This blog is written as part of a learning outcomes-based activity and is inspired by insights gained from a National Seminar on Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) and English Studies, organized by the Department of English, Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University (MKBU), under the guidance of Prof. (Dr.) Dilip Barad Sir.
Introduction:
The Seminar–cum–Workshop on Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) and English Studies, held on 23–24 March 2026 at Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University, was an enriching academic experience that encouraged participants to rethink the way English Studies is understood in India. Organized by the Department of English in collaboration with the Knowledge Consortium of Gujarat and aligned with the vision of the National Education Policy 2020, the workshop focused on an important issue: English Studies has long been shaped by Western theories, while Indian knowledge traditions have often been overlooked.
In this context, the idea of Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) becomes very important. IKS is not just about looking back at tradition, but about using Indian ways of thinking as meaningful tools for understanding literature and culture today. The workshop aimed to create a space where Indian and Western knowledge systems could come together in a balanced and meaningful dialogue.
One of the most interesting aspects of the workshop was its effort to move beyond simple oppositions like East vs West or tradition vs modernity. Instead, it promoted the idea that different knowledge systems can coexist, interact, and enrich each other. This approach helps in developing a more inclusive and flexible way of studying literature.
The workshop also highlighted that integrating IKS into English Studies is not just about cultural pride, but about expanding the methods and perspectives used in the discipline. By including Indian intellectual traditions, English Studies can become more diverse, relevant, and connected to its own cultural context.
The event brought together scholars, teachers, and students, creating a platform for meaningful discussion and exchange of ideas. It allowed participants to explore new ways of thinking about literature, language, and knowledge in a rapidly changing academic environment.
As a participant, I also contributed through a poster presentation titled “AI Is Smart—but Is It Wise? A Dialogue with Tirukkural”, in collaboration with Dimpal Parmar and Priyanka Nakrani. Our presentation explored an important question: while artificial intelligence is becoming more advanced, can it also be wise? By engaging with the teachings of the Tirukkural, we showed that true intelligence is not only about technology, but also about ethics, values, and human understanding.
Here is the Detailed Information about the Seminar–cum–Workshop
📌 Workshop Resources
🔗 Workshop Documentation:
🔗 🎥 Live Stream & Video Recordings:
🔗 📸 Photo Album:
➧ Schedule of Plenary Sessions
➧ Core Thematic Areas of the Seminar
The seminar on Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) and English Studies aimed to rethink the discipline of English Studies by bringing Indian intellectual traditions into meaningful academic discussion. Instead of rejecting Western theories, the focus was on creating a balanced dialogue where both Indian and global knowledge systems can contribute to literary studies, research, and teaching practices.
1. IKS and Language Studies
This theme explored Indian ideas of language, meaning, and discourse, showing how they can expand the scope of language studies in English departments.
2. Indigenous Research Methodologies in English Studies
This area introduced Indian epistemological frameworks such as the Nyaya Sutras and the philosophy of Bhartrhari as alternative approaches to literary research.
3. Landscape, Ecology, and Classical Indian Aesthetics
This theme focused on texts like Tolkappiyam and the Tinai system, highlighting their ecological awareness and relevance to modern environmental studies.
4. British and American Literature in Dialogue with IKS
It examined connections between Indian philosophy and Western writers like T. S. Eliot and Ralph Waldo Emerson.
5. Comparative Poetics and Literary Theory
This theme compared Indian theories like Natyashastra and Rasa with Western literary criticism to develop a broader understanding of literature.
6. Cross-Cultural Feminist Thought and the Divine Feminine
It explored the idea of the feminine divine in Indian tradition and its connection with feminist theory, including Luce Irigaray.
7. Translation Studies and Indian Knowledge Systems
This theme highlighted the role of translation in making Indian knowledge accessible and connecting different cultures.
8. Myth, Archetype, and Narrative Traditions
It compared Indian myths with Western archetypal theory, including the ideas of Northrop Frye.
9. Pedagogical Approaches for Teaching IKS
This theme focused on new teaching methods to include IKS in literature classrooms through interactive and interdisciplinary approaches.
10. Curriculum Design and IKS Integration
It discussed how IKS can be included in undergraduate, postgraduate, and research programmes according to modern educational policies.
➧ Resource Persons and Plenary Talks
The seminar featured distinguished scholars who contributed to different thematic areas:
- Atanu Bhattacharya – IKS and Language StudiesDiscussed Indian linguistic traditions and their relevance in understanding meaning and interpretation.
- Sachin Ketkar – Translation and IKS in English StudiesHighlighted the importance of translation as a bridge between languages and knowledge systems.
