Reviving Roots :

An Overview of Indian
Knowledge Systems ( IKS) and
their Integration into
Modern Education.

by
Dr. Smriti Singh
Ranchi University

भद्रायां सुमतौ यतेम | ऋग्वेद (६।१।१०)

Let us strive for the wisdom that leads to the welfare of all
WHAT IS KNOWLEDGE?

Knowledge in it’s purest, according to Bhartiya scriptures is that which abolishes

all ignorance and emancipates (liberates) the self from falsities.

It takes the individual’s mind from Chitta (reactionary and full of preconceptions )
state to Siddhi (infinite capacity for wisdom) state.
 WHAT IS A KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM?
An organized structure and dynamic process generating and
representing content, components, classes, or types of knowledge,
that is:

1. Domain specific or characterized by domain-relevant features as

defined by the user or consumer

2. Reinforced by a. set of logic that reinforce the content with it’s

value.
• Enhanced by a set of iterative processes that enable the evolution,
revision, adaptation, and advancement of knowledge and are
subject to criteria of relevance, reliability, and quality.

• Indigenous and local knowledge systems are understood to be

dynamic bodies of integrated, holistic, social and ecological
understandings, know-hows, practices and beliefs pertaining to the
relationship of living beings, including people, with one another
and with their environment.
Ancient India was a land of sages and seers as well as a land of scholars
and scientists. Research has shown that from making the best steel in the
world to teaching the world to count, India was actively contributing to
the field of science and technology centuries long before modern
laboratories were set up. Many theories and techniques discovered by the
ancient Indians have created and strengthened the fundamentals of
modern science and technology. While some of these groundbreaking
contributions have been acknowledged, some are still unknown to most.
ANCIENT INDIAN SCIENTISTS
Figure showing the progress of mind with time, from the evolution of life and
development of knowledge system. The basic framework of the knowledge system
developed in 5000 BCE is the same which we have today
 THE INIDIAN KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM:
• India developed its knowledge system, tested it through practice, verified and
improved it over thousands of years

• As a result, the Indian Knowledge System is founded on the ‘wellbeing of all.’

“ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाः”
“वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम्”
“एकम् सत् विप्रा बहुधा वदन्ति”
“कृण्वंतो विश्वं आर्यं ”
• It is based on a deep understanding of human being as well as of nature and
entire existence

• (COURTSEY: IKS INITIATIVE, GOVT OF INDIA)

 MYTHS AND FACTS ABOUT IKS

Myth Fact
IKS is a Discipline / Subject / IKS is a Label given to a collection of
Specialisation Interconnected Discipline

Fact
Myth
Sanskrit is a Language. One can use it to
IKS is Sanskrit / IKS is done by
any end. It so happens that a lot of works
“Sanskrit People”
in IKS are available in Sanskrit.
However, they are also available in
regional Languages. There is nothing
called “Sanskrit People”
 Fact
Myth IKS includes all knowledge traditions
IKS is ancient. of India, past and present. New
knowledge is produced everyday
based on the principles laid out by
older works.
Fact
IKS includes empirical sciences as well. India
Myth has made significant contributions in the fields
IKS is mainly Spiritualism. of Linguistics, Astronomy, Health Sciences,
Mathematics, Poetry, Metallurgy and several
other sciences. Only one of the shastras
(Darsana) deals with spiritualism (whatever
you mean by it)
• A knowledge system which ensures right understanding and clarity of living
in harmony at all levels of human existence can be called a holistic and
humane knowledge system

• Many cultures and civilisations over millennia have tried to evolve such
knowledge systems

“ एकम् सत् विप्रा बहुधा वदन्ति”

• The Indian culture and civilisation is one such example

• How a culture, civilisation develops and is propagated generation after

generation depends on its education-sanskar, its knowledge system
 HOLISTIC EDUCATION:

• Human education - Sanskar (मानवीय शिक्षा-संस्कार)

• Humane world view, perspective (मानवीय दृष्टि)

• Human values, Human culture, Full human potential (मानवीय मूल्य)

• Skills for living in harmony, with joy (व्यवस्था पूर्वक, उत्सव

पूर्वक जीने के लिए हुनर)

• Graduates will be able to contribute to a human society, human culture, human

civilisation (मानवीय समाज व व्यवस्था - मानवीय
संस्कृति, सभ्यता)

• An equitable and just society for national development.

