Vichaar Manthan UK
विचार - मंथन (Hindi) | |
| Abbreviation | VM |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation |
|
| Motto | Learn, Live and Share Hindu Ideas. |
| Formation | 1987 |
| Legal status | Not-for-profit, voluntary |
Vichaar Manthan (UK) (VM) (transl. churning of ideas), is an independent voluntary grass roots organisation, based in the United Kingdom, which organises public lectures on current affairs and wider challenges facing British society. VM claims to be inspired by Hindu values[1]. VM claims to have several active chapters and operates weekly book clubs around the United Kingdom.
Etymology
Vichaar (vi’chār) means ideas, thoughts; and Manthan (mān’thān) means churning. Vichaar Manthan literally means the churning of ideas or thoughts.
History
Founded in 1987 in Birmingham, UK by Dhiraj Shah, a local resident, and volunteer of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS). He was particularly concerned about the lack of intellectual rigour in the discourse amongst Hindu organisations. He had felt that community leaders within the Hindu community were generally ill-informed. In 1987, at a local community hall in Spark Hill, he began a discussion platform where locals would have an opportunity to listen and meet experts from different disciplines concerning Hindu society to become better informed. After almost 10 years of holding public lectures and discussions on mostly India-focused topics, the organisation struggled to maintain momentum. Between 1997 and 2008, other volunteers tried to keep the monthly lecture series alive. During these times the organisation managed to attract several high-profile speakers, mostly from India, including politicians from the BJP. Eventually audience numbers fell away.
In 2008, a new team of volunteers took over the organisation. They re-oriented the organisation from being India focused to being British focused. VM was relocated to Leicester. From 2008, VM began to organise public discussions tackling challenges facing British society, and inviting experts from around the world to speak. The events were held in museums and university lecture halls. In 2017, VM was invited to the Houses of Parliament to hold a discussion titled "Re-thinking the Welfare State" where Bob Blackman MP was one of the speakers, along side Professor Satish Modh. Chapters were formed in London, Manchester, Oxford, Cambridge, Birmingham and Edinburgh. In 2017, book clubs were launched where people came together at each other's homes, or in cafes and read together. Between 2008 and 2018 over 60 events, over 120 expert speakers from around the world, have participated in events. VM also collaborates with other organisations to hold events, and began a series of talks called VMC for students with National Hindu Students Forum.
In July 2020, VM apparently organised the largest online sustainability conference[2] of its kind over 4 days, with five panel discussions and eight fireside conversations[3].
Public Discussions
VM claims that it has British concern coupled with Hindu philosophy and culture at its heart. The organisation claims that it does not debate, but only discusses issues. Usually, events are 90 minutes long, with time given for opening remarks, a Q&A with the chair, followed by audience interaction and closing remarks. Some of the subjects explored include:
- Should Britain leave the EU?
- What drives a human being to lead a fulfilled life?
- Should prostitution be de-criminalised in the UK?
- On animal rights
- Is marriage dying?
- On Socialism or Capitalism. Is there a 3rd way?
- Raising children in modern Britain. A Hindu perspective.
- Liberty vs Equality
- On loneliness and social isolation
- Cows, Curry and Caste. Seeking a Hindu identity
- Bad God: what does suffering in the world tell us about God?
- War, what is it good for?
- Who is a Hindu?
- Should faith schools have a place in modern Britain?
- Does gender affect leadership?
- Obesity: a silent pandemic?
- Can nuclear energy contribute to Britain's sustainable future?
- On mental health: a classical Hindu perspective
- Elderly: who cares?
- Immortal Ram: tales from history
*Source from website[4]
Expert Witnesses
VM invites leading lights from their respective disciplines to speak on the platform. Speakers include politicians, academics, journalists, authors, activists, and professionals.
Popular experts include:
(late) Lord Paddy Ashdown, British politician, diplomat
Shashi Tharoor, Indian politician, diplomat
Professor Steve Tsang, China Studies, SOAS
Professor Gad Saad, Evolutionary Psychology, Concordia
Professor Lou Marrinoff, Philosopher, New York
Andrew Harrop, Director General, Fabian Society
Pippa Malmgrem, Economist
Ram Madhav, Indian politician
Eimear Burke, Head of the Order of Druids
Dina Nathwani, Lawyer, animal rights activist
Dr. Joanne McCormack, General Practitioner
Rajiv Malhotra, Author
Dr. Prakash Shah, Reader in culture and law, Queen Mary
Professor S.N. Balagangadhara, Comparative science of cultures, Ghent University
Dr. Jamie Whyte, Economist
Amish Tripathi, Author
Suhag Shukla, American Hindu Foundation, New York
Dr. Ramesh Pattni, Philosopher, University of Oxford
Professor Steve Biddulph, Author, Child Psychology
Professor Sugata Mitra, Education
Professor Ved Nanda, Legal Jurisprudence, Denver
Geoff Hoon, Ret. politician, Ex Defence Secretary
Professor Makarand Paranjape, English literature, poet
References
- ↑ "About Us | Vichaar Manthan". vichaar-manthan. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
- ↑ Sharma, Vidhu (2/7/2020). "Sustainable Narratives 2020". You Tube live. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help); Check date values in:|date=(help) - ↑ "Vichaar Manthan Sustainable Narratives Conference 2020". vichaar-manthan. Retrieved 2020-09-11.
- ↑ "Events | Vichaar Mathan". vichaar-manthan. Retrieved 2020-09-11.
External links
This article "Vichaar Manthan UK" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Vichaar Manthan UK. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
