NEW DELHI/PANJIM: Top political leaders and decision makers, intellectuals, journalists and foreign dignitaries will be discussing dissent in India after 70 years of Independence, specifically in defence, governance and education, at the third edition of India Ideas Conclave in Goa from November 4 to 6.
The conclave is hosted by India Foundation, known as a non-political voice of the right wing in India. It describes itself on its website as an “independent think tank that focuses on the issues, challenges and opportunities of the Indian polity.”
The website says the foundation is bringing together a luminaries of policy-makers and public intellectuals from India and abroad for exchange of ideas and opinions in a candid and scholarly atmosphere. Around 350 have accepted the invitation and they include government and corporate leaders, scholars, journalists, politicians and social activists.
This time the conclave will be devoted to discussions on democracy, development and dissent in India as also the role of social media, youth perspectives and the nature of the nationalist narrative.
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu will chair the inaugural session while BJP President will deliver the keynote address. A highlight of the conclave is a video address by Dalai Lama. The high-profile personalities joining the conclave include former Nepal PM Sher Bahadur Deuba, defence miniser Manohar Parrikar, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, MoS external affairs M J Akbar and MoS civil aviation Jayant Sinha.
Veteran journalists such as Swapan Dasgupta and Tavleen Singh will address the sessions. Other intellectuals participating in the discussions include Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) vice-chancellor M Jagadeesh Kumar, columnist Tarek Fatah and authors Aatish Taseer and Tufail Ahmad.
