ASM Research Scholarships for the year 2025-26

ASM Research Scholarships for the year 2025-26

1. Justice K.T. Telang Scholarship in Indology - Rs. 48000/-
2. Asiatic Society’s Scholarship in Labour Studies – 36000/-
3. Pohekar Memorial Scholarship offered to a student pursuing research in any area concerning Japan – education, culture, politics, economics, Japanese Buddhism – 8000/-
4. Smt. Vimal N. Shah Memorial Research Scholarship in Pali /Buddhist Studies - Rs.40000/-
Tenure of the Research Scholarships is for one year from the date of commencement of the scholarship.
Educational qualification: The candidate should have at least registered for PhD. in allied subjects. Or post-graduation in the relevant subject with 5-year work experience in the relevant field.
Format of the Proposal - Introduction, Review of Literature, Scope, Research Methodology and approach, Research problem, Hypothesis statement, Tentative Chapterisation, Primary and secondary sources, and Expected Research findings.
Last date of submission of proposal – 30th June 2025 (There will be no extension of last date)
Selected candidates will have to go through an interview. Interested Scholars may apply to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line “Research Scholarships 2025” mentioning the scholarships they have applied for.
The applications will be screened by a committee constituted for the purpose. Selected candidates will have to appear for an interview. If need be, the proposal needs to be revised as per the suggestion of the committee. The decision of the Committee will be final.

Prof. Mangala Sirdeshpande
Hon. Secretary

MRC presents FROM BEHISTUN TO BOMBAY – A JOURNEY THROUGH THE WORLD OF CUNEIFORM with SHAILESH KSHIRSAGAR from 2nd - 7th June 2025

THE ASIATIC SOCIETY OF MUMBAI
The Mumbai Research Centre of The Asiatic Society of Mumbai presents
FROM BEHISTUN TO BOMBAY – A JOURNEY THROUGH THE WORLD OF CUNEIFORM with SHAILESH KSHIRSAGAR

This comprehensive course introduces participants to the fascinating world of Cuneiform script, beginning with theoretical foundations in Ancient Mesopotamian civilization and focusing specifically on Old Persian Cuneiform from the Achaemenid period (5th Century BCE). Students will develop practical reading skills by studying the Behistun Inscription's 1st and 4th columns, while exploring connections between the script and both Devanagari and Roman alphabets. The course examines the emergence of Zoroastrian deities in later inscriptions and provides archaeological evidence of the Achaemenid Empire's reach into Gandhar and India through direct textual analysis. The program culminates in an on-site reading of the Wadia Clock Tower Inscription at Mumbai's Fort, offering a unique opportunity to apply ancient Iranian language skills to a local historical artifact.

Monday, 2nd June 2025 - 4-6 PM
Wednesday, 4th June 2025 - 4-6 PM
Friday, 6th June 2025 - 4-6 PM
Saturday, 7th June 2025 - 1-3 PM

₹2000 (₹1500 Members)
Venue: Durbar Hall, The Asiatic Society of Mumbai
Registration Links:
General: https://rzp.io/rzp/CuneiformGeneral
Members: https://rzp.io/rzp/CuneiformMembers

- Prof. Mangala Sirdeshpande, Hon. Secretary Asiatic Society of Mumbai.
- Dr. Shehernaz Nalwalla, Vice President of the Society & Chairperson – MRC

MRC online series lectures: Opium, Empire & The City by Prof Amar Farooqui on 12, 13 and 14 June 2025

THE ASIATIC SOCIETY OF MUMBAI
The Mumbai Research Centre of The Asiatic Society of Mumbai
invites you to a three-part online lecture series on
"Opium, Empire & The City"
by Amar Farooqui, Professor of History (retired), University of Delhi

The Mumbai Research Center of The Asiatic Society of Mumbai invites you to a three-partonline lecture series on "Opium, Empire & The City" by Amar Farooqui, Professor of History (retired), University of Delhi.

For most of the nineteenth century, opium was the second largest source of revenue for the British Indian government.We will trace the journey of opium from the poppy fields of Bihar, to Bombay and to Canton.

Poppy Fields of Bihar will outline the rise and decline of the opium enterprise.

The Problem of Malwa Opium will examine the emergence of the Malwa region as the major supplier of opium for the China market.

Bombay to Canton will focus on the role played by seaborne trade in opium in the rise of Bombay.

Date: 12,13,14 June, 2005
Time: 7 to 8.30pm

Lecture fees for the series:
Members: ₹750/-
General: ₹1000/-

Registration Links:
General: https://rzp.io/rzp/OpiumGeneral
Members: https://rzp.io/rzp/OpiumMembers

Please Note: Lectures will be conducted on Zoom. No recordings will be provided.

