National Seminar on Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) and English Studies
Reimagining English Studies through Indigenous Knowledge Traditions
Introduction
The National Seminar on Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) and English Studies, held on 23rd and 24th March 2026, offered an intellectually enriching platform for exploring the relationship between indigenous knowledge traditions and contemporary literary studies. At a time when English Studies in India is often criticized for its overdependence on Western theoretical frameworks, the seminar encouraged scholars and students to reconsider the importance of Indian epistemologies in academic discourse.
The seminar brought together distinguished scholars from diverse fields who examined how Indian philosophical traditions, literary theories, language practices, translation studies, and feminist perspectives can reshape English Studies in meaningful ways. The discussions highlighted that Indian Knowledge Systems are not merely remnants of the past but living intellectual traditions capable of contributing to modern research, pedagogy, and literary criticism.
The sessions collectively emphasized the importance of decolonizing knowledge, promoting interdisciplinary approaches, and creating culturally rooted frameworks for interpretation and learning. Each plenary lecture opened new possibilities for understanding literature through Indian perspectives while maintaining critical and scholarly rigor.
Inaugural Ceremony and Plenary Sessions
Plenary Session by Dr. Dushyant Nimavat
Dr. Dushyant Nimavat’s lecture provided a foundational understanding of Indian Knowledge Systems by presenting them as plural, evolving, and intellectually dynamic traditions rather than a single unified body of thought. He emphasized that IKS consists of diverse philosophical schools, regional practices, and cultural traditions that have developed over centuries.
One of the central ideas of his lecture was the need to move beyond simplistic comparisons between Indian and Western knowledge systems. Instead of treating one as superior to the other, he advocated a balanced and research-oriented approach grounded in critical inquiry and evidence-based scholarship.
Dr. Nimavat also reflected on the colonial foundations of India’s modern education system. He argued that although India gained political independence, the educational structure largely continued to follow Western models, leaving little room for indigenous frameworks of learning and knowledge production. Referring to Dharampal’s The Beautiful Tree, he highlighted how pre-colonial India possessed vibrant educational traditions that were later undermined during colonial rule.
At the same time, he cautioned against romanticizing the past without critical examination. According to him, academic engagement with IKS must remain analytical, rigorous, and evidence-driven.
A particularly important aspect of his lecture focused on research methodologies. He explained that Western theoretical frameworks often dominate literary and cultural analysis, sometimes leading to interpretations that overlook Indian cultural contexts. Therefore, he proposed IKS as a complementary methodology capable of producing culturally sensitive interpretations.
By referring to Linda Tuhiwai Smith’s Decolonizing Methodologies, Dr. Nimavat stressed the importance of developing indigenous research practices that challenge epistemic dominance. He also connected these ideas with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which encourages the integration of Indian knowledge traditions into mainstream education.
Overall, his session established a balanced and critical perspective on Indian Knowledge Systems and their relevance to contemporary academia.
Plenary Session by Dr. Kalyani Vallath
Dr. Kalyani Vallath’s lecture explored the richness of Dravidian Knowledge Systems, particularly classical Tamil poetics, and demonstrated their significance for modern literary studies. Her session centered on the Thinai system found in Tolkappiyam and Sangam literature.
The Thinai framework connects human emotions with specific landscapes, creating an ecological understanding of literature and human experience. Dr. Vallath explained the distinction between Akam (inner or personal life) and Puram (outer or public life), which together offer a comprehensive framework for literary interpretation.
She further discussed the five landscapes—Kurinji, Mullai, Marudam, Neithal, and Palai—each associated with different emotional conditions such as love, patience, separation, longing, and conflict. Through this framework, ancient Tamil literature demonstrates a deep relationship between nature and human psychology.
One of the most insightful aspects of her lecture was her argument that Thinai is not confined to classical Tamil literature alone. According to her, it can also be applied to modern literature, cinema, performance studies, and even Western literary traditions. This adaptability highlights the global relevance of indigenous literary theories.
