Anekdhara

Anekdhara's November Webinar

Topic: The Concepts of Reform and Revival: The Hindus of British India

This month's Anekdhara's webinar is on "The Concepts of Reform and Revival: The Hindus of British India". Webinar will be addressed by Prof. Amiya Prosad Sen, Formerly, Professor, Jamia Millia Islamia University and currently Hony. Fellow, Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, Oxford and the session will be moderated by Prof. Mahesh Rangarajan, Professor of History and Environmental Studies and Chair, Ashoka Archives of Contemporary India, Ashoka University

British colonial rule was not only a domination on political front but a great challenge in culture and religious domains. Hindus in those days also reviewed the status of the religion and their Hindu brethren closely and responded to the challenge. They were later classified either as revival or reformist movements. It is these efforts which would be discussed this month.

Anekdhara's October Webinar

Topic: A Radical Comradeship: Periyar, Ambedkar and the Caste Question

This month's Anekdhara's webinar is on "A Radical Comradeship: Periyar, Ambedkar and the Caste Question". The question will be addressed by Ms. V. Geetha, Independent scholar and Editorial Director, Tara Books. Abstract of the talk shared by the speaker is given below

A radical comradeship: Periyar, Ambedkar and the Caste Question

E V Ramasamy Periyar (1879-1973) and Babasaheb Dr Ambedkar (1891-1956) were both committed to what the latter termed the 'annihilation of caste'. Periyar expounded his ideas in and through public addresses, and the editorials that he sometimes wrote for the weeklies he edited. Dr Ambedkar's critique of caste and untouchability was expressed in a variety of contexts: in his writings, public addresses, speeches in legislature, well researched books and in the reports he submitted to colonial commissions set up to examine the extent and possibility of Indian self-government.

While the tenor of their arguments was different, Periyar and Ambedkar held a set of views in common: these had to do with their faith in rationality and progress, their mistrust of Indian nationalism, their conviction that social reform was as important as self-rule and their commitment to radical equality, of classes, castes and genders. Both were watchful of and lifelong critics of what they termed 'Brahminism' as well. While Periyar was an atheist, Ambedkar held religion to be an important domain of human experience. In this sense, both paid attention to the place of faith in everyday life and sought to call attention to its productive as well as problematic aspects.

In this talk, I will present their views in tandem, and take note of a rare public comradeship which, I argue, may be viewed as representing an important strand of modern political and social thought - anti-caste radicalism, which, as an intellectual tradition, may be traced to the early 19th century.

Anekdhara's September Webinar

Topic: Is India becoming illiberal?

This month's Anekdhara's webinar is on "Is India becoming illiberal?". Liberalism in political context is associated with variety of concepts such as focus on reason, individualism, and the rejection of authoritarianism and a democratic spirit. Denying this is the trend of illiberalism with emphasis on curtailment of rights and an authoritarian streak.

Speaking on the topic are two well acknowledged experts on the subject - Prof. Ajay Gudavarthy, Associate Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, and Sri Snigdhendu Bhattacharya, independent journalist and author.

Anekdhara's August Webinar

Topic: History at the Crossroads: Possible paths ahead

This month's Anekdhara's webinar is on History at the Crossroads: Possible paths ahead an entire gamut of issues - while focus was on History a number of issues were focused relating how history is impacting the present. Webinar was organised in a conversation with Prof. Romila Thapar, Professor, Emerita, JNU, New Delhi. The conversation was led by Prof. Kumkum Roy and helped three youngsters Mr. Md. Absar Alam, Ms Yamini Appikatla and Ms Avnika SInha.

Anekdhara's July Webinar

Topic: Policies to Spur Industrialisation in Bharat: A Critical Appraisal

This month's Anekdhara's webinar is on "Policies to Spur Industrialisation in Bharat: A Critical Appraisal". The webinar will be addressed by Prof. Rayaprolu Nagaraj and Prof. Sripad Motiram. The session will be moderated by Sri S. Mani IRSME (retd) and team leader in making of the Vande Bharat series of trains.

Anekdhara's June Webinar

Topic: Synthesis and Diversity in Indian Music

This month's webinar is on synthesis and diversity in indian music. We have as speakers two distinguished persons, they are not only practitioners but also have well acknowledged academic credentials. Pandit Dr. Nagaraja Rao Havaladar, Hindustani Classical Vocalist and Music Composer with a doctorate in history of classical music in Karnataka would be one of speakers. Prof Sumangala Damodaran, Professor in Economics department, Ambedkar University, Delhi, is a Music Composer and Researcher and actively works in research and documentation of the musical tradition of the resistance music.Sesion will be moderated by Sri Sirra Gagarin, IRTS (retd).