- Prof. Mangala Sirdeshpande, Hon. Secretary Asiatic Society of Mumbai.
- Dr. Shehernaz Nalwalla, Vice President of the Society & Chairperson – MRC

LitClub Programme: “In Conversation” on the novel “Rescuing a River Breeze” by Mrinalini Harchandrai on Tuesday 17th June 2025 at 5 p.m.

THE ASIATIC SOCIETY OF MUMBAI
The Literary Club of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai
invites you to an “In Conversation” on the novel
“Rescuing a River Breeze” by Mrinalini Harchandrai
on Tuesday 17th June 2025 at 5 p.m.

The Literary Club of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai cordially invites you to an “In Conversation” on the novel “Rescuing a River Breeze” by Mrinalini Harchandrai at the Durbar Hall at 5.00 p.m. on Tuesday 17th June, 2025. The author will be in conversation with Sharon Irani.

Rescuing a River Breeze is set in 1961 in Goa, then under Portuguese rule, and revolves around the fictitious Quarachim family, hailing from Karachi and settled in Goa post partition, now well-integrated into the upper echelons of Panjim's society. A couple of months before the liberation of Goa in December 1961, the protagonist, 13-year-old Shirly Quarachim finds her daily life disrupted when her father is arrested on charges of treason. The young Shirley is caught between her personal world and the growing political turmoil around her as Indian troops come closer to the border and the threat of war and destruction looms large.
Mrinalini Harchandai is a poet and writer, and former Deputy Editor at Poetry at Sangam, an online literary journal. Her poetry and short stories are widely anthologised and have won international acclaim, including the Quarterly West Poetry Prize, the Commonwealth Short Story Prize, Cid Pearlman Performance Project and Columbia Journal Spring Contest.

Her novel, Rescuing A River Breeze, published by Bloomsbury India, was shortlisted for The Asian Prize for Fiction, and long-listed for UK’s McKitterick Prize as well as for the Green Literature Festival’s Best Book Awards. She is a life member of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai.

Born in Mumbai, Sharon Irani is a writer, researcher, editor and poet, she is deeply interested in history and literature. She too is a life member of our Society and one of the historical researchers to contribute to the Afghan Memorial Church Interpretation Centre.

We look forward to seeing you after the summer break.

Please join us for tea at 4.30 p.m

- Prof. Mangala Sirdeshpande, Hon. Secretary Asiatic Society of Mumbai.
- Meenal Kshirsagar, Vice President of the Society & Chairperson - ASM LitClub

YOUTUBE LINK

ENDOWMENT LECTURES SECTION 

• Fifth Dr Meera Kosambi Endowment Lecture by Professor Rajan Gurukkal
  Held on:  24th April 2025
  Topic: “Historicising the Archeology of South Indian Megalithic Burials”
   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1P3_mOKxd_6w1wNrYraoe1PLQqvwGhqEM/view?usp=sharing

• The 13^th Durga Bhagwat Endowment Lecture held on 26th March 2025 
  by  Professor K. Krishnan on  “Applications of Science in Archaeology with special emphasis on Ceramic Petrology”
  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XwpRC4WbaUJK9pJ5Ua5Lg4ItHMkHBB6W/view?usp=sharing
  

• 19th Dr Mani Kamerkar Endowment Lecture held on 18th February 2025 
  by Professor Vinay Lal on “A Diaspora Purana: The Figure of the Migrant and the Epic of Indian Indenture”
   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NY2OCiioKdfkI_NSO2HkOsaBQBs6MbFA/view?usp=sharing
  

• ASM LitClub - Book Launch and Discussion Programme
  Sunanda Bhosekar's Marathi Book - पेरिप्लस ऑफ हिंदुस्थान (हिंदुस्थानची प्रदक्षिणा) (“The Periplus of Hindustan “)
  Tuesday 25th February 2025 at 4.30 p.m.https://youtu.be/eO4dfmB6kJI?si=725DoLGg4Mo00DNM
  
  
• 35th Smt. Nabadurga Banerji Endowment Lecture by Professor Himanshu Prabha Ray
  Author and Historian, Tagore National Fellow, Jawaharlal Nehru University Topic:  “The Modern Search for the Buddha's Relics” Held on:  9th January 2025 
  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1D750AVRikzJUBuNZXX83QibA5I9JAHLA/view?usp=sharing
   
