A capacity building programme on cultural and political traditions in ancient and medieval India was organised by India Foundation between March 17 and 29, 2025, in academic collaboration with the Centre for Professional Development in Higher Education (CPDHE), University of Delhi, and sponsored by the Indian Council for Social Science Research (ICSSR). The programme witnessed the participation of 34 academics from across the country, chosen from a pool of over 40 candidates after a rigorous, comprehensive selection process. 31 speakers, including eminent experts on ancient and medieval Indian political thought and philosophy delivered engaging lectures and presentations on a wide range of topics like the political philosophy in Buddhist and Jain thought, the Mahabharata, Arthashastra, Sufi traditions, among several other themes. Sessions on research methodology and academic writing dealt with primary and secondary research, desk-based research, and coherent writing and argumentation.
The two-week-long capacity building programme was held in the Conference Hall of India Foundation’s office in the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi. Instead of focussing solely on thinkers from the North-West and the Indo-Gangetic plains, the programme encompassed thinkers who left their mark on a range of geographies: the programme dealt with the social and
The inaugural session was held on March 17, 2025, and addressed by Mr Sanjiv Sanyal, Member, EAC-PM, who discussed India’s intellectual and political heritage, tracing the historical evolution of governance in India. His lecture provided a comprehensive overview of the Indian theory of governance, emphasizing its continuity from ancient times to the modern era. Dr Ram Madhav, President, India Foundation, addressed the cohort on March 19, discussing the historical and philosophical underpinnings of India’s constitutional praxis, as well as the evolution of the idea of the nation in India. The valedictory session was conducted by Dr Sachchidanand Joshi, Member Secretary, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, on March 29, who underscored the richness of ancient and medieval Indian political traditions and the need for informing solutions to contemporary problems by insights from them.
In order to make the course more relevant and meaningful, guided tours of the delegates for the Prime Minister’s Museum and Library and the Parliament of India were organised by India Foundation.