- Dushyant Nimavat – Indian Research MethodologiesExplained how Indian philosophical frameworks can offer new research methods.
- Kalyan Chattopadhyay – Pedagogical ApproachesFocused on innovative teaching strategies for integrating IKS into English literature courses.
- Kalyani Vallath – Tinai Aesthetics and EcologyConnected classical Tamil aesthetics with modern ecological and literary studies.
- Ashok Sachdeva – British–American Literature and IKSExplored the relationship between Indian philosophy and Western literary traditions.
- Amrita Das – Divine Feminine and Feminist TheoryExamined the idea of the feminine divine in relation to modern feminist thought.
Inaugural Ceremony
The session covered the inaugural ceremony along with the first two plenary addresses of the national seminar on “IKS and English Studies,” organized by the Department of English at Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University.
The seminar began with a clear vision and thoughtful introduction by Prof. (Dr.) Dilip Barad Sir, who explained the central objective of the event integrating Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) with English Studies in a meaningful and academically rigorous way.
He highlighted that this initiative is not meant to promote anti-English sentiments, nor does it support an uncritical glorification of India’s past. At the same time, he cautioned against reducing discussions to narratives of postcolonial victimhood. Instead, his focus was on creating a balanced and constructive academic space.
The seminar aims to encourage a productive and complementary dialogue between Western literary traditions and Indian knowledge systems. Rather than placing them in opposition, IKS is presented as an equal participant in global intellectual discourse. This approach moves beyond rigid binary thinking and opens up possibilities for a more inclusive and enriched understanding of literature and knowledge.
➧ Embed Inaugural Session Photos and Videos Here:
➧ Video recording of this session:
➧ Prof. Dushyant Nimawat on IKS as Research Methodology
👉 Rethinking Research through Indian Knowledge Systems
One of the most thought-provoking parts of the session was the plenary talk by Prof. Dushyant Nimavat, where he questioned something we usually take for granted the way we do research in English Studies.
He pointed out that most of our academic work still depends heavily on Western research methodologies. While these frameworks are useful, relying on them alone can sometimes limit our understanding, especially when we are dealing with regional or Indian texts. For example, applying theories like feminism directly, without considering cultural context, may lead to interpretations that feel forced or incomplete.
This made me think about how often we follow theories without questioning whether they actually fit the text we are studying.
Interestingly, he connected this idea with Decolonizing Methodologies, raising an important question: Why do we still measure academic success using Western standards like Scopus indexing? This doesn’t mean we should reject Western systems, but it does suggest that we need to rethink how knowledge is valued.
👉 Indian Epistemology as a Research Framework
To offer an alternative, Prof. Nimavat introduced the concept of the Six Pramanas, which are traditional Indian ways of understanding and validating knowledge. What I found interesting is that these are not outdated ideas they actually connect well with modern research practices.
For example, Pratyaksha (perception) focuses on direct observation, which is similar to close reading. Anumana (inference) is about logical reasoning, something we already use in forming arguments. Then there’s Shabda (testimony), which reminds us of the importance of credible sources and citation.
Some concepts felt even more insightful. Anupalabdhi (non-apprehension), for instance, encourages us to pay attention to what is not said in a text the silences, the gaps. This is something we don’t always consciously think about while analyzing literature.
Overall, these frameworks made me realize that Indian knowledge systems are not just philosophical ideas they can actually guide how we do research.
👉 Rethinking Debate: The Idea of Vada
Another concept that stood out was Vada, which is a way of engaging in discussion with the aim of finding truth, not just winning an argument. This feels quite different from how debates usually happen in academic spaces.
He also explained the difference between:
- Jalpa, where the focus is on winning
- Vitanda, where the goal is simply to criticize
In contrast, Vada encourages openness and mutual understanding. Personally, this felt like a much healthier approach to academic discussion.
👉 Looking Beyond the Surface: Dhwani Theory
Prof. Nimavat also talked about Dhwani theory, which explains how texts can have multiple layers of meaning.
- The literal meaning (Vakya) is what we see on the surface
- The implied meaning (Lakshana) goes a bit deeper
- And the suggested meaning (Vyangya) reveals the emotional or philosophical depth
This reminded me that reading literature is not just about understanding what is written, but also about exploring what is suggested or felt.
👉 What I Learned from This Session
- Western research methods are useful, but not always sufficient on their own
- Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) offer structured and meaningful alternatives
- Concepts like the Six Pramanas can be applied in real research work
- Debate should be about understanding (Vada), not just arguing
- Literary texts have deeper layers that require careful interpretation
- A balanced approach can make research more inclusive and context-sensitive
👉 Final Reflection
Overall, Prof. Nimavat’s talk made me rethink how I approach research and interpretation. Instead of seeing Indian and Western methods as opposites, it makes more sense to bring them together. This kind of balanced approach not only improves our understanding but also makes our work more relevant to the cultural context we are studying.
