About Us
At the Institute for Indic Knowledge Studies (IIKS), we believe that fostering a deep and dispassionate understanding of India’s knowledge heritage is essential for the welfare and elevation of society. Our founders advocate for the cultivation of keen acumen, or Viveka in Samskrit, to apply Indic insights in the current context. Explore our programs and discover how India’s native educational traditions can help cultivate the necessary intellectual and emotional culture among today’s youth.
- Education, research, and consultancy services in Indic knowledge studies for a contemporary audience
- Deep exploration and analysis of ancient Indian textual and cultural sources to uncover their knowledge aspects
- In-depth study of diverse knowledge traditions, including Vedic, Buddhist, Jain, folk, and tribal sources (both oral and written) to expand understanding of Indic wisdom and its application in modern contexts.
- Education, research, and consultancy services in Indic knowledge studies for a contemporary audience
- Deep exploration and analysis of ancient Indian textual and cultural sources to uncover their knowledge aspects
- In-depth study of diverse knowledge traditions, including Vedic, Buddhist, Jain, folk, and tribal sources (both oral and written) to expand understanding of Indic wisdom and its application in modern contexts.
Scope
At our institute, we take a systematic and open-minded approach to studying any subject of Indic origin or methodology, with the goal of exploring its relevance and value for the future of society. Our scope includes the study of diverse subjects, such as natural laws, faith, intellectual and spiritual inquiry, arts, Puranas, and shastras, and we prioritize evidence-based reasoning to validate concepts using both Indic and modern methods. Join us to deepen your understanding of Indic knowledge and explore its potential applications for the future.
As a result, the following are not within the scope of IIKS activities:
- Mere elucidation and publication of a subject of faith with the purpose of practice, unless accompanied by attempt to gather reproducible evidence about its effectiveness.
- Understanding and memorizing rituals for practice
- Publication or translation of Indic texts without commentary and comparative analysis.
Subject Matter of Study
IIKS defines the “Indic knowledge system” as the systematic inquiry and knowledge system that forms the foundation of India’s culture, spanning several centuries and manifesting in diverse regional practices. While some of it is expounded in classical Sanskrit literature, other aspects are transmitted across generations through traditional practices, such as the knowledge of local ecology in various regions of Bhaarat.
Current State of Indic Knowledge Studies
Societal Needs
Currently, there are three distinct actors whose interests are not yet bridged well enough to enable sustainable cross-fertilization of Indic and western ideas.
- Actor 1: Traditional experts in Indic knowledge interested in preserving it for posterity
- Actor 2: Society (people, students, educators) interested in economic prosperity and innovation that modern education offers
- Actor 3: Mainstream researchers interested in exploring new insights that Indic knowledge can offer.
For society to employ and benefit from Indic perspective, shaastra experts and modern researchers must learn to work with each other to produce new insights from Indic knowledge with appreciable value to the society. The challenge today is that they do not understand each other’s domain well. Though there are several stalwarts who exhibit dual scholarship, there are not enough of them to scale the system. We need a steady supply of trained young professionals who can help bridge the gap between these traditional experts and modern researchers.
The prime objective of IIKS is to equip students of modern education with enough Indic perspective to bridge the gap and scale up value creation.
Existing Options and Gaps
We outline the current landscape of Indic Education in India and elsewhere to see how well it fulfils the societal need.
Indology Departments
There are several institutes and research centres pursuing Indic and Indology studies. Their subject matter is usually the study of history, literature, culture and traditions of the Indian subcontinent. They often have very little emphasis on Indic knowledge systems at at times even carry negative prejudice and bias towards the study of Indic knowledge systems. More often than not their discourse is heavily dominated by the western (outside-in) perspective. At MIT IIKS we believe Indic knowledge has much to offer if approached without overlooking its native context.
Vidya peethas (under religious Mathas, Gurukulas and Govt Samskrit Universities)
A goal of the traditional Vidya peethas is to preserve the purity of the traditional gurukula system and its pristine shaastra study as a primary career option. Such schools are crucial in order to maintain the authenticity and integrity of native Indic sciences. However, currently they do not focus adequately on inter-disciplinary education for the masses and articulation of relevance to the modern context.
Reputed professional institutes
(IITs, IIITs) are increasingly exploring Indian shastra knowledge and establishing research centers and curricula to introduce it to a technical audience. However, to sustain student interest, they require faculty who are proficient in both disciplines. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of such talent. At IIKS, we believe that providing thorough Indic science education alongside a strong mainstream curriculum creates an ideal environment for the interdisciplinary training of modern students while addressing their immediate employment needs.
