Author Pankaj Mishra (left) made a special presentaion Monday evening along with IDRC president David Malone to mark the 25th anniversary of the IDRC’s work with Indian researchers.
The International Development Research Centre hosted controversial Indian essayist Pankaj Mishra Monday night, concluding the centre's series of lectures on India that have been running since Aug. 27.
The lectures mark the IDRC’s 25-year presence in India, supporting innovators, thinkers and researchers there.
Mishra’s presentation, structured as a conversation with IDRC president David Malone, focused on South Asia’s changing social, economic and political position in relation to the rest of the world.
Drawing from his experiences and extensive travels in South Asia and China, he discussed issues related to India’s national politics, its relationship to China, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and how the crises of the 20th century still presents challenges for India.
More than 100 civil servants, writers, journalists and students attended the event, which was presented in collaboration with the Ottawa International Writers Festival.
Isabelle Bourgeault-Tassé, one of the IDRC organizers of the event, said it’s important to have a platform like the IDRC where thinkers of all stripes can converge and openly discuss ideas.
“I would argue that as a multicultural society, Canadians are very naturally curious about issues pertaining not only to India, but to the world,” she said.
Mishra, who is visiting Canada for the first time, said he’s confident the IDRC is doing good, culturally sensitive work in his home country, particularly because Malone, who is a former Canadian ambassador to India, is leading the charge.
“He’s really very aware of the complexity of a place like India,” Mishra said.
“The work they’re doing is actually pretty much in tune with what Indians really want as opposed to just bringing an agenda from outside and just imposing it on them.”