India International Centre

India International Centre
The front entrance and driveway, January 2020
Map
General information
Location40, Max Mueller Marg, New Delhi 110003
CountryIndia
Coordinates28°35′36″N 77°13′20″E / 28.593383°N 77.222257°E / 28.593383; 77.222257
Completed1962
Design and construction
Architect(s)Joseph Allen Stein
Other information
ParkingAvailable

The India International Centre (IIC) is a non-official organisation situated in New Delhi, India. Membership of the IIC includes artists, academicians, senior government officials, judges, jurists, parliamentarians, doctors, ministers, governors, social activists, journalists and persons from other domains.[1][2] It serves as a meeting place for cultural and intellectual offerings; while maintaining its non-official character, non-aligned motivations and remains uncommitted to any particular form of governmental, political, economic or religious affiliation.

The centre's main complex and its annex (located adjacent to Lodhi Gardens) were designed by the architect Joseph Allen Stein.[3] There are several other major institutions around the centre, which are also designed by Stein, giving the area the popular name of 'Steinabad'.

Overview

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According to its official blurb, the centre is alluded to as 'Triveni', which in Sanskrit means 'a structure of three', as it provides three main activity streams:

  • The Intellectual Stream, which is supported by a well-stocked library that helps scholars and researchers, and the continuing series of the organisation of seminars, symposia, meetings and discussions.  The Publications Division brings out the IIC Quarterly, the internationally known multi-disciplinary journal, and monographs known as Occasional Publications.
  • The Cultural Stream comprises dance and music recitals, exhibitions, film screenings and theatre.
  • The Social Stream brings together people in a pleasant setting, who stay in the hostel and use the catering facilities.

The centre has remained self-reliant for nearly six decades.

History

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The centre's foundation stone was laid in 1960 by Japanese Prince Akihito, who had come to India for his honeymoon;[4] it was inaugurated in 1962 by S. Radhakrishnan, the 2nd President of India. The founding President of the IIC was C.D. Deshmukh, Cabinet Minister and former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India. The centre's annex was inaugurated in 1996 by Karan Singh, the president of IIC.[5]

The centre has been known for hosting lectures and discourses by renowned international personalities which have included the Dalai Lama,[6] UN Secretary General Kofi Annan,[7] Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Rev Jesse Jackson, Noam Chomsky, Salman Rushdie,[3] US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo,[8] former Hong Kong governor Christopher Patten,[1] Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore and many other eminent persons.

The centre's Gandhi-King Plaza, named after Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., was inaugurated on 21 January 1970 by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.[9]

Former chief minister of Bihar, and then minister of railways Lalu Yadav was not admitted as a member in 2006, following which Karan Singh resigned as a Life Trustee, in reaction to the refusal by the admissions committee.[10]

In March 2019, the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, who has been conferred honorary membership, visited the IIC on the invitation of the IIC President N.N. Vohra, former governor of Jammu and Kashmir,[11] to be introduced to the members of the centre's board of trustees.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Makkar, Sahil (19 November 2013). "India's elite stand in queue for IIC membership". Business Standard India. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  2. ^ "Heckles raised as IIC chief invites President of India amid poll process in cultural centre". www.aninews.in. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  3. ^ a b "India International Centre". Times of India Travel. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  4. ^ Chellaney, Brahma (27 November 2013). "From economic ties to strategic partnership". The Hindu. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  5. ^ "IIC| India International Centre - Building Environment". www.iicdelhi.nic.in. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  6. ^ "Irked by China, India signals turnaround on Dalai Lama". Deccan Herald. 18 November 2019. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  7. ^ "Secretary-General ends India visit with strong call for UN reform". UN News. 28 April 2005. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  8. ^ "Mike Pompeo bats for religious freedom, says world worse off when religious rights compromised". India Today. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  9. ^ "90th Birthday Commemoration of Dr Martin Luther King Jr". www.iicdelhi.nic.in. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  10. ^ Roy, Bhaskar. "Failing to admit Lalu, Karan quits IIC post | Delhi News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  11. ^ "Heckles raised as IIC chief invites President of India amid poll process in cultural centre". www.aninews.in. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
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