Skip to content Skip to navigation

Daring Debates in Guwahati on Dec 11

By AT News |

Difficult Dialogues is an independent, non-partisan forum for discussing critical issues concerning lives of billions in South Asia. Curated as an annual festival of topical ideas and motions, it is premised on the conviction that knowledge sharing is the cornerstone of progressive change in this fast growing, yet highly volatile region of the world. Banking, Finance and Civil Society are the three focus areas this year. The core programme of panel discussions between experts, scholars and senior academics will result in a series of papers to inform governmental policy as well as civic body interventions.

The 2016 edition of Difficult Dialogues is being curated by the South Asia Centre, London School of Economics (LSE) and Television for the Environment (tv/e) - South Asia. The forum will have three components – LSE India Summit, tv/e Dialogue Derivatives and Daring Debates.  

Some of the important people coming for the summit include: Arvind Subramaniam, Chanda Kochhar, Craig Calhoun, Erik Berglof, Jason Burke, Mridula Sinha, Nasser Munjee, Pavan K Verma, Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Raghuram Rajan, Sam Pitroda, Shashi Tharoor, Shivshankar Menon, Siddharth Varadarajan, Srjda Popovic, Sukhadeo Thorat, Urjit Patel, Yashwant Sinha, Yogendra Yadav.

What is Daring Debates?

In the lead-up to the first edition of Difficult Dialogues, we are organising Daring Debates across five cities in India - Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Goa and Guwahati. Being curated by Television for the Environment (tv/e), this series of debates aims to bring students from different strata in the discourse of civil society. Daring Debates is an initiative to promote discussions around notions of being civilised in contemporary India; its implications on democracy and responsibilities of citizenry in a society that is looking inward as much as outward. The Debates will take place in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Goa and Guwahati.  The Guwahai edition will be held at Guwahati on December 11.

The topic for the debate: “Can Civil Society Advance Social Change” will be contested between various teams each consisting of two members - one speaking for, and other against, the motion.  Students from various colleges will be competing at their assigned venues in their respective cities.  The winning team/duo from each city will be travelling to Goa to battle once more for the finale at Difficult Dialogues to be held in International Centre of Goa on January 30, 2016 featuring senior administrators, experts and scholars.

Format of the Debate

  • The debate is open to graduate and post- graduate students.

  • A team comprises of two members each ‘for’ and ‘against’ the motion

  • Each team gets 10 minutes (5 minutes for, and 5 minutes against the motion); and 5 minutes in all for a rebuttal.

  • The debates will only be in English.



Register Now!


 

A primer on Civil Society

Civil society is seen as a social sphere separate from both the state and the market. The increasingly accepted understanding of the term civil society organizations (CSOs) is that of non-state, not-for-profit, voluntary organizations formed by people in that social sphere. 

This term is used to describe a wide range of organizations, networks, associations, groups and movements that are independent from government and that sometimes come together  to advance their common interests through collective action. Traditionally, civil society includes all organizations that occupy the 'social space' between the family and the state, excluding political parties and firms. They usually have a formal structure, offer services to people other than their members, and are, in most cases, registered with national authorities. 

The World Bank has adopted a definition of civil society developed by a number of leading research centers: “the term civil society refers to the wide array of non‐governmental and not-for‐profit organizations that have a presence in public life, expressing the interests and values of their members or others, based on ethical, cultural, political, scientific, religious or philanthropic considerations. Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) therefore refer to a wide array of organizations: community groups, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), labor unions, indigenous groups, charitable organizations, faith‐based organizations, professional associations, and foundations”.

Civil society provides the most effective platform for broad-based action and redressal of grievances worldwide. Does civil society, then, render a unique dynamism to Indian democracy? Are there long term changes through civic action, and benefits to society? Should there be a common platform for civic action of all types and sorts in a country as diverse as India? Panelists will discuss these headlong – through academic analysis and the experience of grassroots activists.

Awards: Two winners from each city will get tickets to battle in the finale of Daring Debates on 30th January, 2016 during the Difficult Dialogues at the International Centre of Goa. City winners will also receive gift vouchers and certificates. 

For registration and inquiries, please email: editor@assamtimes.org

  • 9319 reads

Add new comment

Other Contents by Author

Bhupen Hazarika’s Kuthori Residence Handed Over to Locals for Preservation

On the auspicious occasion of the birth centenary of Bharat Ratna Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, the Assam government has handed over the legendary singer’s neglected residence at Kuthori, Kaziranga, to local residents for preservation. For the past five years, the house—once vibrant with the maestro’s harmonium, tabla, and compositions—had fallen into disrepair, leaving fans and admirers disheartened. Although the government had acquired the property at a cost of ₹2.51 crore from Fatik Nyog five years ago, no concrete conservation efforts had been initiated since. Responding to repeated demands from villagers, the government announced today that the residence will be developed into a cultural...

USTM Pays Glowing Tribute to Dr. Bhupen Hazarika on 100th Birth Anniversary

The University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) celebrated the 100th birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Dr. Bhupen Hazarika with a vibrant cultural programme at its Central Auditorium. Themed “Voice of Bhupen Hazarika: Voice of the People; Leading to a Harmonious Society,” the event featured visual presentations, floral tributes, and lively performances by students and faculty. Prasanta Rajguru, Editor-in-Chief of Prag News, delivered the keynote, highlighting five iconic songs of the maestro and their historical relevance. Actor Kamal Singh presented a special tribute performance, while dignitaries including Dr. Aparna Buzarbaruah graced the occasion. The celebration...

