"Thoughts Can Never Be Caged": IDC Exhibition Revisits India's Banned Books
Exhibition Explores the Politics of Banned Literature
Babushahi Network Bureau
Chandigarh, June 5, 2026: In a thought-provoking initiative aimed at stimulating public discourse on freedom of expression, the Institute for Development and Communication (IDC), Chandigarh, on Thursday inaugurated a week-long exhibition titled "Banned Books -Bounded Ideas?" showcasing books that have been banned at different points in India's history.
Organised under Thinkers Collective initiative at IDC Chandigarh, the exhibition features nearly 100 framed book covers accompanied by contextual notes explaining the political, social and cultural circumstances that led to their prohibition. The exhibition seeks to encourage reflection on the enduring debates surrounding censorship, dissent and intellectual freedom.
The exhibition was inaugurated by Manraj Grewal, Resident Editor of The Indian Express, who described the display as a timely reminder that ideas cannot be suppressed by banning books.
"Across the world, books continue to be banned even today. This reflects the fear some people have of ideas that refuse to serve their interests. It is important for young people to understand that thoughts can never be caged. Even if we disagree with an idea, it does not mean it should not be engaged with," Grewal said.
Among the notable works featured in the exhibition are V.S. Naipaul's An Area of Darkness, Salman Rushdie's The Satanic Verses, Arthur Koestler's The Lotus and the Robot, Greville Wynne's The Man from Moscow and Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar's The Adivasi Will Not Dance.
The exhibition has been curated by Dr. Srishti Chauhan, Assistant Professor at the Centre for Gender Studies, IDC. According to her, the exhibition goes beyond the label of "banned books" and attempts to examine larger questions relating to dissent, morality, nationalism, discomfort and freedom of expression.
"It seeks to explore how books become sites of contestation and prompts viewers to reflect on who decides what is offensive, dangerous or permissible, and why," she said.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Pramod Kumar, Chairperson of IDC and the driving force behind the Thinkers Collective initiative, emphasized that think tanks and research institutions must actively engage with contemporary social narratives rather than functioning in isolation.
"The need of the hour is for research institutions to connect with wider society. This exhibition is the first in a series of public engagement initiatives planned by the Thinkers Collective. Diverse ideas must be debated and discussed. The exhibition encourages reflection while also reminding us that reactions should not be impulsive," he said.
The exhibition attracted bureaucrats, former judges, scholars, students and citizens from across the region.
To encourage deeper engagement, Dr. Chauhan will hold informal interactions with visitors twice daily—from 12:00 PM to 12:30 PM and 3:30 PM to 4:00 PM—throughout the week.
Through its collection of controversial, contested and historically censored books, the exhibition sends a powerful message: books may be banned, but ideas continue to travel, provoke and inspire