Faculty Development Programme in Bhāratīya Jñāna Paramparā; India’s Knowledge Systems (IKS) launched
New Delhi: Rashtram School of Public Leadership, Rishihood University, Sonipat has inaugurated a 4 week Bhāratīya Jñāna Paramparā – Faculty Development Programme (FDP) from 15th November to 7th December, 2021 on the theme of India’s Knowledge Systems (IKS). The inauguration ceremony was graced by Dr. Subhas Sarkar, Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Education, Government of India and Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Culture Sh. Arjun Ram Meghwal.
Other eminent public leaders in government, academia and culture attending the event included, Padma Vibhushana & Hon’ble Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha member Dr. Sonal Man Singh, Sri Mukhul Kanitkar, Dr. Kiran Bedi, Prof. Anil Sahasrabudhe. The FDP is supported by CPDHE (UGC-HRDC), Univ. of Delhi, Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal, IKS Division of MoE at AICTE, CoEIKS, IIT Kharagpur, INDICA and SOA.
Indian Culture and Philosophy have had a strong influence around the world. These rich legacies to world heritage must not only be cultivated and conserved for future generations but also researched, enhanced, and put to new uses through our current education system, guided by the National Education Policy 2020. During the inaugural address, Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Education, Dr. Subhas Sarkar, said that, “We must acknowledge that the variety of knowledge ingrained in the ancient scriptures, from over 2000 years old, and across disciplines such as Shipbuilding, Mathematics, Metallurgy, Aeroscience, is astounding and truly spectacular. Our ancient Rishis were in their own right laying the foundations of scientific thought, who researched, experimented to develop innovative solutions for society.”
Responding to the nation’s call for Ātmanirbhara Bhārata and current initiatives to implement the NEP 2020, the FDP aims is to contribute to and enrich the Indian education system by the inflection of India’s Knowledge and provide pertinent reflections for the NEP 2020.
Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Culture, Sh. Arjun Ram Meghwal, added that, “For a long period during Bharat’s colonization, the very scientific basis on the basis of which many scriptures and knowledge systems were developed were put aside to develop an education system more inclined towards clerical work. We must re-integrate Indian Knowledge Systems into schools and universities to once again make Bharat the spiritual hub globally based in scientific principles.”
Some of the key sessions in the coming days will include Education and Coloniality by Sh. J Sai Deepak; What are India’s Knowledge Systems? by Prof. Michel Danino; IKS in Higher Educational Institutions by Prof. Kuldeep Agnihotri; “Bhāṣā-cintana-paramparā” by Prof. Rajnish Mishra; “Nāṭyaśāstra, Saṅgīta aur Nṛtya” by Padma Vibhushan awardee Dr. Sonal Mansingh; Character of Bhāratīya Samāja by Prof. Kapil Kapoor, amongst others.
Against the above backdrop the IKS will present a refreshingly empowering perspective of a Dharma centric view, advocating a relational worldview that our entire existence is connected and interdependent, harmonizing ecology and economy. Shobhit Mathur, Co-founder & Dean at Rashtram, added that, “The West can no longer soley be relied upon to answer the big questions facing humanity today. The time has come to delve deep into the knowledge heritage of India and bring it back to the classrooms. Teachers would play the most important role in this endeavour. I am honoured at how the initiative has been received. We seek the collaboration of a wide spectrum of organizations and people to work in this direction. We are honoured to collaborate with our partners to take up this important and timely initiative.”