 THE PROBLEM AND IT’S SOLUTION:
The world today has become a mixture of various cultures. In India, we can see
 Urban / City culture  Western culture
 Liberal culture  “Bollywood” culture
 Traditional rural Indian culture and so many others
Today, the problem is that one culture tends to be opposed to other cultures. This is
because their basic assumptions and therefore thoughts are different. Even though
there are commonalities at the core, the conflict is at the level of expression and
details.
With this situation, it is imperative to
 Articulate the truth, love and compassion at the core
 Appreciate the various ways to materialise this truth, love and compassion and
, different approaches to communicate this truth, love and compassion to
others.
MAJOR PILLARS OF THE INDIAN KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM

• Philosophy
• Science
 6 Schools of Indian Philosophy

Yoga • Practical methods of direct experience.

Sankhya • Framework of manifestation

Vedanta • Contemplative self-inquiry.

Vaisheshika • Physical sciences

Nyaya • Reasoning
• Freedom through action
Mimasa

• While Yoga in and of itself is considered an Indian school of philosophy, it heavily

relies on the remaining 5 schools of thought.
 WHAT IS VEDIC LITERATURE?

• The primary philosophical text of ancient India which serves as the

foundation of education and learning for all other fields

• Ved is derived from the Sanskrit word vid which means ‘to learn’.

• Veda means eternal knowledge which has no beginning and no end.

• Ancient and medieval India was also the source of philosophies that
share the concepts but rejected the Vedas, and these have been called
the Nastika (heterodox or non-orthodox) Indian philosophies.

• Nastika Indian Philosophies include Buddhism, Jainism, Charvaka and

Ajivika.
The Indian Knowledge System gave rise to many innovations in the field
of science producing results which served as a precursor to it’s many ore
modern branches such as:

• Medicine
• Metallurgy
• Astronomy
• Mathematics
• Physics
• Aeronautical Engineering
Sushruta explained 8 types of Surgery
Aaharyam • Extracting solid bodies

Bhedyam • Excision

Cheedyam • Incision

Aeshyam • Probing

Lekhyam • Scarification

Vedhyam • Puncturing

Visraavyam • Evacuating fluids

Seevyam • Suturing
 “The surgery of ancient Indian physicians was devoted beyond to
rhinoplasty or surgery for improving deformed ears, noses and forming new
ones which European surgeons have now borrowed.”
- Sir W. Hunter (British Surgeon)
One of the foremost sophisticated innovations in metallurgy dates back to ancient
India as shown in the picture below:
Probably the earliest mention of machine and mechanics dating back to a
scripture from 3RD century BC.
Aryabhatta, the famed father of zero and the first person to provide a near
accurate evaluation of Pi.
An extract explaining how Aryabhatta arrived at his estimation of pi

How Āryabhata arrived at this value of has been suggested by Bhäskara in his
commentary on T Ss, Goladhyāya, Bhuvanakośa, 52. He states that if a circle
with O 10000 units as radius is drawn, and if a portion of the O circumference
less than even its hundredth part is considered and if by the method of
construction of a table of Jyā the chord subtending this arc is calculated, the
circumference of the circle is nearly equal to the chord multiplied by the number
of parts into which the circumference is divided. He further adds that this is the
reason why Aryabhatta has said that when the diameter of a circle O is 20000
units, the circumference is 62832 units.
 “Caturādhikam śatam aşțaguņam dvāşaşțis-tathā sahasrāņām .
ayuta-dvaya vişkambhasyänno vrtta-pariņahah.”
Aryabhatiyam, ganita-pada 10

Translation: In a circle if 62,832 is the approximate circumference and the diameter

is 20,000, that is,
An extract from Baudhayana sutra explaining what came to be known as
Pythagorus theorum supposedly a millennium later.
Not only zero, we also laid the first claim to inifinity, a fact that has been
acknowledged by western scientists like Lebiniz and Einstein.
 BOTANY IN ANCIENT INDIA:
Ancient literature has classified the roots on the basis of their growth behavior
and structures, like, sakha sipha (root originating from the
branches), krsnamuli (black coloured root), sveta muli (coloured
root), bahumuli (many roots), tripadi (plant with three main roots), asta
padi (plant with eight roots), sthulamula (thick root), suksmamula (thin root)
and jatamula (fasciculate root).
 BOTANY IN ANCIENT INDIA:
Some ancient Sanskrit works also took notice of texture, colour, taste, surface
etc. for morphological classification of plants.

