Vikram Sampath

It's time to GLOW from within, without letting anybody getting in your way; not even yourself ! ✨🌝🌌🌟 P:C: An ace photographer 😊 #memories #peace #joyful #pic #picoftheday #instapic

After months of huddles and quiet hustles; intense brainstorming; periods of great ecstasy and moments of despair—we are so delighted to announce our new start-up venture - @naav_ai  that empowers languages with AI-Powered Content Transformation. Inspired by the Sanskrit, Pāli, Hindi word Naav (meaning “boat”), we envision AI as a vessel — carrying content across linguistic shores, making knowledge more accessible, & connecting people through language. The spark was lit during one of the numerous endless conversations I have with my dear friend of several years and always a sounding board of sorts— @sandeep1711 Coming from a rich corporate experience of over 20 years and a sound technology background, Sandeep was the perfect person to ideate on a longstanding thought. Both of us felt an urgent need to democratize quality content, lifting it from the ‘English-only’ bubble into the multilingual heartbeat of India — with 22 official languages and countless dialects. Could the emergent AI technology help bridge this growing linguistic divide? Could it translate and transform content — text, audio, video — into the diverse languages of India without erasing the human voice and the cultural and linguistic nuances? Could it empower, not replace, creators? And thus, NAAV AI was co-founded by Sandeep and me in January 2025. In no time we had a third friend Sravan Kumar Aditya, a builder & enabler of several successful tech start-ups join hands with us. It was propitious to get early support for the company from friends @bhavishaggarwal (CEO of Ola & Krutrim) whose infectious energy makes every idea seem within reach and @ashajadejamotwani (Silicon Valley based investor and philanthropist) who is always on the lookout to support every good idea. Our flagship product, TransLit, began its journey with @bluone.ink as our 1st publishing partner. Our team of brilliant developers, language experts, and professional translators are now translating books from English into 6 Indian languages: Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam— faster, better, & with human creativity and intervention. But this is just the beginning. Join us in this journey!

She would have turned 69 today on 16 Jan. It seems like just yesterday when we celebrated her LAST birthday in 2018. This was our last ever happy photograph together. Little did those smiles know that just 2 days later, on 18 Jan, she would be snatched away abruptly from me forever! Happy n peaceful birthday Maa- amidst the Gods, fairies and angels --- who are any day better than your son ! Missing you like never before ! 😢 #mother #birthday #missingyou #grief #maa

📚 Book Review: Waiting for Shiva: Unearthing the Truth of Kashi’s Gyan Vapi by Vikram Sampath ⭐ Rating: 5/5 I went into this book with seriousness, and it matched that from the very first page. It does not read like a soft or cautious history. It is a direct attempt to recreate the history, sanctity, and long struggle of Kashi, especially around Vishwanath and the Gyan Vapi site. The book firmly places Kashi as the abode of Bhagwan Shiva and builds everything around that sacred core. What I respected most is the depth of sources. The book brings together Puranas, Buddhist and Jain texts, Sanskrit works, Persian chronicles, colonial records, court documents, and modern legal material. This wide range makes it feel layered, serious, and strongly researched rather than one-sided or casual. The strongest part for me is how it traces the long history of Kashi Vishwanath. The cycle of destruction and rebuilding is presented with force, from earlier reconstructions to the 1669 destruction under Aurangzeb, and later rebuilding under Ahilyabai Holkar. It makes Kashi feel alive, sacred, and constantly contested. Another important aspect is the legal and political journey. The book does not stop in the past. It moves through events like the 1809 riots, British involvement, the 1936 suit, post-independence developments, the Places of Worship Act, and recent legal shifts. This makes the narrative feel both historical and very current. What stayed with me most is the conviction. The book speaks about memory, resilience, and the long wait for reclaiming a sacred space. The image of Nandi waiting for Shiva gives the entire narrative an emotional depth that lingers. By the end, this feels more than just history. It presents Kashi as a living civilizational space filled with devotion, pain, and continuity. Strong, direct, and deeply committed, it leaves a lasting impact. 🔗 Full review link in bio