• The 15th B. G. Deshmukh Endowment Lecture held on 11th December 2024
  by Shri. Tilak Devasher Topic: "Security: Why is it Critical for Good Governance?"
  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vKv3r4m0OvjuUqNaiC54Q8J1k4Vc67LN/view?usp=sharing
  
• Recording Billimoria Endowment Lecture by Prof Mayank Vahia held on 3rd September 2024
  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1brEZ3hM8toTKCc-SqsZMR1acoySLijlg/view?usp=sharing
  
  
• Twelfth Durga Bhagwat Endowment Lecture by Professor Subhash Walimbe
  Retd. Faculty, Deccan College PGRI (Deemed University), Pune on“Peopling of the Indian subcontinent”
  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uVUar13sngqH6HYYE2qMoBUQpe7nS4Me/view?usp=sharing
  

• 14th B. G. Deshmukh Endowment Lecture by Dr. K.P. Krishnan, IAS (Retd),
  Former Secretary, Government of India on "Making Regulation in India work better"
  https://youtu.be/Ix9tU5TtFa0
  

• Fourth Dr Meera Kosambi Endowment Lecture held on 12th March 2024 
  by Dipankar Gupta on “The Urban Shift: From Patriarchy to Masculinity” 
  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1d24c6G5dSaNXSSjblX7xJkvKDjXAJp1E/view?usp=sharing
  
  
• Prof. L B Kenny Endowment Lecture held on 21st February 2024 by Brinda Somaya
  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EUZLdYSU5hnXfrzPWgcfwm6ph3uPMc17/view?usp=sharing
  

• 30^th Smt. Bansari Sheth Memorial Lecture by Mr Justice Rohinton Nariman Former Judge of the Supreme Court of India and former Solicitor General of India
  on  “The Constitution of India:  Checks and Balances” held on Friday, 15^th December 2023
  https://www.youtube.com/live/JMNW2QCM9ac?si=ncSY4v3lt8XSdiFN
  

• Dr Mani Kamerkar Endowment Lecture   by   Dr. Ramachandra Guha held on 8th December 2023
  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sqoxBRA_6SdVgjNJS1-KcO7swud2x0aN/view?usp=sharing
  
  
• Lit Club talk held on 30th August 2023 by Dr. Usha Thakkar and Dr. Pam Rajput
  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Od8wdaMga2HYlA2d4k5cNKUFhf7ZJpVJ/view?usp=sharing
  

• Third Dr Meera Kosambi Endowment Lecture by Arshia Sattar, Ph.D. to be held on 29^th March 2023 
  https://drive.google.com/file/d/19suuGtPEDCiz78sGzb9FadrLYnIPYqXF/view?usp=share_link
  

• 13th B G Deshmukh Endowment Lecture by Ambassador Shyam Saran held on 5th April 2023
  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GzFryOw8_evH_yTkxUqjVig7snRrYJRm/view?usp=share_link
  
  
• Gulestan & Rustom Billimoria Lecture by Prof. Naman Ahuja held on 27th February 2023 : 
  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JaOmgKBMlWhGPy1nWRuqAALqg6u38dE9/view?usp=share_link
  

• Eleventh Professor Dhirendra Narain Endowment Lecture by Dr. Chithra Madhavan, Historian, on “Art and Architecture of the Pallavas - bearing on Society and Culture,” 
  Dr. Usha R Vijailakshmi, Professor of History, Patkar-Varde College & Vice President, Asiatic Society of Mumbai, presided at the lecture.:
  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AJBFvv1PqeOQJZ2LWcVOF_qewXs3-gGW/view?usp=share_link

• ASM LitClub talk by Dr Manil Suri held on 24-01-2023 : : https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FDuwkqMIYpeRQVoJOg7rgzVzGhmN8vkk/view?usp=share_link

• 33rd Nabadurga Banerji  Endowment Lecture held on 18th January 2023 by Dr. Choodamani Nandagopal, Art Historian, UNESCO Fellow & Tagore National Fellow, 
  on “Imagery of Female Messengers Dutikas/Sakhis in Indian Art, Thought and Literature.” : https://drive.google.com/file/d/18rDPm4XHpqWBFoMyQ9UAmrEYd7_jdDvI/view?usp=share_link
• Dr. Mani Kamerkar Endowment Lecture by Dr. Syed Ali Nadeem Rezavi held on 7th November 2022 : 1. https://youtu.be/8XMmBMNV3VE (part 1) / 2. https://youtu.be/0tP5zhoW544 ( part 2)
• Dr. Meera Kosambi Endowment Lecture : https://youtu.be/MqeLV8MLT8E
• The 12th B.G. Deshmukh Endowment Lecture (Online) delivered by Professor Bharat Karnad - YouTube held on 2nd March 2022 : https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQZvEZBUsEU
• The 24th Gulestan and Rustom Billimoria Endowment Lecture (Online) by Professor Vasant Shinde on 23rd February 2022 : https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SuukxGXZmRo
• The 27th Bansari Sheth Memorial Lecture by Justice Gautam Patel  : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEnWx1GYcAs
  
