International Seminar on Kautilya

Programme

0900- 0930 Registration and tea

0930- 1000 Inaugural Session

Welcome Remarks by Dr Arvind Gupta, Director General (DG) IDSA
Keynote Address by Shri Shivshankar Menon, National Security Adviser

1000-1130 Session I- Revisiting Issues from Text

Chair: K. Srinivasan
Presenters: (1 and 2 via Skype)

1. Prof Patrick Olivelle:
   (a) “What are the issues of Ecology and the Management of Natural Resources in Kautilya's Arthaśāstra?”
   b) The concept of "outwitting" (atisaṃdhāna): the heart of Kauṭilyan strategy and diplomacy”
   Professor of Sanskrit and Indian Religions and the Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at the University of Texas at Austin, USA. [Watch Video]
2. Dr Mark McClish, "Strategic Partnerships in Kauṭilyan Foreign Policy”, Assistant Professor of Religion, Birmingham-Southern College, Birmingham, Alabama , USA [Watch Video]
3. Mr Michael Liebig, “The Kautilya-Arthashastra and Core Concepts of Intelligence Analysis”, doctoral candidate , Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany [Watch Video]

1130-1145 Tea

1145-1315 Session II Issues of Culture, Leadership and Strategy

Chair: A.N.D. Haksar
Presenters:

1. Prof Rashed- Uz- Zaman, “What is the understanding of strategic culture when seen from the perspective of South Asian subcontinent? Is there any evidence of the Arthasastra in political behaviour?”, Dept of IR Dhaka University, Bangladesh [Watch Video]
2. Dr Shubhada Joshi, “Enlightened leadership – The concept of RAJARISHI from Arthashastra”, Director General - Chanakya Institute of Public leadership (CIPL) Professor & Head, Dept of Philosophy, University of Mumbai [Watch Video]
3. Dr Radhakrishnan Pillai, “Application of Chanakya’s Saptanga model in modern warfare strategy”, Director, CIPL, Dept of Philosophy, University of Mumbai [Watch Video]

1315-1415 Lunch

1415-1545 Session III- Issues of Negotiations and Interpretation

Chair: Kalyan Raman
Presenters (4 to be read out):

1. Dr Medha Bisht, “Bargaining and Negotiation Analysis: Lessons from Arthashastra”, Associate Professor, South Asian University, New Delhi [Watch Video]
2. Dr Jayashree Vivekanandan, 'Does Indian IR have a History? Seeking Answers in the Arthashastra', Associate Professor, South Asian University, New Delhi [Watch Video]
3. Col PK Gautam(Retd), “Composition of the Army- Then and Now”, Research Fellow, IDSA [Watch Video]
4. Dr Balbir Singh Sihag, “Kautilya on Far-sight, Foresight and Freedom”, Professor Emeritus of Economics, University of Massachusetts, USA (to be read by Saurabh Mishra)

1545-1640 Session IV – Future Studies and Next Steps

Chair: Dr Arvind Gupta, DG, IDSA
Input and Suggestions for further research in Open House Discussion

1640- 1645 Vote of Thanks by P.K. Gautam, Research Fellow, IDSA, Convener

1645 -1700 Tea

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Press Release [+]

Event Photographs [+]