Nalanda is set to host a national-level, multidisciplinary cultural and intellectual programme that seeks to connect India’s rich linguistic, literary, cultural and intellectual heritage with contemporary contexts. Organised by Vishwarang, Bhopal, the programme will bring together academicians, writers, artists, translators, researchers and cultural practitioners from across the country.
The event will witness participation from representatives of several leading educational institutions, including Rabindranath Tagore University, Bhopal; Nalanda University; C. V. Raman University, Vaishali; AISECT University, Hazaribagh; Scope Global Skills University, Bhopal; C. V. Raman University, Bilaspur; C. V. Raman University, Khandwa; Gauhati University; IIT Kharagpur; Tripura University; Mizoram University; University of Delhi; Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU); University of Calcutta; Film and Television Institute of India; and Amity University, Gurugram.
The literary and cultural community will also be represented by eminent writers and thinkers including Nand Kishore Acharya, Arun Kamal, Alka Saraogi, A. Aravindakshan, Devendra Raj Ankur, Jitendra Srivastava, Jayant Parmar, Prafulla Shiledar, Yatindra Mishra, Soma Bandyopadhyay and Anant Vijay, among others.
Nalanda has been chosen as the venue not merely for its historical significance, but also for its enduring role as a symbol of the exchange of knowledge, ideas and culture between the Indian subcontinent and Asia. Against this historical backdrop, the programme will explore how India’s multilingual and multicultural heritage can serve as a foundation for new forms of cultural dialogue and intellectual collaboration in the contemporary world.
A key focus of the programme will be Indian knowledge traditions and education. Special sessions will explore Nalanda’s educational vision, research, multidisciplinary learning and India’s intellectual traditions. These discussions will examine the possibilities of creating meaningful dialogue between ancient Indian educational experiences and contemporary higher education.
Indian languages will receive special emphasis throughout the programme. Discussions will focus on the shared cultural foundations of South Asian languages, their interrelationships, and the cultural unity embedded within India’s linguistic diversity. Languages and literature of Northeast India will also receive special attention.
The programme will further examine literary translation across Indian languages, the relationship between language and tradition, and the role of translation in strengthening cultural dialogue among diverse Indian societies. Readings of translated works from Indian languages will also be organised.
Another important dimension will focus on India’s historical and contemporary relations with South and Southeast Asia. From Nalanda and ancient networks of trade and travel to cultural contacts and the exchange of ideas, the programme will explore India’s longstanding connections with Asia in a contemporary context. Discussions will also examine the interrelationship between trade, culture and sustainable development, including renewable energy, environmental balance, responsible enterprise and emerging concepts of development from a cultural perspective.
As part of the programme, Patna will host a special discussion on Rabindranath Tagore’s cultural consciousness and contribution, along with a painting exhibition and painting workshop.