About CIKS
Background
Chanakya University (CU) is dedicated to the service of society through excellence in teaching, knowledge development, and practical contributions. Central to its mission is a commitment to Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS), reflecting the wisdom and knowledge derived from India’s rich civilizational heritage. The establishment of a dedicated Center for IKS will be a transformative step in realizing this commitment.
Centre of Excellence in IKS
The Center for Excellence in IKS (CoE-IKS) will be an autonomous unit driving multidisciplinary research in Indian Knowledge Systems. This center will actively collaborate with diverse academic disciplines, integrating IKS into various university activities. It aims to address contemporary challenges in knowledge frameworks, sustainable development, leadership, and human excellence from an Indic perspective, serving as a hub for consultancy, mentoring, and training.
Vision
The vision of CoE-IKS is to pursue multidisciplinary research that empowers future generations to find sustainable solutions to individual and societal challenges. In five years, we aspire to be a globally recognized centre for offering authentic courses, undertaking research and providing consultancy in the select areas under IKS.
Mission
The mission is to establish a state-of-the-art Center of Excellence, equipped with resources for impactful research, teaching, and dissemination of key areas of IKS.
Objectives
- Conduct impactful research in identified areas.
- Integrate IKS with the university’s academic mission.
- Develop and offer innovative IKS-based programs.
- Publish research outputs for wider circulation.
- Undertake translation and critical editions of ancient texts.
- Establish a digital library and e-repository of valuable resources.
- Serve as a vibrant resource hub for IKS students globally.
- Disseminate IKS through conferences, seminars, workshops, and training programs.
Research Areas of Focus with high Contribution Potential:
In the 21st century, the global academic landscape is undergoing a paradigm shift—one that calls for a re-evaluation of inherited frameworks, the creation of inclusive epistemologies, and the recognition of multiple ways of knowing. The dominant knowledge systems of the modern world, largely shaped by Western perspectives, have led to groundbreaking innovations, but also to critical gaps in addressing complex civilizational challenges such as ethical governance, holistic education, sustainable development, and inner wellbeing. It is in this context that the Indian knowledge traditions, with their remarkable intellectual diversity, philosophical depth, and civilizational continuity, offer a rich and largely untapped reservoir of insights. These traditions not only offer tools for building new knowledge but also possess the power to influence and reshape prevailing discourses in areas such as psychology, political theory, empirical sciences, law, and history.
Chanakya University is conceived as a visionary institution committed to bridging civilizational wisdom with contemporary innovation. Rooted in India’s knowledge traditions and committed to a global future, the University seeks to revive, reinterpret, and integrate indigenous systems of thought into modern academia through rigorous research and meaningful scholarship. The Center for Indian Knowledge Systems (CIKS) at Chanakya University plays a pivotal role in this mission by focusing on foundational domains such as Indian Psychology & Consciousness Studies, Empirical Sciences, Indian Jurisprudence and Political Studies, and Philosophical & Historical Studies. These areas are not chosen arbitrarily—they represent pillars of knowledge that are both deeply embedded in the Indian intellectual tradition and urgently needed to address pressing global concerns today.
Empirical Sciences in the Indian Tradition
Contrary to misconceptions, Indian traditions house a deep engagement with empirical observation, rationality, and mathematical reasoning. From astronomical treatises like Surya Siddhanta to the computational prowess of the Kerala School of Mathematics, and from economic governance in the Arthashastra to agricultural science in ancient manuals, Indian thought reveals a highly sophisticated, methodical approach to empirical reality. These were not merely theoretical constructs but deeply practical disciplines intended to solve real-world problems.
Exploring these scientific traditions allows for reconstructing indigenous models of inquiry, creativity, and problem-solving. It also challenges linear, Eurocentric narratives about the history of science and creates room for comparative and integrative studies. Reviving these traditions—through critical editions, contextual interpretation, and contemporary application—can contribute to education reform, innovation in STEM, and development planning rooted in indigenous knowledge systems. At Chanakya University, this pursuit reflects our commitment to civilizational self-confidence and intellectual sovereignty.
Research Areas and Relevance:
- Observational astronomy, calendrical sciences, and planetary models in Indian texts.
- Indian mathematical systems, combinatorics, and calculus before European modernity.
