Dhara – an Ode to Indian Knowledge System

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3-Mar-2023: The unique flagship initiative ‘Dhara: An Ode to Indian Knowledge Systems’ of Ministry of Culture completes one year

The unique and flagship initiative “Dhara: Ode to Indian Knowledge Systems”, taken up under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav by Ministry of Culture has completed one year in February 2023. During its yearlong activities, it has been successful in creating public awareness, stakeholder participation and helped to devise a framework for the promotion and revival of multiple domains of Indian Knowledge Systems. The programme was conceptualized as a series of lectures and discussions dedicated to specific areas of inquiry highlighting India’s civilizational achievements.

Dhara embodies that idea of ‘continuous flow’ of knowledge and wisdom from one age to another, being adopted, questioned and modified over time so that we not only move ahead to the next level of insights across various fields but do so on the back of the work that is already available to us from our past. The Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) Division of the Ministry of Education located at AICTE, New Delhi is the key execution partner for Dhara events.

The Dhara Series, of which 10 conferences have been successfully organised so far, have taken place on diverse and distinct themes titled: Indian contribution to Mathematics, Indian National Calendar, Dhara Astronomy and Astrophysics, IKS Mela on the National Education Policy (NEP)2020 and the role of Culture, Ayurdhara (I & II) on Ayurveda, National Martial Arts Mela on different national warrior traditions, Samudramanthan on India’s glorious Maritime Traditions, Sangita and Natya Parampara and Rasayanashastra on Indian Chemistry. The conferences were aimed at bringing together various ministries, academia, industry practitioners, knowledge partners, and other stakeholders to create strategic collaborations which can further enable the consolidation of rigorous frameworks for scientific synthesis, propagation and protection of traditional knowledge systems while simultaneously ensuring its reach to the common citizen of the land.

The next conferences planned in the series are based on the metallurgical, agricultural and ancient economic thoughts and traditions of India.

For each theme of Dhara, the far-reaching vision of this special initiative has been  to create a Vision 2047 document that provides a strategic roadmap to the manner in which each of these specific domains can thrive and augment in the coming 25 years, with a determined resolve to facilitate the effective execution of the said desired goals by the government, along with the major stakeholders of that domain. Each conference specifically focused on addressing the historicity and diversity of the knowledge system in question, facilitating participation of multiple stakeholders across domains pertaining to that field on knowledge, and devising strategies for innovation and application grounded in contemporary scientific principles and indigenous epistemology through collaborative panel discussions between practitioners of the respective knowledge domains and the participation of the public. The conferences also featured a diverse set of cultural programmes in keeping with the theme and region they were conducted in.

Each of the Dhara events had cultural events every evening by a wide range of top artists who demonstrated that art and culture have served and continue to do so, as very powerful instruments for the transmission, propagation and popularisation of Indian Knowledge Systems. The Dhara programmes also received very wide media coverage through print and audio-visual platforms on all occasions, creating awareness about our rich knowledge heritage in lakhs of people. This jana-bhagidari in various forms was part of the main objectives of Dhara which was to take the knowledge of the texts to the people - shastra se samaj tak.

The Dhara series has been a pivotal force in awakening national consciousness to its unbroken civilizational heritage and knowledge systems. It has created an emphasis in propagating and preserving the historicity and diversity of these traditions, creating innovative methodologies to bring them to the national consciousness, the importance incentivizing local traditions and knowledge systems, facilitating collaborative efforts between practitioners, ministries, scholars and the public, empowering the youth to spearhead the national movement and importantly, encouraging rigor and excellence in academic research in various domains of Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS). The Dhara series has also highlighted the need to capitalize on multimedia and multimodal representations of IKS and the importance of understanding both the diversity and depth of a particular knowledge domain in this system while diving deep into our traditions and history so that the future generations can engage meaningfully with it.

Our history as an independent modern nation is 75 years young but our civilization is more than 5,000+ years old. Needless to say, the contribution of India to human knowledge is plenty, and what better a time, than the occasion of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, commemorating seventy-five years of independence, to initiate a concentrated and focused effort in this direction.

7-Jan-2023: Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Education  organizes  the ‘Dhara’ on Sangeet and Natya Parampara

Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Education organized the Dhara on Sangeet  and Natya Parampara  on 5th-6th January, 2023 at SASTRA (Deemed-to-be University) in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu in collaboration with Brhat, Prachyam and Sangam Talks.

Dhara is a series of conferences  under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to create awareness, preserve and promote multiple domains of Indian Knowledge Systems.

The aim of the event  was to create a Vision Document 2047 to revitalise and popularise our performing art traditions and effectively address the challenges that this ecosystem faces.

