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Nilgiris Writing Retreat

Nilgiris Writing Retreat

Come, Spend a weekend with words

INDICA presents the inaugural workshop of Nilgiris Writing Retreat, a unique fiction writing retreat designed for aspiring novelists and new authors. Set in a venue amidst the tranquil hills and verdant tea estates of Coonoor, this intensive workshop is your opportunity to escape the noise and immerse yourself in the craft of storytelling. Led by Nandini Sengupta, an award-winning author and journalist, the retreat is crafted to help you transform a novel idea into a polished manuscript.

This is a space for focused creation and personal breakthrough, where the serene beauty of the Nilgiris serves as the perfect muse for your narrative journey.

Program Curriculum

The two-day immersion will provide a comprehensive guide to the fundamentals of fiction writing, helping you to refine your idea and build a solid foundation for your novel.

Key areas covered will include:

  • Premise & Genre: Establishing the core idea of your story and understanding its place within a specific genre.
  • Plotting & Character: Structuring a compelling plot and developing multi-dimensional characters.
  • Dialogue & Scene Building: Crafting realistic dialogue and creating vivid, impactful scenes.
  • Writing Sprints: Dedicated time for putting theory into practice, with focused, timed writing sessions.

The Details

  • Dates: The retreat begins on the afternoon of Friday, November 28th, 2025, and concludes on the afternoon of Sunday, November 30th, 2025.
  • Venue: Amani Villas, H.No. 6/899M, Bengram Road, TV Nagar, Huligal, Coonoor, Tamil Nadu 643102
  • Fee: Rs. 36,000 per head.
  • Inclusions: The fee covers your accommodation and all meals for the duration of the retreat. Workshop materials will be provided on-site. Participants are required to bring their own laptops.
  • Accommodation: Single Occupancy Accommodation will be provided at Amani Villas.
  • Audience: This program is suitable for individuals aged 18 and above who are aspiring novelists or newly published authors with a novel idea.
  • Logistics: Participants are responsible for their own travel to and from the venue

Faculty

The retreat will be led by celebrated author and journalist Nandini Sengupta, recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Bal Sahitya Puraskar.

Cohort size limited to 12 to ensure a focused and intimate experience. Register to secure your spot.

Global Online Book Launch Adṛsya: Hidden Marvels of the Mahābhārata

The Mahābhārata is a world in itself. It is vast, layered, and filled with characters who have shaped Indian thought for centuries. And yet, for every figure we know well, there are dozens who remain in the background. Unspoken. Unnamed. Sometimes simply forgotten.

Adṛsya: Hidden Marvels of the Mahābhārata is an anthology from INDICA that reimagines that silence. Curated and edited by Aditi Banerjee, this collection features fourteen contributors exploring the lives of lesser-known characters from the epic.

This global online launch is not just a release event. It’s a gathering of readers, scholars, and storytellers who believe that sometimes the truest power lies not in the center of the frame but at its edges.

We warmly invite you to join us for this online celebration.

 

Chief Guest

Dr. Vishwa Adluri
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Religion and Philosophy at Hunter College (CUNY), Dr. Adluri is an expert in ancient Greek and Indian philosophy. With PhDs in both Philosophy and Indology, his work focuses on the Mahābhārata, orientalism, and the modern reception of ancient thought.

 

Special Guest

Gautam Chikermane
Author and researcher, Gautam Chikermane is Vice President at the Observer Research Foundation. His work spans grand strategy, economic thought, and the deeper moral dimensions of the Mahābhārata

 

Curator and Editor

Aditi Banerjee
A bestselling author and practicing attorney based in the US, Aditi Banerjee is the author of The Curse of Gandhari, The Vow of Parvati, and Hindu Love Stories. She writes on Hindu literature, tradition, and identity, and serves as a voice for the global Hindu experience.

 

What to Expect

An introduction to the vision and making of Adṛsya

Reflections from invited guests

Acknowledgment of the contributing authors

A quiet but powerful reframing of the Mahābhārata’s narrative space

This is a free online event open to all. Please register to receive your Zoom link.

