IIT Kharagpur to have a new center on Indian Knowledge System

Union Education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, today,  announced the Centre of Excellence for the Indian Knowledge System to be set up at IIT Kharagpur.

 

Biswabrata Goswami

Hummingbird News 

KHARAGPUR, 6 NOV: Union Education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, today,  announced the Centre of Excellence for the Indian Knowledge System to be set up at IIT Kharagpur.

Inaugurating the international webinar titled Bharata Tirtha organized by the Institute from November 6-8, 2020, Chief Guest Dr. Nishank congratulated the Institute for the continued work in various branches of the Indian Knowledge System. “IIT Kharagpur has attempted to introspect on the spirit of India, her challenges in the present times and taken the right measures through an initiative like Bharata Tirtha and research.”

Dr Nishank emphasized education through the mother tongue along with the rejuvenation of Sanskrit to ease the educational process for the diverse people of India and draw from the rich educational heritage of India.

Confirming the creation of a National Education Technology Forum to support technical education he motivated researchers to take forward deeper studies in Indian scientific and linguistic heritage and access the historical educational resources which are still available.

He remarked, “Initiatives like Study in India, GIAN, GIAN+ and other funded research programs could be the right resources to spread this to the global students and researchers community.”

Dr Nishank further called for excellence in research to accentuate the quality of India which has sustained the culture despite the turmoil over centuries.

Guest of Honour, Mr Sanjay Dhotre opined on the need to critically study and analyze the interdisciplinary nature Indian Knowledge System in the present times. 

“Spectacular achievements of the past can inspire us but cannot sustain us in the present. It is our responsibility to equip the Indian Knowledge System with Indian ethos and values and attempt pursuit of excellence in every chosen field,” he said.

He hoped NEP 2020 will promote this spirit of India. “NEP 2020 is based not only on cognitive capacities but also social, ethical and emotional capacities which will ensure quality education to all students despite their geographical, economic and social position especially for the historically marginalized and disadvantaged groups,” he added.

Prof. Virendra K Tewari, Director, IIT Kharagpur, expressed the need to acknowledge and incentivize research work on Indian Scientific Heritage by awarding the prestigious Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize.

“SS Bhatnagar Prize is a dream goal for science and technology researchers in India. I would like to request our Hon'ble Shiksha Mantri ji Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank to contemplate on proposing the Hon'ble Minister for Science & Technology Dr. Harsh Vardhan to create a new vertical on Indian scientific heritage under this prestigious Prize.”

The three-day webinar will witness talks by international stalwarts pioneering in Indic studies including Arthashastra (Economics), Sanskrit for Natural Language Processing, Vedic and Ancient Indian Mathematics - Numeral System, Bijaganita and Jyamiti, Rasayana (Chemical Sciences), Ayurveda (Biological Sciences), Jyotir-tatha Mahajagatika Vidya (Positional and Astronomical Sciences), Prakriti Vidya (Terrestrial/ Material Sciences/ Ecology and Atmospheric Sciences) and Nandana Tathya tatha Vastu Vidya (Archaeology, Iconography and Architecture).