Historical and Civilisational Studies
Religion, Caste, Regionalism and Politics in India

When Guru Govind Singh, the Tenth Guru, ruled that he would be the last human guru and the Guru Granth Sahib itself would be the eternal Living Guru, he said that in case of any doubt search within the Shabad, or the Guru Granth Sahib and all doubts ....

Vimarsha: Scientific Dating of the Ancient Events from 2000 to 7000 B.C by Ms Saroj Bala

Vimarsha - VIF’s monthly series of talks - was held on Jun 29, 2012. Ms Saroj Bala, Member - Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction, Ministry of Finance – Govt. of India & Director - Institute of Scientific Research on Ve....

Amarnath Yatra: Occasion to Revisit the Indian Institution of Tirtha

Pilgrimage – tirtha – is a unique Indian civilisational institution that has fascinated and propelled people over the ages. The current issue of further curtailing the period of pilgrimage to the sacred shrine of Amarnath in Jammu and Kashmir is ....

Official Apathy Towards Culture in India

Culture and cultural institutions in India have begun to bear the brunt of official apathy. In a strange turn of events the present government has reduced the allocation for 2012-13 for the Ministry of Culture. It is indeed unimaginable that in a cou....

Why Dilute the Vision of the University at Nalanda?

In a remarkable speech delivered at Nalanda on November 20, 1951 at the inauguration of the Magadh Research Institute for the study of Pali, Prakrit and research in Buddhist literature and philosophy, Dr. Rajendra Prasad the first President of the In....

Projecting India’s Civilisational and Cultural Perspective: Need for an Integrated Vision

In his address on ‘The Influence of Indian Spiritual Thought in England’ on 11th March 1898 at Calcutta Swami Vivekananda distinctly referred to the Indian civilisational reach worldwide. While travelling in the Eastern parts of Asia, ....

The Epics and our National Life: ignored perspectives, six examples and some views

Avant Propos: Constructing – Deconstructionism Inspired by the theory and belief of an imagined India a vocal and influential section in the Indian and Western academia and intelligentsia has been uninterruptedly inspiring and promoting a....

Perspectives on Standards in Public Life & Swaraj

Of late the debate on standards in public life, of probity in public life and of the use and abuse of power in a democratic framework has been occupying the centre stage. While the debate has often developed to no-holds barred level it is nevertheles....

The Study of Ancient India: Erroneous Perceptions and the Reality - A Talk by Dr. Dilip K Chakrabarti

In his talk, delivered at Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) on August 31, 2011, Dr. Dilip K Chakrabarti, Professor Emeritus of South Asian Archaeology, Cambridge University made out a strong case for presenting the history of ancient India i....

Encircling the ‘Light of Asia’: the Lumbini Project

Though he often lamented the extent and depth of Indian influence on Chinese civilisation in the past, Ambassador Hu Shih (1891-1962) scholar-formidable of China’s cultural renaissance nevertheless conceded India’s immense contribution to his cou....

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