➧ Embed Plenary Session Photos Here:
Plenary Session 2: Dr. Kalyani Vallath
➧ Video recording of this session:
Rethinking Literature through Sangam Poetics and Ecological Imagination
One of the most engaging ideas from the session was how classical Tamil thought understands human experience not in isolation, but as something deeply connected with the world around it. Instead of separating emotion, society, and nature, Sangam poetics brings them into a single, meaningful framework.
What makes this perspective powerful is that it does not treat emotions as purely internal. It suggests that where we are—our surroundings, landscapes, and environments—quietly shape how we feel and how we relate to others.
Two Dimensions of Life: Agam and Puram
At the heart of Sangam literature lies a simple but powerful distinction. Human experience is understood through two interconnected domains:
- Agam focuses on the inner life—love, longing, intimacy, and emotional relationships.
- Puram deals with the outer world—war, ethics, public duty, and social identity.
Rather than opposing each other, these two modes complement one another. Together, they show that private feelings and public actions are equally important in shaping human life.
Even today, this division feels relevant. For example, a person may appear confident and successful in public life (Puram), while internally dealing with uncertainty or emotional struggle (Agam). Sangam literature recognizes this duality without separating the two completely.
The Tinai System: When Landscape Becomes Emotion
What makes this literary tradition especially fascinating is the Tinai system. Here, landscapes are not just settings; they actively participate in human experience. Each natural environment corresponds to a particular emotional situation, creating a close bond between ecology and feeling.
Five Landscapes, Five Emotional Worlds
Kurinji (Mountains)
This landscape represents secret meetings of lovers. The mountain space offers seclusion, allowing love to exist away from social restrictions.
Modern connection: Private conversations late at night, away from social media visibility, reflect a similar sense of hidden intimacy.
Mullai (Forest)
Associated with waiting and patience, this setting reflects emotional endurance.
Modern connection: Waiting for someone’s message or return in a long-distance relationship captures this slow, hopeful feeling.
Marudam (Fertile Plains)
This landscape reflects everyday social life—relationships shaped by conflict, misunderstanding, and moral tension.
Modern connection: Family disagreements or relationship conflicts within familiar spaces echo this emotional complexity.
Neydal (Seashore)
The coastal world expresses distance and uncertainty. The vast sea becomes a symbol of separation.
Modern connection: Migration for studies or jobs, where emotional distance grows despite digital connection, reflects this condition.
Palai (Arid Land)
Formed when fertile land dries up, it represents crisis and survival.
Modern connection: Emotional burnout, loneliness in big cities, or phases of life where everything feels exhausting can be seen as a psychological “Palai.”
Through these landscapes, Sangam poetry suggests that emotions are not abstract—they are deeply rooted in lived environments.
Beyond Tamil: A Comparative Perspective
An important insight from the lecture was that the Tinai framework is not limited to Tamil literature. It can be used to read texts across cultures.
For instance:
- In Romantic writing, nature often reflects emotional intensity.
- In modern literature, empty spaces and urban settings often express alienation.
- Even in cinema, rain, deserts, or oceans are used symbolically to express mood.
This shows that the relationship between environment and emotion is universal, even if expressed differently across traditions.
Key Reflections from the Discussion
Some ideas from the discussion session added further depth:
- The idea that Western theories may have connections with Eastern traditions should be explored through research, not assumptions.
- Indian Knowledge Systems can be preserved digitally, but careful documentation is necessary to avoid distortion.
- The sea and the desert, though physically different, both represent emotional emptiness and uncertainty.
- Tinai and Rasa both attempt to connect inner feeling with external conditions.
- Translation cannot fully capture the original richness of Sangam poetry, but it still allows meaningful engagement.
Why This Still Matters Today
Even in a rapidly urbanizing world, the connection between environment and emotion has not disappeared—it has only transformed.
For example, social media creates a sense of constant connection, yet emotional distance still exists. Similarly, crowded urban spaces can feel isolating, showing that physical closeness does not always mean emotional closeness.
Sangam poetics helps us understand these contradictions. It reminds us that human emotions are always influenced by the spaces we inhabit—whether natural or modern.
Learning Outcomes
Through this session, several important insights can be developed:
- Understanding the significance of Sangam literature as a foundational part of Indian literary thought.
- Distinguishing between Agam and Puram as two interconnected dimensions of human experience.
