“Commemorating 75 years of the Constitution”

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The Indian Society for Universal Dialogue & The Equals Project hosted a thought-provoking evening to honor the monumental milestone of 75 years of India's Constitution. The event began with the screening of a condensed version of Shyam Benegal’s iconic “Samvidhaan” - a riveting series on the discussions and dreams of the Constituent Assembly followed by a dynamic panel discussion featuring eminent guests who are related to the members of the Constituent Assembly. 

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- Ms. Geeta Doctor-  Veteran Journalist & Writer
- Mr. Raju Ramachandran-  Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India
- Amb. Latha Reddy-  Retired Diplomat & Former Deputy National Security Advisor
- Mr. Manuraj Shanmugasundaram-  Advocate, Madras High Court

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The panel was skillfully moderated by Ms. Shruti Vishwanathan, fostering an engaging dialogue that balanced perspectives from the legal, diplomatic, journalistic, and socio-political realms.

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The panelists also shared personal anecdotes on the makers of the Constitution. Ms. Geeta Doctor spoke about her father Mr. K V Padmanabhan, a renowned lawyer from Madras, who went on to become an undersecretary in the Constituent Assembly Secretariat, assisting Sir B N Rau in making the first draft of the Constitution. Amb. Latha Reddy's grandfather Mr. H C Guruva Reddy and her grand uncle Mr. K C Reddy were members of the Constituent Assembly who later became the 1st Chief Minister of Mysore state. Mr. Raju Ramachandran spoke about his connections to Sir Alladi Krishnaswamy Iyer and Ms. Begum Aijaz Rasul from the United Province, both of whom were members of the Constituent Assembly.

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Panelists delved into a spirited exchange of ideas while defending and questioning certain constitutional principles. Together, they reflected on the legacy of the Constituent Assembly and the relevance of their vision in today's India. This evening of discourse and celebration truly encapsulated the essence of India’s democratic spirit, a tribute to the architects of our nation’s guiding principles.