Samyuktha Anand, Barkavi Mageshkumaar Launch 'Pint Of View' Bar Lectures In Chennai

Samyuktha Anand and Barkavi Mageshkumaar have launched Pint of View Chennai, a twice-monthly bar-and-café lecture series aimed at creating an interactive learning community across the city. The initiative's next session, titled 'Why On Earth Did MF Husain Paint Horses — and What Does Feminist Art History Have To Do With It?', will take place at Bar Roc A Coe on August 23 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The project began after Anand, a neuroscientist, science communicator, and educator, gave a neuroscience lecture at a Pint of View gathering at a bar in Bengaluru last October. Having experienced similar setups abroad, Anand and Mageshkumaar, an entrepreneur and executive director of V Group of Companies, decided to establish a Chennai chapter. The Bengaluru team assisted with initial guidance on locations and topics, leading to the first chapter of Pint of View Chennai in November 2025.

The lectures occur on the first and third Sunday afternoon of every month, running for two hours. Topics span Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM), business, finance, culture, and other disciplines. Speakers are selected to blend subject expertise with personal experiences, while the co-curators collaborate with them to incorporate interactive activities alongside talks to reinforce learning.

According to the organizers, 70% to 80% of the audience falls within the 25 to 35 age group, with around 20% of participants becoming regular attendees. Some attendees bring notebooks, pens, and torch lights to navigate dim bar lighting while taking notes during the sessions.

While lectures are currently delivered in English to cater to a diverse audience, the organizers note that talks can also be conducted in Tamil upon request. Going forward, the co-curators plan to increase the frequency to three lectures per month, bring volunteers on board, and continue hosting experts who are already booked for the remainder of the year.