Kaavyom Foundation, in association with Study IQ IAS as its Education Partner, has successfully organised a webinar on 15 June 2026 at 6:00 PM through Google Meet on the theme, “The Impact of Mughal Rule on Indian Culture”. The event was to increase knowledge and to pay homage to the 500-year-old legacy of the Mughal Rulers. This webinar was attended by students, scholars, educators and lovers of history, and it turned out to be a vibrant platform for intellectual exchange and meaningful discussion on the cultural legacy of the Mughal period in India.
The chief speaker of the webinar was Dr. Sushma Trivedi, a professor at Navyug Kanya Mahavidyalaya, Lucknow. A renowned scholar of Religious Studies, Engaged Buddhism and Gender Studies, she has a PhD from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi and has over twenty years of teaching and research experience. She has been awarded a UGC Major Research Project (2014), UGC Foreign Travel Grants (2014 and 2019), Associateship from the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla (2020) and Research Project Grant from the Khyentse Foundation, USA (2021). She has also received research support from the University of British Columbia, Canada and the India-Sri Lanka Foundation. Dr. Trivedi has represented Indian academia in several countries, including Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, China, Vietnam, France, and Estonia, and has participated in more than fifty national and international conferences and seminars.
Dr. Trivedi is a distinguished researcher and academic administrator. She has authored one book and twenty-six research papers in reputed national and international journals. She is presently a member of the Departmental Research Committee, University of Lucknow, Museology Lab & History of Arts Committee, Cluster University of Jammu and a reviewer for various international journals like International Journal of Cultural Studies: Ancient Asia. She is empanelled as a subject expert by the Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission also.
Introduction to the Guest Speaker: The Guest Speaker, Mr. Chandan Sharma, acts as the Director Academics at Study IQ IAS and is an eminent faculty member of Current Affairs and Modern Indian History. With over seven years of teaching experience behind him, Mr. Chandan has trained numerous aspirants appearing for various competitive examinations. Having been a candidate for the UPSC Civil Services Main Exam twice and being shortlisted for the interview round of the State PCS exam, his personal journey serves as inspiration for many students. A graduate in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Thapar University, Patiala, he started his career as an Energy Engineer at Schneider Electric, followed by that of being a consultant role connected with the energy audit of the Ministry of Railways. With his immense knowledge and experience, he serves as a source of guidance for millions of aspirants in the country.
The contributions from such accomplished individuals ensured that the session was an enriching experience for all the participants as far as their historical knowledge and academic perceptions were concerned.
The lecture began with Dr. Sushma Trivedi talking about the real significance of history and the need to keep an open mind at all times. According to her, history is more than just an account of what occurred in the past but a way of making sense of the learning and experiences that people gained through the passage of time.
With respect to the topic of the seminar, “Impact of Mughal rule on Indian culture,” Dr. Trivedi mentioned that at the beginning of their rule in India, the Mughals could not have had a deep cultural impact, since they were entering a civilisation which had been established long ago with a vast cultural legacy going back thousands of years. She stated that this meeting of the cultures could be analysed using the idea of the Clash of Civilisations developed by Samuel Huntington, according to which two advanced and civilised nations meet and their cultures clash with each other. Gradually, especially under Emperor Akbar, who was the third ruler of the Mughals, these relations improved.
Moreover, according to Dr. Trivedi, even though there were no major changes in the heart of Indian civilisation through the influence of Mughal rule, and certain fields in India experienced an everlasting effect. Regarding warfare, the Mughal Empire played an indispensable role in the development of better military organisation with the usage of gunpowder weaponry and artillery along with cavalry tactics.
Their patronage helped to develop the arts of music, dance, and literature as well as other cultural practices. They also came up with their own form of painting known as the Mughal miniatures, which were a blend of both Persian and Indian elements. The architecture and visual arts developed during the Mughal era witnessed one of the greatest periods in Indian history, where a blend of indigenous and foreign influence could be seen through some of the finest works of art.
After Dr. Trivedi’s explanation, Mr. Sharma took over the lecture. He took us in a different direction and presented a new perspective on the Mughal era and the historical impact it had in giving rise to many new cultural developments. The way he presented his ideas and connected them with his own identity was particularly impressive.
He identified himself in three ways: as an engineer, a teacher, and a Sikh. He related the Mughal era to all three aspects of his identity. As a Punjabi, he gave a very interesting example about the emergence of a new culture within the Sikh community. He explained that Sikhism had existed before the Mughals arrived in India and was largely a peaceful, non-violent faith. However, the Mughal policies and actions in Punjab and the surrounding regions contributed to the development of a martial tradition within the Sikh community, eventually leading to the creation of the Khalsa Panth. He pointed out that while history contains many unfortunate and difficult events, such events can also lead to positive developments and transformations.
Mr. Sharma then concluded his part of the lecture and left the session due to other commitments.
A Q&A session followed his departure, featuring Mr. Syed from Study IQ’s Lucknow branch along with Dr. Trivedi. They answered every question that was posted in the chat box, addressing them one by one and providing detailed explanations for the participants.
This was followed by the closing ceremony, during which the organisers, the Kaavyom Foundation, thanked the teachers, guests, and students for joining and helping in the creation of a positive atmosphere. Afterwards, Mr. Syed from Study IQ briefly explained the concept behind Study IQ, its educational initiatives and classes, and introduced some of its programs and plans later on as well.
The session ended on a positive note. Although the lecture stretched for around two hours and twenty minutes, its length never became a concern because of the engaging discussions and valuable insights shared throughout the event.
