Debate and dialogue are the bloodstream of open, democratic, robust societies. Shared ideas and diverse viewpoints can invigorate, transform, build bridges. Find solutions to the most intractable problems.
Committed to this ideal, the Night of Ideas is a unique platform that was initiated in 2016 during an exceptional evening in Paris, when foremost French and international thinkers were invited to come together to discuss the major issues of our time. Since then, the Night of Ideas has grown to become a prestigious fixture on the international calendar.
Hosted across 200 cities, 100 countries, and 5 continents. From Paris to New York. Fiji Islands to New Zealand. Seoul to Shanghai. New Delhi to New Mexico. The Night of Ideas brings together front-line minds interconnected by a common purpose — on one day, to celebrate the power of thought.
This year, the theme is intriguingly titled More? and the Indian edition of the Night of Ideas will be focusing on the crucial, fundamental, and fascinating world of food in all its dimensions: the pleasure, the politics, people, palates, plurality. And the all-important questions of equity, sustainability, and security.
A few facts to indicate the scale of what’s at stake: India is the second largest food producer in the world. Almost half of India’s 130 billion people, that’s close to 700 million people, are engaged in farming. 67% of which are women. Yet, while they feed the country and keep us safe, they add only 18% to the GDP, and 76% of farmers want to give up farming. Women — the spine of all of this — own only 2% of the land.
So how can these inequities be corrected? Are GM crops the route? Or are organics the answer? How can we, as consumers of food, make the food chain more robust? How can Indian agriculture become India’s greatest success story?
And what of its rich and diverse cuisines. The exhilarating stories, spices, and history of food in India?
A Night of Chefs & Ideas will bring together the kaleidoscopic story of food in India – with French accents.
Chefs. Experts. Policy makers. Historians. Economists. And practitioners. Come together for a night of creative thinking.
Exciting. Riveting. Thought-provoking..
Join us …
- For more debate. More diversity. More proximity.
- More solutions. More bridges. More stories.
- And a delicious, specially curated, dinner by a French chef from the Indian countryside.
Programme:
6 pm – 6.30 pm: Welcome drinks and Night of Ideas Mela
6.30 pm – 6.35 pm: Welcome Address by French Ambassador H.E. Emmanuel Lenain
SESSION 1: Diversity | 6:35 pm – 7.10 pm
Eat, Pray, Love: My discovery of India
Diaries of 2 super chefs
- Radhika Khandelwal I Chef owner, Fig & Maple, Ivy & Bean
- Saransh Goila I Chef-owner, Golia Butter Chicken
SESSION 2: Security | 7:10 pm – 7.50 pm
The State, the Farmer, and the Plate
The holes in our food systems. And how to fix them
- Ajay Jakhar I Farmer, Policy expert
- Mekhala Krishnamurthy I Farm markets expert, Ashoka University, CPR
- Rajeswari Raina I Agriculture policy expert, Shiv Nadar University
SESSION 3: Culture | 7:50 pm – 8.15 pm
Indian Roots 1: History, harmony and the politics of food
- Pushpesh Pant I Food historian
DINNER | 8.15 – 9 pm
French Chef from an Indian Countryside
SESSION 4: Sustainability | 9 pm – 9.30 pm
Food transformers: Meet the people changing their country’s guts. For good
- Corinne Morel-Darleux I Eco-socialist
- Swati Renduchintala I Natural farming strategist
SESSION 5: Conscious Living | 9:30 pm – 10 pm
Indian Roots 2: The intelligent art of eating well — for self & society
- Rujuta Diwekar I Nutritionist & fitness expert
- Prachi Prabhat Pandit I Nutritionist
March 1 | 6 PM
Debate & Ideas
Amphitheater @ Sunder Nursery, Delhi
Instructions
- Admission is free and on a first-come, first-served basis.
- It is mandatory to register beforehand.
- Please bring a digital copy of the confirmation email from the French Institute in India at the time of the event.
- The venue and organizers reserve the right to deny entry in the case of overcapacity or any misbehavior.