Book Launch: Karmayogi Justice P Kondandaramayya

INDICA is pleased to announce the launch of the Telugu book “Karmayogi Justice P Kodandaramayya” written by Smt. Parvathi Uppaluri. The book is published by Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi.

Venue: Hyatt Place, Road No 1, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad

Date: 14-June-2025

Time: 3PM with High Tea

The book will be launched by Acharya Sri. Salaka Raghunatha Sarma garu and speak on this occasion.

The occasion will be graced by dignitaries Shri. Karanam Aravinda Rao – former DGP of united Andhra Pradesh, Sri. DV Sitaram Murthy – former Advocate General of Andhra Pradesh, Former Chief Justice of Patna High Court and the 12th Chancellor of University of Hyderabad – Justice L Narasimha Reddy, Author Smt. Parvathi Uppaluri and Sri. Srinivasa Rao – Secretary, Sahitya Akademi and Sri. Sriraghuram P, Senior Advocate, Telangana High Court.

All are welcome. 

About Justice P Kondaramayya

Born in 1926, Justice P Kodanda Ramayya was an Advocate in the High Court of Madras 1952 to 1982. He was elevated to the Bench of Andhra Pradesh High Court in the year 1982 and held that office till 1988. Justice Kodandaramayya was a great Dharmika. He was the founder chairman of a publishing trust known as ‘Arsha Vijnana Trust’. He was also the author of The Message of Mahabharata. JPK Foundation was established in memory of Justice P Kodandaramayya who was a great proponent of the relevance of our Shastreeya Parampara.

About the Author

Author Smt. Parvathi Uppaluri’s journey reflects a thoughtful blend of global experience and compassionate service. Having returned to India after several years abroad, she now works closely with rural communities near Bangalore, focusing on the education and empowerment of underprivileged women and children. Her background as a counsellor in Algeria and Canada informs her inclusive approach. Through her Telugu writings and community initiatives, she honours her cultural roots while demonstrating the quiet strength of individual commitment to meaningful social change.

Discussion With Authors

INDICA USA  Presents

A Discussion with Authors

Please join us for a live, in-depth discussion with INDICA authors Manjula Tekal, Pranshu Saxena, and Avatans Kumar. Nishant Limbachia will moderate the session, and Prof. Rajeshwari Pandharipande will deliver the keynote address.

Book Conversations : Colonial Casualties

INDICA is delighted to relaunch Book discussion sessions after a brief break.. The sessions will leverage books and writings by global intellectuals, and unpack scholarship about Indic Heritage and related topics. The program outline for a typical session is given below

Schedule: Sessions will be conducted on a fixed/recurring schedule, weekends only.

Agenda: The agenda for each session will be to review a book or multiple books relating to a theme/topic, distil its message, and engage in productive discussions. The topics to be covered for each session will be announced in advance. Flyers will be posted online.

Location: The sessions will be hosted by Ram Lakshminarayanan in his home. Those living in the vicinity of Chicago may find it convenient to attend. This will be an in-person event only. There will not be any recording or live broadcast.

Participation: The sessions are open to those interested in learning about Indic heritage and contribute to its promotion.

Registration: Registration is mandatory. Registration link is given

Moderation: Each session will be moderated to maintain focus.

Snacks: Lite snacks will be served.

Fee: There’s no fee for this event. Participation is free.

This session will discuss Colonial Casualties on Sat, Feb 03, 2023 2:00-5:00pm US Central Time

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Details of the next sessions given below:

Contact Information

Avatans Kumar, Head, Indic Academy US, avatans@indicacademy.org 

Nishant Limbachia, US National Convenor, Indic Academy, nlimbachia@indica.org.in

Ram Lakshminarayanan, US National Convenor, Indic Academy, raml@indica.org.in 

Indica Books Live with Vijayalakshmi Vijayakumar, author of Forever There… : (Kathā Paramparā)”

Indica Books presents Author Q&A with Vijayalakshmi Vijayakumar In discussion with: Abhinav Agarwal, Saiswaroopa Iyer, GV Shivakumar

Book Discussion : Forever There… : (Kathā Paramparā)

Forever There is a historical fantasy novel set in Varanasi. The protagonists belong to the family of ‘The weavers of the Gods’. The story revolves around their family, who find themselves embroiled in upheavals and wars amid an extremely tumultuous period in Kashi when skirmishes and destruction were the order of the day.

