Recognising and embracing the vast heritage of Indian Knowledge System (IKS) and integrating it with contemporary global themes and challenges, we are charting a course for Viksit Bharat.
Our Republic has completed 75 years—a milestone that, while celebratory, stands modest against the backdrop of our millennia-old civilisation. The contributions of the Bhartiya civilisation are not just valuable in their substance but are even greater in their essence. They reveal how the parampara (tradition) of excellence, autonomy, specialisation, and critical thinking has gifted us treasures that retain their relevance even after 10,000 years. Yet, the depth and authenticity of the Indian Knowledge System (IKS) have been consistently ignored, overlooked, and, worse, undervalued in the post-Independence era. Our collective failure as a nation lies in perceiving our heritage as inferior to Western and other civilisations.
While colonialism, intellectual subjugation, and foreign invasions inflicted deep scars on our past, our vision for the future is resolute in correcting these historical grievances. Recognising and embracing the vast heritage of IKS and integrating it with contemporary global themes and challenges, we are charting a course for Viksit Bharat that not only reclaims our millennia-old wisdom but also deploys it boldly to build an expansive, inclusive, and excellence-driven future for Vikasit Bharat. IKS is holistic where humanities are as important as STEM subjects. Rather Bharatiya parampara stressed on the spirituality rather than material subjects. Spirituality is the subject of humanities.
This course correction is neither easy nor without resistance. The internal and external challenges seek to derail Bharat’s destiny as a responsible global leader in holistic knowledge system where there is balance between humanities and STEM, international affairs, and social value systems. Our vision for the future is not rooted in naive idealism but in pragmatic recognition of our diversity and rich traditions. We are envisioning and working toward a future grounded in holistic knowledge and the relentless pursuit of excellence with autonomy. We refuse to be shackled by the victimhood narrative that Marxist historians propagate—a narrative that perpetuates excuses and breeds inertia. Victimhood shifts blame and erodes our capacity for knowledge creation, replacing it with mediocrity. Our past and contemporary adversaries—whether religious extremists or the woke agenda—all seek to trap us in this narrative, fostering an inferiority complex and, worst of all, a fear of excellence and diversity.
History shows that breaking the spirit of a civilisation, a society, or even an individual is done by stripping them of their essence—their achievements and their identity. This is precisely what colonial rule and invasions attempted to do to us. This cannot be allowed to continue. The time has come to reassert our millennia-old wisdom rooted in Hindu and Buddhist traditions and reclaim our stature as knowledge creators and specialists. Like Arjuna in the Mahabharata, we must overcome distractions and focus on our true goal with unwavering resolve. Our tradition is rich with scholars of international renown, extolled by travellers from across the world. Our focus was never on tales of servitude but on cultivating excellence through our passion for knowledge. It is astonishing to read accounts of individuals dedicating decades to the study of the Tamil classics, Upanishads, Vedas, and other profound texts. More inspiring is how knowledge was never considered final—true wisdom had to be earned through rigorous intellectual discourse, known as Shastrartha.
Our path to realising Viksit Bharat rests on embracing these traditions and their values to inform our ideas and actions. A true knowledge society aspiring to global leadership cannot afford to abandon the unity of knowledge systems. Half-baked ideas were never entertained in the tradition of Shastrartha, as intellectual rigour demanded constant refinement through open debate with experts.
Our civilisation can rightfully claim the mantle of pioneering philosophy and sciences. We were the first to conceptualise and act upon the philosophy of science, as our pursuit of truth always took precedence. Truth, however, is not a cheap commodity—it cannot be achieved through token intellectual gestures but through rigorous debate and inquiry. As we progress further into the 21st century, our task is to operationalise IKS in ways that not only promote excellence but also address societal needs and contemporary challenges.
In doing so, a holistic approach is imperative where excellence with diversity is a must. We must not confine ourselves to STEM fields alone as they are not complete with humanities and social sciences, but also strive to lead global political discourse—whether in geopolitics or geoeconomics. A dangerous misconception and efforts today are to replace rigorous research and specialisation with superficial competence. To counter this trend, we must draw upon IKS, which demands specialisation within a holistic framework, emphasising disciplined effort and mastery of languages, humanities, social sciences, alongside natural sciences to break barriers and foster out-of-the-box thinking.
It is crucial to understand that embracing IKS does not mean a nostalgic retreat into a fantasised past. Rather, it is about learning from the golden era—an era that remains enviable even 2,000 years later due to its emphasis on rigour, competence, diversity, and pluralism of thought. The greatness of IKS lies in its ability to balance science and spirituality, tradition and modernity, and excellence with equity. This balanced approach led to a harmonious coexistence of seemingly contradictory elements.
As we pursue Viksit Bharat, we must ensure equitable attention across disciplines, avoiding preferential treatment of one over another—be it STEM or the humanities. Science unravels the intricacies of our physical existence, but it is our soul that defines our humanity—something best understood through spirituality. The humanities serve as a bridge, offering profound insights into our inner essence and purpose. By embracing this synergy, we know our place in the world more deeply. Moving forward, we must safeguard our spiritual essence and prevent alienation from our roots. IKS is rooted in holistic balance and harmony of Sciences with spirituality, rigorous training with specialisation, and the pursuit of excellence. Lowering of these values to suit all and sundry goes against IKS principles. Nalanda, Takshashila, Vikramashila did not have one exam, one syllabi, or scholars without research excellence and specialisation and rigorous training of several years. It is diversity with specialisation and excellence that made them the world’s best and for becoming a knowledge power we need to follow our Dharmic civilisation model. This is indeed the celebrating cultural diversities and differences that blend into unity. Uniformity is dull and deficient.
IKS and the celebration of our Dharmic civilisation and parampara offer the only path to true unity—a unity that does not impose uniformity but thrives in diversity. We are comfortable with chaos because chaos leads to the cosmos. The Hindu and Buddhist traditions within IKS have inspired modern scientific concepts, including quantum theory. Ignoring the social sciences and humanities would be a grave misstep that contradicts the very principles of IKS. The time is now to embrace our rich heritage unapologetically and use it as a springboard to propel Bharat towards its rightful place in the world—as a beacon of knowledge, excellence, and holistic progress.
Thus, as Bharat celebrates 75 years of its Republic, it is imperative to reflect on our journey and draw inspiration from the foundational vision laid out by Dr B.R. Ambedkar. India’s first major project as an independent nation—the Constitution—stands as a testament to the Indian Knowledge System’s profound essence: a dynamic synthesis of flexibility and rigidity, inclusivity and meritocracy. Ambedkar’s vision was rooted in our civilisational ethos, where knowledge is neither elitist nor exclusionary but thrives through diversity and collective participation. This is precisely what IKS embodies—a framework where specialisation and knowledge generation do not exist in isolation but serve the greater good. Our republican tradition does not impose uniformity but encourages a bottom-up approach, where rigorous debate and consensus shape enduring ideas and practices. To truly realise Viksit Bharat and initiate an intellectual renaissance, we must recognise the spirit of the Indian Knowledge System—embracing knowledge that is holistic, inclusive, and driven by the pursuit of excellence. Our Dharmic civilisation state celebrates diversity and unity not uniformity and non specialisation.
* Prof Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit is the Vice Chancellor of JNU.