summit of the powerless

Summit of the Powerless spread the word.
Tehelka is organising a Summit of the Powerless on 20 and 21 November 2006 at the Jamia Milia Islamia University in Delhi. Should you wish to attend, please register here.
For details visit www.summitofthepowerless.net. Given below is an introductory note and the tentative schedule.

Summit of the Powerless
India is going through a period of great change and great upheaval. At such a time, it has become crucial to ensure that voices across the country are heard, and people are given a chance to participate in the future being newly moulded for them — people whose lives are impacted daily by the decisions the powerful make.
To give voice to this silent majority, to find creative responses to some of the most difficult questions of our time, on November 20 –21 this year, Tehelka is hosting a visionary new forum: The Summit of the Powerless.
The core idea of the Summit is to bring together the three key stakeholders of a free society on to the same platform: money, power, and people.
Political and business leaders wield enormous power and influence over the lives of the poor. But in most forums, the converted talk to the converted: the powerful to the rich; the powerless to the powerless.
The unique idea of the Summit is to create an environment where the powerful will lend their ear to the powerless. The Summit seeks to bring the powerful into a new context. A context visually, emotionally, and conceptually constructed to be empathetic to thepowerless.The agenda? Not just to air differences, but hunt for common ground.
The broad theme for this year’s Summit is Two Indias, One Future. Under this matrix, the Summit will discuss some of the most pressing issues of our time: the role of the State; the farmer crisis; the gap between rural and urban India; reservations; naxals; Kashmir; the Northeast; land usage; and a vision for more equitable cities.
Every panel in the Summit will have two or more speakers each from the grassroot, political, and corporate sectors. There will also be AVs and personal narratives in every panel. More than 50 key human rights activists, peoples’ movement leaders, political, and corporate heads have already confirmed participation. Recognising the importance ofsuch a forum, the President of India too has agreed to participate in the Summit.
Apart from the panel discussions, many important conversations, arguments, and linkages will be made possible by the Summit. It has immense potential and provides an immense opportunity.
Tehelka is inviting everybody working to create a more equitable and humane world to attend the Summit. Do come and empower the Summit with your presence.
If you can come, please register at www.summitofthepowerless.net
If you have any queries, please write to summit@tehelka.com
And do pass the word around.
Best wishes,The Tehelka Team
DAY 1
Tarun Tejpal, Editor-in-Chief, Tehelka welcome address.Outlines summit agenda
Keynote Address by the President of India
OPENING SESSION: Two Indias, One FutureConfirmed Speakers
Aruna RoyAnna HazareKamal NathSitaram YechuryLK AdvaniArun Maira
SESSION 1 aFarmer Suicides: Urban India vs Rural IndiaConfirmed Speakers
Ajit SinghSachin PilotRajiv BakshiVandana ShivaMihir ShahKishore TiwariSharad PawarAmrinder SinghDevegowda
SESSION 1 b (simultaneous)
The Positive Model: Stories of Rural Success
Confirmed Speakers
Father Thomas KocherryRajinder SinghPrakash Amte
SESSION 2 aReservations: Inclusive Progress or the Death of Merit?Confirmed Speakers
Yogendra YadavKani MozhiUdit RajArjun SinghArun Shourie
SESSION 2 b (simultaneous)
Equal Education: Excellence or Prejudice?
Confirmed Speakers
Anil SadgopalAshok AggarwalMushirul HasanKrishna KumarParth J Shah
MUSICAL EVENING
Shubha MudgalKailash KherIndian OceanZahroor Sahin
DAY 2
Opening Session
The Indian State: Protector or Alienator?
Confirmed Speakers
Kapil SibalRam JethmalaniPraful PatelMedha PatkarDipankar CPIML
SESSION 3 a
Naxals: Backlash of the Fourth World?
Confirmed Speakers
Sumanto BanerjeeDilip SimeonDr Vara Vara RaoJanak Lal ThakurManendra KarmaKPS Gill
SESSION 3 b (simultaneous)
Kashmir: External Hand or Internal Haemorrhage?
Confirmed Speakers
Wajahat HabibullahPervez ImrozeOmar AbdullahMehbooba Mufti
SESSION 4 a
The City and the Powerless
Confirmed Speakers
Charles CorreaKT RavindranMadhu KishwarA JockinJaipal ReddyMilind DeoraVijaypat SinghaniaCyrus GazdarRajeev ChandrashekharB S Nagesh
SESSION 4 b (simultaneous)
North East: On the Map, Off the Mind?
Confirmed SpeakersWasbir HussainPatricia MukhimLachit Bordoloi
SESSION 5 (Final)
Bollywood: Can cinema bridge the divide?
Prasoon JoshiSudhir MishraRakeysh MehraRaveena TandonAnupam Kher