1st invited lecture on 'Pathfinders of New India' held in city

kolkata: The Institute of Language Studies and Research, (ILSR) Kolkata which functions under the state Higher Education department, organised its first Invited Distinguished Lecture on "Pathfinders of New India: Rammohun Roy, Vidyasagar and Nineteenth Century Intellectual Histories", under its Hara Prasad Shastri Language, Literature and Cultural Histories Lecture series on Wednesday at the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Basu auditorium of Asanna building. The lecture was organised in association with the West Bengal State Council of Higher Education and Vidyasagar Academy, Kolkata. State Education minister Bratya Basu inaugurated the programme and spoke about focussing on the objectives and academic mission of the newly established ILSR. He emphasised on how the theme of this distinguished lecture series aligned perfectly with the larger objectives of ILSR and its research vision. Prof. Brian. A. Hatcher, eminent scholar of South Asian history and Professor of Theology at Tufts

University, USA delivered his invited talk on Vidyasagar and his great contribution in the formation of new ideas of social and cultural justice in nineteenth century Bengal.

Dr. Milinda Banerjee, Lecturer of Modern History, University of St Andrews, UK and an eminent scholar on South Asian intellectual history,

spoke on the path breaking impacts of Rammohun Roy`s thoughts on our society and on our larger intellectual approaches to life.

The welcome address for this event was delivered by Professor Kaushiki Dasgupta, Vice Chairperson (academic), West Bengal State Council of Higher Education. The inaugural lectures in this distinguished lecture series scaled great academic heights, marking outstanding intellectual quality and new pathways for future.