering track record and years of being sarpanch of the Sarmoli Village Forest Council in Uttarakhand, Malika Virdhi is an amazing force of nature. Impassioned and extremely articulate, she tore into the notion that Himalayan degradation is the result of overpopulation, overuse and the backwardness of hill communities. Arguing that it was instead the consequence of both geological processes and a systematic whittling away of local self- governance by the state and commercial interests, she said that increasing state intervention and the money power of business groups were destroying complex and highly effective institutions for ecosystem maintenance and sustainable livelihoods such as van panchayats. The traditional owners of the commons were being turned into ‘project beneficiaries’ who had to supplicate before the state, and whose elected representatives could be removed at the latter’s whim. Malika called for an increase in the area under van panchayats, reduction of governmental interference and protection from commercial incursions.

MAhADeVAN RAMAsWAMY

Golden Jubilee Lectures on Environment

diarytalks

4

DISCUSSION: Pani, Potties aur Makaan — Fractured Domestic LandscapesDiscussants: Ms. Julia King; Dr. Renu Khosla, May 15

Improving Sanitation

Putting sanitation on the agenda, Ms. Julia King and Dr. Renu Khosla discussed the Fractured Domestic Landscapes of Savda Ghevra.

Ms. King, an architecture PhD student at London Metropolitan University, has worked with Dr. Renu Khosla and the Center for Urban and Regional Excellence (CURE) which resulted in a viable sanitation plan. In Savda Ghera, 88 per cent of defecation is open, endangering women and children.

From 0 plots in 2005, to 3000 plots and already noted as a crisis in the making, it has continuously expanded to 8500 household plots in 2010. Estimates show that only 1 in 5 households have a toilet. The toilets are

often doubtful health hazards, as the plot sizes are too small for septic tanks. Therefore shared septic tanks are needed, which is the basis of the proposal by Ms. King and Dr. Khosla. Developing grass-roots ideas of how and where the sanitary system can be set up and work community organizing is essential.

The colony’s distance to Delhi, makes it hard to access services, such as holistic health centres, water and work for resettlement. Providing a holistic sanitation plan includes water-kiosks improving water security, along with composting to ensure better quality health and employment opportunities for inhabitants of the colony.

The dedicated presenters provided thoughtful inputs about microfinance and ensuring community involvement in the project when answering questions by the audience. Re-imagining urban policy, where legitimate owners in resettlement colonies have the same rights as others, government inclusiveness is key according to the team.

kAThRINe OLseN FLAATe

An Exhibition of 18th Century coloured engravings by Francois Balthazar Solvyns (1760-1824), based on the new reprint edition of the Costumes of Hindostan (New Delhi, 2012). Inaugurated on May 24, 2012

diary culture

Three PSBT Documentaries FILM: PSBT Films 2011 COLLAbORATION: PSBT with Doordarshan and Films Division, May 4

Three prize-winning TV documentaries produced by the Public Service Broadcasting Trust were screened in May. Veteran Arun Chadha’s Mindscapes ... Of Love and Longing is a fifty-two minute exploration of the lives of a set of people troubled by autism and even completely debilitating diseases like muscular atrophy. The director, with love and empathy, explores each individual’s quest for happiness. A teen-aged girl longs for a boyfriend; a young married man finds solace and companionship with his wife, another drives a special scooter collecting DVDs of Hindi films and hopes to get married; a girl who can barely walk and who has tasted the fruits of love wants a dignified man–woman relationship; a wheelchair bound businessman with a wife and son wants to savour every moment of happiness with them before his muscles waste away:

Chadha tells each story with feeling and dignity.

Aparna Sanyal’s, A Drop Of Sunshine, in thirty-five minutes chronicles the struggles of a really intelligent but schizophrenic young woman. Her scientist

father comes across as a man of great strength and humanity. The documentary survives excessive use of special effects to make an impact because of its powerful central narrative.

There Is Something In The Air, Iram Gufran’s twenty-nine minute attempt at understanding the deeply disturbed world of women who haunt the twin shrines of Chote Sarkar and Bade Sarkar in Badayun, UP, fails because of obfuscation in technique and thought. Clarity of vision was needed and not trick visuals.

