Shri. Srinath Mohandas (Assistant Professor, School of Ethics, Governance, Culture and Social Systems) was invited to deliver the keynote address at the Indian Council for Historical Research (ICHR) National Seminar at Thiruvananthapuram on 05 December 2022. The ICHR National seminar in association with the Centre for South Indian Studies and Indic History Association was titled ‘Reimagining Freedom Movement: Decolonizing Indian Minds to Reinvent The Selfhood’.
In the keynote address, Srinath mentioned some of the unique and interesting aspects of Indian nationalism that make it distinct from nationalism elsewhere. He also highlighted how nationalism in India, especially the streams influenced by the ideals and principles of Swami Vivekananda, Sri Aurobindo and Sri Subramania Bharati, are inclusive and well aligned to the larger Indic civilisational ethos of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (The World is One Family). He concluded the speech by stressing the need for more research on India’s freedom movement from Indic perspectives.
The conference was inaugurated by Prof. Umesh Ashok Kadam, Hon. Member Secretary of ICHR and Professor of History, JNU. The other dignitaries present included Dr. T.P. Sankarankutty Nair (Director General (Rtd.), Centre for Heritage Studies Tripunithura), Dr. Ratheesh C. Nair (Hon. Consul General of Russian Federation in Thiruvananthapuram), Shri. P. Sandeep (Director CSIS), and Dr. Sandhya J. Nair (Asst. Prof. University College, Thiruvananthapuram).