The protégés, mere children, join a band of Warrior Monks to help protect the culture of the land. We see history through the eyes of The Four as they transform into warriors – head of the Elite Forces of the Warrior Monks – battle-scarred, wielding weapons of destruction –  feared by the enemy, loved and missed by their family.

Be transported to a period when every day brings new adventures to your doorstep.

The book looks at history anew, even as value systems change and cultural plates shift.

What values must one imbibe? Is diversity positive or negative? Should the world be in only one colour, or should it be in many hues and shades? Do acts of violence upon community and culture destroy the inherent essence of civilisation and culture?

Contemporary, poignant, and engaging, this unputdownable book will set your heart aflutter.

Get Your Book Here

Can watch the Event on Our YouTube Channel

Weekend With Wisdom With Makarand Paranjape

Imagine a transformative, face-to-face weekend with a leading intellectual, author, thinker, and scholar—an opportunity that promises to expand your horizons and ignite your intellectual curiosity. This unique experience offers an intimate setting where you can engage directly with a distinguished individual whose ideas have shaped our understanding of India and the world.

Over the course of the weekend, you’ll have the privilege of participating in thought-provoking discussions, lively debates, and interactive sessions that delve deep into the author’s areas of expertise. Through their captivating interactions, filled with personal anecdotes, you’ll gain insights into their research, innovative theories, ways of thinking and writing.

This extraordinary opportunity goes beyond a typical lecture or seminar. It provides an environment where you can engage in meaningful conversations, seek clarification on complex concepts, and explore the intellectual’s latest works in an informal setting. The small group size ensures ample opportunities for personal interaction and a chance to have your burning questions answered directly by the intellectual themselves.

This Retreat has the added advantage of being a Writers Workshop in miniature. You can ask Professor Makarand R. Paranjape questions relating to your own writing ambitions and on how to find publishers or avenues for your own work.

Venue: Montfort Spirituality Centre, # 184, Old Madras Road, Indiranagar, Bengaluru-560038.

The fee for the workshop is Rs 6000 with accommodation

Indica Books Live with Jijith Nadumiri Ravi, author of Rivers of Rigveda and The Geography of Ramayana

Indica Books presents Author Q&A with Jijith Nadumiri Ravi

Book Discussion : Geography of Ramayana & Rivers of Rgveda 

Geography of Ramayana

This book on the Geography of Rāmāyaṇa is a sequel to the book Rivers of Ṛgveda (ISBN 979-8-88530-307-1) which focused on the Geography of Ṛgveda. This book will be followed by an upcoming book on the Geography of Mahābhārata, thus completing a trilogy on the geochronology of Bhāratavarṣa. This book focus on the cities, towns, villages, kingdoms, regions, forests, mountain ranges, mountain peaks, rivers and lakes of Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa. It highlights the Geography of Bhāratavarṣa as known to Rāma, Vālmīki, Agastya and others who lived in the Rāma Era. The book strictly adhere to the geographical data present in the Saṃskṛt Ślokas of Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, and hence provides many surprising new insights on the Geography of Rāmāyaṇa.

