Republic@75: An intellectual renaissance through IKS

Our Republic has completed 75 years a milestone that, while celebratory, stands modest against the backdrop of our millenniaold civilisation.

- SANTISHREE DHULIPUDI PANDIT

The contributions of the Bhartiya civilisation are not just valuable in their substance but are even greater in their essence. They reveal how the parampara (tradition) of excellence, autonomy, specialisation, and critical thinking has gifted us treasures that retain their relevance even after 10,000 years. Yet, the depth and authenticity of the Indian Knowledge System (IKS) have been consistently ignored, overlooked, and, worse, undervalued in the post-Independence era.

Our collective failure as a nation lies in perceiving our heritage as inferior to Western and other civilisations.

While colonialism, intellectual subjugation, and foreign invasions inflicted deep scars on our past, our vision for the future is resolute in correcting these historical grievances. Recognising and embracing the vast heritage of IKS and integrating it with contemporary global themes and challenges, we are charting a course for Viksit Bharat that not only reclaims our millenniaold wisdom but also deploys it boldly to build an expansive, inclusive, and excellence-driven future for Vikasit Bharat. IKS is holistic where humanities are as important as STEM subjects. Rather Bharatiya parampara stressed on the spirituality rather than material subjects. Spirituality is the subject of humanities.

This course correction is neither easy nor without resistance. The internal and external challenges seek to derail Bharat's destiny as a responsible global leader in holistic knowledge system where there is balance between humanities and STEM, international affairs, and social value systems.