- Interpreting the Tinai system as an ecological model that connects landscape with emotion and human behavior.
- Recognizing how the five landscapes represent different emotional conditions such as love, waiting, conflict, separation, and crisis.
- Analyzing the role of nature as an active force rather than a passive background in literature.
- Applying the Tinai framework to modern contexts such as migration, urban life, and emotional isolation.
- Developing a comparative perspective by relating Tamil poetics to global literary traditions.
What This Approach Teaches Us
This session ultimately encourages a different way of reading literature:
- to see emotion as shaped by environment
- to understand human experience as both personal and social
- to connect classical ideas with contemporary life
By engaging with these ideas, literature becomes more than text it becomes a way of understanding how people, places, and emotions are deeply interconnected.
➧ Embed Plenary Session Photos Here:
Plenary Session 3: Reimagining English Studies through Indian Knowledge Systems
Dr. Kalyan Chattopadhyay
The plenary address by Kalyan Chattopadhyay at the national seminar on Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) and English Studies focused on the urgent need to rethink the way English literature is taught in India. He argued that the present structure of English studies is still influenced by colonial frameworks, especially those shaped by Thomas Babington Macaulay’s 1835 Minute on Education. This system was designed to produce a class of intermediaries for colonial administration, which gradually distanced Indian students from their own intellectual traditions.
He further pointed out that this legacy continues in the form of a teacher-centered “banking model” of education, where knowledge is transmitted rather than critically explored. As a result, students often remain passive recipients rather than active participants in the learning process.
Indian Knowledge Systems as Analytical Tools
Instead of treating Indian Knowledge Systems as historical content to be memorized, Dr. Chattopadhyay proposed that they should be used as methodological tools for literary analysis. This approach can make English studies more dynamic and context-sensitive.
He introduced several key frameworks from Indian intellectual traditions:
Sambada (Dialogic Method)
Derived from ancient Vedic traditions, Sambada promotes dialogue and discussion. It encourages a shift from lecture-based teaching to interactive learning, where students actively participate in constructing knowledge.
Nyaya and Anumana (Logic and Inference)
These systems of reasoning help in understanding texts beyond surface meaning. Instead of simply summarizing a literary work, students can use inference to explore motivations, causes, and underlying meanings within the text.
Vedanta (Philosophical Interpretation)
Concepts such as Atman, Brahman, and Maya allow literature to be interpreted at a deeper existential level. Characters and narratives can be understood not only psychologically but also philosophically.
Rasa and Dhvani (Aesthetics and Suggestion)
From classical Indian poetics, Rasa focuses on emotional experience, while Dhvani deals with implied or suggested meaning. Together, they help in understanding how literature creates emotional and aesthetic impact beyond literal language.
Curriculum Reform and Implementation
For practical implementation of the UGC’s 5% IKS mandate, Dr. Chattopadhyay suggested meaningful curriculum changes rather than superficial additions. These include introducing modules on Indian rhetorical traditions, comparative literary theories, and alternative pedagogical models such as the Guru–Shishya Parampara for advanced research guidance.
Key Insight from Q&A Session
During the discussion, he also noted that Western academia is increasingly open to Indian Knowledge Systems. He emphasized the importance of using the Sambada method even in theoretical debates, allowing multiple perspectives to coexist—for example, engaging Marxist criticism alongside Indian philosophical traditions like Rajayoga.
Learning Outcomes
After attending this plenary session, learners are able to:
- Understand the colonial foundation of English literary education in India and its continuing influence.
- Recognize the need to decolonize English studies through Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS).
- Identify key Indian frameworks such as Sambada, Nyaya, Anumana, Vedanta, Rasa, and Dhvani.
- Apply dialogic learning methods to encourage participation and critical thinking.
- Use logical reasoning and inference for deeper literary interpretation.
- Interpret texts using philosophical concepts from Indian traditions.
- Analyze emotional and aesthetic dimensions of literature through Rasa and Dhvani.
- Understand the importance of comparative literary approaches.
- Recognize practical ways to integrate IKS into English studies curriculum.
- Develop a more critical and inclusive approach to literary education.
➧ Embed Plenary Session Photos Here:
Plenary Session 4: Indian Philosophy and Its Influence on Western Literature
Dr. Ashok Sachdeva
In this plenary session, Ashok Sachdeva explored the deep and often overlooked influence of Indian philosophy on British and American literary traditions. He highlighted how Indian philosophical ideas entered Western thought during the period of the Oriental Renaissance, when texts like the Bhagavad Gita and concepts such as Vedanta, Karma, Maya, and Moksha began to circulate widely in Europe and America.