Anekdhara's May Webinar

Topic: Economic concentration and its implications in India

This month's webinar is on economic concentration and its implications in India. Addressing the topic are stalwarts in the area with diversified backgrounds. Prof. Pranab Bardhan is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Department of Economics, University of California, Berkeley. He made fundamental contributions in many fields of economics including inequality. Sri Harish Damodaran, is a journalist of 30 years experience and Senior Visiting Fellow, Centre for Policy Research. He combines economic developments and social history to develop fresh insights on changes happening in Indian Society. The session will be moderated by Dr R Badri Narayan. IRTS (Retd), Adviser/RITES, Gurugram.

Anekdhara's April Webinar

Topic: Indian Growth Story - Why has employment failed to keep pace?

This month's webinar on Growth and employment is core to developing the country with a humane face. The topic are stalwarts in the area with diversified backgrounds. Prof. Prabhat Patnaik, Professor emeritus, Centre for Economic and Social Planning, JNU presented a conceptual view of the employment problem and few solutions to the problem. Prof Santosh Mehrotra while endorsing Prof. Patnaik's conceptual formulation is buttressed them by giving copius amount of data. He also suggested sectors on which our economy should focus. Sri Partho P. Kar, moderated the discussion covering a wide gamut of issues.

Anekdhara's March Webinar

Topic: Executive, Legislature and Judiciary - Where is the Lakshmana Rekha?

India's constitutional founding fathers trod an intricately laid out path while dividing the powers between executive, legislature and judiciary. However, what is unwritten or implicit has had far reaching implications and the topic of division of powers between the three wings is always contentious. The issue has become important as leading lights of Indian democracy have expressed strong views on the subject.

Anekdhara's webinar on the topic was addressed by Hon. Justice (Retd) Sri J. Chelameswar, Retired Judge of Supreme Court of India and Sri Dushyant Dave, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India, and it was moderated by Sri A. K . Srivastava, IRTS (retd).

Anekdhara's February Webinar

Topic: Religion and Secularism: Constitutional Precept and Practice

India is a crucible of a number of religions and religious practices involving practically all major religions of the world. Secularism is an hallmark of the modern Indian polity and is the bedrock of constitution. These topics have been discussed a number of times both by the well read and by lay persons. It is in this context Anekdhara organised the webinar and it addressed by Sri Sanjay R Hegde, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India and Prof. Rajeev Bhargava, Honorary Fellow and Founder Director, Parekh Institute of Indian Thought, CSDS (Centre for the Study of Developing Societies) Delhi and former director CSDS (2007-2014).

Anekdhara's November Webinar

Topic: Transparency and Accountability in Administration: How to Enhance it?

Right to Information Act (RTI) is a pathbreaking act in Indian public administration. Can we go beyond that is now the relevant question. The complex issue of "Transparency and Accountability in Administration" was addressed by three eminent speakers - Ms. Gayathri Kalia former civil servant, Public Service Delivery Architect and Mediator, and Executive Director Centre for Arbitration & Mediation Practice; Sri Nikhil Dey, Social activist and Founder Member of Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS) & National Campaign For Peoples Right to Information (NCPRI); and Dr. A Ravindra IAS, Chief Secretary (Retd), Government of Karnataka, Head, Smart Cities India Foundation, Bengaluru.

Anekdhara's October Webinar

Topic: Linguistic and Cultural Diversity in India: How to Sustain it?

The topic was addressed by Prof G. N Devy, Chairperson, The People's Linguistic Survey of India, Obaid Siddiqi Chair Professor, National Center for Biological Sciences - Tata Institute for Fundamental Research, & Honorary Senior Fellow, Asiatic Society of Mumbai; and Prof. Rama Kant Agnihotri (Retd), Dept. of Linguistics, University of Delhi. Ms Deepa Hari,Teacher, publisher’s editor and former civil servant moderated the session.

Anekdhara's September Webinar

Topic: Socioeconomic Development of the Underprivileged Sections in Post-independent India

Topic was addressed by Prof. K S. Chalam Member (I/c Chair) Union Public Service Commission and Former Vice Chancellor Dravidian University, and Sri Bezwada Wilson, National Convener of the Safai Karmachari Andolan (SKA) and Ramon Magsaysay Award winner. The session was moderated by Sri Sirra Gagarin.

Anekdhara's August Webinar

Topic: Nature and National Development Can They Go Together in India

Prof. Mahesh Rangarajan of Ashoka University and Prof. Harini Nagendra of Azim Premji University dwelt on the themes of "Nature and the Nation: History, Ecology, and Indian Futures" and "Ecology and the Indian City: Contestations and Collaborations" respectively. Sri Devender Singh IRTS (Retd), Naturalist, Bird watcher, Wildlife Enthusiast, Lepidopterist, Photographer, and Ex-Civil Servant, moderated the session.

Prof. Prof. Mahesh Rangarajan made a perceptible observation that Nature and Development conundrum could probably be resolved if one were to "draw on science" and also draw on "experience of democratic ways of functioning" as "the democracy provided checks and balances".

