Dr. Pratap Bhanu Mehta is one of India’s foremost constitutional experts and political analysts. He is President of the Centre for Policy Research, an independent, non-partisan research institute and think tank in New Delhi.

 

Educated at Princeton and Oxford, Dr. Mehta has taught at Harvard University and at Jawaharlal Nehru University, and lectured widely around the world. He has written or edited books on issues such as constitutionalism, law, democracy, and public institutions. As well he has been one of India’s most prolific media commentators on social and political affairs, and his opinions have been published in many journals and magazines in his home country and abroad.

 

Currently Dr. Mehta is serving his first term as a member of the Board of Governors of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).

 

Among his areas of interest is India’s “Great Transformation,” the radical economic, social, and political changes that have revolutionized the country in recent decades. The theme of Dr. Mehta’s presentation at IDRC will be: "Precocious India: Economic Transformation and Political Conflict in Contemporary India."

 

 

 

 

French and English simultaneous interpretation is available.

 

Dr. Mehta’s talk is the second in a year-long series organized by IDRC. Listen to highlights from the launch presentation, delivered on August 28 by journalist, editor, and author M.J. Akbar.

 

The India Lectures highlight the wealth of eminent thinkers and stimulating ideas emanating from this rising global power. The series is being held to celebrate the 25^th anniversary of IDRC’s office in New Delhi and the Centre’s enduring and valued collaboration with its Indian research partners. Upcoming guests include Alka Acharya, Associate Professor, Centre for East Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University; Rajeev Bhargava, Senior Fellow and Director, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies.

 

For more information, call Francine Bouchard, ext. 2101.