“Women in ancient Indian civilisation were not just present — they were central to intellectual, spiritual, and cultural life,” said Prof. Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, Vice-Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University, addressing a national seminar on Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) held at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre (DAIC). Urging scholars to reclaim indigenous frameworks, Prof. Santishree Pandit asserted that India’s feminist legacy predates Western constructs and must be viewed through a Bharatiya civilisational lens.
The statement set the tone for a powerful and insightful seminar jointly organised by the World Intellectual Foundation (WIF) and DAIC, under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India. The event, held on June 2, aimed to reassert the relevance of IKS in India’s present-day intellectual and cultural landscape.
Reflecting on the philosophical richness of Bharat, Dr. Sudhanshu Trivedi, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha), spoke on the civilisational continuity of India and the layered wisdom embedded in its ancient traditions. He emphasised the enduring relevance of India’s indigenous knowledge systems in modern governance and society.
Prof. Rubina Mittal, Director – Research & Innovation at the World Intellectual Foundation, highlighted the need to mainstream Indian Knowledge Systems, especially among today’s youth. She noted, “Rediscovering one’s Bharatiya identity is key to strengthening India’s cultural confidence,” and stressed WIF’s commitment as a Delhi-based think tank building positive narratives for India.
The session was ably moderated by Hemangi Sinha, Project Head at WIF, who ensured a focused and inclusive dialogue throughout the seminar.
Akash Patil, Director of DAIC, welcomed the participants and delivered the vote of thanks, acknowledging the collective efforts that contributed to the success of the event.
The seminar underscored India’s intellectual legacy spanning over 10,000 years — with contributions in fields such as mathematics, astronomy, medicine, architecture, philosophy, and governance. It served as a platform for reaffirming the relevance of IKS in today’s educational and national development frameworks.
The event was graced by eminent dignitaries, including Prof. Jagdish Mukhi, Former Governor of Assam; Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Sanjay Kulkarni, and leading academicians from IIT Delhi, IIIT Delhi, JNU, DU, Ambedkar University, as well as practitioners of Bharatiya Jnana Parampara and social leaders from across the country.
At a time when decolonising education and reclaiming India’s intellectual traditions is gaining ground, the seminar served as a call to India’s academic community to embrace and promote its own knowledge systems with renewed vigour.