PARThA ChATTeRJee

Holi in the PunjabTALK: Princes, People and Purifiers—The Holi Festival in the Punjab (circa 1800–1920)Speaker: Professor Anil SethiChair: Dr. Nonica Datta, June 18

Anil Sethi’s lucid talk presented a social history of the people of 19th century Punjab through the festival of Holi in an attempt to understand the ‘shared culture’ of Punjab, or sanjhi panjabiyat. He focused on substantial ‘ritual reversals that marked Holi, the extent to which non-Hindu groups related to it, and the manner in which reformers like Sanatanists, Arya Samajis and the Sikhs backed by British moralising modernisers attempted to expunge carnivalist elements from it’. Despite formations like Holika Sammelan Committees in Bombay, or the Takht Khalsa pamphlets, even powerful groups faced difficulties in wiping away its existing modes of celebration. His account of Ranjit Singh’s Holi makes clear that the ruler’s Holi signified order and authority and that of the people signified disorder

and subversion. He brings out the secular character of Holi in villages, where, he says, people participated in the event irrespective of their religious affiliations. But this was not true of large

cities (Lahore, for example). Muslim aloofness from Holi in the cities was a consequence of sectarian loyalties which were cultivated by the ruling elite, both the pre-British and the British, through their policies and social reforms.

Anil Sethi concludes that we must be aware of the fluidity of the sectarian boundaries (in this instance, in the event of Holi) of the 19th century, but also of the boundaries themselves created by sectarian loyalties.

MeGhA sIDhU5

THEATRE: Chand roz aur Meri JaanDirector: Salima RazaPressented by Wings Cultural Society, June 28

Grace under Pressure

When Faiz Ahmed Faiz was imprisoned in Pakistan in 1951, he wrote a number of inspiring poems. During his stay in the prison (1951-55), he also wrote a series of love letters to Alys, his British wife, from the prison. This play was based on the exchange of letters between the poet (performed by Banwari Taneja) and his wife Alys (performed by Salima Raza). Interspersed with the recitation and singing of Faiz’s verses, it showed how the letters nurtured a partnership and held out against oppression. The production, direction, acting and music direction of the play were remarkable.

The play began with the wife’s complaint when armed police came to her door and arrested Faiz without a warrant. He kissed his daughters when he heard the sound of boots. Even in the days of despair and sorrow, Alys raised her daughters with indomitable spirit. The play and the verses are not just about the poet’s emotions,

but the courage demonstrated by his wife.

Different moods of the seasons reflect the mood of the poet. During the monsoon, his parched soul longs for his beloved. He tells his beloved, who happens to be his wife, ‘A few more days, my beloved! Merely a handful more…. Chand roz aur, Meri Jaan’.Dialogues, poems, music (by Tarique Hamid) reveal on one side the love, separation and longing between wife and poet and on the other, they raise their voice for the oppressed, downtrodden and exploited masses.

MANDIRA GhOsh

diaryculture

6

Of Politics and PoignancyFILM: Canadian Films, June 2012

The IIC festival of Canadian films was a treat.

Among the several wonderful films was Incendies. A disturbing but moving story of a young girl whose life gets interwoven with the civil war in Lebanon; it is based, in part, on the true account of political activist Soha Bechara.

We travel through three decades in the life of hard-drinking, cigar-smoking, Barney Panofsky with a foul-mouthed father and a beautiful third wife. Did he murder his best friend, we ask, as we grow to like this man who turns out to be more kind-hearted than

one imagined at the start. Barney’s Version is based on Mordecai Richler’s novel.

There were two documentaries about music that comes from the heart, of experiences lived and shared. Carry Me Home is about the story and music of Nathaniel Dett. Interviews interspersed with his music and that of other Afrocentric composers reminds us of the history of slavery and how songs were composed by those denied education. Different yet not so different, Men of the Deeps takes us to Cape Breton, and the stories and songs from the difficult lives of miners.

The heart-warming film, in which substitute teacher and refugee, Monsieur Lazhar tries to help Canadian schoolchildren traumatised by their teacher’s suicide, explores the difference between two cultures.

