BIC TALKS

Justice BV Nagarathna made a key note address during an event on a curated volume of essays, Constitutional Ideals: Development and Realisation Through Court-led Justice in May 2023. This episode of BIC Talks is an extract from this key note address.

Justice Nagarathna reflects on certain basic ideals secured in the Constitution and indicates their value in present times, while stressing seven essential ideals necessary for a thriving democracy: elections, parliamentary proceedings, public debates, a strong opposition, autonomous institutions, free speech within reasonable bounds, and government functioning within the bounds of the law.

She discusses various key constitutional ideals, including federalism, inter-institutional balance, separation of powers, and the independence of institutions, especially the judiciary. Emphasising the importance of citizen-centric ideals like justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity, she points out that there is still room for courts to recognize more rights.

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The BIC series, My Guru, My Art takes an intimate look at the Guru-Shishya tradition and hopes to capture for posterity the stories of how the magic is created. Conversations between two artistes, Guru and Shishya, will explore their personal histories of learning a classical art form, sharing memories of interactions with their teachers, inspirations, influences, anecdotes of compositions and teaching moments, punctuated by music to illustrate the stories.

In this episode of BIC Talks Vidushi Aditi Kaikini Upadhya and her disciple Priya Purushothaman reflect on the Guru-Shishya tradition within their rich musical parampara. Tracing back to Pandit Bhatkhande, Pandit SN Ratanjankar, and Pandit Dinkar Kaikini, this musical lineage is known for scholarship, composition, and an intentional pedagogical approach.

Aditiji shares her thoughts about the nature of taalim and the rigorous training she received from her gurus, Smt Shashikala Kaikini and Pandit Dinkar Kaikini. In dialogue with Priya, she discusses her shishya's taalim experience and how this process takes shape in the modern day.

Along with conversation and anecdotes, this episode will showcase special compositions and musical exchanges that highlight the way creative knowledge is transferred in this art form.

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The Guru-Shishya Parampara has been integral to the learning of Indian classical dance. It is a deeply immersive and rigorous tradition that holds its own even in the modern context. A profound bond forms between teacher and student, through which both a way of life, and the practice and knowledge of art, is transmitted. The Guru goes beyond merely imparting technicalities and nuances to shape and hone the Shishya's voice and their artistic identity.

The Shishya becomes part of a lineage going back to the Guru's Gurus and carries this tradition to a new generation of artists and audiences. In this episode of BIC Talks, Pandit Vinayaka Torvi and Dhananjay Hegde discuss their artistic journeys.

This event took place at the BIC premises in June 2023.

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In the third and final episode of Being a Present Parent, Gauri and Tena talk about intersectionality and feminist motherhood. They explore how class, caste and gender impact motherhood and mothering in urban Indian lives. They discuss the challenges of carrying the load of parenting and household responsibilities, how to navigate the help we in a way that promotes equity and empowerment for all involved.

The Series:

Parenting can be one of those challenges in life that never has any right answers. How do you enable another person to live up to their full potential in a healthy way while being mindful of their individuality and personality as well as taking care of yourself? Some have called it the ultimate crash course in adulting.

A large number of us have come to understand equity, equality and feminism later in life and are finding ways to live them now, including in the way we speak and work with our children.

What does feminist parenting look like? We seek answers in this three-part podcast series of BIC Talks. In this mini-series, we have Educator and Head of CSR, DXC India, Gauri Bhure Roy, and Tena Pick, Social Impact Consultant and Founder of Project Kal, taking us through the journey of feminist parenting. Gauri and Tena are co-founders of the feminist parenting collective, Parenthesis India.

The third and final episode, Gauri and Tena talk about intersectionality and feminist motherhood. They explore how class, caste and gender impact motherhood and mothering in urban Indian lives. They discuss the challenge of carrying the load of parenting and household responsibilities and navigate the help we have in a way that promotes equity and empowerment for all involved.

Subscribe to the BIC Talks Podcast on your favourite podcast app! BIC Talks is available everywhere, including iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Castbox, Overcast and Stitcher.

In the second episode of Being a Present Parent, our speakers Tena and Gauri reflect on the trends, surprises and lessons learnt from a year of circles and workshops on topics such as sex and post-partum, trauma and vocabulary, birth and autonomy, and medical science's approach to obstetrics and gynaecology while they share personal stories and insights.

The Series:

Parenting can be one of those challenges in life that never has any right answers. How do you enable another person to live up to their full potential in a healthy way while being mindful of their individuality and personality as well as taking care of yourself? Some have called it the ultimate crash course in adulting.

A large number of us have come to understand equity, equality and feminism later in life and are finding ways to live them now, including in the way we speak and work with our children.

What does feminist parenting look like? We seek answers in this three-part podcast series of BIC Talks. In this mini-series, we have Educator and Head of CSR, DXC India, Gauri Bhure Roy, and Tena Pick, Social Impact Consultant and Founder of Project Kal, taking us through the journey of feminist parenting. Gauri and Tena are co-founders of the feminist parenting collective, Parenthesis India.

