In a thought-provoking discussion on the future of India and Hindus, This talk highlights the contrasting views of the two authors. While one author’s book instils hope for a mature dharmic state and India’s rise, the other author’s book presents a fearsome case for Hindus. In the context of the celebrated Pran Pratistha at the Ayodhya Ram Mandir and PM Modi’s potential comeback, one can find here a discussion of various topics related to Indian politics, including the future of the Hindu community, the Modi government’s stance on Hinduism, the Kashmiri Hindu Exodus, the problem of leftist rhetoric and hypocrisy, the geopolitical impact of the Modi government, the role of history and its interpretation by leftists, and the concept of secularism in India. Let us understand here how Nehruvian secularism is a farce and true secularism lies in the civilizational ethos of India.
About The Speakers:
Rahul Shivshankar: He is an Indian journalist and an Indian TV anchor who worked as the editor-in-chief at Times Now. Before joining Times Now, He worked in print and TV journalism. Currently, He is working as a consulting editor at CNN-News18.
Anand Ranganathan: Anand Ranganathan obtained his BSc (Hons) degree in Chemistry from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, after which he went on a scholarship to Cambridge, UK, where he obtained his BA (Tripos) in Natural Sciences, his MA, and his PhD. After a post-doctoral stint at Cambridge, Anand returned to India to join International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Delhi, where he ran his lab for 16 years as a Staff Research Scientist. In 2015 he joined the Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi and became a full Professor in 2019. His laboratory works in the area of Directed Evolution and Pathogenesis, with special emphasis on Tuberculosis and Malaria. Scientific contributions from Anand’s lab have been published in peer-reviewed journals like The Journal of Biological Chemistry, Chemistry & Biology, The Journal of Infectious Diseases, Journal of Clinical Investigation, and Nature Communications. Anand Ranganathan writes and appears frequently on television debates, on Politics, Media, and Science. His columns have appeared in Swarajya, DNA, NL, Firstpost, and Quartz. He is also the Consulting Editor of Swarajya. Anand has authored five books: The Land of the Wilted Rose (Rupa, 2012); For Love and Honour (Bloomsbury, 2015); The Rat Eater (Bloomsbury, 2019; co-authored); Soufflé (Penguin, 2023); and Hindus in Hindu Rashtra (BlueOne Ink, 2023). His forthcoming book is on India’s Forgotten Scientists (Penguin, 2024; co-authored).
Aabhas Maldahiyar: Aabhas Maldahiyar, an Architect and Urban-Designer, amalgamates an intense love for History with captivating storytelling. He champions the seamless fusion of History and Architecture, recognizing their intrinsic connection in narrative creation. His architectural masterpieces, envisioned as repositories of future stories, ignite his diverse literary odyssey, spanning Marxist and Ex-Marxist phases. Initially embracing Marxism in architecture school, a visit to Ajanta’s caves ignited a profound transformation. Shifting from Marxist literature to crafting fiction inspired by the Red Ideology, he delved deeper into the realms of History and Politics. His inaugural nonfiction, Modi Again: An Ex-Communist’s Manifesto (2019), chronicles his remarkable journey. Babur: The Chessboard King stands as the inaugural volume in his forthcoming series on ‘Timurid Gūrkāniyān’ (erroneously known as Mughals), founded on primary sources. A skilled reader of Persian manuscripts, Aabhas offers a distinctive lens to historical narratives.
