(Left to Right) Balaram Lila Das; Prof. Aniruddha Chakraborty, Dean Academics, IIT Mandi; Dr. Sumanta Rudra, Academic Dean, BRC; Prof. Laxmidhar Behera (Lila Purusottama Das), Director, IIT Mandi and Dr. Venkatesh Chembrolu, Associate Prof., representing the centre for IKSMHA (Indian Knowledge Systems and Mental Health Applications), IIT Mandi.

In a promising development for the revival and advancement of the academic study of India’s diverse knowledge systems, the Indian Institute of Technology Mandi (IIT Mandi) has officially launched a new Master of Arts (MA) program in Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS). This two-year program offers a robust and enriching path for those wishing to explore India’s philosophical, scientific, and cultural traditions in a modern, academically rigorous context.

The program, hosted by IIT Mandi’s Indian Knowledge System and Mental Health Applications (IKSMHA) Centre, is a pioneering program of its kind. With course offerings that span Sanskrit studies, Vedic literature, Ayurveda, Yoga, Indian mathematics, metaphysics, and the socio-cultural contributions of Indian traditions, the MA IKS program is designed to equip students with authentic Vedic learning, along with the critical tools of modern interdisciplinary research.

Dr. Laxmidhar Behera (Lila Purusottama Das), Director of IIT Mandi, stated, “This initiative reflects IIT Mandi’s commitment to promoting a holistic and rigorous approach to knowledge. By combining traditional knowledge with modern analytical tools, we aim to cultivate scholars who can meaningfully engage with India’s intellectual heritage and offer it to the world in relevant and transformative ways.”

Echoing this, Dr. Venkatesh Chembrolu, Associate Professor and faculty lead of the IKSMHA Centre, noted, “This program is the result of thoughtful and sustained effort to bring India’s profound intellectual traditions into engagement with contemporary academic and scientific discourse in a systematic and rigorous way.”

For the devotee community, this MA program offers a particularly valuable opportunity to pursue serious scholarship of the diverse Indian knowledge systems aligned with the highest contemporary academic standards. Notably, around eight to ten devotees are already pursuing various academic programs at IIT Mandi, reflecting a growing interest and engagement.

Gauranga Das, Director of ISKCON Govardhan Eco-Village (GEV) and an IIT Bombay alumnus, who recently completed his Master of Arts (By Research) in philosophy from the Bhaktivedanta Research Center (BRC) and is currently pursuing doctoral studies, expressed his appreciation for the initiative, stating, “This program at IIT Mandi is a wonderful opportunity for all those seeking to deepen their understanding of India’s profound knowledge traditions through an intellectually rich academic framework. I humbly encourage devotees to take full advantage of this offering.”

The Bhaktivedanta Research Centre (BRC) has joined hands with IIT Mandi in this significant initiative. As per the Memorandum of Understanding recently signed by BRC and IIT Mandi, BRC will contribute its longstanding expertise in preserving and disseminating Vedic and Dharmic texts, including rare Sanskrit and Bengali manuscripts, and will lead efforts in curriculum development, manuscript digitization, and fostering international academic collaborations in IKS.

Dr. Sumanta Rudra, academic dean of the Bhaktivedanta Research Center, expressed his enthusiasm for the program, stating, “We, at BRC, are deeply grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with IIT Mandi on this inspiring initiative, which promises to advance the academic study and research of Indian Knowledge Systems to a level that does justice to the boundless depth, richness, and potential of this field—a field of virtually limitless untapped value.”

This program will prepare graduates to pursue careers in teaching, publishing, heritage management, and the rapidly growing field of Indian Knowledge Systems education, or to continue on to doctoral research. Furthermore, they will be equipped to share this valuable knowledge with the world in forms that are both rigorously authentic and accessible to modern society.

Devotees around the world are encouraged to apply. For those interested in applying, the online application is available यहाँ. For any questions, prospective students may contact Dr. Sumanta Rudra, Academic Dean, BRC, via ईमेल. For more information about the BRC, please visit their वेबसाइट, subscribe to the BRC YouTube चैनल, and follow them on फेसबुक.