Inaugural session (chief guest: Dr.Mallika Sarabhai)
Dr. Mallika Sarabhai, noted danseuse and activist, challenges us to rethink assumptions about what constitutes this nation space. She demonstrates that many of the traditions and practices that are said to give India its indigenous identity are really a result of its historical encounter with other civilizations. Instead of celebrating these as symbols of an 'authentic' Indian-ness, it is important to recognize the syncretism essential to the Indian experience. On the other hand, such syncretism is not be confused with the blind adoption of derivative, ecologically unsuitable, and undesirable modes of living that have become popular in the wake of globalization.
