Madhavan K. Palat will deliver the 18th Giri Deshingkar Memorial Lecture on ‘Was Nehru an Englishman?’. It is being jointly organized by CSDS, Delhi and Institute of Chinese Studies (ICS).

The speaker explores the debates surrounding Jawaharlal Nehru's cultural and political identity, examining how perceptions of him reflected wider geopolitical strategies in the postcolonial world. The lecture considers Nehru's response through his vision of nationalism, internationalism and cosmopolitanism, and how these shaped his idea of a free India.

This lecture series is a tribute to the work and contributions of Professor Giri Deshingkar, an eminent social scientist, China scholar and one of the founders of ICS, and former Director of CSDS.

Madhavan K. Palat is a distinguished historian and former Professor at the Centre for Historical Studies, JNU, New Delhi.

Thursday, 20 August 2026, 6.30 pm, Lecture Room II, IIC Annexe, New Delhi