PRIYA JAIN

diary arts

7

PERFORMANCE: Bharatanatyam by Anuradha Venkataraman, May 16

Joyous Journey

Anuradha commenced her recital with an Invocatory piece dedicated to Lord Shiva in Ragam Nattai, Adi Talam which described Shiva as not only the supreme cosmic dancer, but also the greatest of all singers. She next performed the central piece of the Bharatanatyam margam, Varnam a composition of H.N. Muttayyah Bhaagavatar in Ragam Kamas and Adi Talam, praising Goddess Meenakshi.

This was followed by a Kshetriya padam in Ragam Kalyani, Misra chaapu Talam. The nayika in this padam knows all about Muvagopalas’ antics. She secretly hankers for him, but wants to appear inaccessible. Though her demeanour is distant, her description of him reveals the truth: that her heart is already lost in love to him. Next was a Keertanam, a composition of Periyasami Thooran, in which the devotee is portrayed as Nandanar,

a devotee of Lord Shiva, who was denied entry into the temple as he was from a lower caste. He asks Lord Shiva where he will go, if the lord himself does not accept him. Keertanam, ‘Engu naan selven ayya’ was in Ragam Dwijavanthi and

Khanda Chaapu Talam.

Anuradha concluded with Thillana, a pure nritta item, consisting of

fast paced rhythmic movements, strung together in various patterns and

combinations, with the aim to carve geometry in space. Thillana was a composition of Shri

Lalgudi Jayaraman, in Ragam Vasanthi and Misra Chaapu talam.

The choreography of each piece was distinct, and while in the nritta portions Anuradha moved in new formations, the feelings of all protagonists was brought out by her perfect display of shringara, fake anger, innocence,

helplessness and bhakti.

sWAPNA seshADRI

Protest MusicMUSIC APPRECIATION PROMOTION: Contemporary Protest Music in IndiaSpeaker: Dr. Rahul Ram, June 15

Adopting a spontaneous mode of presentation and a chronological formulation for the talk, Rahul Ram of the band Indian Ocean introduced the idea of protest music by pointing to the plethora of national songs that were popular during the independence struggle. The role of cinema featured as well. The arrival of songs based on social themes thereafter reflected the new concerns of an independent India, as also the fact that such music was a people’s way of making themselves and their concerns public.

The latter half of the lecture showed how the protest challenge is being oriented to reflect current concerns. Rahul chose pan-Indian samples, from the

village ditties of Jharkhand to the rap music of Manipur where the lyrics were based on urban activist concerns or village-related observations set to a variety of music forms. He also dwelt on the

music genres emanating from present-day Kashmir by songsters—such as Ruhun Elahi—who sing not of ‘what is history but what is happening on the ground’.

The lecture established that the protest genre is a constant, and while the issues keep changing, it remains relevant down the years.

sUBhRA MAZUMDAR

diarybooks

8

A Varied Career bOOK DISCUSSION: The Lucknow Boy—A Memoir by Vinod Mehta (New Delhi: Penguin/Viking, 2011) Discussants: Professor Mushirul Hasan; Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, Rajdeep Sardesai Chair: Soli J. Sorabjee, May 18

Vinod Mehta’s memoirs, Lucknow Boy, tells movingly of his boyhood in charming Lucknow, coming of age in London, where he did all sorts of odd jobs even as he educated himself in world affairs and history, and, in girls, and on his return to India, the exceptional career in journalism that followed.

Lucknow Boy was the subject of a lively evening with Mehta in conversation with Soli Sorabjee, journalists Rajdeep Sardesai and Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, and academic Mushirul Hasan.

Soli Sorabjee set the tone for the evening, tongue firmly in cheek. He said, while he didn’t know if Mehta was a ‘Lucknow Boy’ or a ‘Bombay Boy’, he realized that Mehta was definitely a ‘Naughty Boy’!

Guha Thakurta went on to say that in a time when censorship has once again become a major issue, the

contributions of fearless editors like Mehta assume even greater importance. Sardesai remarked that Mehta, with his self-deprecating humour, is a rare breed today when egos are more important than anything else.

