INVITATION TO THE FIRST AK RAMANUJAN LECTURE AND SEMINAR
The History Society Ramjas College, University of Delhi invites you to a National Seminar, ‘Speaking with Ramanujan’, to be held in the College Auditorium on March 21, 2012, 9.45 am onwards.
This seminar is being organized in light of the recent decision of the Academic Council of Delhi University to exile AK Ramanujan’s scholarly essay, ‘300 Ramayanas’ from the Undergraduate syllabus of the University, and in appreciation of the vast range and depth of AK Ramanujan’s intellectual contributions. The seminar will underline the significance of Ramanujan’s work for the Humanities and the Social Sciences and its importance for the understanding of India’s histories and cultures.
Shri Girish Karnad will deliver the First AK Ramanujan Lecture. This shall be preceded by the screening of a documentary film ‘Kanaka Purandara’, made by Shri Karnad in 1988. This film draws heavily on AK Ramanujan’s prefaces to Speaking of Siva and Hymns for the Drowning. The screening and lecture will be followed by a discussion initiated by Profs. Kumkum Roy and Udaya Kumar, and Dastangoi-‘Dastan Jai Ram Ji Ki’, by Mahmood Farooqui and Danish Husain. The day will end with Bindhumalini from Bangalore and Vedanth from Chennai singing songs written by India’s mystic poets.
This effort is generously supported by the ICHR, the IIAS, Shimla, The School of Liberal Studies and The School of Undergraduate Studies, Ambedkar University Delhi, the Department of Hindi Deshbandhu College, and the Departments of History Jamia Millia Islamia, Miranda House, Zakir Hussain College (evening) and Indraprastha College.
We look forward to seeing you at Ramjas on March 21.
