Meenakshi Jain’s nomination to RS celebrated

The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) and INDICA jointly hosted a special event to felicitate historian, author and scholar Padma Shri Meenakshi Jain on her nomination to the Rajya Sabha.

The programme bore a distinctive aesthetic shaped by Jain’s scholarship and persona. It was not a conventional felicitation but rather an authentic celebration, where — true to the Indian tradition — gratitude was expressed at the outset, making the evening as much personal as it was civilisational.

Speakers widely welcomed the Government of India’s decision to nominate a pure academic voice to the Rajya Sabha, noting that it strengthens both scholarship and the Upper House. Anand Ranganathan observed, “Meenakshi Jain’s nomination adds to the stature of the Rajya Sabha, rather than the other way around.”

Gautam Chikermane recited a poem describing her as “Abhimanyu who ultimately won.” Bharat Gupt appreciated her scholarship for clarifying medieval history, while Sachchidanand Joshi highlighted her “unwavering honesty.” Sanjeev Sanyal praised her humility and rigour, saying “her work has long inspired him.” Vivek Agnihotri expressed gratitude for her contribution to his documentary ‘Kashmir Unreported’ and underlined her refusal to seek publicity, choosing instead to let her work speak.

In her response, Meenakshi Jain reflected on her solitary years of scholarship and struggle. She expressed gratitude for the encouragement she received at a critical juncture from INDICA, led by Hari Kiran Vadlamani, and acknowledged its role in enabling her as an author and scholar. She also thanked IGNCA for organising the felicitation.

The event concluded with the presentation of a shawl, plaque, memento, and the first copy of her forthcoming book ‘Raja Bhoja Paramara: Remembering the Scholar King’.