Commemorating six decades of elite scholarship and intellectual discourse, the prestigious Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS), Rashtrapati Niwas, opened its five-day Diamond Jubilee Week on October 11, 2026. Designed to connect academic rigor with public interest, the festivities integrate history, the Bharatiya Knowledge System, visual arts, and literature through curated events running through October 15.
The opening day featured a landmark lecture by Padma Prof. Raghuvendra Tanwar, Chairman of the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR), who delivered a meticulous examination of the history and historicity of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh. Presided over by world-renowned Kathak exponent and Padma Shri Shovana Narayan, the session emphasized evidence-based historical inquiry over mere chronological narration. Narayan also inaugurated “Bharatiya Forms, Expressions and Consciousness,” a solo art exhibition by Nisha Jaiswal celebrating Indian epic lore and civilisational memory.
Strengthening its academic offerings, the Institute launched the IIAS Digitised Rare Manuscripts Library Portal, dedicated to preserving traditional texts and offering global researchers open digital access. Additionally, the opening ceremony marked the release of Rethinking History of Punjab in the Indian Civilisational Context, edited by former Fellow Prof. Ravinder Singh. Alongside these events, a major national book fair showcasing top publishers was opened to the public with free admission. Welcoming guests, IIAS Director Prof. Himanshu Kumar Chaturvedi stressed that the Diamond Jubilee serves not just to celebrate institutional history, but to bridge scholarly research with societal engagement.
Sponsored
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
