International Lecture Festival – A Talk Fest on Arts, Science, and Humanities
Government College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram (GCW), Kerala
9–10 March 2026
Dear Friend,
In an era demanding interdisciplinary inquiry, critical citizenship, and ethical public engagement, the International Lecture Series – Talk Fest on Art, Science, and Humanities emerges as a beacon at Government College for Women (GCW), Thiruvananthapuram. Hosted on the GCW campus from 9–10 March 2026, this event illuminates the vital intersections of artistic expression, scientific rigor, humanistic scholarship, and social praxis and wishes to foster pedagogical bridges across disciplines, equipping learners with tools for reflective analysis, empathetic dialogue, and transformative agency amid today’s socio-political currents.
Distinguished Speakers and Sessions
Gauhar Raza (Scientist, Urdu Poet, Social Activist, Documentary Filmmaker)
Raza probes the alchemy of scientific inquiry and poetic sensibility, showing how aesthetic forms and rational discourse fuel democratic deliberation and science communication as a defence against epistemic fragmentation.
Rakesh Sharma (Documentary Filmmaker)
Day 1 evening features a screening of Final Solution (9 March, 2.5 hours), followed by open discussion. On Day 2, Sharma explores documentary ethics, representational politics, and cinema’s power in memorializing communal violence, inviting scrutiny of visual narratives in justice discourses.
Sheeja Vakkom (Malayalam Poet and Medical Professional)
Through interactive dialogue, Vakkom traces poetry’s echoes in gender, identity, and resilience, positioning verse as a channel for personal and collective catharsis.
M. J. Sreechitran (Writer and Cultural Commentator)
Sreechitran navigates literature’s encounter with digital ecologies and youth political consciousness, showing how narratives shape public affect and agency in mediated worlds.
Shoukath A. V. (Philosopher, Traveller)
Manushyan enna prathibhaasam (“The phenomenon called Human Being”). Journeyed through Sufism, Indian philosophy, and rationalist thought, culminating with Guru Nitya at Fernhill. A life of travel, writing, and public talks; his Himalayan travelogue won the 2007 Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award, and Hridayam Thottathu earned the 2022 K R Namboothiri Endowment for spiritual literature.
Aadhi (Queer Poet, Activist, Researcher)
“Burning the closet of history: A queer critique of the archive in Kerala”
Acclaimed for the award-winning collection Pennappan, Aadhi researches at Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, writing on queer identity, intersectional caste discrimination, and Hindutva while challenging academic queerphobia.
Abhilash Mohanan – Deputy Editor, Mathrubhumi News
“Media in turmoil”
P. J. Vincent – Professor of Political Science, Political commentator on International Relations.
“Changing landscape of the Middle-East”
Jijo Ulahannan – Professor of Physics, Renowned science communicator
“Education and Employment in the AI Future”
Spanning two immersive days, the Talk Fest blends lectures, a film screening, and participatory discussions. Day 1 peaks with the Final Solution screening and Q&A; Day 2 unfolds sequential talks, ending in a plenary synthesis.
The event is financially assisted by the Department of Higher Education, Government of Kerala.
Faculty members, researchers and students and members of the public are invited to join the event. There is no registration fee. However, registration is mandatory via the attached form.
https://forms.gle/
Prof (Dr) Umajyothi V, Chairperson
(Principal-in-charge), Government College for Women , Thiruvananthapuram , Mob: 9446044848
Prof (Dr) Godwin S K, General Convenor
IQAC Coordinator, overnment College for Women , Thiruvananthapuram , Mob: 964544643