Mushirul Hasan thought the title very apt, quintessentially reflective of the book—and its author—as representative of the tehzeeb that once characterized Lucknow. Mehta confessed that editors at Penguin thought Lucknow Boy was a ‘downmarket’ title for the book and perhaps Beyond the Bylines might be better-suited. Finally, Mehta summed up the book as ‘a bit of gupshup as I saw it.’ And indeed, what he saw makes for compelling reading, even though one may disagree with his interpretations.

DeVAPRIYA ROY

bOOK DISCUSSION: Uprooted for Whose Benefit? Development–Induced Displacement in Assam 1947–2000 by Walter Fernandes and Gita BharaliDiscussants: Professor Amita Baviskar; Dr.Usha Ramanathan and Enakshi Ganguly ThukralChair: E.N. Rammohan, June 1

Development or Displacement

Beginning with Usha Ramanathan’s overview of the debates surro-unding displacement and rehabilitation in the country over the last two decades, Enakshi Ganguly Thukral went on to describe the contents of the book and its importance in the context of ongoing large-scale displacement in the country. The fact that often the people to be displaced themselves have no prior knowledge about it speaks of complete apathy on the part of the state. The way in which people are treated could even be seen as violence perpetrated on them. Amita Baviskar highlighted the rigour of the research done

for the book, making a familiar story more authentic. The question that remains, she said, is that clearly, while land will always be needed for projects, what is it that needs to be done to ensure that they do not affect the people to be displaced? What should be done about the social tensions and political

repercussions that such acts bring with them?

Mr. Rammohan concluded that the concept of sovereign ownership of land by the state needs to be challenged, as well as the undemocratic way of acquiring land.

diary miscellany

A Historic Event DISCUSSION: Thalia Prize 2012 presented to Dr. Kapila VatsyayanCollaboration: International Association of Theatre Critics (IATC), Dance Alliance—India and IIC, June 6

Dr. Kapila Vatsyanan was awarded the prestigious Thalia Prize 2012, which she accepted in absentia in Warsaw, Poland on March 28, 2012. Dr. Karan Singh was the Chief Guest at the programme held on June 6 to hand over the prize to Dr. Vatsyayan.

The Thalia Prize is given to a theatre critic of international repute, and it was a proud moment for scholars and critics of dance in India, as this was the first time it was awarded to an Asian scholar with a

great body of published work on dance, someone who has made a huge impact in the critical studies of arts and aesthetics in general, and performance in particular.

Ravi Chaturvedi, President, Indian Society for Theatre Research (ISTR) talked about the history of the Thalia Prize and convened the function. The laudation speech, delivered by Ms. Margareta Sorenson, Swedish theatre and dance critic and Vice-President of the IATC, was read by Dr. Bishnupriya Dutt from the School of Arts and Aesthetics, JNU. It was followed by the filmed recording of Dr. Vatsyayan’s moving speech of acceptance which was played at the original venue in Warsaw in March.

The ceremony concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Urmimala Sarkar Munsi, Secretary of Dance Alliance–India.

Launch of IIC PublicationbOOK RELEASE: ’The Golden Thread — Essays in Honour of C.D. Deshmukh’ (Winter 2011—Spring 2012) Quarterly, Launched by Dr. Karan Singh, May 2

The special issue of the IIC Quarterly, The Golden Thread: Essays in Honour of C.D. Deshmukh was released by Dr Karan Singh. In his introduction, he said that this was an appropriate collection for the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Centre. These lectures, he pointed out, were delivered by distinguished scholars and covered the spectrum from politics, economics, architecture and foreign affairs, to education, and science and technology.

Dr. Shekhar Shah’s brief but eloquent talk felicitated C.D. Deshmukh and his contributions to public life as Governor of the Reserve Bank of India and Chairman of the UGC, among several other positions.

Dr. Kiran Datar spoke of C.D. Deshmukh’s term as Vice-Chancellor of Delhi University. As Deshmukh did so many years ago, Dr. Datar believes that

institutional reform in education is still a dream. What is important, she said, is not just expansion, but also a search for better alternatives.

