A SIGNIFICANT stride in the integration of Bharatiya knowledge systems into modern academic discourse was marked by the successful completion of a two-day Faculty Development Programme (FDP) on Indian Knowledge Systems: With Special Focus on Arthasastra and Nitisastra at Symbiosis Centre for Management Studies (SCMS), Nagpur.

 

Held recently in a hybrid format, the FDP was jointly organised by Jagatguru Shri Devnath Institute of Vedic Science and Research (JSDIVSR), SCMS Nagpur, and the Symbiosis Teaching Learning Resource Centre (STLRC), under the purview of an MoU signed on May 13, 2025 between JSDIVSR and SCMS Nagpur. This pioneering FDP was facilitated by Dr Bharat Dash, a certified IKS Master Trainer from JSDIVSR, who conducted in-depth sessions on the ancient Indian treatises Arthasastra and Nitisastra. His lectures shed light on the foundational principles of governance, leadership, and ethics embedded within these texts. Of particular interest was the discussion on Chanakya’s Saptaga Theory, which was expertly contextualised for contemporary applications in management and organizational structure—demonstrating its continued relevance in modern-day academic and professional settings.

 

The programme was a product of collaborative vision and leadership from Acharya Shreyas Kurhekar, Director of the JSDIVSR IKS Centre, and Anurag Deshpande, the Board Member of JSDIVSR. It was effectively managed and executed under the stewardship of Dr Sameer Pingle, Director of SCMS Nagpur, with programme coordination by Dr Zericho Marak. The Advisory Committee comprising Dr Bhalchandra Hardas, Dr Praful Sable, and Niranjan Deshkar provided strategic guidance and academic oversight throughout the programme. The FDP was exclusively tailored for faculty members from various campuses of Symbiosis International University across India, reflecting the growing momentum toward integrating Indian knowledge systems within the higher education curriculum. Encouraged by the enthusiastic response and academic rigor of this event, the organizers have announced plans to initiate similar FDPs open to a broader academic audience in the near future. This initiative reaffirms the commitment of both JSDIVSR and SCMS Nagpur to revitalising and mainstreaming Bharatiya knowledge traditions, aligning education with the profound insights offered by India’s civilisational heritage.