•Texture: Lomasa-vasana for hairy stem; mrdu patra for soft leaf; komal
patra for tender leaf; and snigdha patra for rough thick leaf.
•Shape: Dirgha patra for long leaf; mandala patra for rotund leaf; and visala
patra for broad leaf.
•Colour: Sveta patra for white coloured; rakta patra for red coloured; nila
parna for blue coloured; suvarna parna for gold coloured; and dhumra
parna for smoke coloured.
•Taste: Svadu patri for sweet leaf; amla patra for sour leaf; katu patra for
leaves with spines; and tiksna patra (hot taste).
Shloka describing germination of seeds that roughly translates into, ‘water in the
soil gives rise to zygote which develops into embryo which ultimately germinates
into seed’.
 POLITICAL SCIENCE

Chanakya and his western counterparts

The field that has pre-dated science and in many cases takes precedence over almost
everything.
 Abstract

As soon as Kautilya's Arthashastra was translated into English in 1915, its

comparison with Machiavelli's Prince, particularly by the western Indologists,
started in earnest. Their main goal has been to show that Machiavelli's Prince
was pale in comparison to the ruthless realism in Kautilya's Arthashastra.
Several user-friendly tables are constructed from the texts in The Arthashastra
and Prince to i) strongly refute and correct such distortions and
misrepresentations of Kautilya's ideas, and ii) show Kautilya had much deeper
understanding of the issues than Machiavelli. Interestingly, a closer look reveals
that Machiavelli, although far less than Kautilya, but had deeper insights into
economic issues than Adam Smith. It is also indicated that Kautilya, just with
one sentence, captured the essence of liberty as empowerment of the weak
against the powerful, Mill, however, could not do that with his whole book on
Liberty.
NEP GOALS FOR INTRODUCING IKS LEARNING:

Education is fundamental for achieving

• full human potential,
• developing an equitable and just
society,
• and promoting national development

We have to understand the meaning of

• Full human potential
• Equitable and just society
• National development
The Bhāratīya Jñāna Paramparā Vibhāga or Indian Knowledge Systems
(IKS) is an innovative cell under Ministry of Education (MoE) at AICTE, New
Delhi. It is established to promote interdisciplinary research on all aspects of
IKS, preserve and disseminate IKS for further research and societal
applications. It will actively engage for spreading the rich heritage of our
country and traditional knowledge in the field of Arts and literature,
Agriculture, Basic Sciences, Engineering & Technology, Architecture,
Management, Economics, etc.
The National Educational Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) recommends the incorporation of
Indian Knowledge System (IKS) into the curriculum at all levels of education: “The
heritage of ancient and eternal IKS and thought has been a guiding light for this Policy. The
pursuit of Knowledge (Jñāna), wisdom (Prajñā), and truth (Satya) was always considered
in Indian thought and philosophy as the highest human goal. The Indian education system
produced great scholars such as Charaka, Susruta, Aryabhata, Varahamihira,
Bhaskaracharya, Brahmagupta, Chanakya, Chakrapani Datta, Madhava, Panini, Patanjali,
Nagarjuna, Gautama, Pingala, Sankardev, Maitreyi, Gargi and Thiruvalluvar, among
numerous others, who made seminal contributions to world knowledge in diverse fields
such as mathematics, astronomy, metallurgy, medical science and surgery, civil engineering,
architecture, shipbuilding and navigation, yoga, fine arts, chess, and more. Indian culture
and philosophy have had a strong influence on the world. These rich legacies to world
heritage must be nurtured and preserved for posterity and researched, enhanced, and put to
new uses through our education system” (NEP 2020, p.4.) UGC provides guidelines for
incorporating IKS into undergraduate and postgraduate curriculum.
• All the students who are enrolled in the four-year UG programmes should be
encouraged to take an adequate number of courses in IKS so that the total credits
of the courses taken in IKS amount to at least five per cent of the total mandated
credits. The students may be encouraged to take these courses, preferably during
the first four semesters of the UG Programme. At least half of these mandated
credits should be in courses in disciplines which are part of IKS and are related to
the major field of specialization that the student is pursuing in the UG Programme.

• All students should be exposed to the common underlying philosophical

foundation of the various disciplines that are part of IKS.
• At least one to two lectures on the fundamental vocabulary of IKS should be
conducted to familiarize faculty with the common terms used in IKS.

• A strong emphasis should be placed on providing exposure to the primary texts

of IKS, which is required for acquiring a deeper understanding.

