AHIMSA CENTER NONVIOLENCE IN THOUGHT AND ACTION

Tara and Nirmal Sethia Annual Ahimsa Lectures

Purpose and Vision

The Ahimsa Lectures aim to illuminate the power of ahimsa (nonviolence) as a force of enduring good. Premised on reverence for all life, ahimsa is not only the rejection of violence but is an active embrace of a constellation of values such as amity and inclusion, caring and compassion, generosity and forgiveness, humility and gratitude, truth and transparency. Ahimsa is vital to human survival and flourishing and should be our guiding light in spheres ranging from education to media, family and society, politics and policymaking to economic and ecological sustainability.

This series is envisioned to bring to our campus distinguished scholars, writers and artists, public intellectuals, thought leaders, social activists and change-makers, and exponents of ahimsa in the wisdom tradition. They will remind us not only of the urgency of addressing the pervasive problem of violence but will also offer a path forward based on their expertise and lived experiences in the realm of ahimsa.

Endowed by Drs. Nirmal Sethia (Emeritus Professor of Management and Human Resources) and Tara Sethia (Emerita Professor of History and Founding Director of Ahimsa Center), the annual ahimsa lectures seek to complement Ahimsa Center’s interdisciplinary teaching and learning about nonviolence and its practical applications, and nurture a culture of ahimsa.