Vimarsh
Strategizing Jammu & Kashmir Policy : Factoring in the past Experience & Future Portents with Shri Arif Mohammed Khan

Veteran leader and former Union Minister for Civil Aviation and Energy Shri Arif Mohammed Khan was invited to speak at Vimarsha of April 2011. Shri Khan spoke on "Strategizing Jammu & Kashmir Policy: Factoring in the past Experience & Future Portents".

Globalisation and National Identities with Dr. Lokesh Chandra

Vimarsha of March 2011 saw eminent scholar of Buddhist and Cultural studies Dr. Lokesh Chandra speak on ‘Globalisation and National Identities’. While introducing the speaker, VIF Director Shri Ajit Doval observed that the selected topic was of great relevance to us – as a nation, as a civil society as well as a civilisation.

India Grows at Night when the Government Sleeps with Shri Gurcharan Das

Vimarsha - A talk on 'India Grows at Night when the Government Sleeps' by Shri Gurcharan Das.

India’s Role in Emerging Paradigm: A talk with Ma. P. Parameshwaranji, President of Vivekananda Kendra

Salient excerpts of the speech by Ma. P. Parameshwaranji, President of Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari at Vivekananda International Foundation, New Delhi on 25th October 2010. Paradigm is among those alien idioms which enter our discourse carrying certain baggages with them and limit and condition our thinking. They force us to restructure our thinking, mind set and traditional and inborn character. Being in regular contact with other cultures and nations, this is inevitable. Moreover, unlike in the past now changes are cataclysmic.

Vision India 2025: Need for Legal, Judicial and Constitutional Reforms with Mr Sorabjee

VIF Director Mr Ajit Doval welcomed the gathering with an appetising statement that changing situations require new paradigms and increasing conflicts can be resolved through laws. Mr Sorabjee began his talk by outlining the grand vision of the founding fathers of the constitution to eradicate poverty, hunger and exploitation and render justice to all, which are enshrined in the Preamble of the Constitution. He defined governance as the qualitative assumptions about protecting the fundamental rights of the citizens enshrined in the constitution.

The Ayodhya debate was unnecessary a talk by Shri. Koenraad Elst

The Ayodhya debate was unnecessary: Koenraad Elst The talk ‘Ayodhya Verdict : How the History will judge it?’ was delivered by Shri Koenraad Elst, the noted indologist and historian, at Vivekananda International Foundation on 14th December 2010 as part of its monthly talk series Vimarsha. The function was presided by Shri. K.N. Bhat, the eminent lawyer who represented the Ram Lala Virajman, (the deity at Ayodhya temple), in the Ayodhya title suit in Allahabad High court.

Education As A Fudamental Right And Means To Nation Building: A talk by Mr. Sushil Tripathi, former Secretary Education

Mr. Sushil Tripathi, former Secretary Education spoke on the subject of “Education as a Fundamental Right and Means to Nation Building”, at the VIF Auditorium on 28 September 2010. Introducing the speaker and the subject, the Director, Mr. Doval said the real power of a nation today is measured in terms of knowledge. Education bridges the gap between being and becoming. Today, the country is seized with the idea of giving a new impetus to education.

Vimarsha on : Importance of Governance in India’s Future with Dr. Mahesh N Buch

The eminent and highly respected Civil Servant, Dr. Mahesh N Buch gave a very spirited talk on the Importance of Governance in India’s Future, at the VIF Auditorium on 30 Aug 10. He highlighted the role of decisive leaders like Margaret Thatcher who displayed the will to govern. He lamented that in India, slogans have replaced programmes. He spoke of his extensive stints as an Administrator in the tribal Bastar regions and highlighted the painful lack of delivery and development.

CIVILISATIONAL IMPERATIVES & INDIA'S NATION BUILDING a talk with Mr Jagmohan, the fiesty former governor of J&K

Mr Jagmohan, the fiesty former governor of J&K gave an impassioned talk on Civilisational Imperatives and India's Nation Building at the VIF on 29 July,2010. He defined civilisation as the manifestation of the intellectual, cultural, social and moral attainments of a community. He then evaluated India's civilisational developement in these terms. Very pertinently he asked- the freedom struggle had thrown up a large number of stalwarts and great leaders. Why have we failed to produce great thinkers and reformers in the post- independence era? He dilated upon his own efforts for reforming the Vaishno Devi Shrine which today attracts over 80 lakh pilgrims a year (up from just 5 lakhs in 1990) and to encourage research on the Saraswati River and Vedic civilisation. He spoke of the need to revisit the core of Hinduism - that life is all divinity and we are aspects of that divinity. There is a need to go back to the Vedic/Upanishadic roots of Hinduism today and purge it of subsequent malpractices/distorted customs.

Corruption in India and the role of the investigative agencies

“To stem out corruption, the anti-corruption bodies should be empowered and the investigating agencies freed from executive control”, suggested B R Lall while delivering the monthly talk Vimarsh at VIF on the ‘Role of Investigating Agencies in Combating Corruption’. Noted columnist S. Gurumurthy gave an overview of the level of corruption in the Indian system and presented a detailed account of the ‘2G Spectrum Scam’ involving senior ministers, bureaucrats and private companies. He claimed that a systemic deficiency in pursuing corruption is on account and it is the manifestation of power of the corrupt and corruptor on the entire system. Political corruption, Gurumurthy added, can be reduced if politicians maintain honesty and probity in public life for which they can be accountable, thereafter.

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