The first day (25 March) was opened by dr hab. Grzegorz Bywalec, Associate Professor at the University of Lodz, who shared practical tips for traveling to India. Then Dr Natalia Zajączkowska (University of Lodz) discussed the contrasts between the North and South of India and gave a lecture on the Hindi language. As part of the student-doctoral panel:
- mgr Natalia Jagło (Jagiellonian University) presented the results of research on the life of the Indian diaspora in Poland,
- Mateusz Zych (University of Lodz) presented an analysis of Bollywood cinema as a form of escapism,
- mgr Patrycja Domasik (Jagiellonian University) introduced the figure of Empress Nūr Jahān and her role at the Mughal court,
- Natalia Dzida (University of Lodz) discussed the impact of legislation on commercial surrogacy in India.
The seminar was also attended by students of High School no 2 in Lodz and the Stanisław Staszic School Complex No. 1 in Kutno.
The second day (26 March) was opened by Dr Natalia Zajączkowska (University of Lodz) with a lecture on conspiracy theories and the new historical policy in India. As part of the second day of the seminar:
- Dr Małgorzata Ossowska-Czader (University of Lodz) discussed literary representations of the Partition of British India,
- Dominik Giżycki (University of Warsaw) presented h-pop as a tool of Hindu nationalism,
- Dr Joanna Maj (University of Lodz) presented India-China relations after 1945,
- mgr Krzysztof Gutowski (PAS) discussed the "Indian alternative truth" and the transformation of Hinduism, and introduced the participants to the basics of the Urdu language,
- Dr Krzysztof Iwanek (University of Bialystok/Centre for Asian Affairs, University of Lodz) analysed the opportunities and challenges facing contemporary India and discussed the country's foreign policy towards the USA and Russia.
We would like to thank all the speakers for their inspiring and substantive presentations and the participants for coming in such large numbers. We hope that the Indian Seminar at the University of Lodz will become the seed of further fruitful meetings and deeper reflection on India at our University.
The event was organised by the East Asia and Pacific Student Science Club and the Middle East Student-Doctoral Student Club al-Maszrik. The event was held under the patronage of the Department of East Asian Studies, University of Lodz, the Centre for Asian Affairs, University of Lodz Library, and the Faculty of International Relations, University of Bialystok.
