The honour of being invited to deliver the Prem Bhatia Memorial Lecture is both flattering and humbling. It makes one proud to be asked to join the galaxy of truly eminent speakers who have preceded…
Prem Bhatia Memorial Lectures
On August 11, each year, in addition to felicication of award winners, the Trust hosts a lecture by an eminent personality on a topical subject.
The nineteen lectures to date have included distinguished speakers such as Dr Karan Singh, Dr M S Swaminathan, the late Prof A M Khusro, Justice Venkatachalliah, Mr Soli Sorabji, Prof Deepak Nayyar, Prof Dipankar Gupta, the late Mr Lakshman Kadirgamar, Prof Zoya Hasan, Mr Ashok H Desai, Mr K S Bajpai, Prof Gowher Rizvi, Prof Ashok Mitra, Ms Ayesha Siddiqa, Mr Chandrashekar Das Gupta, Mr Shiv Shankar Menon, Dr Y V Reddy, Mr Shyam Saran, Mr T N Ninan and Mr Pratap Bhanu Mehta, all of whom have enlightened the audience on various political, economic and social events in the country.
Dangers to Indian Democracy
Ashok H Desai
August 11, 2005
It is a special honour to be called upon to deliver the Tenth Prem Bhatia Memorial Lecture. 1.1 It is a double honour. Firstly, we have an opportunity to recall the remarkable person after whom…
The Indian Polity Today and the Road Ahead
August 11, 2004
It’s a great honour to have been asked to deliver the 9th Prem Bhatia Memorial lecture. Prem Bhatia’s reputation as an upright journalist, editor and commentator should serve as an inspiration for us all. I,…
The World Order After Iraq
Hon. Lakshman Kadirgamar
August 11, 2003
LL.B (Hons) (Ceylon); B. Litt(Oxon); D. Litt (hc) (Univ. Sri Lanka at Sabaragamuwa); Attorney, Barrister; President’s Counsel; Member of Parliament; Hony. Master of the Inner Temple; Member. Policy Advisory Commission, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO);…
The Limits of Tolerance: Prospects of Secularism in India After Gujarat
Prof. Dipankar Gupta
August 11, 2002
I am indeed very honoured that I have been asked to deliver the 7th Prem Bhatia Memorial Lecture. To speak in the memory of a public figure of such eminence and dignity is surely a…
Democracy and Development: The Indian Experience
Prof. Deepak Nayyar
August 11, 2001
I would like to thank the Prem Bhatia Memorial Trust for the invitation to deliver this lecture. And I consider it an honour to be in your midst this evening. The theme that I have…
Press Freedom: Problems, Perils & Paradoxes
Soli J Sorabjee
August 11, 2000
In my talk this evening I would like to address the problems, paradoxes and perils concerning the Freedom of the Press. I shall do so frankly and bluntly attempting to follow the example of our…
The Father of the Rice Revolution and current holder of the UNESCO chair in Eco-Technology
Prof. M. S. Swaminathan
August 11, 1999
Delivering the 4th Prem Bhatia Memorial Lecture on Media, Hunger & the Environments at India International Center on August 11, 1999. Prof. Swaminathan said first there was a need to force the Central and State…
Indian Economy : Present State, Future Prospects
Prof. A. M. Khusro
Chairman, 11th Planning Commission
August 11, 1998
Delivering the third Prem Bhatia Memorial Lecture, Prof. Khusro held that the Government should not worry about the fiscal deficit but increase its expenditure on infrastructure projects in power, telecom, roads, railways and housing by…
On faith of the Journalist
Mr. Justice M. N. Venkatachaliah
Former Chief Justice of India and Chairperson National Human Rights Commission
August 11, 1997
The great institution of the ‘Press’ which has been and still is the largest single influence on the civil and political society does not seem to inspire the same respect for its legitimacy as it…