Dr. Balveer Arora recounted his meeting with C.D. Deshmukh when, as Finance Minister in 1956, he was closely involved in states’ reorganization. His views then are as relevant today—he believed that the three villains facing India were communalism, casteism and regionalism.

RAChNA JOshI 9

Highlights for July - August 2012Performances

23 July 2012 at 6:30 pm in the AuditoriumConcert

By The Ranganathan Trio from France – Ajay (violin); Ravi (cello); and Theo (piano) With Elodie Merlaud (mezzo soprano)monsoon festival

26 July 2012 at 6:00 pm in the AuditoriumMohan Veena RecitalBy Poly Varghese from Chennai, disciple of Pt. Viswa Mohan Bhatt

Followed at 7:00 pm by

hindustani Vocal RecitalBy Lakshmi Sreeram from Chennai, disciple of Pt. Vasantrao Kulkarni and Pt. Srikrishna Babanrao Haldankar

27 July 2012 at 6:00 pm in the AuditoriumBharatanatyam RecitalBy Seshadri Iyengar from Bangalore, disciple of Guru Padmini Ravi

Followed at 7:00 pm by

Odissi RecitalBy Sharmila Mukherjee from Delhi, disciple of the late Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra

lectures

Music Appreciation Promotion Programmes 20 July 2012 at 6:30 pm in Lecture Room – II, AnnexeThe Legacy of Ustad Amir khanIllustrated lecture by S. Kalidas, music criticChair: Pt. Tejpal Singh, senior disciple of Ustad Amir Khan17 August 2012 at 6:30 pm in Lecture Room – II, AnnexeComparative Demonstration of hindustani vis-à-vis Carnatic Music

Lecture and demonstration by Dr. R. Narmadha, a unique violinist who has mastered and performs in both Carnatic and Hindustani styles

23 July 2012 at 6:30 pm in Conference Room – Ihow China Will Change the Worldspeaker: Professor Martin Jacques, Senior Visiting Fellow at IDEAS, LSE Chair: Dr. Alka Acharya, Director, Institute of Chinese Studies(Collaboration: Institute of Chinese Studies)26 July 2012 at 6:30 pm in Lecture Room – II, Annexespiritual ecologyspeaker: Professor Subhadra Mitra Channa, Professor of Social Anthropology, University of Delhi who is a specialist on gender studies, religion and ecology with anthropological theory and methodology

Chair: Dr. A.K. Merchant, General Secretary, The Temple of Understanding, India

(Collaboration: Tibet House)28 July 2012 at 6:30 pm in the AuditoriumThe Twentieth Rosalind Wilson Memorial Lecture Freedom of expression and Communication Challenges in the Age of Internetspeaker: Dr. Shashi Tharoor

(Organized by the Rosalind Wilson Memorial Trust)30 July 2012 at 6:30 pm in Conference Room – Ieinstein: A Glimpse of his Life, his Philosophy and sciencespeaker: Professor A.K. Ghatak, Emeritus Professor, IIT DelhiChair: Professor B. Buti, Director, Centre for Science and Society

Golden Jubilee lectures 2 August 2012 at 6:30 pm in Seminar Rooms II and III, Conference BlockThe Lived Landscape: Recasting Monumental Preservationspeaker: Dr. Narayani Gupta, formerly Professor of History, Jamia Millia Islamia, and Founder, Conservation Society Delhi

10

diaryfutures

11

21 August 2012 at 6:30 pm in Seminar Rooms II and III, Conference BlockGoverning Diversityspeaker: Dr. Amitabh Kundu22 August 2012 at 6:30 pm in Conference Room – Ielectoral Reformsspeaker: Shri J.M. Lyngdoh, former ChiefElection Commissioner30 August 2012 at 6:30 pm in Seminar Rooms II and IIIA Manifesto for science: Wildlife, Biology, the Bureaucracy and the New Challengesspeaker: Dr. Ghazala Shahabuddin3 August 2012 at 6:00 pm in the Auditorium11th BCF Annual Lecture

Gross National happiness Index of Bhutanspeaker: H.E. Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba, Minister of Works and Human Settlement, Government of Bhutan