Rather than remaining limited to philosophical study, these ideas gradually shaped the imagination of major literary movements in the West.
Indian Philosophy in Romantic and Modernist Literature
One of the key points discussed was the impact of Indian thought on Romantic poets such as Wordsworth, Coleridge, Shelley, and Blake. Their poetry often reflects a sense of mysticism, unity with nature, and spiritual longing—qualities that closely resonate with Indian philosophical ideas of oneness and transcendence.
In the later Modernist period, writers like T.S. Eliot and W.B. Yeats also engaged with Indian concepts, especially ideas related to cyclic time, rebirth, and spiritual transformation. These ideas helped them explore themes of fragmentation and renewal in the modern world.
Influence on American Transcendentalism
The session also highlighted the strong connection between Indian philosophy and American Transcendentalist thinkers such as Emerson, Thoreau, and Whitman. Their ideas of the “Oversoul” and universal consciousness show clear philosophical parallels with Vedantic thought, especially the idea of a shared spiritual reality beyond individual existence.
Comparative Literary Insight
Dr. Sachdeva further emphasized thematic similarities between Indian and Western texts. A significant example discussed was the moral and emotional dilemma of Hamlet, which can be compared with Arjuna’s crisis in the Mahabharata. Both characters face deep ethical confusion and are forced to confront questions of duty, action, and identity.
Such comparisons reveal that despite cultural differences, literature across traditions often engages with similar human concerns.
Learning Outcomes
After attending this plenary session, learners are able to:
- Understand the historical influence of Indian philosophy on British and American literature.
- Identify key Indian philosophical concepts such as Vedanta, Karma, Maya, and Moksha in Western literary contexts.
- Explain how Romantic poets engaged with Indian ideas of mysticism and unity.
- Recognize the impact of Indian thought on Modernist writers like T.S. Eliot and W.B. Yeats.
- Understand the connection between Indian philosophy and American Transcendentalism.
- Compare ethical and thematic concerns in Indian epics and Western literary texts.
- Develop a broader interdisciplinary perspective on cross-cultural literary influence.
Plenary Session 5 (Online): Language, Knowledge, and Transformation
Professor Atanu Bhattacharya
The online plenary session by Atanu Bhattacharya explored how language education in India has evolved from traditional knowledge systems to colonial frameworks, and what this shift means for our understanding of learning today.
Instead of treating language as a neutral medium of communication, the session highlighted a deeper perspective from Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS), where language functions as a mode of knowledge creation, cultural memory, and intellectual transmission.
In this tradition, stories, oral narratives, and texts such as the Chandogya Upanishad play a central role in preserving wisdom. Knowledge is not separated from experience; it is carried through storytelling and lived practice.
Language Beyond Grammar: The Indian Perspective
A key insight from the session was that language in Indian tradition is not restricted to structure or grammar rules. It is closely linked with thought, culture, and meaning-making.
This approach challenges the idea of language as a purely technical skill and instead positions it as a living system of knowledge that evolves through usage, narration, and interpretation.
Rethinking the Paninian Tradition
The session also re-examined the contribution of Panini, whose work is often reduced to a strict grammatical framework.
However, Professor Bhattacharya emphasized that Panini’s system reflects more than linguistic rules. It engages with:
- social usage of language
- diversity of expression
- real communicative contexts
This suggests that ancient Indian grammar was not isolated from society but deeply embedded in everyday cultural life, including literature and oral traditions.
Colonial Reconfiguration of Language Learning
A major turning point came with colonial intervention, particularly through Fort William College.
Here, language education was redesigned for administrative efficiency. Language became a functional tool for governance, detached from its cultural and intellectual dimensions.
This shift significantly reduced the importance of multilingual traditions and translation practices that were once central to Indian education systems.
Connecting the Ideas
What emerges from the session is a clear contrast:
- Traditional IKS views language as knowledge and culture together
- Colonial education reduces language to utility and administration
This contrast helps us understand how educational systems shape not only what we learn, but also how we think.
Learning Outcomes
After this session, learners are able to:
- Understand language as a knowledge system within Indian intellectual traditions.
- Recognize the role of storytelling and oral traditions in knowledge preservation.
- Reinterpret the Paninian tradition beyond a purely grammatical framework.
- Understand the relationship between language, society, and cultural diversity in India.
- Analyze how colonial education reshaped language learning in India.
- Compare indigenous and colonial approaches to language education.
- Appreciate multilingual and translation practices as part of Indian knowledge history.
- Develop a broader, contextual, and critical understanding of language education.
➧ Embed Plenary Session Photos Here:
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