Subscribe to the BIC Talks Podcast on your favourite podcast app! BIC Talks is available everywhere, including iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Castbox, Overcast and Stitcher.

Parenting can be one of those challenges in life that never has any right answers. How do you enable another person to live up to their full potential in a healthy way while being mindful of their individuality and personality as well as taking care of yourself? Some have called it the ultimate crash course in adulting.

A large number of us have come to understand equity, equality and feminism later in life and are finding ways to live them now, including in the way we speak and work with our children.

What does feminist parenting look like? We seek answers in this three-part podcast series of BIC Talks. In this mini-series, we have Educator and Head of CSR, DXC India, Gauri Bhure Roy, and Tena Pick, Social Impact Consultant and Founder of Project Kal, taking us through the journey of feminist parenting. Gauri and Tena are co-founders of the feminist parenting collective, Parenthesis India.

Subscribe to the BIC Talks Podcast on your favourite podcast app! BIC Talks is available everywhere, including iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Castbox, Overcast and Stitcher.

The book "Memories in the Service of the Hindu Nation: The Afterlife of the Partition" by anthropologist Dr. Pranav Kohli presents the findings of an extensive ethnographic study conducted over fourteen months, focusing on survivors of the Partition from west Punjab and the North-West Frontier Province. The research was conducted in Delhi and its surroundings between 2017 and 2018. The author explores the connection between the global rise of far-right nationalism, the process of globalization, and the memories of victimhood. Specifically, the book delves into Hindu nationalism in India, shedding light on the tragic consequences that can arise from a history of trauma.

The central question posed by the book and this conversation with Pranav Kohli and writer, researcher and lawyer Prannv Dhawan is: "What does it mean to remember the Partition in the time of fascism?" Kohli and Dhawan discuss the experiences of displacement and everyday violence resulting from the political policies of Partition, drawing relevance to the current global context of forced displacement across national borders.

Through an analysis of trauma reincription in Partition memories and its correlation to the justifications of contemporary Hindu nationalist violence, Kohli elucidates the cycles of violence and the ways in which Hindu nationalism shapes the narratives of Hindu Partition survivors.

By examining the deployment of memory to reinforce notions of national belonging and exclusion, Kohli contributes to the understanding of the increasing xenophobia in multicultural democracies. The book addresses the perplexing phenomenon of how "mob" violence can be attributed to outsiders without individuals recalling or acknowledging their own acts of violence.

In this episode of BIC Talks Dhawan speaks to Kohli about his analysis, linking memory, sacrifice, and theodicy, offering a novel conceptual lens to connect the Partition of India in 1947 with contemporary homegrown Hindu fascism and provides thought-provoking ground work to anthropologists studying religion, nationalism, and memory, as well as researchers focusing on modern Indian cultural politics.

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The Shaolin monks of the legendary monastery in China are famous for their skills in Kung Fu. However, Shaolin Kung Fu isn't just a martial art but a specific way of life and conduct that can be applied effectively in any professional or personal context.

The real secret of the Shaolin monks' success isn't their physical abilities. Rather it is their way of thinking that makes them invincible. Business mentor Bernhard Moestl, who learned from the Shaolin monks and is today an instructor reveals for the first time the Shaolin principle of 'mind power'.

This talk was part of Bangalore Literature Festival 2022

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Delving into the intricate world of storytelling, author and historian Anirudh Kanisetti and author Vikram Chandra explore the fundamental questions that intrigue both readers and writers alike: How are stories told? How do they come to be? And where do these wisps of memory and words find the kernels to sprout from?

Drawing upon his own journey and experiences, Vikram shares insights into his literary beginnings and the unique methods he employs in his writing. This episode of BIC Talks unveils the rich tapestry of storytelling, providing a glimpse into the creative process and the possible sources that inspire authors to weave narratives that resonate with readers.

Adapted from a session held at the Bangalore Literature Festival 2022, this dialogue offers a thought-provoking exploration of the art of storytelling, appealing to both literature enthusiasts and aspiring writers seeking to unravel the mysteries behind the birth of tales.

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An ethnographic study of Indian democracy that shows how agrarian life creates values of citizenship and active engagement that are essential for the cultivation of democracy, Cultivating Democracy provides a compelling ethnographic analysis of the relationship between formal political institutions and everyday citizenship in rural India.

Dr. Mukulika Banerjee draws on deep engagement with the people and social life in two West Bengal villages between 1998 and 2013 to show how the micro-politics of their day-to-day life builds active engagement with the macro-politics of the state. Her sensitive analysis focuses on several "events" in the life of the villages shows how India's agrarian rural society helps create practices and conceptual space for citizens to be effective participants in India's great democratic exercises.

In this episode of BIC Talks, Dr. Banerjee, social anthropologist, scholar and author engages in a coversation with scholar and economist Dr. Vijayendra Rao on the various facets of a functioning democracy and lessons the urban set ups can learn from rural governance.

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