National Seminar on Kautliya’s Arthasastra

SESSIONS

0900- 0930 Registration

0930- 1000 Inaugural Session

• Welcome Remarks by Dr Arvind Gupta, DG IDSA [Watch Video]
• Keynote Address by Shri Shivshankar Menon, National Security Adviser [Watch Video]

1000-1015 Tea Break

1015- 1130 Session I-Discourse on International Relations and Strategic Culture

Chair: Dr Kalyan Raman, Research Fellow , IDSA

1. Dr Jayashree Vivekanandan: “What is the role of historical texts such as the Arthasastra in the formulation of Indian strategic traditions?”, Assistant Professor, South Asian University, author of Interrogating International Relations: India’s Strategic Practice and the Return of History, New Delhi, Routledge, 2011 [Watch Video]
2. Dr Medha Bisht: “What are the nuances that may be missing   in the Western discourse on IR as existing in Arthasastra?”, Assistant Professor, South Asian University and former Associate Fellow at IDSA [Watch Video]
3. Wing Commander G. Adityakiran: “Exploring the concepts of Grand Strategy and strategic planning in Kautilya's Arthasastra through a hermeneutical lens”, Instructor, teaches Kautilya at Defence Service Staff College, Wellington, Tamil Nadu [Watch Video]

1130-1300 Session II- Issues of Strategy, Art and Laws of War

Chair: Lt Gen (Retd) Satish Nambiar, Distinguished Fellow, IDSA

1. Prof. Radhakrishnan Pillai: “A relook at various powers used in military strategy in Arthasastra”, Dept. of Philosophy, Bombay University, Head of Chanakya Institute for Public Leadership and author of Corporate Chanakya [Watch Video]
2. Group Captain Vinay Vittal: “Counter Insurgency Strategy”, M. Phil. dissertation on Kautilya at School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, US. Pursuing Ph.D. on Kautilya from School of International Studies, JNU [Watch Video]
3. Wing Commander U.C. Jha(retd.): “ Means and methods of warfare: Kautilya and Contemporary Laws of Armed Conflict ” , Ph D in Law and Governance from JNU and author International Humanitarian Law: The Laws of War (2011) [Watch Video]
4. Col Harjeet Singh( Retd): “Military Adages and Stratagems in the Kautilya Arthaśāstra ”, author The Military Strategy of the Arthaśāstra [Watch Video]

1300-1400 Lunch

1400-1500 Session III-Education and Training on Kautilya Today

Chair: Shri K. Srinivasan, former IG BSF, Now IG CRPF for Intelligence.

Lectured in Sanskrit prior to joining BSF in mid 1970s.

1. Dr. UC Thapliyal : “Status of education and teaching on Kautilya in Indian universities( including departments of Sanskrit) and other Institutions”, former Director, History Division, Ministry of Defence, author of books/edited chapters on military during Kautilyan period [Watch Video]
2. Prof. Shubhada Joshi: “Vidyasamuddesha: Its relevance in contemporary education: Defence and Development”, Head of Department of Philosophy, University of Mumbai. She is heading the major research project on 'Kautilya’s Arthasastra and good governance' at the University of Mumbai which trains young boys and girls in study of Arthashastra [Watch Video]

1500 -1515 Tea

1515 -1655 Session IV–Discussion and Suggestions

Chair: Dr Arvind Gupta, DG, IDSA

1. P.K. Gautam: “One Year of Arthasastra : Response , Pedagogy and Research”, Research Fellow at IDSA, author IDSA monograph One Hundred Years of Kautilya’s Arthasastra and convener of the seminar. [Watch Video]
2. All invited speakers to give suggestions for five minutes each
3. Observations of Discussant and Moderator, Dr Krishnendu Ray, Department of History, University of Calcutta, author “Varieties of Sandhis and Varieties of Mitras: An understanding through text(fortcoming)”

1655-1700 Vote of Thanks by Col P.K. Gautam(Retd), Research Fellow, IDSA, Convener

Event photographs [+]

Press Release [+]