3d Indological Conference “The Dubyanskiy Readings”
On September 27-29, 2023, the 3rd Indological Conference “The Dubyanskiy Readings” will be held at the Institute of Oriental and Classical Studies, National Research University Higher School of Economics (Moscow, Russia). The Organizing Committee of the conference is pleased to invite international scholars to present their papers in the field of Tamil Studies and Dravidology, South Asian religious traditions, literature, art, history, et a/.
The conference is dedicated to the memory of an outstanding Russian Indologist, Dr. Alexander Dubyanskiy (1941—2020), who was one of the leading specialists in classical Tamil literature. For many decades, Alexander Dubyanskiy taught at the Institute of Asian and African Studies of the Moscow State University, at the Institute of Oriental Cultures of the Russian State University for the Humanities, and, later on, at the Institute of Oriental and Classical Studies of the Higher School of Economics. He was a mentor and scientific advisor to a few generations of Indologists; many of his disciples have now themselves become reputed scholars of Indian languages and literature.
From 2022, the conference is organized under the aegis of the Institute of Oriental and Classical Studies, Higher School of Economics, at the Department of History and Philology of South and Central Asia. This department was established thanks to the enthusiasm and dedication of the talented indologist Prof. Maxim Rusanov (1966—2020). At present, this is the only academic centre in Moscow that has an established program of Sanskrit and Pali studies for BA and MA students.
Dr. Alexander Dubyanskiy published dozens of important articles on various aspects of classical Tamil literature and the Tamil language, including Caṅkam poetry and Bhakti literature, but his sphere of scholarly and personal interests was much broader. He also authored a number of scholarly and popular articles on the Indus valley civilization, ancient and medieval Indian literature, various aspects of Hinduism, music and dance traditions, architecture and daily life in India. Through his public lectures and university courses, as well as via personal interactions, he generously, even selflessly shared his knowledge and experience with his fellow colleagues, students, and everyone who has a passion for Indian thought and culture.
Dr. Dubyanskiy, in a sense, served as a unifying figure for the Russian-speaking specialists in Indic studies, due to his humble and harmonious personality, deep belief in universal human values, his personal and professional integrity. He always did his best to encourage a productive dialogue between different groups and generations of researchers. Being a cosmopolitan person, he, through his personal and professional contacts with Indian and international scholars, friends of India, artists, musicians et al., fostered interdisciplinary and international cooperation in the field of South Asian studies in Russia and beyond.
The organizers of the conference hope that this event will be able to reflect, strengthen and further develop those scientific and human values that are associated with the name of Dr. Alexander Dubyanskiy and Prof. Maxim Rusanov, thus becoming a unifying platform for both established and younger scholars of Indology.
Furthermore, in the current geopolitical context, one can not overemphasize the importance of the ideals of tolerance, acceptance and spiritual freedom, deeply correlated with Indic traditions. However disjointed and disturbed the world of today might be, it is the responsibility of the academic community to keep reaching out across the barriers, in order to promote unity, mutual respect, and peace.
The Organizing Committee includes:
Dr. Ilya Smirnov (Academic Supervisor, IOCS HSE), Dr. Natalia Aleksandrova (IOCS HSE), Dr. Dmitriy Komissarov (IOCS HSE), Dr. Tatiana Dubyanskaya (IOCS HSE), Nikolai Gordiychuk (University of Hamburg), Anastasia Krylova (Institute of Oriental Studies RAS), Dr. Evgeniya Renkovskaya (Institute of Linguistics RAS), Dr. Darya Vorobyeva (State Institute of Art / IOCS HSE).
The conference will be held in person, at Institute of Oriental and Classical Studies, HSE Moscow (Staraya Basmannaya str. 21/4, building. 3-L), but a few panels, especially those held in the English language, will provide slots for online presentations.
If you would like to join the sessions of the conference online or would like to visit the conference in person, please send us your request at: dubyanskiy.readings@gmail.com