The keynote address was delivered by Dr Padma Subrahmanyam who succinctly laid out the glory of India's rich intangible heritage, the concerns we face and the roadmap ahead for our performing arts. She emphasised that Indian arts are a path to realising the divine immanent in us. She spoke of how the youth of the nation need to develop pride in a culture that has remained unbroken and blossomed into artists who revere our art forms.

The consecutive panel discussions over the next two days saw eminent practitioners, researchers, innovators and educators from across the nation represent Carnatic, Hindustani and Loka (vocal and instrumental) Paramparas in sangeet and Nritya.

The participants and students also witnessed mesmerising performances such as the Jugalbandi led by Shri Kannan Balakrishnan and team, Sunaad led by Smt Tara Kini and team representing sangeet Parampara, a Manipuri dance presentation by Shri Thokchom Tolen Meitei representing Natya parampara and a musical performance in Loka Parampara led by Dr Revati Sakalkar.

Towards the end the students and speakers of the conference had multiple action points to work out for the upcoming years and become heralders of a bright future for India's age-old performing arts. These will be presented as a formal White Paper titled: Dhara - Vision 2047 for sangeet and Natya Parampara".

Pin It
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3-Mar-2023: The unique flagship initiative ‘Dhara: An Ode to Indian Knowledge Systems’ of Ministry of Culture completes one year

The unique and flagship initiative “Dhara: Ode to Indian Knowledge Systems”, taken up under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav by Ministry of Culture has completed one year in February 2023. During its yearlong activities, it has been successful in creating public awareness, stakeholder participation and helped to devise a framework for the promotion and revival of multiple domains of Indian Knowledge Systems. The programme was conceptualized as a series of lectures and discussions dedicated to specific areas of inquiry highlighting India’s civilizational achievements.

Dhara embodies that idea of ‘continuous flow’ of knowledge and wisdom from one age to another, being adopted, questioned and modified over time so that we not only move ahead to the next level of insights across various fields but do so on the back of the work that is already available to us from our past. The Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) Division of the Ministry of Education located at AICTE, New Delhi is the key execution partner for Dhara events.

The Dhara Series, of which 10 conferences have been successfully organised so far, have taken place on diverse and distinct themes titled: Indian contribution to Mathematics, Indian National Calendar, Dhara Astronomy and Astrophysics, IKS Mela on the National Education Policy (NEP)2020 and the role of Culture, Ayurdhara (I & II) on Ayurveda, National Martial Arts Mela on different national warrior traditions, Samudramanthan on India’s glorious Maritime Traditions, Sangita and Natya Parampara and Rasayanashastra on Indian Chemistry. The conferences were aimed at bringing together various ministries, academia, industry practitioners, knowledge partners, and other stakeholders to create strategic collaborations which can further enable the consolidation of rigorous frameworks for scientific synthesis, propagation and protection of traditional knowledge systems while simultaneously ensuring its reach to the common citizen of the land.

The next conferences planned in the series are based on the metallurgical, agricultural and ancient economic thoughts and traditions of India.

For each theme of Dhara, the far-reaching vision of this special initiative has been  to create a Vision 2047 document that provides a strategic roadmap to the manner in which each of these specific domains can thrive and augment in the coming 25 years, with a determined resolve to facilitate the effective execution of the said desired goals by the government, along with the major stakeholders of that domain. Each conference specifically focused on addressing the historicity and diversity of the knowledge system in question, facilitating participation of multiple stakeholders across domains pertaining to that field on knowledge, and devising strategies for innovation and application grounded in contemporary scientific principles and indigenous epistemology through collaborative panel discussions between practitioners of the respective knowledge domains and the participation of the public. The conferences also featured a diverse set of cultural programmes in keeping with the theme and region they were conducted in.

Each of the Dhara events had cultural events every evening by a wide range of top artists who demonstrated that art and culture have served and continue to do so, as very powerful instruments for the transmission, propagation and popularisation of Indian Knowledge Systems. The Dhara programmes also received very wide media coverage through print and audio-visual platforms on all occasions, creating awareness about our rich knowledge heritage in lakhs of people. This jana-bhagidari in various forms was part of the main objectives of Dhara which was to take the knowledge of the texts to the people - shastra se samaj tak.

The Dhara series has been a pivotal force in awakening national consciousness to its unbroken civilizational heritage and knowledge systems. It has created an emphasis in propagating and preserving the historicity and diversity of these traditions, creating innovative methodologies to bring them to the national consciousness, the importance incentivizing local traditions and knowledge systems, facilitating collaborative efforts between practitioners, ministries, scholars and the public, empowering the youth to spearhead the national movement and importantly, encouraging rigor and excellence in academic research in various domains of Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS). The Dhara series has also highlighted the need to capitalize on multimedia and multimodal representations of IKS and the importance of understanding both the diversity and depth of a particular knowledge domain in this system while diving deep into our traditions and history so that the future generations can engage meaningfully with it.

