The Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) is set to celebrate India Week, showcasing a rich array of activities focused on culture, thought, technology, and society. The event will kick off with an inaugural presentation on 24 September at 18:00 at Casa Asia in Madrid, which will include a talk titled “Five centuries of dialogue: from Akbar's court to the Spain-India Dual Year 2026.”
Running from 28 September to 2 October, the programme features 25 activities that explore contemporary India and its cultural heritage. The week will commence on 28 September at the Getafe campus with a keynote address by Jayant N. Khobragade, the Indian Ambassador to Spain, discussing India’s economic, technological, and social transformation and its growing international presence.
India Week will highlight various artistic forms, including classical dance styles such as Kathak, Bharatanatyam, and Kathakali, alongside live music featuring tabla and Hindustani classical singing. Additional workshops will cover Bollywood and Bhangra dance, Hindi language, yoga, Indian cuisine, and fashion.
Discussions on technology and artificial intelligence will also be part of the agenda, with talks like “Ethics as the red button of AI” and “A true game changer: discover the Indian tech boom.” Academic knowledge will be represented through a panel featuring testimonies from professionals who have participated in academic mobility between Spain and India.
The event will conclude on 2 October, coinciding with Gandhi Jayanti, the commemoration of Mahatma Gandhi's birth. The closing ceremony will take place at the Leganés campus auditorium, honouring the principles of non-violence and Gandhi's enduring legacy, featuring remarks from Rubén Campos, Director of Programmes at Club de Madrid and researcher at the Real Instituto Elcano. The finale will include a performance titled “Bhakti. Poetry of the body. From Bharatanatyam to contemporary dance,” by the Mónica de la Fuente Company.
India Week is a collaborative effort between the UC3M Vice-Rectorate for Communication, Culture and Transparency, and the Vice-Rectorate for Internationalisation, with support from the Indian Embassy in Spain, the Casa de la India Foundation, Casa Asia, the Carlos III University Foundation, and the municipalities of Getafe and Leganés. Most activities will be free and open to the public, although some may require prior registration. Many events are also included in the UC3M Activities Passport, allowing students to earn credits for participation.