• 23rd Gulestan and Rustom Billimoria Endowment Lecture delivered by Dr Jonathan Mark Kenoyer : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ugAURDFI5M
• 15th Mani Kamerkar Endowment Lecture : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfQWiREpJiI
• “The Ant who Swallowed the Sun - The Abhangs of the Marathi Women Saints” : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I46Yp-Uu0nI
• Nabadurga Banerjee Endownment Lecture by Dr. Radhika Seshan : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTHBtfDfPQQ
• 9th Durga Bhagwat Endowment Lecture by Dr. Shrikant Bahulkar : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NrTd0c2BlE
• Ninth Professor Dhirendra Narain Endowment Lecture delivered by Professor Dr Phiroze Vasunia : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WU_T9Pjn2M0
• 27th Justice K.T. Telang Memorial Lecture (online) by Dr Madhavi Kolhatkar : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=immO1uO9uYk
• 11^th B G Desmukh Endowment Lecture by Mr. Harsh Mariwala, Chairman, Marico Industries : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jskIs1YozpE 
• The 40th Mahamahopadhyaya Dr. P. V. Kane Memorial Lecture : https://youtu.be/iKhVHPUTYyk
• Dr. Usha Thakkar on the Congress Radio: Voice of Freedom in 1942 : https://youtu.be/c1xNJfAOwWs
• Maharashtra through Maps Session I - Palghar to Sindhudurg with Sudhakar Solomonraj : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReZyHm9wbgU&feature=youtu.be
• Maharashtra through Maps Session II - Khandesh to Western Ghats with Sudhakar Solomonra : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuG-2BliqQY&ab_channel=MumbaiFestival
• Maharashtra through Maps Session III - Marathwada with Sudhakar Solomonraj : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vpcXMU2Xu
• Maharashtra through Maps Session IV - Vidarbha with Sudhakar Solomonraj : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9vc2EEpTqA&ab_channel=MumbaiFestival
• Two Hundred Years of Mumbai na Shamachar: Public Address by Berjis Desai : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8ymryQyE9o
• Congress Radio - Voice of Freedom in 1942 : https://youtu.be/c1xNJfAOwWs
• From Bombay to Bokhara: India and Afghanistan in the Age of Empire : https://youtu.be/rzS3k5pn1cI
• 32nd Nabadurga Banerji Lecture held on 15th November 2021 : https://youtu.be/_doJBtEGjDQ 
• The 16th Dr. Mani Kamerkar Endowment Lecture “Early Christian Sailing Circuits in the Western Indian Ocean,’ held on 4th January 2022. : https://drive.google.com/file/d/16E0hyiUBudOJMk16DwD7e8edZEoTXEkE/view
• 32nd Nabadurga Banerji Endowment Lecture “Radio, academies, public concerts and the staging of modern Indian classical music: a case for new socio-aesthetic categories,” on 15th November 2021 : https://youtu.be/_doJBtEGjDQ
• 13^th Professor L. B. Kenny Endowment Lecture (Online) by Rahul Mehrotra, Architect and Professor of Urban Design and Planning, Harvard University, on ‘Architecture and Planning in a  Time of FLUX’
     held on 17th January 2022. : https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VwBj0hVix0WZ6rz57dRpo8_Eu2F_Z-aD/view?ts=61eb787a
• Professor Jyotindra Jain: The Ferocious Consort ( 10 th Durga Bhagwat Endowment Lecture) : https://youtu.be/Yi8pcrOrnps

Lit Club Lecture : https://youtu.be/_doJBtEGjDQ

• The Ranakpur temple ( Justice K T Telang lecture by Dr. Saryu Doshi) :
  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uxJkdErgYz0rpsGbql3q7o5OIVAegpk8/view?usp=share_link
  
• Recording of Lit Club talk by Sunil Shanbag : 
  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RWEqEfh6g98g1RsmIAY3am21RB74b8TU/view?usp=share_link
• Lit Club Lecture: The Heritage of the Kakatiyas of Warangal - Dr. Varsha Shirgaonkar 
  Youtube link :  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EmhNU-bQnc&feature=youtu.be

