The India Centre
Webinars
HOW INTERNATIONAL DEMOCRACY RATINGS MISREPRESENT INDIA?
India Series Webinar, where we are honored to host Prof. Salvatore Babones, a distinguished political sociologist from the University of Sydney and the Executive Director of the Indian Century Roundtable. In this webinar, Prof. Babones will delve into the topic of “How International Democracy Ratings Misrepresent India.” Explore the complexities of how India is portrayed in international democracy assessments and gain a deeper understanding of the nuances surrounding this issue. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage in an enlightening discussion and gain fresh perspectives on India’s democratic representation on the global stage.
O MAHARAJ! TAKE THESE LEMONS – JAINS AND JAINISM IN THE WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN
This talk starts from a travelogue relating the experiences of a Jain mendicant travelling around the Western Indian Ocean in 1946. As such, it provides a unique glimpse into the fast-changing world of the 1940’s, with independence movements, the formation of new nation states, and the development of Jain communities around the Western Indian Ocean. The focus, however, is on the doubts and motivations that structure the travelogue’s author’s decision to accept an invitation to visit Mombasa, an analysis of which brings forward themes of reform and counter-reform, the impact of modernity on lay-mendicant relations, and the possibility of pansectarian as well as subaltern solidarity.
JAIN MAHĀBHĀRATAS
The Indian epics Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata are known all over the world, especially as stories of (Vaishnava) Hindu traditions, detailing the lives of the gods Rama and Krishna. Less known is the fact that other communities also have their versions of these stories. In Jainism, episodes and characters from the Mahābhārata “the great epic of India, already figure in the Śvētāmbara Āgamas. Most notably in Jain universal history, where Krishna is the older cousin of the twenty-second Tirthankara, Lord Neminatha. In this lecture. Dr. Eva De Clercq will present an overview of this Jain Mahābhārata material from the Āgamas onwards. She will explore the different ways in which later poets in different languages and genres integrated, transformed or otherwise engaged with these themes, illustrating those with some selected excerpts.
GENDER AND WOMEN'S MONASTIC AUTHORITY IN HINDU SOCIETY
Ready to investigate the role and impact of gendered charismatic authority on modern women’s monastic lives? Join Prof. Pankaj Jain and Dr Antoinette DeNapoli in the upcoming India Centre Webinar for an enlightening exploration of gender and women’s monastic authority in Hindu society. She will delve into the role of charismatic female gurus in contemporary South Asia. Discover the powerful impact of these trailblazing leaders as they challenge patriarchal monastic culture and break barriers for women in their quest for spiritual equality.
SCIENCE IN ANCIENT INDIA: A WEBINAR BY PROF. SUBHASH KAK
Uncovering the hidden gems of ancient Indian science never ceases to intrigue, especially the lesser-known early Indian scientific contributions, which include a comprehensive theory of mind, Pāṇini’s remarkable Sanskrit grammar, Piṅgala’s binary numbers, and more. But what sets apart the work of Kaṇāda? Join Professors Subhash Kak and Pankaj Jain as they take us on a fascinating journey of discovering the work of Kaṇāda, who dared to propose a system that encompasses space, time, matter, and observers – a feat no physicist has attempted to date.