• Research on Indian Knowledge System should be among the mandated tasks to

be undertaken by all our institutions of higher learning. Indian Knowledge
System should form an essential part of the curricula taught in our schools,
colleges and other institutions of higher learning.
 Integrating IKS into higher education: alignment with
NEP 2020 & NAAC reforms

• Indian Knowledge System encompasses all of the systematized disciplines of

Knowledge which were developed to a high degree of sophistication in India
from ancient times and all of these traditions and practices have evolved, refined
and preserved over generations.
• The primary purpose of the guidelines is to help the UGC-recognized academic
institutions for UG and PG education that form the bedrock of the higher
education system in India to come up with courses that will introduce the
students to all aspects of IKS which are related to their fields of study and to
promote interest in knowing and exploring more.
Indian Health Sciences
Vedic foundations of Ayurveda. Ayurveda is concerned both with maintenance of
good health and treatment of diseases. Basic concepts of Ayurveda which mainly
entails three Gunas and three Doshas, Pancha-mahabhuta and Sapta-dhatu. The
importance of Agni (digestion).
Six Rasas and their relation to Doshas which essentially gives us ayurvedic view of
the cause of diseases whereas concepts of Dinacharya or daily regimen, Ritucharya
or seasonal regimen deals with the maintenance of good health.
Selected extracts from Astãngahredaya, Sutrasthăna and Suśruta-Samhitä talk about
plastic surgery, cataract surgery and anal fistula.

Indian Mathematics
The then already existing knowledge of numbers, fractions and geometry is evident
in the Vedas.
Decimal nomenclature of numbers, Linguistic representation of numbers, brief
introduction to the development of algebra, trigonometry and calculus along with
the significance of Zero and Infinity is also has also been explained in the Vedas.

The development of the decimal place value system which resulted in a

simplification of all arithmetical operations is also part of Vedic mathematics which
have become an indispensable component of modern day mathematics.

Indian Astronomy
Ancient records of the observation of the motion of celestial bodies in the Vedic
corpus paints a clear picture.

Astronomy as the science of determination of time, place and direction by observing

the motion of the celestial bodies is present in extensive details in the Vedas.
Indian Astronomy
The motion of the sun and the moon, motion of equinoxes and solstices formed the
basis of ancient Indian calendars. Elements of Indian calendar systems as followed
in different regions of India till date.

Important texts of Indian Astronomy include basic ideas of the planetary model of
Aryabhata and its revision by Nilakantha, large corpus of inscriptions recording
observation of eclipses and description of ancient astronomical instruments.

Indian Textiles
India has been the ancient home of cotton and silk fabrics. Weaving formed the
most significant part of Indian economy after agriculture. Varities of textiles and
dyes developed in different regions of India are in use till date.
Indian Metallurgy
Vedic references to metals and metal working provide an insight into the mining and
manufacture of Zinc, Iron, Copper, Gold, etc., in ancient India.

Important specimens of metal workmanship are still preserved/found in different

parts of India. The significance and wide prevalence of ironsmith and other metal
workers in the pre-modern era and .

Indian Architecture
The importance of Sthapatya-veda that takes advantage of the most fundamental
Laws of Nature that promote perfect health, happiness, and prosperity in architecture.

The ancient cities of the Indus Saraswati region are some of the oldest cities that have
become renowned as ancient marvel of good town planning and drainage systems.
Indian Agriculture
The significance of agriculture and irrigation has been emphasized in the Ramayana,
Mahabharata and other ancient texts.

The Greek diplomat Megasthenes (c. 300 BC) provided a secular eyewitness account
of Indian agriculture in his book Indika. His writings, along with those of other
Greco-Roman and Chinese travelers, provide a valuable historical record of Indian
society and culture that scholars continue to study today.

The Ery system of south India is an old traditional rainwater harvesting system still
practiced in rural Tamil Nadu, India.
 CULTURAL RELEVANCE - PRESERVING
IDENTITY IN A GLOBAL WORLD
Cultural Continuity in Times of Change
1. Festivals as educational platforms: Ecological
awareness through celebration
2. Arts revival: Government initiatives creating
livelihoods through traditional crafts
3. Textile traditions: Handloom revival promoting
sustainable fashion
4. Culinary heritage: Traditional foods returning as
superfoods (millets, ancient grains)

"Culture is not just who we were, but who we are

becoming."
MODERN REVIVAL EFFORTS GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES

National Commitment to Heritage

1. Ministry of AYUSH: Promoting traditional medicine
systems with ₹3,050 crore budget
2. National Education Policy 2020: Integrating Indian
knowledge systems into curricula
3. Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL):
Protecting against biopiracy with 3.9 lakh formulations
documented
4. International Yoga Day: Global recognition of Indian
knowledge systems
5. National Mission for Manuscripts: Preserving ancient
texts for future generations

"Revival is not nostalgia - it's recognizing that

our ancestors were innovators too."
FUTURE PROSPECTS - THE PATH FORWARD

Integrating Tradition with Technology

● Interdisciplinary research: Collaboration
between traditional practitioners and modern
scientists
● Education reform: Holistic learning models
inspired by guru-shishya traditions
● Digital preservation: AI and ML tools
documenting and analyzing traditional knowledge
● Global challenges: Indian knowledge systems
offering sustainable alternatives for climate crisis,
mental health, and more

