Event Inaugurated by Prof. Sathish, Dr. Shilpa, Prof. Swathi
Bengaluru, Sept 02: Manipal Institute of Liberal Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (MILHS), a constituent unit of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), an Institution of Eminence Deemed-to-be University, hosted the second edition of Maitri – Dialogues in Social Sciences at the MAHE Bengaluru campus. Centred on the theme “Multiple Truths: Narratives of Power, Resistance and Reconciliation,” the two-day festival examined how power, media and lived experiences influence the way society understands and represents the world.
The festival was inaugurated by noted sociologist Prof. Satish Deshpande, Dr. Shilpa Kalyan, In-charge Director, MILHS, and Dr. Swathi Shivanand, Head, Social Sciences. The festival brought together noted sociologist, noted filmmaker, scholars, educators, artists, media practitioners and students. Through conversations spanning sociology, cinema, theatre and media, the festival explored questions around truth, representation, power and whose perspectives find a place in public discourse.
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Deshpande reflected on the challenges confronting the social sciences at a time when the relationship between knowledge, facts and belief is increasingly being questioned. “Social science disciplines are facing the most difficult moment in the world, and the very idea of social sciences is being challenged,” he said.
Deshpande highlighted the growing preference for information that reinforces existing beliefs rather than challenges them. Reflecting on the emergence of “alternative facts,” he urged students to develop ethical scepticism and critically engage with the information shaping public understanding. He also cautioned against equating intellectual excellence with social elitism and emphasised that “the younger generation are part of the solution rather than the problem.”
A major highlight of the second day was a conversation between Filmmaker & writer Paromita Vohra and Hansa Thapliyal on documentary filmmaking, gender, regional representation and alternative forms of storytelling. Vohra reflected on documentary filmmaking as a way of engaging with questions of justice and representing diverse lived experiences. She highlighted the importance of moving beyond dominant narratives and recognising how gender relations and social realities differ across regions.
Describing filmmaking as a process rooted in encounters, Vohra said, “Filmmaking is like learning languages and understanding the language of the film.” She also discussed how regional music, humour and animation can challenge established hierarchies and offer different ways of interpreting and retelling history.
Speaking at the inauguration, Dr. Shilpa Kalyan, In-charge Director, MILHS, said, “Understanding society requires us to question not only what is visible in public discourse, but also what remains unseen. Maitri encourages students to engage with multiple perspectives through informed dialogue.”
The festival also featured The Big M of Madness, a contemporary adaptation of Macbeth by Just Theatre, along with creative workshops on climate education, digital culture, countermapping, urban representation and visual storytelling. Discussions on critical media literacy, intersectionality and factchecking, examining how information is produced, circulated and interpreted. These conversations encouraged students to look beyond textbooks and critically consider whose voices become dominant, whose experiences remain unseen and how different narratives shape public understanding.
By bringing Prof. Deshpande’s reflections on “alternative facts” into conversation with Vohra’s exploration of representation and lived experience, Maitri 2.0 highlighted the continuing relevance of the social sciences in navigating an increasingly complex information landscape. Through scholarship, cinema, theatre and creative practice, the festival encouraged students to question established narratives, engage with multiple perspectives and develop the critical judgement needed to understand the world around them.