On 30 September 2022, VIF organized the release and discussion on Snakes in the Ganga: Breaking India 2.0, a book authored by Shri. Rajiv Malhotra and Shri. Vijaya Viswanathan. Apart from the authors, the panel consisted of Lt. Gen. Ravi Sawhney, Chair of the session and Shri. Kanwal Sibal, Former Ambassador and Former Secretary, GOI. The occasion was also graced by Shri. Arif Mohammad Khan, Hon’ble Governor of Kerala as the Chief Guest.

Lt. Gen. Ravi Sawhney addressed the session and welcomed all to the book release of Snakes in the Ganga: Breaking India 2.0. The Chair spoke of the importance of this work in the context of the ongoing information war conducted through academia with an intention to dismantle India’s civilisational character. The Chairman also especially welcomed Honourable Governor of Kerala, Shri Arif Mohammad Khan to the occasion with a mention that the Hon. Governor is a part of the VIF family.

Shri. Arif Mohammad Khan in his address mentioned that the book effectively pulls in hard facts that make us and the world aware of the ‘Breaking India Forces’ and their strategies. His Excellency highlighted that unfortunately the Indian minds are being used by others to attack India in various ways. He raised the concern of academic institutions that are prominent and powerful in the world being misused to strengthen the divisive politics of India. He recalled that it was a legacy of the colonial past, by the British where they had propagated the divide and rule agenda masquerading as a civilizing mission; what we are seeing today is also a similar strategy put into play, although in a different form. While we insist on unity, our challenges come from the forces that divide this unity. He highlighted that the Indian thought leaders from ancient past insist on knowledge of the self (atma jnana) as the aspect that enables us to see unity in diversity, which makes India the ‘Vishwa Guru’. The Hon. Governor regarded the works of Shri. Rajiv Malhotra important to protect our knowledge systems, defending it from forces that attempt to destroy our unity in diversity.

Shri. Rajiv Malhotra spoke of the importance of identifying the persistent narrative based attack on India, especially in the academic circles. He opined that we may see several instances, events in the international intellectual arena that are Indiaphobic or Hinduphobic, but to perceive each of them as separate independent instances is a folly. He mentioned the importance of shaping our responses by going deeper into the origin of the problem, rather than giving different responses to different attacks. He gave several examples how his book Snakes in the Ganga goes deeper into the source of these attacks, its new formation, how they are being nurtured in the U.S, its funding and its reception in India among intellectual and bureaucratic circles, universities and other influential institutions. Smt. Vijaya Vishwanathan, who is also the co-author of the book, spoke about how the issue of National Security is beyond securing our borders. Threats to national security can even come in different ways, and the institutions producing ideas like think tanks, universities and other institutions should be watched across the globe.

The above presentations were followed by a vigorous question and answer session.