Past Events

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.

Join writer, historian and Gandhi biographer Dr. Ramachandra Guha for a conversation about Gandhi. Guha is the winner of the Fukuoka Prize for contributions to Asian studies. He is also the author of Times of London Book of the Decade, India After Gandhi. This event is organized by India Research @ University of Guelph, Bookshelf, and Planet Bean.

Join us for a lecture by writer and historian Ramachandra Guha. Guha is the winner of the Fukuoka Prize for contributions to Asian studies. He is also the author of Times of London Book of the Decade, India After Gandhi. Mahatma Gandhi is known for having led the Indian struggle for freedom, for promoting inter-faith harmony and for inventing the techniques of non-violent civil disobedience.

Join us for an interactive session with Mr. Vikas Swarup, High Commissioner of India to Canada. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Mr. Swarup has served in diplomatic assignments in Ankara, Washington DC, Addis Ababa, London, Pretoria and Osaka­-Kobe. After serving as Joint Secretary United Nations (Political), he was appointed the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs in April 2015 in which capacity he was serving until being appointed as the High Commissioner of India to Canada.

Join us for a talk by Palagummi Sainath on the agrarian crisis, farmer suicides and family dynamics in India. Sainath is an Indian journalist and photojournalist who focuses on social and economic inequality, rural affairs, poverty and the aftermath of globalization in India. He is the founding editor of the People's Archive of Rural India. Organized by the Canada Research Chair in Gender, Justice and Development.