Lord Krishna (Nitish Bharadwaj) and Chanakya (Dr Chandraprakash Dwivedi) have entered the battlefield — not of Kurukshetra, but of Mumbai’s historic Town Hall. The 30 stone steps, Doric columns, and teakwood floors of the 220-year-old landmark are set to witness a real-life clash this weekend as the Asiatic Society of Bombay, one of India’s oldest and most prestigious cultural and academic institutions, becomes the centre of a fierce political duel between the Congress and the BJP.
Seven independent candidates, describing themselves as non-aligned, objective, and reform-oriented, are also in the fray for key posts of vice-president and managing committee members. Founded in 1804, the society, housed in the grand Town Hall at Horniman Circle, has long been a beacon of scholarship, preserving rare manuscripts, maps, and artifacts that chronicle India’s colonial and cultural history. But now, it has turned into a political arena, with two heavyweight figures, Vinay Sahasrabuddhe (BJP) and Kumar Ketkar (Congress), vying for the top post of president.
The elections
The polls, scheduled for Saturday, November 8, between 1.30 pm and 6.30 pm, will elect office bearers for the 2025-2027 term. The posts include one president, four vice-presidents, one honorary secretary, and five managing committee members for three years (2025–2028). An additional post of managing committee member (2025–2027) and seven members of the scrutinising committee will also be elected.
The polls are scheduled for Saturday, November 8. File pic
While Ketkar and Sahasrabuddhe are contesting for president, there are 13 candidates for vice-president, two for honorary secretary, 16 for six managing committee seats, and 12 for seven scrutinising committee positions.
The battle has intensified following a spike of nearly 1000 new members in the last few months, triggering legal disputes over the voting eligibility cut-off date. The Charity Commissioner had initially fixed October 15 as the cut-off, which was later revised to October 3, sparking counter petitions in court. The charity commissioner’s order has now been set aside by the court.
Even amid the political drama, members stress that the real crisis lies in the deteriorating condition of the Town Hall building. The library’s basement, which stores priceless manuscripts including the Mahabharata in Persian and Dante’s Divine Comedy, requires urgent restoration.
What main candidates say
With battle lines drawn, both candidates have laid out their priorities. Kumar Ketkar has anchored his campaign on the Save Asiatic Library plank. “Our objective is clear — to uphold the glorious traditions of this great heritage institution while ushering in thoughtful modernisation that reflects the ideas and inspirations of the present century. The world today is marked by both turbulence and immense opportunity. Across the globe, scholars, intellectuals, creative artists, and visionary scientists are charting new paths for humanity.
To ensure our institution remains at the forefront, it is essential that we connect with the future by opening our doors to world-class minds — philosophers, artists, adventurers, and thinkers from every walk of life. Our panel is committed to generating renewed socio-cultural energy, breaking free from stagnation, and creating avenues for meaningful progress. Achieving this vision will require both financial resources and the collective support of those who believe in the potential of this institution,” said journalist and writer Kumar Ketkar, who served as a Rajya Sabha MP between 2018 and 2024.
Vinay Sahasrabuddhe’s pitch, on the other hand, focuses on revitalising the spirit, restoring the purpose, and reimagining the future of the iconic institution. “This is an institute of global repute, and our aim is to secure the much-needed funding it deserves. I have been associated with it for several years and served on its committee, so I understand its functioning well. Our vision is simple yet transformative — to energise the institution with purposeful activity, research, and engagement. We intend to globalise its presence through digitisation, international partnerships, and modern outreach,” Vinay Sahasrabuddhe told mid-day, adding, “This is not just about restoration — it’s about revival.”
The supporting panels
Both panels have fielded strong line-ups. For the post of vice-president, Ketkar’s panel includes academic and former Mumbai University Pro-Vice Chancellor (2004–09) Dr AD Sawant; renowned poet and Dalit Panther founder Arjun Dangle; University of Mumbai professor Dr Deepak T Pawar, who heads Marathi Abhyas Kendra; and Sunil Kadam, a long-time managing committee member of the society.
Retired RBI manager CM Paulsil, a member since 1986, is contesting for honorary secretary. Candidates for managing committee membership include historian Bharat Gothoskar, multilingual writer Ibrahim Afgan, researcher Dr Kunda PM, freelance writer Nandini Atmasiddha, poet Sunanda Bhosekar (member since 1982), and financial expert Swati Datye. For the scrutinising committee, Ketkar’s panel has nominated Anil Waman Sawant, a member since 2017 who has served two years on the committee.
Sahasrabuddhe’s panel features Padma Shri awardees — writer Ramesh Patange, actor-director Dr Chandraprakash Dwivedi, and Nitish Bharadwaj, along with former Mumbai University VC Dr Sanjay Deshmukh — contesting for vice-president. Vivek Ganpule is the nominee for honorary secretary.
His managing committee candidates include BJP leader Madhav Bhandari, historians Dr Prachi Moghe and Vaijayanthi Chakravarthi, poet Pramod Bapat, Sanskrit professor Dr Malhar Kulkarni, and advocate Ashok Behere.
Independents stay objective
In addition, seven independent candidates are contesting for posts of vice-president and managing committee members, pledging to remain non-aligned, objective, and reform-oriented. “We believe every committee member should bring his or her own individuality and not be pre-aligned or bound by the dictates of a group. Having worked for the Asiatic Society for over five years in various capacities, we now wish to take on a larger role. Our common ethos is independence and reform. We aim to represent every member’s voice, irrespective of ideology, language, or socio-economic background,” one independent candidate said.
‘No agenda’
“We are contesting this election for three main reasons — to bring the Asiatic Society back on track, to make research accessible to the public, and to involve the younger generation. Our purpose is purely academic; there is no political agenda,” said BJP leader Madhav Bhandari, who is contesting for the managing committee.
“The British founded the Asiatic Society to document and promote knowledge. We are not reckless — we know the difference between King George and William Jones,” he added, dismissing fears that the party would impose its ideology on the institution.
Election snapshot
President: 2 candidates
Vice-presidents: 13 candidates
Honorary Secretary: 2 candidates
Managing Committee (6 posts): 16 candidates
Scrutinising Committee (7 posts): 12 candidates
Two
President candidates
13
Vice-president candidates
Two
Honorary secretary candidates
13
Vice-president candidates
16
Managing Committee candidates for 6 posts
12
Scrutinising Committee candidates for 7 posts