Aroon Tikekar Fellowship Award and Guest Lecture

• 5th Dr Aroon Tikekar Memorial Fellowship - Award & Guest Lecture : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ml3SK_jbb2E&

MRC Lectures

• Gerald Aungier (1640-1677), President of Surat and the 2nd Governor of Bombay (1669-1677), succeeding George Oxenden : https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dJnCT6gMsYRT7CJmboiaCTvciwg_rDzB/view?usp=share_link
• Shokhiyon mein ghola jaye... A Musical programme on Dev Anand. Concept and presentation Manek Premchand : https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/14wkd00jjEvdWyADtT7g8szGTtKHbyhUF?usp=sharing
•  Bombay Memorabilia (Part I) by Rajan Jayakar :  https://youtu.be/RZJKOPJMeNs
•  Bombay Memorabilia (Part II) by Rajan Jayakar : https://youtu.be/M7rg9gitkS0
• MRC Public Lecture - The Story of Bombay Through Philately by Pascal Roque Lopes : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9rMU07YwDY
• In Search of the Unknown - A Photographic Talk by Bharath Ramarutham : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVDDjXldXwY
• Seeing Time - Public Clocks of Bombay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRyrPVKGlLg
• Orientation - The Geography of Belief : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdQbhFVeDCI
• From Tents Shows to the Lost Cinemas - The Story of Bombay's Early Film Culture by Sharon Irani : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Q6-oDStWOw
• Jashn - Literature Panel Discussion : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96OXNTl0Zco
• Jashn- Forgotten Mumbai : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Duexhujh7u0
• Jashn - Ranjit Hoskote - Alkazi in 1950s Bombay : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4oJBk-7-Pk
• Jashn – Masala Trail with Anjali Koli : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6vqH6OXkk4&
• Jashn – Closing Ceremony and Valedictory Address by Gyan Prakash : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N3cuY4QvpE
• Jashn - The Story of Mumbai through Puppets : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hba1khK-eY
• Jashn - TRANSLATING THE CITY : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uGTIljCHM0
• Jashn - BOMBAY EK GEET : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8lWv-gFeWQ
• Jashn - HERITAGE, CONSERVATION AND DEMOCRACY : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMEQBWrr5yo
• DASTAAN MUMBAI MEIN THEATRE KE AMAD KA : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1qCDl-QyM8
• Jashn - RIVERS OF BOMBAY : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpZrwDGTWXg
• Jashn - LIVE DEMO OF GRANTH SANJEEVANI : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egJ0phEB3ig
• Jashn - LOOK UP MUMBAI : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSEPqwXvzK4
• Jashn- THE OTHER MUMBAI : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8YHNHbBveM
• Jashn - A GLIMPSE INTO THE ASIATIC SOCIETY : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9V2tKWttic0
• Jashn - WATER WALK : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jK30Jq9yow
• Jashn - A MARITIME VOYAGE OF MUMBAI : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=278ivj_F1Jk
• Jashn - KEYNOTE ADDRESS : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLrz1tin5kE
• Jashn Trailer : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_S1ZSsBVZts
• Jashn – Christopher London (Original) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPZdz9D0rrU
• Jashn-e-Dastaan-e-Mumbai Live with Rochelle Potkar : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSnKeQtUhOY

Foundation Day

• 217th Foundation Day Lectures by Jim Masselos and Arvind Ganachari : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_S_uYPdoeV4
• Conservation of Old Books in the Asiatic Society of Mumbai : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfZCZn3xyr4
• Rare Books and Microfilming in the Asiatic Society of Mumbai : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvxeftcfEsw
• Binding of Old Books in the Asiatic Society of Mumbai : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3izVaXufSjQ
• Governor of Maharashtra visits Asiatic Society of Mumbai : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJrIADNrT68
• Granth Sanjeevani : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3UxTfBopsA
  
  
• Street Fauna and the Ecology of Mumbai : https://youtu.be/jwQ3OXhLyO4
• Naturally Mumbai: A Tribute to Sunderlal Bahuguna : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9d744Kdh3Q&ab_channel=MumbaiFestival
• Caring for Life: the Cipla Story since 1935  : https://youtu.be/LLScHbU5vrM
• Regenerating India's Ecological Civilization and Aranya Sanskriti" by Dr. Vandana Shiva" : https://youtu.be/QeAtggC6ePg
• Farokh Udwadia on "Medicine in Bombay Through the Ages": https://youtu.be/m-U_6X4dVVI