Our history as an independent modern nation is 75 years young but our civilization is more than 5,000+ years old. Needless to say, the contribution of India to human knowledge is plenty, and what better a time, than the occasion of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, commemorating seventy-five years of independence, to initiate a concentrated and focused effort in this direction.

7-Jan-2023: Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Education  organizes  the ‘Dhara’ on Sangeet and Natya Parampara

Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Education organized the Dhara on Sangeet  and Natya Parampara  on 5th-6th January, 2023 at SASTRA (Deemed-to-be University) in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu in collaboration with Brhat, Prachyam and Sangam Talks.

Dhara is a series of conferences  under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to create awareness, preserve and promote multiple domains of Indian Knowledge Systems.

The aim of the event  was to create a Vision Document 2047 to revitalise and popularise our performing art traditions and effectively address the challenges that this ecosystem faces.

The keynote address was delivered by Dr Padma Subrahmanyam who succinctly laid out the glory of India's rich intangible heritage, the concerns we face and the roadmap ahead for our performing arts. She emphasised that Indian arts are a path to realising the divine immanent in us. She spoke of how the youth of the nation need to develop pride in a culture that has remained unbroken and blossomed into artists who revere our art forms.

The consecutive panel discussions over the next two days saw eminent practitioners, researchers, innovators and educators from across the nation represent Carnatic, Hindustani and Loka (vocal and instrumental) Paramparas in sangeet and Nritya.

The participants and students also witnessed mesmerising performances such as the Jugalbandi led by Shri Kannan Balakrishnan and team, Sunaad led by Smt Tara Kini and team representing sangeet Parampara, a Manipuri dance presentation by Shri Thokchom Tolen Meitei representing Natya parampara and a musical performance in Loka Parampara led by Dr Revati Sakalkar.

Towards the end the students and speakers of the conference had multiple action points to work out for the upcoming years and become heralders of a bright future for India's age-old performing arts. These will be presented as a formal White Paper titled: Dhara - Vision 2047 for sangeet and Natya Parampara".

2022

25-Feb-2022: Ministry of Culture organized the first event of the series Dhara – an Ode to Indian Knowledge System today as part of week-long celebration of Science Vigyan Sarvatra Pujyate

DHARA, an Ode to Indian Knowledge System, organised by Ministry of Culture commenced today in New Delhi. The conference is being organised to celebrate the Science week and was addressed by Shri Govind Mohan, Secretary, Ministry of Culture through a recorded message. On the occasion Renowned mathematician Manjul Bhargava delivered a keynote address on the topic “Beyond Zero –A survey of some of India’s fundamental contribution to the mathematics”. Rajive Kumar Member Secretary, AICTE was also present on the occasion.

On the occasion, in his address via a recorded message, Shri Govind Mohan, Secretary Ministry of Culture said that Mathematics in India has very long and rich history. Mathematics in India  had made remarkable contributions. It’s time to celebrate the contribution to the field and take these contributions forward, towards making the world a better place for humanity to thrive and co-exist. He also said that Ministry of Culture is proud to announce DHARA- An Ode to India's knowledge system, a series of programmes which are powered by lecture demonstrations, celebrating India's contribution across diverse field.

Speaking on the contributions of Indians to the Mathematics Shri Manjul Bhargav said that India has contributed far more than zero to the field of mathematics. He added that while the contributions of zero to mathematics is recognized and taught in schools around the world, most of the other major contributions of India usually go completely unmentioned.

In his speech he highlighted ten Indian contributions to mathematics apart from ZERO. These include The Indian Numeral System, The Baudhayana-Pythagoras Theorem, The Mathematics of Language, The Sine Function in Trigonometry, Negative Numbers, Solutions to Quadratic Equations, Binomial Coefficients, The Virahanka-Fibonacci Sequences, Error-detecting/ correcting codes, First Exact Formula for Pi.

Rajive Kumar Member Secretary, AICTE in his address said that it is the first time through this programme organized by the Ministry of culture, the work done in the Ancient India is being taken to the world.

Mathematics in India has a very rich, long, and hallowed history. Starting from the most elementary thing in mathematics namely the representation of numbers, through the way of expressing recursive relations, to arriving at the solutions of indeterminate equations, to the development of sophisticated techniques in handling the infinite and the infinitesimals, Indian mathematicians have made remarkable contributions.

 ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ is an initiative of the Government of India to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of progressive India and the glorious history of its people, culture, and achievements. Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav commenced on 12th March 2021 which started a 75-week countdown to our 75th anniversary of Independence. It will continue till 15th August 2023.

To commemorate this momentous occasion, Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is being celebrated throughout the country and across the world with participation from all Ministries, States, Union Territories and our counterparts abroad. The celebration takes place in the form of events which are organized of the principle of ‘whole of government’ (collaboration among different Government bodies) and ensure maximum ‘janbhagidari’ (participation from the public).