Dr. Vallath also compared Thinai with concepts such as Rasa Theory, Romanticism, Symbolism, Modernism, Ecocriticism, and Northrop Frye’s archetypal criticism. Through these comparisons, she demonstrated that Indian aesthetic traditions possess intellectual sophistication comparable to globally recognized literary theories.
Her lecture gained further contemporary relevance through its ecological dimension. By emphasizing the connection between environment and emotional life, Thinai offers valuable insights for ecocriticism and environmental humanities in today’s age of ecological crisis.
Overall, Dr. Vallath’s session revealed how indigenous literary frameworks can enrich comparative literature and interdisciplinary research.
Plenary Session by Dr. Kalyan Chattopadhyay
Dr. Kalyan Chattopadhyay’s lecture addressed the urgent need to rethink English Studies in India through the integration of Indian Knowledge Systems. He traced the history of English education back to colonial policies such as Macaulay’s Minute, which aimed to create an educated class aligned with British values and intellectual traditions.
According to him, this colonial structure continues to shape English Studies in India, resulting in a largely Eurocentric academic environment. Referring to Paulo Freire’s concept of the “banking model” of education, he criticized traditional pedagogy for encouraging passive learning instead of active intellectual engagement.
To overcome this limitation, Dr. Chattopadhyay proposed the inclusion of Indian philosophical and literary traditions such as Nyaya, Vedanta, Rasa Theory, and Dhvani Theory as analytical tools within literary studies.
He explained that Nyaya offers logical methods for interpretation, Vedanta provides philosophical insights into existence and consciousness, Rasa Theory deepens the understanding of aesthetic experience, and Dhvani Theory explores layers of implied meaning in literary texts.
Importantly, he argued that these traditions should not be treated merely as supplementary material but as serious critical frameworks capable of standing alongside Western theories.
Dr. Chattopadhyay also emphasized dialogic learning inspired by the Bhagavad Gita, where questioning, discussion, and active participation become central to education. He suggested practical academic reforms such as comparative curricula, interdisciplinary teaching, and the integration of IKS into research methodologies.
His lecture ultimately highlighted the transformative potential of Indian Knowledge Systems in creating a more inclusive and critically engaged academic environment.
Plenary Session by Ashok Sachdeva
Ashok Sachdeva’s lecture examined the profound influence of Indian philosophy on British and American literary traditions. Challenging the assumption that intellectual influence moves only from the West to the East, he demonstrated how Indian ideas significantly shaped Western literary thought during the Oriental Renaissance.
He discussed philosophical concepts such as Vedanta, Maya, Karma, Moksha, detachment, and cyclical existence, showing how these ideas resonated with Western writers searching for spiritual alternatives to materialism and rigid religious structures.
Through literary examples, Sachdeva illustrated these influences in detail. He connected William Wordsworth’s spiritual vision of nature with Vedantic ideas of cosmic unity and linked Percy Bysshe Shelley’s exploration of illusion and impermanence with the concept of Maya.
He also explored the works of modernist writers such as T. S. Eliot and W. B. Yeats, both of whom drew inspiration from Indian philosophy and mysticism. Similarly, American transcendentalists including Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Walt Whitman engaged deeply with texts such as the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads.
One of the most engaging moments of the lecture was his comparison between Hamlet and Arjuna. While Hamlet remains trapped in doubt and indecision, Arjuna achieves clarity through philosophical guidance in the Bhagavad Gita. This comparison demonstrated how Indian philosophical frameworks can offer alternative interpretative possibilities for Western literary texts.
Sachdeva concluded by emphasizing that Indian philosophy has played a vital role in shaping global literary traditions and deserves recognition within world literature studies.
Plenary Session by Atanu Bhattacharya
Professor Atanu Bhattacharya’s lecture focused on the relationship between language and knowledge in Indian intellectual traditions. He challenged the modern tendency to view language merely as a medium of communication and argued that, in Indian thought, language functions as a vehicle for generating and transmitting knowledge.
He highlighted the continuity of Indian knowledge traditions across centuries, from Sanskrit texts to Bhakti literature and regional languages. Sanskrit, according to him, served not only as a classical language but also as a foundational intellectual structure for philosophy, literature, and science.
