IIT Mandi, BRC Partner to Launch M.A. in Indian Knowledge Systems

In a positive step towards the resurgence and progress of the scholarly examination of India's varied knowledge systems, the Indian Institute of Technology Mandi (IIT Mandi) has formally introduced a new Master of Arts (MA) degree in Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS). This two-year curriculum provides a comprehensive and fulfilling journey for individuals seeking to delve into India’s philosophical, scientific, and cultural heritage within a contemporary, scholarly framework.

The initiative, organized by IIT Mandi’s Indian Knowledge System and Mental Health Applications (IKSMHA) Centre, is a groundbreaking program of its nature. The MA IKS program aims to provide students with genuine Vedic education, as well as essential tools for contemporary interdisciplinary research, through a curriculum that encompasses Sanskrit studies, Vedic literature, Ayurveda, Yoga, Indian mathematics, metaphysics, and the socio-cultural impacts of Indian traditions.

Dr. Laxmidhar Behera (Lila Purusottama Das), Director of IIT Mandi, remarked, “This effort demonstrates IIT Mandi’s dedication to fostering a comprehensive and thorough approach to knowledge. Through the integration of traditional wisdom with contemporary analytical methods, we strive to develop scholars capable of meaningfully interacting with India's intellectual legacy and presenting it to the world in impactful and transformative manners.

In alignment with this, Dr. Venkatesh Chembrolu, Associate Professor and faculty head of the IKSMHA Centre, remarked, “This initiative stems from careful and ongoing efforts to connect India’s deep intellectual legacies with modern academic and scientific discussions in a structured and rigorous manner.”

The Bhaktivedanta Research Centre (BRC) has Collaborated with IIT Mandi in this important endeavor. In accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding recently established between BRC and IIT Mandi, BRC will bring its extensive experience in preserving and promoting Vedic and Dharmic literature, comprising rare Sanskrit and Bengali manuscripts, and will take charge of curriculum development, digitization of manuscripts, and cultivating global academic partnerships in IKS.

This program will equip graduates to seek careers in teaching, publishing, heritage management, and the expanding area of Indian Knowledge Systems education, or to advance to doctoral studies. Moreover, they will be prepared to disseminate this essential knowledge globally in ways that are both genuinely authentic and reachable for contemporary society.