The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Gandhinagar) is offering an uniqe elective course, Introduction to Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS). After five successful seasons, the Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) discipline of the IIT Gandhinagar is back with the sixth edition of the course, this year the theme is ‘Precolonial India’s Treasure House of Literatures’, the release mentioned.
According to IIT Gandhinagar, the course is centred on the fact that India is renowned the world over for its rich literatures dating back to several millennia. “The precolonial India not only had a great diversity of languages, from pan-Indian Sanskrit to hundreds of regional languages, but it also encompasses a plethora of themes, literary techniques, and sociocultural functions. This literaturescape deeply impacted the Indian continent at all levels and was highly instrumental in the shaping Indian civilisation.” the release mentioned.
The candidates can apply online on the official website- iitgn.ac.in. The course will be held in hybrid mode from January to April and will be livestreamed on IITGN’s YouTube channel. “Starting January 13, 2022, lectures will be held generally on Thursdays and Fridays from 5:05 to 6 pm. The course’s website will carry regular announcements and updates on the speakers and lecture,” the release mentioned. The first lecture was delivered on January 13 on the subject- “One Tale, Two Tongues, and the Sacred Jain Site of Shatrunjaya”.
Elaborating the idea behind the Indian Knowledge Systems, Prof. Michel Danino, Visiting Professor, HSS, IITGN, said, “Indian literature is colossal. It is one of the vastest literatures of the world, with its epics, texts of philosophy and spirituality, dramas, poetical compositions, repositories of stories, folktales, technical texts on medicine, mathematics, astronomy, architecture, governance, and numerous such works in regional languages. It has been a powerful social tool to connect people, share concepts and values, and ultimately a certain worldview. IKS 2022 aims to provide students with some taste of this ocean that reflects India’s identity.”
The Indian Knowledge Systems will include sessions on: Narrative literature in Prakrit by Dr JR Bhattacharya; Urdu Literature by Dr Hamid Chopra; Indian Literature by Prof Kapil Kapoor; Kavya Literature by Dr K Ramasubramanian; Malayalam Literature by Mr BR Krishnakumar; Tamil Literature by Isaikkavi Ramanan; Telugu Literature by Prof Srinivas Reddy; Jain Itihasa Literature by Ms Mana Shah; Sacred Geography by Ms Arya Adityan; Technical Literature on Performing Arts by Ms Ankita Nair; Classical Literature in Comics and Graphic Novels by Ms Shivani Sharma; and Children’s Literature by Dr Diti Vyas. A total of 12 eminent scholars and experts from India and abroad will will explore not only the great developments of Indian literature but also some of their lesser-known features and ramifications.
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