Pallas’s Cat Documented for the First Time in Arunachal Pradesh

In a landmark wildlife discovery, the elusive Pallas’s Cat has been documented for the first time in Arunachal Pradesh during an extensive high-altitude survey jointly conducted by the Department of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of Arunachal Pradesh and WWF-India. The survey, carried out between July and September 2024, involved 136 camera traps across 2,000 sq km of rugged terrain in Tawang and West Kameng districts. It not only produced the first photographic record of Pallas’s Cat in the state, but also revealed the presence of five other wild cats — snow leopard, common leopard, clouded leopard, leopard cat, and marbled cat — at elevations above 4,200 metres...

Moran Community Launches 'Jatiya Gan Mancha' at Kakopathar Rally

In a historic gathering that marks a new chapter in Moran political mobilization, the Moran community today formally launched its new political platform, Jatiya Gan Mancha (National People’s Forum), at a mass assembly held at Kakopathar public ground. The event was convened under the aegis of leading Moran organizations, including the Assam Moran Sabha, All Moran Students’ Union, Moran Mahila Parishad, Moran Sahitya Sabha, Moran Art & Culture Development Centre, and the Moran National Educational Development Forum. The assembly commenced with ceremonial tributes to the community’s forebears, accompanied by devotional songs and cultural performances, setting a solemn and festive tone...

Fighting CAA in Court, Sharing Power in Govt – Where Does AGP Really Stand?

The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) loves to wear the mantle of regionalism. It proudly recalls its birth from the Assam Agitation and the sacrifices of 855 martyrs. Yet every fresh controversy over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) exposes the party for what it has become: a political outfit addicted to power, reduced to theatrics whenever Assamese identity is threatened. The script is depressingly familiar. In 2019, when CAA protests shook Assam, AGP staged a high-decibel drama—ministers resigned, alliance with the BJP was declared broken, the party promised to stand with the people. Two months later, under the cover of midnight negotiations, AGP crawled back into power, its leaders...

"Lawless Country—or Lawless Citizens?”: Gemini Loriak’s Viral Video Exposes Public Hypocrisy

Arunachal Pradesh law teacher Gemini Loriak has shaken the internet with a viral classroom talk that cuts deep into India’s collective conscience. In her fiery remarks, she dismantles the stereotype of India as a “lawless country,” declaring that it is not the absence of laws but the refusal of citizens to follow them that creates chaos. Loriak points to everyday hypocrisy: bribing to bypass queues, fastening seatbelts only when police are in sight, dismissing domestic violence as a “private matter,” normalizing harassment, and celebrating VIP culture while preaching equality. Quoting the Constitution—Article 14 on Equality, Article 21 on the Right to Life with Dignity, and Article...

Child’s death at Guwahati flyover site leads to arrests of contractor firm officials

In a swift development following public outrage, Assam Police have arrested three officials of Bhartia Infra Projects Ltd (BIPL) after the tragic death of a three-year-old boy who fell into an uncovered drain at the Arya Nagar flyover construction site in Guwahati. The incident, which occurred earlier this week, triggered shock across the city and led to demands for accountability from both the company and government authorities. According to reports, the toddler, identified as Sunit Kumar, slipped into an unguarded drain within the construction zone. CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts later revealed several exposed manholes and drains left unattended at the site. The flyover work had...

A Cry for Dignity on a Sacred Day

The morning broke like any other Teachers’ Day in Assam. Classrooms across the state were filled with garlands, songs, and the eager smiles of children bowing before their teachers. But while thousands of students offered prayers and gifts, more than 9,000 tutors left their schools behind and walked instead to the Latashil playground in Guwahati. It was here, on this very day of reverence, that the tutors chose protest over celebration. With banners aloft and voices hoarse with slogans, they demanded not flowers but justice. “We have given our entire lives to teaching,” one grey-haired tutor said, his eyes moist, his voice trembling. “Today we should have been in the classroom,...

Teachers’ Association Calls New Provincialisation Law a “Teacher-Killer Act”

Guwahati, September 5: On the occasion of Teachers’ Day, the All Assam Non-Provincialised Teachers’ and Employees’ Association strongly condemned the state government for neglecting their long-standing demand for provincialisation of services. Addressing a press conference at Dispur Press Club today, the organisation’s leaders narrated the decades of hardship faced by nearly 4,500 teachers and employees who continue to serve schools and colleges without provincial status. Many of them have been working since the 1990s but remain deprived of government recognition and financial security. Association secretary Purabi Kalita Saikia termed the new provincialisation law introduced by the...

Another Life Snatched by Guwahati’s Killer Drains

Guwahati today is not just a city of chaos and waterlogging—it has turned into a death trap. Open drains and reckless construction lie in wait, ready to claim lives, while the authorities responsible look the other way. This week alone, tragedy struck twice. Four-year-old Sumit Kumar slipped into an uncovered drain near Nilachal Nagar and never returned home. Hours later, Phuljit Sharma, an elderly citizen, fell into another open drain in Kahilipara, narrowly escaping death but left seriously injured. But Sumit and Phuljit are not exceptions. They are part of a long, shameful list. In 2023, Priya Kumari, a college student, lost her life when her scooter skidded near Ganeshguri and she...