Bhattacharya emphasized that traditional Indian language education was holistic in nature. Literature, poetry, storytelling, and dramatic texts were deeply integrated into the learning process rather than separated from language instruction.
His discussion of Panini’s Ashtadhyayi was particularly illuminating. He described Panini’s grammatical system as highly sophisticated and comparable in certain ways to modern linguistic theories such as Noam Chomsky’s generative grammar. However, he stressed that Panini’s framework remained deeply connected to social and cultural contexts.
He further explained how colonial educational institutions transformed language into a utilitarian administrative tool, disconnecting it from literary and cultural knowledge traditions.Overall, Bhattacharya’s lecture advocated for a renewed educational approach that reintegrates language, literature, and knowledge into a unified learning experience.
Plenary Session by Sachin Ketkar
Sachin Ketkar’s lecture highlighted the crucial role of translation in preserving and reinterpreting Indian Knowledge Systems. He argued that translation is not simply a mechanical transfer of meaning but an intellectual and creative process that enables cultural exchange and knowledge production.
Ketkar pointed out that many foundational Indian texts remain inaccessible to ordinary readers because of linguistic barriers. Therefore, translation becomes essential for the survival and dissemination of these traditions.
He challenged the idea of exact equivalence in translation, explaining that culturally rooted concepts such as dharma, guru, or sari cannot be perfectly translated into another language. According to him, the expectation of exact equivalence is itself a colonial misunderstanding of language and meaning.
Drawing from contemporary translation studies, Ketkar argued that every translation reflects the translator’s historical and ideological context. Through examples from Sri Aurobindo and A. K. Ramanujan, he demonstrated how translations create new meanings and interpretations rather than merely reproducing original texts.His lecture ultimately redefined translation as an active intellectual practice central to the preservation and transformation of Indian Knowledge Systems.
Plenary Session by Dr. Amrita Das
Dr. Amrita Das’s lecture explored the concept of divine femininity in Indian traditions through the lens of French feminist philosopher Luce Irigaray. Her session created a dialogue between Western feminist theory and Hindu goddess traditions to examine questions of identity, agency, and female empowerment.She contrasted Western religious traditions, where feminine divinity is often marginal, with Hindu traditions in which goddesses embody creativity, power, nurture, and transformation.
Using Irigaray’s theories of embodiment, selfhood, breath, and maternal genealogy, Dr. Das explained how female subjectivity can become a source of knowledge and empowerment. She particularly emphasized the symbolic significance of breath and air as metaphors for spiritual freedom and self-realization.
Her lecture also examined contemporary literary works such as The Girl and the Goddess by Nikita Gill and Urmila: The Forgotten Princess by Smriti Dewan. These texts reinterpret mythological narratives from female perspectives and foreground women’s experiences and voices.Another important aspect of her lecture was the idea of maternal genealogy, which highlights relationships between mothers, daughters, and female ancestors as sources of continuity and solidarity.
Dr. Das concluded that Hindu goddess traditions offer powerful possibilities for developing culturally rooted feminist frameworks capable of challenging patriarchal structures and expanding feminist discourse.
Conclusion
The National Seminar on Indian Knowledge Systems and English Studies successfully created a space for critical reflection on the future of literary and cultural studies in India. The plenary sessions demonstrated that Indian intellectual traditions possess immense theoretical depth and contemporary relevance. Rather than positioning Indian and Western frameworks in opposition, the seminar encouraged dialogue, comparison, and interdisciplinary engagement.The discussions emphasized the importance of decolonizing academic practices, integrating indigenous methodologies, and creating more culturally responsive forms of research and pedagogy. For students and scholars of English Studies, the seminar opened new avenues for understanding literature, language, philosophy, translation, ecology, and gender through Indian perspectives.Ultimately, the seminar reaffirmed that Indian Knowledge Systems are not merely historical artifacts but living traditions capable of enriching contemporary intellectual discourse and shaping the future of education and literary studies.
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