The Foundation has also endowed an annual New India lecture,
delivered by a distinguished scholar or writer. Held every year
in a different city, the lecture is held in partnership with a
reputed public institution in that city.
The first New India lecture was delivered by the economist
Jean Dreze at the India International Centre in New Delhi in
December 2004. Dr Dreze spoke on 'The Right to Food'.
The second New India lecture was delivered in January 2006 by
the historian and political theorist Sunil Khilnani. He spoke on
the theme of ‘India as a Bridging Power’ at the National
Institute of Advanced Studies in Bangalore.
The third New India lecture was delivered in March 2007 by
the political scientist Yogendra Yadav. He spoke on 'The
Paradoxes of Indian Democracy' at the Nehru Centre, Mumbai.
The fourth New India lecture was delivered in January 2008 at
the India International Centre in New Delhi. The speaker, the
Gandhian social activist Ela Bhatt, spoke on the fascinating
journey of the organization she founded, SEWA.
The fifth New India lecture was held in Kolkata in March 2009, in association with The Telegraph. The distinguished sociologist Professor André Béteille spoke on the topic, ‘Towards an Inclusive Society’.
The sixth New India lecture will be delivered by Professor Raghuram Rajan of the University of Chicago sometime in the summer of 2010. The place and date of the lecture are
currently being finalized.
Through 2005 and 2006, the Foundation ran an ‘Independent India’ lecture series in collaboration with the India International Centre, New Delhi. Twenty lectures were delivered, by distinguished scholars and analysts such as Professor Meenakshi Mukherjee, Dr Shankar Acharya, Lt. Gen. V. R. Raghavan, Urvashi Butalia, Dr Pratap Bhanu Mehta, and B. G. Verghese.
Future activities planned by the Foundation include the publication of a journal to be called Indian Opinions. |