Prof. Harini Nagendra presented how city development interacts with (or degrades) the nature in general and enriched her presentation with live examples from Bengaluru. She says with prescience that "unless we recognize local foraging, local cultural and spiritual values we can't hope to protect urban ecosystems".

Sri Devender Singh shared his thoughts on the topic and also moderated a lively discussion on a broad range of issues.

Anekdhara's July Webinar

Topic: Status of Women in India: Current Trends and Way Ahead

The webinar panel discussed on "Status of Women in India: Current Trends and Way Ahead" by adapting a freewheeling round table discussion format instead of talk format. The panel consisted of Prof. Vibhuti Patel, Vice President, Indian Association for Women’s Studies and former professor Tata Institute of Social Studies, Ms Rinki Roy Bhattacharya, Journalist, Author, and Chairperson, Bimal Roy Memorial & Film Society, and Dr Nalini Gangadharan, Founder Trustee, CAP Foundation. The discussion was moderated by Ms Prabhleen Tuteja, Executive Director, The YP Foundation.

Anekdhara's June Webinar

Topic: Sardar Patel: How well do we know him?

The webinar discussed various dimensions of personality of Sardar Patel and his contributions to the freedom struggle and making of modern India. Prof Pushpesh Pant, Former Dean, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, delved on various dimensions of Sardar's personality and his relations Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru. Prof Rajmohan Gandhi, Research Professor, Department of Education Policy, Organization and Leadership, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, brought out various aspects of Sardar's personality, his relations with his contemporaries and his contribution to making of modern India.

Anekdhara's May Webinar

Topic: India's Composite Culture - Evolution and Future

The webinar discussed on the "India's Composite Culture - Evolution and Future". Prof. Kumkum Roy, Former professor of Centre for Historical Studies, JNU, delivered her talk on "The Complexities of a Composite Culture: Insights from an old story". In the talk she explained the complexities of composite culture using a story as the reference. Prof Vinay Lal, Professor of History and Asian American Studies, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) spoke on "Composite Culture of India in Modern Times and the Perils of Homogenisation" using wide range of examples to understand nuances of composite culture. He also spoke on the disturbing aspects of recent trends in India.

Anekdhara's April Webinar

Topic: National Education Policy and its Implications

The webinar discussed the implications of the recently introduced national education policy (NEP) and its implications. Prof. Anita Rampal, Former Dean, Faculty of Education, Delhi University spoke on "Engaging with Education Policies: Between and Beyond the Lines" placing the policy in the context of constitutional values and right to education and covered broad range of issues afflicting the education system. Prof. Furqan Qamar, Professor, Centre for Management Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia and Former Vice Chancellor, University of Rajasthan spoke on "Flexible Interpretation and Selective Implementation of National Educational Policy in Higher Education" and discussed various dimensions of the policy in higher education

Anekdhara's March Webinar

Topic: History of Indian History Writing

The webinar discussed on how writing of Indian History evolved over different periods of time. Prof. Salil Misra, Professor, School of Liberal Studies, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar University, Delhi dwelt on "The Idea of Civilization in History Writing" and described what is a civilisation and drawing its implications for Indian history writing. Prof. S B Upadhyay, Professor of History, IGNOU, New Delhi dwelt on 'Colonialism and the Writing of Indian History' and he described how writing of Indian history was influenced by various writers and thought processes of the colonial period.

Anekdhara's February Webinar

Topic: The idea of India

The webinar discussed on the "The Idea of India" with specific reference to the current context. Ms Aruna Roy, Founder, Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan; and President, National Federation of Indian Women; spoke on "The constitution as the idea of India" and need for defending the constitution. Prof G. Haragopal, Visiting Professor, National Law School of India University, Bengaluru; and Former dean, School of Social Science, University of Hyderabad spoke on his conception on "The Idea of Humane India: Emerging Trends". During the talk he gave a visualisation of a humane India where relations are built at the human level and not based on identities.

This was followed by a Q&A session. Please click below to see the webinar proceedings.

Anekdhara's January Webinar

Topic: Jai Bhim and The Indian Constitution Perspectives on Dr. Ambedkar's Vision

The webinar discussed Dr B. R. Ambedkar's conception of social justice with reference to constitution and the legal system. Speakers in the webinar and the topics dealt with were: Thiru T J Gnanavel, Writer and Director, Jai Bhim on on " Inspiration in Making of Jai Bhim and its Contemporary Relevance"; Dr Nissim Mannathukkaren, Associate Professor, International Development Studies, Dalhousie University, Canada;on "Annihilation of Caste and Public Culture"; and Dr Kalpana Kannabiran, Distinguished Professor, Council for Social Development, India; on “Citizenship, Public Dialogue and the Constitution”.

This was followed by a Q&A session. Please click below to see the webinar proceedings.