Jijith Nadumuri Ravi has earlier done remarkable work on the geography of the Ṛgveda.  He now follows this up with this volume, on the geography of Rāmāyaṇa, with a subsequent companion on Mahābhārata. – Dr Bibek Debroy

Geography of the Ramayana is a worthy successor to Jijith’s book Rivers of the Ṛgveda. His background in the sciences, literally as a rocket scientist, helps him to stick to data and logic. – Dr Koenraad Elst

What happened to the intervening Kuru Pāñcāla region, the heartland of Vedic culture, as the events of Rāmāyaṇa unfolded? Jijith carefully sifts the chronological strata in the Rāmāyaṇa and gives a coherent picture. – Vishal Agarwal

It is welcome to note this new book by Jijith – the 2nd  of a trilogy – focusing on the geography of the Rāmāyaṇa. He adds to the corpus of knowledge with rich maps, ancient geographies, and histories. – Dr Raj Vedam

Rivers of Rgveda 

Have you ever wondered what is really inside Rgveda? Do you know that apart from the names of the Devatas, Rgveda mentions hundreds of kings and sages by name? Do you know that it mentions more than 30 rivers? You may be familiar with many events in Ramayana and Mahabharata, but do you know about any interesting events mentioned in Rgveda? Most of the impressions about Rgveda are shaped by secondary information, and they seldom delve deep into the Rgvedic verses. This book is a geographical journey into Rgveda with the Rgvedic rivers as our primary guides. The book will take you through the rivers like Ganga, Yamuna, Sarasvati, Sarayu and others. You will get familiarized with many Rgvedic events like the Dasarajna Battle, Varshagira Battle and so on and get a clear picture of the chronology of events mentioned in Rgveda and its connections with Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Can watch the Event on Our Youtube / FB

Indica Books Live with Satyarth Nayak, author of Mahagatha: 100 Tales from the Puranas

Indica Books presents Author Q&A with Satyarth Nayak

Book Discussion – “Mahagatha: 100 Tales from the Puranas“

About the Book: 

Do you know the story where Brahma and Vishnu race against each other or where Shiva battles Krishna? Where Indra attempts foeticide or where Rama punishes a Shudra? Do you know about Maya Sita or Narada’s monkey face? Or why Surya falls from the sky or why Chandra commits adultery?

The Puranas of Hinduism are a universe of wisdom, embodying a fundamental quest for answers that makes them forever relevant. Now, for the first time, 100 of the greatest mythological tales from these ancient texts have been handpicked and compiled into an epic illustrated edition. Besides popular legends of devas, asuras, sages and kings, Satyarth Nayak has dug up lesser-known stories, like the one where Vishnu is beheaded or where Saraswati curses Lakshmi or where Harishchandra tricks Varuna. Nayak also recounts these 100 tales in a unique chronological format, beginning with Creation in Satya Yuga and ending with the advent of Kali Yuga. Using Puranic markers, he constructs a narrative that travels through the four yugas, offering continuous and organic action. In such a reading, it is revealed that these stories are not isolated events but linked to each other in the grand scheme of things. That every occurrence has a past and a future. A cause and effect. An interconnected cycle of karma and karma-phal.

Delving into the minds of gods, demons and humans alike, Mahagatha seeks a deeper understanding of their motivations. The timelessness of their impulses speaks across the aeons to readers of today. Written in lively prose with charming illustrations, these 100 tales will entertain and enlighten, and make you connect the dots of Hindu mythology like never before.

Can watch the Event on Our Youtube / FB

Writers Workshop With R Jagannathan

EFFECTIVE & AUTHENTIC WRITING IN THE AGE OF ChatGPT

“Thanks to technology, it is now easier to become a good writer. AI and ChatGPT are now seemingly writing better than you and me. However, effective writing is not just about technical proficiency; it’s about authenticity and connecting with your audience.

My workshop will primarily focus on developing your writing skills in various forms, including news reporting, opinion pieces, and micro text for social media. We will also explore ways to eliminate bias and develop your own unique writing style. While technology can make you a better writer or even write better than you, it can never replace the authenticity and individuality of human writing.”

– R Jagannathan

Existing members of 1000 Reviewers Club ( 2021 & 2022) who have written 3 or more reviews need not pay the above cost and will be hosted free of charge. Outstation members of the Reviewers Club who have fulfilled the above criteria will also be provided an additional travel grant of Rs 10000 or actuals whichever is lower.

Venue: Montfort Spirituality Centre, # 184, Old Madras Road, Indiranagar, Bengaluru-560038.

The fee for the workshop is Rs 5000 with accommodation and Rs.3000 without accommodation.