"The future is not ahead of us, but within

us—in the wisdom we've inherited."
 Preserving Our Heritage, Creating Our
Future
CALL TO ACTION - OUR COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY
● Document: Work with elders and
traditional knowledge holders before
wisdom is lost
● Validate: Support research that bridges
traditional knowledge with modern science
● Integrate: Incorporate traditional wisdom
into education, policy, and daily life
● Innovate: Use traditional frameworks to
develop new solutions to contemporary
challenges
"We are not just inheritors of this
knowledge, but its trustees for future
generations."
THE MODERN RELEVANCE OF INDIAN KNOWLEDGE
TRADITIONS
Exploring the significance of ancient practices today
INCORPORATING INDIAN KNOWLEDGE INTO EDUCATION
Promoting Holistic Development of Education
Component of IKS in NAAC Reforms 2024 - Binary Accreditation

S. No. Attributes Input/Process/Outcome

1 Curriculum Design
2 Faculty Resources
3 Infrastructure Input
4 Financial Resources & Management
5 Learning & Teaching
6 Extended Curricular Engagements Process
7 Governance and Administration
8 Student Outcomes
9 Research & Innovation
Outcomes Outcome
10 Sustainability Outcomes (Including Green Initiatives)
Uniqueness /Situatedness Process/Outcome
Input - 1: Curriculum
Design
No. Metric Title Metric Description
1.1 Outcome-based Curriculum framework is in alignment with Program Specific outcome such as POs,
curriculum PSOs & COs
1.2 Stakeholder Participation of Students, Teachers, Employers, Alumni, Entrepreneurs in curriculum
Participation design
Academic Curriculum Flexibility is reflected through incorporation of component such as-
1.3 Curriculum MEME, ABC, Elective/optional/Dual Degree/twinning programme/education in mother
Flexibility tongue/creditization of EC and CC engagements/inter-institution credit transfer
Percentage of courses with emphasis on field projects / research projects /
1.4 Practical and
Industry Focus internships / field work/practical hands on training etc.
1.5 Practical/Skill Percentage of Skill oriented Courses aligned with NSQF and Skill focus included in
Orientation curriculum design courses in last three years
1.6 Online and Percentage of online course through SWAYAM and other recognized platforms, which
Blended Learning are credited in the curriculum during the last three years
1.7 Curriculum The frequency of curriculum revision (Program and courses) in the last three years
revision
Indian IKS is promoted through integration of components in curriculum such as:
1.8 Knowledge 1) Certificate Courses/ workshops / seminars on IKS,
2) Components of IKS in core curriculum
System 3) Promotion of students projects & researches on IKS.
 ART AND CULTURE

We will focus primarily on the historic literature, folklore and myths that have
been written, revised and carried on through generations. Their significance
today and what multi dimensional role that storytelling can play for the good of
society.
OLDEST SURVIVING MANUSCRIPT OF PANCHATANTRA
 SIGNIFICANCE OF STORYTELLING

• Storytelling not only makes learning enjoyable but also helps students understand
complex subjects by using real life examples and bridging learning gaps.
• It instills moral values and ethics in an easy to understand manner, especially in
children at an age where their minds are much more impressionable and clings to
narratives.
• In an age where our attention spans have reached an all time low owing to
smartphones etc., the habit of reading or listening to stories grounds our
awareness and enhances our capacity to sit and focus at one thing for a longer
time.
• Last but not the least it educates us of rich and diverse our cultural and regional
histories.
We might forget the value of G
constant but the gravity in it’s Not many can forget that all
simplest definition will always objects fall with same
be remembered owing to the acceleration if they know
story of NEWTON AND THE Galileo’s experiment at the top
APPLE TREE of the Tower of Pisa

This simple tale of Brahmin’s Daydreaming can teach us about virtue

and character what many long lectures may not.
THE ‘RUINS’ OF OUR GREATEST NATONAL HERITAGES
 Adam Osborne-Co-founder of
Apple computers writes for Dataquest magazine

“I was raised in Tamil Nadu ...in Ashram of Sri Raman Maharshi at

Tiruvannamalai. I was surrounded by Indians who were proud of their nationality
and heritage. They believed they had a lot to teach us Europeans.”

“It is therefore with some misgiving, that today I find myself dealing with Indians,
many of whom do not feel proud of their Indianness.”

“Indians are recognized throughout America, as technically superior. The day

Indians learn to be proud, India will rapidly move out of its third world status to
become one of the world's industrial powers.”