The Oxford and Cambridge Society of India invites you to join them for their talk on India and China: Taking the Long View, by Mr Ravi Bhoothalingam

In a conversation with the speaker in 1966, Joseph Needham—eminent scientist and Sinologist as also at that time Master of Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge—said: “In matters concerning China and India, one must always take the long view”. Nearly 60 years after the 1962 war, Sino-Indian relations are as fraught and--if anything—even more complicated. Is Needham’s view still relevant? How should India today navigate its relationships with China and with others, so that we achieve our national goals in terms of prosperity, self-respect and as valued members of the global community? The presentation will draw from history and science as well as current geo-economics, to suggest how India might trace one such trajectory.

About Mr Ravi Bhoothalingam,

With a B.Sc Hons in Physics from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, Ravi holds an M.A. in Experimental Psychology from Cambridge University, UK, as also an AMP from the Harvard Business School. He was encouraged by famed scientist and Sinologist Joseph Needham in exploring Psycholinguistics, the Scientific Method and Chinese culture.

His 32-year career in industry in India and abroad includes stints as President of The Oberoi Group of Hotels, Head of Personnel Worldwide with BAT plc, London, Managing Director of VST Industries Ltd., Hyderabad and Director of ITC Ltd., Kolkata.

Ravi Bhoothalingam has served as an independent director on several corporate boards including those of Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd., Sona Koyo Steering Systems Ltd. and Kuoni India Ltd. He has been a member of the Court of Governors of the Administrative Staff College of India, Hyderabad and on the Advisory Boards of Genesis India Ltd and Transearch India. For 7 years, he was a Moderator certified by the Aspen Institute, Colorado, USA for its Aspen Leadership Seminars in India. Currently, he is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, London, Honorary Fellow at the Institute of Chinese Studies, Delhi and on the Editorial Boards of China Report and World Affairs. He serves on the Board of Governors of the Global Risk Management Institute, Gurgaon, India, and is a member of the China Core Group of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

Ravi is Founder & Chairman of Manas Advisory, a Consultancy practice which focuses on Top Management Coaching, integrating psychological science with on-ground management experience. Ravi has written extensively about how the application of science and psychology can enhance the understanding of India and China. Ravi undertook an intensive Mandarin language programme in China, and has travelled widely in that country, including in its peripheral regions of Tibet, Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia. His perspective on China has been further enriched by travels in Japan, Mongolia, Russia, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and Thailand.