Inauguration: Centre for Heritage of Intelligence Traditions of India (CHITI)

Inauguration

Centre for Heritage of Intelligence Traditions of India (CHITI)

22nd July, Thursday, 2021

A Centre for Heritage of Intelligence Traditions of India (CHITI) was inaugurated at Narmada College Campus today. The inaugural function was held at Narmada College of Management. Dr. Trupti Almoula, Director, Narmada College of Management, welcomed the guests for the occasion with an inspiring story, motivating everyone to unshackle their creative powers and fly high in life to realize their dreams.

Delivering the key note address for the occasion, Dr. Bhaskar Rawal, Principal, Narmada College of Science and Commerce, reminded us of our shared cultural heritage and the need to preserve and transfer it to the coming generations. He discussed various examples of ancient scientific discoveries which have been confirmed by findings of modern science. Discussing the example of Kedarnath temple, he asked the audience a question as to why the temple still exists, despite many natural calamities and disasters. We need to study the rocks and the materials which have been used in its construction to derive insights related to materials and engineering.

Dr. Paresh A Shah, Director –Education, Narmada College Campus, addressing the audience, stressed the need to integrate concepts, say from Nyaya School of philosophy with modern subjects like Research Methodology. This will help students and teachers both, to appreciate the logical approach embedded in this ancient school of philosophy. Instead of a single subject or course on Indian Knowledge Systems, the concepts from Indian Knowledge Systems can be embedded in all the subjects whom a student has to study for his graduate or post graduate degree.

The Centre shall invite and hold discussions with the best of scholars steeped in the Indian Knowledge Traditions, who shall help us in forming an overview of the current Indian situation, and of our place in the world. Scholars invited to the Centre shall individually be experts in various knowledge traditions of India, and other areas relating to material culture and beyond. The Centre plans to bring out a journal, Paravidya, which will document and express our ideas and efforts in this direction. As a first initiative of the Centre, A certificate based course on Introduction to Indian Knowledge Systems, has been planned in collaboration with GTU. The Centre will function from Narmada College of Management premises. It will have a separate collection of books put in a section on Intelligence Traditions of India in the NCM library.