📢Announcing shortlists! The R.C. Majumdar Prize-Annual History Prizes 2026. @bluone.ink @rupa_publications @penguinrandomhouse @garudalife @harpercollinsin @vitastapublishing @juggernaut.in @chandnisengupta_prof @drdiyagupta @travelsofsamwise @tcasharadraghavan @utpal.kumar1 @vikramsampath

Team @fihcrinfo with Dr Neerja A. Gupta Ji, Vice-Chancellor of Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, at the Somnath Symposium. A wonderful interaction with an accomplished academician and education leader. We are grateful for the opportunity to connect and engage during the symposium. 🙏

Somnath is Bharat's civilisational resolve made in stone. Our symposium 'Somnath: Unconquered Soul of Bharat' was our tribute to this undying spirit. #SomnathSwabhimanParv @narendramodi @amitshahofficial @bhupendrapbjp @iharshsanghavi @cmogujarat @sahityatak @somnathtempleofficial @brhat_in Jai Somnath🙏

75 years ago, Somnath rose again. Today, as Bharat celebrates this eternal symbol of civilisational strength and continuity, we are proud to have paid our tribute - the symposium 'Somnath: Unconquered Soul of Bharat' - where knowledge met purpose and collective resolve found its voice. Jai Somnath 🙏 #somnathswabhimanparv @narendramodi @amitshahofficial @cmogujarat @bhupendrapbjp @iharshsanghavi

The Somnāth symposium, that took place yesterday, felt like a divine calling—an invitation to reflect upon the greatness of Somnāth, and a powerful reminder to Hindus of a profound civilizational truth: that the cycle of loss and recovery is deeply woven into India’s cultural memory. A truly remarkable initiative envisioned by Shri Vikram Sampath ji and FIHCR. Bṛhat was privileged to partner. Somnāth stands as an enduring testimony to this spirit of resilience, renewal, and sacred continuity, and shall continue to do so for generations to come. The gathering began on an auspicious note with the lighting of the deepam, followed by the sacred chanting of Vedic mantras. The opening addresses were truly exceptional. The keynote speakers - Prof. Kapil Kapoor, Dr. Anand Ranganathan, Sh. J. Sai Deepak, representatives of Shree Somnath Trust, Prof. Neerja Gupta, covered a rich and expansive spectrum, moving from history and heritage to the sacred and civilizational. The presentations that followed were equally remarkable, offering deep insights and much food for thought. An opportunity for bright young scholars to not just present their work but also fraternize and discover. The symposium concluded with a heartfelt vote of thanks, bringing this significant gathering to a fitting and graceful close.

From memory to renewal, Somnāth stands as a timeless symbol of Bhārat’s civilisational continuity. On May 8, 2026, the Somnāth temple complex will host Somnāth: The Unconquered Soul of Bhārat : a one-day academic symposium bringing together scholars, practitioners, and public intellectuals to revisit Somnath not merely as a site of destruction and reconstruction, but as a living centre of sacred geography, cultural memory, ritual continuity, and historical resilience. Organised by FIHCR and Bṛhat, in partnership with the Shree Somnath Trust, the symposium marks 1,000 years since the first recorded destruction of the temple and 75 years since its Prana Pratishtha in independent India. Somnath is not just history remembered. It is civilisation renewed. #Somnath #IndianHistory

👉 Apply now! G.S. Sardesai Fellowship for History of Indian Archives (2026-27) 📅 Last Date: 10 May 2026 📲 Scan the QR code to apply now or visit the link in bio. ✨ Hear from our Founder, Dr Vikram Sampath, on the vision behind the G.S. Sardesai Fellowship and the enduring impact of Sardesai’s work particularly on Maratha history and the collection of archives at Sitamau, Madhya Pradesh. Credits: YouTube/ @thecarvakapodcast

The Archive for Indian Music is the story of commitment to preserving India’s sonic heritage and making them accessible for future. Taking this commitment further, the G. S. Sardesai Fellowship for Archives in Indian History offers an opportunity to build, preserve, and strengthen archives - the very foundation of historical research. 👉 Apply Now! 📲 Scan the QR code or visit the link in bio. 📅 Last Date: 10 May 2026 Credits: YouTube/ @dostcast