(Collaboration: Business and Community Foundation)

films

24 July 2012 at 6:30 pm in the AuditoriumThe Artist and her Work: Mrinalini sarabhai by Mallika sarabhaiDelving into the art of the first choreographer to use dance as contemporary social commentary

(Collaboration: Public Service Broadcasting Trust)9 August 2012 at 7:00 pm in the AuditoriumFilms by sunit sinha

Priceless: Short fiction film on a street child’s blind date with high society

Virus: Short fiction film that explores themes of alienation, loneliness, deceit and class abuseTravelling Film South Asia 201229 August to 1 September 2012A festival of 12 exceptional nonfiction films from South Asia. The festival encapsulates a flavor of

the Subcontinent with films from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burma, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Tibet Autonomous Region; covering a wide range of subjects from piracy/copyright issues to India’s agrarian crises and labour migrants to natural disasters. The festival includes two award winners at Film South Asia Festival 2011, Kathmandu as well as other films selected to showcase the variety, treatment and intensity that marks the world of Southasian documentaries.

Details of the films and screening schedule will be announced in the Programme cards

exhibitions

19 – 26 July 2012, 11:00 am to 7:00 pm, Annexe Art Gallery797112 - Portraits of Dimapur An exhibition of photographs by Zubeni Lotha

8 – 14 August 2012, 11:00 am to 7:00 pm, Annexe Art Gallery Pastoral Panorama

Exhibition of paintings in mixed-media on rice paper

By Haren Thakur

18 – 31 August 2012, 11:00 am to 7:00 pm, Main Art GalleryThe Art Gallery in the Conference Block will be formally opened with an exhibition of works by contemporary artist, Sachin George Sebastian

The Metropolis and The City Planner

A narrative in multiple layers of paper By Sachin George Sebastian

diary futures

12

diarynotices

Payment of Bills Members can make payments through Visa/Master credit cards using payment gateway on IIC website (iicdelhi.nic.in). For details, please contact Finance (011 24619431 Extn.316) / Membership Offices (011 24619431 Ext. 404/317).Members who have not paid the annual subscri-ption so far are requested to immediately pay their annual subscription along with all previous

Noticesdues. They should specifically indicate payment for Annual Subscription, IIC Quarterly and other bills.

Please note that as per Rule 9 of the IIC’s Memorandum of Association and Rules and Regulations, it shall be the responsibility of the members to ensure due and timely payment of subscriptions and a default in the timely payment of annual subscription would result in removal from the membership roll.

ObituaryA-1226 Shri Krishna PratapA-2602 Smt. Krishna Devi JhalaniA-2717 Shri Pushkar JohariA-4913 Dr. Vijay Sheel KumarA-5382 Smt. Ratna BagchiM-0388 Professor A. RahmanM-0709 Shri S.S. DasguptaM-0723 Shri Jehangir A. SabavalaM-0765 Shri B.D. Garga

M-1616 Shri Govind NarainM-1693 Shri Sitanshu DasM-2400 Shri S.K. SomaiyaM-2904 Shri M.K. DharM-3011 Shri Sushil KumarM-3189 Justice I. VenkatanarayanaM-3225 Shri S. P. SrivastavM-3361 Dr. S.K. ChopraM-3405 Professor A.R. Khan

When is the Right of Secession Justified ?by Neera Chandhoke (No. 37)

Recent Occasional PublicationsInternationalization: Three Generations of Crossborder

Higher Education by Jane Knight (No. 38)

This issue of the Diary has been assembled and edited by Omita Goyal, Chief Editor; Rachna Joshi, Senior Asst. Editor; and Ritu Singh, Asst. Editor. Published by Ravinder Datta, for the India International Centre, 40, Max Mueller Marg, New Delhi-110 003, Ph: 24619431. Designed by Poonam Bevli Sahi at FACET Design, D-9, Defence Colony, New Delhi - 110 024, Ph: 24616720, 24624336 and printed by Mastan Singh at I.G. Printers, 104, DSIDC Shed, Okhla Phase-I, New Delhi - 110 020.

Reg. No. 28936/77