A New Wave in Modern Psychology by Sri Sri University

Cuttack: Sri Sri University under the lifetime presidentship of HH Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, launched a one of its kind department called the ‘Department of Contemplative and Behavioural Sciences’ on 16th August 2020 under the guidance of Prof. Binod Kumar Tripathi, Director IUCTE.
Psychology and Contemplative Studies is an emerging articulation of a comprehensive approach to understand, explore and transform human psyche and behaviour with a focus on a reflective involvement with inner life and external engagements.
In consonance with the New Education Policy 2020, the Department of Contemplative and Behavioural Sciences at Sri Sri University is all about nurturing and integrating the rich multidisciplinary global heritage of Eastern knowledge with modern Western approaches in order to build a critical mass of practitioners through scholarships and training and field practices in the field of Psychological Sciences.
The mega online launch was hosted by Dr Richa Chopra, Founder, Officiating Head, DCBS, SSU and Dr Anuradha Choudhry, Assistant Professor, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at IIT Kharagpur. The event started with a welcome address by Prof. Ajay Kumar Singh, Vice-Chancellor, Sri Sri University which was then followed by an inspiring and enlightening speech by Smt. Rajita Kulkarni, President, Sri Sri University.
Prof Girishwar Misra, Former Head, Department of Psychology, Delhi University, Prof. Shekhar Seshadri, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NIMHANS and Prof. Nilanjana Sanyal, Former Head, Department of Psychology, University of Calcutta delivered keynote addresses to the audience where they mentioned how DCBS is envisioned to bring in theory, history and knowledge from all eastern traditions to a confluence of ideas thereby creating healers and helpers who are self-aware and dedicated to serve the human society. They also threw light on how this department will be highly involved in the aspects of human reflection, processes related to the Self and processes that demand first-person enquiry which will help in expanding the field of psychology as a whole..Advisors to the department from various disciplines also addressed the launch where they presented the multidisciplinary aspects of DCBS.
The esteemed guests and field experts present during this online session were Pt Sanjay Rath, Jyotish Guru, Father Phillip Kuruvilla, Untouchables, Prachee Shah Pandya, Actor, Kathak Dancer, Padmashree Dr Akhtrul Wasey, Former Dean of Islamic Studies, Jamia Milia Islamia Central University, Ms Siddhi Sharma, Buddhist Practitioner, Prof. Ganesh Rao, Founder ACT Yoga, Pravrajika Divyanandaprana, Sri Sarada Math,
Prof. Prakash Padakannaya, Visiting Professor of Psychology, Ashoka University, Sri Raghu Ananthnarayanan, Director, Ritambhara Ashram, Vaidya Rammanohar P and Dr P N Ravindra, Department of Consciousness Studies, NIMHANS.
The event also had a musical performance by Smt. Anupama Bhagwat, Sitar Maestro, who connected Raagas with Manas (Mind).At the end of the session Prof. Binod Kumar Tripathi, Director, IUCTE addressed the session, highlighting the curriculum of DCBS being integrated in a manner that depicted every aspect of life being encompassed and its potential to receive worldwide recognition.
The program offerings involve under-graduate, post-graduate and doctorate degrees in the field of ‘Psychology and Contemplative Studies’