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When it comes to numbers, we clearly went up and beyond with the third session of 星星(Xīngxīng, Chinese Exploratory Program) held on the 4th of April, 2026. (We meant the possible Chinese equivalents of the Arabic numerals, but pun intended.)

... on the special occasion of Valentines Day, 星星 (Xīngxīng, Chinese Exploratory Program) seized the opportunity to hold its second session named 好想你 (hǎo xiǎng nǐ, I miss you a lot) on the 14th of February, 2026.

Abhinav Raj sharing photograph. Picture credit: Inika March 21, 2026 mark the Khichik – Session III gathered around a single, uncomfortable idea: that every photograph holds two truths at once — what was there, and what it means. Not one or the other. Always both. Sontag called it a choice. Barthes called it a certificate of presence. We called it an afternoon worth sitting through. We began in Ennore, Chennai. M. Palani Kumar’s Murky Water led us there — to a creek running g

14 March 2026 marked the third session of Chaar Kadam with Smilo. It started with the screening of the short film ‘Forgive Us Our Trespasses’ directed by Ashley Eakin, followed by a presentation by Abhinav (Smilo) and a thematic group discussion.

Kumar explaining Anekantvaad through 'The Blind Men and the Elephant' | Picture credit: Abhinav Raj Kumar presented the second session of Ulfat on March 7, 2026, weaving through elements of the Jain school of thought, primarily emphasizing the ideas of anekantvaad, syaadvaad, and kaivalya. Reflecting on the life and works of Indian physicist Vikram Sarabhai, the session sought to comprehend the tolerance of differing opinions, dialogue and negotiation, and the philosophy of

Abhinav Raj presenting Chaar Phool Hai Aur Duniya Hai. Pic credit: Abhinav (Smilo) On February 6th, 2026, we gathered for the second session of Khichik, organized by Ohana:The Family of DST-CPR, CUG. It was more than just a presentation; it was a dialogue on how the lens serves as a silent witness to the complexities of human existence. We began by tracing the history of this medium back to Joseph Nicéphore Nié pce. It is humbling to realize that every image we see today—capt

Abhinav (Smilo) presenting some scenes of Homebound. Picture credit: Inika Bhattacharyya This session of Chaar Kadam with Smilo featured Homebound by Neeraj Ghaywan and was an attempt to explore the caste based discrimination at grassroot level. It started with the screening of some specific scenes of the film and was followed by a presentation by Abhinav (Smilo) which sought to bring an overview of the story and the intricate role of caste identities in the lives of its ch

Kumar discussing the ideological contestation regarding libido between Freud and Jung. Picture credit: Abhinav (Smilo) On January 03, 2026, the first session of Ulfat — presented by Kumar Gaurav — explored several key concepts to understand philosophy both as an academic discipline and as a way to contextualize its protean roles in society. Using a musical nazm by Bahadur Shah Zafar to illustrate a romantic imbroglio, the talk discussed three core aspects of philosophy — met

Sunny singing a song and audience cheering him. Picture credit: Abhinav Raj On December 27, 2025 at our Sunny Nights – New Year Special, there was a moment when time genuinely slowed down: Sunny Shivam, Head of Ceremonial Affairs, Ohana, began singing a few lines of “Dil Jhoom” from Gadar 2, and the entire space fell silent, then slowly joined in. It wasn’t just a performance; it felt like a shared exhale after a long year, a reminder of how music can hold both joy and exhaus

Inika explaining a Chinese phrase. Picture credit: Abhinav (Smilo) 星星 (Xīngxīng, Chinese Exploratory Program) held its first session"吃饭了吗” (chīfànle ma, Have you eaten yet?) on the 20th of December, 2025. We started the session with a little Jay Chou classic and ended it with everyone learning a short rhyme! We also discussed the basics of the Chinese language, a little about Hakka cuisine and finally learned some of phrases together! The enthusiasm even had us go off track s

Picture credit: Abhinav Raj Behind every photo are the unseen moments — odd hours planning calls, the laughter and heated discussions that went into the logo, and joyful efforts to make sure everyone felt welcome. The evening of October 24, 2025 marked the beginning of something we have quietly worked toward for months. Ohana was born from long discussions, drafts, feedback, and the steady dedication of core members who believed this forum could create space for curious minds

Screening of Anukul by Satyajit Raj on November 08, 2025. Picture credit: Abhinav Raj Having Ohana inaugurated, we have now conducted the first session of our film club — Chaar Kadam with Smilo — on 08th November 2025. As the name suggests, the intention is to come together and create a platform for idea exchange. This month, we screened a short film ‘ Anukul ’, written by Satyajit Ray. After screening, we also had an engaging discussion over it with people who joined us from

Abhinav Raj presenting 'Woman Holding a Fruit' by Raja Ravi Varma. Picture credit: Abhinav (Smilo) 30th November 2025, evening, witnessed the first session of Khichik: The Art Gallery — led by Abhinav Raj, initially discussing how painting is still an emblem of Indian classical form of memory and representation. We attempted to dive into the two immortal paintings of Raja Ravi Varma – Stolen Interview and A Woman Holding a Fruit. The session transformed into a powerhouse of i