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Udupi : To mark the completion of its decennial celebration, Gandhian Centre for Philosophical Arts and Sciences (GCPAS), MAHE, is holding an international conference on December 14, 2024, its Alumni Meet on December 15, Kendra Sahitya Akademi book release on December 16 and Akademi book exhibition on all the three days. (Dec 14,15 and 16).

Addressing a press meet held at Udupi Press Club here on Thursday, Prof. Varadesh Hiregange, Head of GCPAS, Mahe said that the Gandhian Centre, which was started as Centre for Gandhian and Peace Studies on December 15, 2014, was renamed as Gandhian Centre for Philosophical Arts and Sciences. It has crossed many milestones and now is holding this three-day event marking the culmination of its decennial activities.

The three-day event will be inaugurated by MAHE Vicecellor Lt Gen (Dr) M D Venkatesh and presided by Pro-Chancellor Dr H S Ballal at Sarvodaya Hall, MAHE. The Apollo University Vice-Chancellor Dr Vinod Bhat and MAHE Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Madhu Veeraraghavan will be the Guests of Honours.

The key-speakers in the international conference include writer-critic Prof Manu Chakravarthy, writer-director Mahesh Dattani, media academic Buroshiva Dasgupta, Prof Gurbuz Aktas from Turkiye and Prof Bashabi Fraser. Writer-director, Scottish Tgore Centre, Edinburgh.

This will be followed by GCPAS Alumni Meet on December 15, 2024 and alumni from all parts of India and abroad will assemble. The Meet will be inaugurated by MAHE Alumni Relations Director Dr Rohit Singh. Kendra Sahitya Akademi (New Delhi) will bring its book exhibition from December 14 to 16, 2024 from 10 am to 7 pm every day. There will be a release of the book on Jnanapeeth awardee (late) Prof U R Ananthamurthy, authored by Prof Manu Chakravarthy and published by Kendra Sahitya Akademi.

In the last 10 years, Gandhian Centre has many accomplishments to its credit and it has also crossed many milestones. The department which initially ran certificate and open elective courses in Gandhian and Peace Studies, Art Appreciation, Yakshagana Studies and Indian Constitution, later expanded its academic base and started post-graduate/graduate courses in ecosophy, aesthetics, peace and media. Nearly 1500 students are the beneficiaries of its open electives and certificate courses and more than 30 students have graduated in eceosophy, aesthetics, peace and media.

Moreover, GCPAS has perpetually organised special talks, seminars, workshops, conferences on socio-political-economic-ecological-philosophical matters plus music, theatre, dance, cinema, visual arts and literature, bridging the gap between liberal arts and social sciences. Keeping all its programmes open for students and other alike, Gandhian Centre has shouldered its shouldered its social responsibility. Satyajit Ray Film Festival, Vaidehi Lit Fest, Jayant Kaikini Lit Fest, Amrit Kalotsav, UN Art for Peace Neyge Handloom fest are some of the landmarks and total number of programmes has gone beyond the 100-mark.  Dr Bhramari Shivaprakash, Ms. Kausthubha Shetty and Ms. Akshatha of GCPAS, were present.