The 27th Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Memorial Lecture was held in a dignified atmosphere at the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, located at Rashtrapati Nivas. On the occasion, a newly curated “Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore Photo Gallery” was also inaugurated within the Institute campus. The programme was chaired by Professor Shashi Prabha Kumar, Chairperson of IIAS, while the memorial lecture was delivered by Arindam Chakrabarti, Oxford-trained philosopher and Distinguished Professor at Ashoka University, Sonipat.
Welcoming the guests, Director of IIAS Professor Himanshu Kumar Chaturvedi highlighted the intellectual legacy of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and the global relevance of Indian philosophical traditions. He noted that the memorial lecture series serves as an important platform for eminent scholars from India and abroad to engage in contemporary intellectual discussions.
The theme of this year’s lecture was “Humanity as the Heart and Honey of All Living Beings: The Idealistic Realism of Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upanishad.” In his address, Professor Chakrabarti presented a philosophical interpretation of the Madhukāṇḍa of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, exploring the relationship between idealism and realism. Referring to the Advaita philosophy of Adi Shankaracharya, the transcendental idealism of Immanuel Kant, and the humanistic thought of Rabindranath Tagore, he emphasized that the concepts of humanity and coexistence hold a central place in the Indian philosophical tradition.
Professor Chakrabarti also highlighted contemporary global challenges such as political tensions, economic inequality, and environmental crises, stating that philosophical perspectives rooted in humanity have become increasingly relevant in today’s world. He described the pluralistic and integrative vision of the Upanishads as highly significant for modern global discourse.
In her presidential address, Professor Shashi Prabha Kumar spoke about the intellectual legacy of Dr. Radhakrishnan and the enduring relevance of Indian philosophical traditions worldwide. She observed that institutions like IIAS serve not only as centres of research and academic activity but also as platforms for promoting India’s knowledge traditions, human values, and intercultural dialogue.
During the event, the Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore Photo Gallery was formally inaugurated. The gallery has been developed as a special exhibition space dedicated to the life, ideas, and creative contributions of Tagore. It features rare photographs capturing different phases of his life, his interactions with prominent personalities of his time, and his participation in international intellectual and cultural gatherings. A section of the gallery showcases Tagore’s literary, artistic, and theatrical works, while another highlights his educational experiments and cultural initiatives at Santiniketan and Sriniketan.
The programme was attended by Fellows and Associates of the Institute, senior administrative officials, academicians from Himachal Pradesh University, and several distinguished scholars and intellectuals from across the state.
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
