Past Events

After the abolition of indenture in 1917, many repatriated ex-indentured Indian labourers faced marginalization and ostracization within India. Indian diaspora communities, ocean-crossing activists and nationalists within India debated how best to balance pressure from white settler governments to systematically deport Indians, and from plantation colony governments to recruit a steady stream of Indian labourers. Guest speaker: Heena Mistry, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Training Specialist, Wilfrid Laurier University.

The Canada India Research Centre for Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) presents a book panel on Caring for Glaciers: Land, Animals, and Humanity in the Himalayas (2019) by Prof. Karine Gagné of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Guelph. Featured panelists:

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indian government imposed a stringent national lockdown from March 24 to May 31 that caused severe disruptions across agrifood supply chains.  Agrifood markets in India in urban and rural areas constitute a mosaic of diverse actors and tend to be highly fragmented. How did this complex system cope in the wake of lockdown? Find out in this webinar, hosted by the Canada India Research Centre for Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at the University of Guelph.

The webinar will focus on migration trajectories, educational experiences and economic outcomes of Indian international students in Canada. Guest Speakers Dr. Binod Khadria, Professor of Economics and Education, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi Dr. Sutama Ghosh, Associate Professor, Department of Geography & Environmental Studies, Ryerson University Dr. Margaret Walton-Roberts, Professor, Geography and Environmental Studies, Wilfred Laurier University

This webinar will focus on the failures of the central and state governments in India in protecting the migrants during the COVID-19 lockdown and beyond. It will also review the economic package announced by the Government of India and its impact on return migrants. Guest speaker: S. Irudaya Rajan, Professor, Centre for Development Studies, Kerala Presented by the Canada India Research Centre for Learning and Engagement.

This webinar focuses on the ecology of practices known as jugaad — common improvisations and 'workarounds' used differently by elites and subaltern peoples in India. Jugaad ecologies are crucial to social reproduction and to governance, business and management practices, shaping the very logistics of India cities like Mumbai. The session will explore the adaptation of this complex ecology in a post COVID-19 context. Presented by the Canada India Research Centre for Learning and Engagement and the International Institute of Critical Studies in Improvisation.

The coronavirus pandemic and the extended lockdown have hit India hard. The country has struggled to scale-up testing and deliver care in both public and private sectors. In this webinar, the speakers will discuss India's lack of investment in health and how that made the country vulnerable to the pandemic and its impact, and outline potential strategies for rebuilding the fragmented health system.

This is the second film in a specially curated series of video presentations by the Canada India Research Centre for Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) re-introducing India and its diversity. Pather Panchali (119 mins.) was selected by Bill Barrett, founded of Planet Bean Coffee in Guelph. Back in 1984, Bill helped get the Guelph International Film Festival off the ground. This was how he first experienced the expceptional work of filmmaker Satyajit Ray.

This is the first in a specially curated series of video presentations (re)introducing India in all its diversity. Cooking with Stella (104 mins.) was selected by Vijay Nair, University of Guelph Executive Chef. Vijay hails from Kerala, India. He worked in various hotels and cruise ships before joining the university in 2011 to lead the kitchen team. Vijay will introduce the film and happily answer questions about the film and (Indian) cooking post-screening.

Welcoming Vikas Swarup, High Commissioner of India to Canada, who will speak about the relevance of Mahatma Gandhi in the 21st century.