Nagpur, May 22, 2025 | A one-day National Conference on “Philosopher Queen Devi
Ahilyabai Holkar” will be held on Sunday, 25 th May 2025, at the Indian Institute of
Management Nagpur, to commemorate the 300 th birth anniversary of Lokmata Devi
Ahilyabai Holkar. The event is being jointly organized by Devi Ahilyabai Smarak Samiti,
Nagpur, in collaboration with Mythic Society, Bengaluru, IIM Nagpur, W.E.S.’s Smt.
Manoramabai Mundle College of Architecture, Nagpur, and Maharashtra National Law
University, Nagpur.
A special spotlight session will be led by Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, Former Union Minister,
Government of India. The Valedictory Function will feature Shri Nitin Gadkari, Union
Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, as the Chief Guest. Smt.
Chitra Joshi, Akhil Bhartiya Sahakaryavahika of Rashtra Sevika Samiti, will be present as the
Guest of Honor.
This conference aims to bring the legacy and visionary work of Devi Ahilyabai Holkar into
the mainstream of academic discourse. It seeks to highlight her contributions to building a
Vikasit Bharat (Developed India) through her governance, social reforms, and development
policies during her reign as the Queen of Malwa.
In response to the call for academic contributions, the conference organizers have received 51
research papers on various themes and regional languages, covering topics such as her revival
of Indian cultural heritage, contributions to environmental protection and taxation policy,
judicial practices, support for entrepreneurship and self-reliance, social reform, women
empowerment, and political leadership, among others.
The conference will be conducted in hybrid mode, accommodating both physical and virtual
participants. The inauguration ceremony is scheduled for 10:00 AM and will be graced by
Smt. Annapurna Devi, Hon’ble Union Minister for Women and Child Development,
Government of India, as the Chief Guest. Guests of Honor at the inauguration will include
Smt. Shantakkaji, Hon’ble Pramukh Sanchalika of Rashtra Sevika Samiti; Dr. Bhimaraya
Metri, Director of IIM Nagpur; and Dr. Nanda Rathi, Secretary of Women’s Education
Society, Nagpur.
Keynote addresses will be delivered by Dr. Leena Gahane, Professor at ACET and former
Deputy Adviser at NAAC, and Dr. Anuradha, Vice President of Mythic Society, Bengaluru.
As part of the conference, two important book releases have also been scheduled. The first,
titled Design Thinking, authored by Prof. Rakesh Gupta and Sanjay Kumar Magoo, is
published by McGraw-Hill. The second book, मल्हार राव से प्रेरित कर्तृत्व, authored by Dr.
Shalini Pandya with co-author Dr. Deepika Rao, is published by EvincePub Publishing
House.
The conference promises to be a significant academic and cultural event, offering deep
insights into the life, governance, and philosophy of Queen Devi Ahilyabai Holkar—one of
India’s most respected historical figures.
