Vivekananda International Foundation | Seeking Harmony in Diversity

The Challenges of Secularism and Governance in Nepal

Nepal, a nation with deep-rooted cultural traditions, was declared a secular state in 2008 after centuries as a Hindu kingdom. This transformation, driven by ideals of equality and inclusivity, was expected to unify the country’s various religious...

December 9 , 2024

Discussion on Hindutva and Secularism

On 7th June 2023, Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) organised a Vimarsh public lecture on ‘Hindutva and Religion’ by Prof. Arvind Sharma. Prof. Sharma, formerly of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), is the Birks Professor of...

August 25 , 2023

Modi Heralds a New Narrative for India

Prime Minster Modi’s seminal speech on the occasion of Ram Mandir Bhumi Poojan at Ayodhya on 5 August 2020 had several messages which need to be understood and analysed. The start of the construction of the Ram temple is a watershed moment in...

August 7 , 2020

Jesus as a Third Candidate in the US elections

In the last 30 or so years the importance of Jesus in US elections has increased substantially. This is in a situation where Christianity– in the church going /family values sense– has seen a decline. The number of birth out of wedlock has increased...

May 12 , 2016

Bangladesh - Politics of Confrontation: Political Deadlock

Bangladesh’s tryst with democracy began a new chapter in the nation’s history when the newly independent nation adopted its first Constitution in 1972 with the tenets of nationalism, democracy, socialism and secularism. The then political...

October 14 , 2015