The Hesburgh Lecture Series, a cornerstone of intellectual engagement at the University of Notre Dame, came to India in December through two connected events hosted by Notre Dame Mumbai in Mumbai and Pune. Together, the programs brought students, journalists, educators, and scholars into conversation around one of science’s most enduring questions: how life began and how its story can be shared.
The Mumbai Hesburgh Lecture was held on December 15 at the Auditorium of Sydenham College of Commerce & Economics, drawing an audience of over 200 attendees. Titled “A Pilgrimage to Life’s Beginnings,” the lecture was delivered by Saurja DasGupta, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry at the University of Notre Dame.
DasGupta’s research explores the chemical origins of life, examining how simple molecules on early Earth may have assembled into increasingly complex systems capable of supporting life. In his lecture, he guided the audience through this scientific landscape by emphasizing discovery as an ongoing process rather than a settled answer. His talk emphasized the importance of uncertainty, experimentation, and imagination as key drivers of scientific progress.
A defining feature of the Mumbai event was the strong student presence, including students from Campion School, many of whom remained deeply engaged throughout the lecture and participated actively during the Q&A. Their questions reflected both curiosity about the science and a broader interest in how such research connects to fundamental questions about existence and discovery.
The conversation continued the following day in Pune, where the focus expanded beyond the lecture format. On December 16, Notre Dame Mumbai hosted the Notre Dame Mumbai Exhibition & Panel Discussion at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Pune, the leading research institute in the country.
Titled “Drawn to Discovery: Alternative Media where Art Meets Science,” the event brought together scientific research, visual storytelling, and public dialogue. The panel was moderated by award-winning environmental journalist Nidhi Jamwal and featured DasGupta alongside Argha Manna, artist-in-residence at IIT Gandhinagar, and Shalini Sharma, Ph.D, from IISER Pune.
Central to the discussion was the long-standing collaboration between DasGupta and Manna. The two first met years ago while in Boston, where a shared curiosity sparked a creative partnership that has continued to evolve across institutions and geographies. Their collaboration pairs scientific inquiry with illustration, using art as a way of thinking alongside science, thereby making abstract molecular processes visible and inviting broader audiences into complex ideas.
As DasGupta noted during the discussion, “Art allows us to slow down and see what science often moves past too quickly,” reflecting on how visual storytelling can deepen understanding rather than simply accompany scientific work. Together, the pairing of scientist and artist demonstrated how their disciplines complement one another, each extending the reach and clarity of the other.
Another highlight of the event was the public exhibition that preceded the panel. Featuring Cradle of Life, Reality of Science Journalism, and Deep Dive of Water Journalism, the exhibition set the tone for the evening by showing how alternative media can shape the way scientific and environmental stories are told. Attendees spent time exploring the displays, moving in and out of casual conversations with the speakers, and getting a closer look at the ideas behind their work.
Because the program was held as part of the VOICE Lab (Voice of Impacted Communities and Environment) under the CARE Project, it also brought together some of the top journalists from across India. VOICE is a residential training program focused on the climate-health nexus, selecting 45–50 journalists from across the country’s application pool. Their presence added depth and perspective to the discussion, grounding it in lived experience, environmental reporting, and community-focused storytelling.
Across both cities, the December programs reflected Notre Dame Mumbai’s commitment to interdisciplinary engagement and public dialogue. By bringing together students, journalists, scientists, and artists, the Hesburgh Lecture and the Exhibition & Panel Discussion showed how discovery often happens at the intersections where disciplines meet, perspectives overlap, and ideas take new shape.
Originally published by at mumbai.nd.edu on January 21, 2026.