- Traditional agricultural, metallurgical, and architectural knowledge.
- Creating STEM curricula that include Indian scientific contributions.
Current & Future Projects
- Textbooks on Indian Astronomy (Funded by CSU)
- In Search of Dhruva (Monograph)
- Charting the Origins and Growth of Astral Sciences
- A comprehensive cohort of Traditional postpartum practices in Karnataka- Collation and Scientific Corroboration (Proposal Submitted to DST)
- Textbook on Indian Perspectives on Health, Time and Managing Lifestyles
Indian Psychology & Consciousness Studies
Modern psychology has made significant strides in understanding behavior and mental processes, but it often remains rooted in objectivist, reductionist paradigms. Indian psychology, in contrast, offers a consciousness-centered, experiential, and transformative model that focuses on the integral development of human potential. Drawing from foundational texts such as the Upanishads, Yoga Sutras, Abhidhamma, and works of Advaita Vedanta, Indian psychological thought maps inner experiences, states of consciousness, and methods of self-transformation with unmatched precision and depth.
Research in this domain contributes to both theoretical and applied knowledge. It opens possibilities for consciousness studies that include first-person inquiry, bridges contemplative traditions with modern neuroscience, and offers culturally rooted models of mental health and flourishing. In an age marked by emotional crises, stress, and disconnection, Indian approaches to self-awareness, mindfulness, and mental harmony offer pathways not only for healing but for inner excellence. This work also directly supports Chanakya University’s purpose of nurturing integrated human development and creating frameworks for personal and societal transformation.
Research Areas and Relevance :
- Comparative studies between Indian and Western models of mind and self.
- Integration of Yoga-based psychotherapies and meditative practices into mental health care.
- Consciousness-based research aligned with cognitive neuroscience.
- Development of first-person methodologies in psychological research.
- Reviving Indian educational frameworks for holistic personality development.
Current & Future Projects
- Development of Four Online Courses
- Development and recording of a minor course in Indian Psychology (24 credits)
- Revised edition of book on happiness
Bharatiya Arthashastra Tradition: Jurisprudence, Governance and Political Science
Bhāratīya Arthaśāstra Tradition incorporates Indian thoughts and practices concerned with all the areas of the modern social science including, sociology, economics, jurisprudence, governance, political science and international relationship.
Indian civilization has long deliberated on questions of justice, power, duty, and ethical governance. From the Dharmashastra tradition to the politically astute Arthashastra and ethical deliberations in the Mahabharata and Ramayana, India’s intellectual traditions have generated an entire philosophy of law, politics, and society. The Indian approach to law is based not just on codified rules but also on contextual reasoning (Yukti), moral responsibility, and balance between individual rights and collective harmony.
Studying Indian jurisprudence and political thought offers an alternative legal-philosophical vision that emphasizes not only punitive justice but also restorative and dharmic principles. It informs contemporary legal reforms, public policy, and ethical governance by offering frameworks of participative, ethical, and decentralized administration. This aligns deeply with Chanakya University’s aim to nurture leaders who are grounded in ethical traditions and capable of addressing contemporary challenges through culturally resonant frameworks.
Research Areas and Relevance :
- Dharma-based models of justice, rights, and responsibilities.
- Political ethics and policymaking in the Mahabharata and Arthashastra.
- Nyaya and Mimamsa theories of legal reasoning, debate, and interpretation.
- Comparative studies of Western jurisprudence and Indian Dharmashastra.
- Role of sabhas and decentralized institutions in ancient polity.
Current Projects
- Analysis of Existing Dharma Literature
- Introduction of Indian Logic and Argumentation in Legal Scenario
- Indian Ways of Interpretation as Applicable in Legal Scenario
- Decoding Nītivākyāmṛtam of Somadeva Sūri: A Detailed Commentary with Modern Reflections
- Chanakya Supersite: A Massive Open Online Repository of Bharatiya Arthashastra Tradition
- Developing Video courses and Learning Materials for Thematic Minor (32 Credits) on Principles of Arthaśāstra and Nītiśāstra: Indian Foundations of Governance, Strategy and Management (Project Sanctioned by IKS Division, MoE).
Future Projects
- Bhāratiya Rājanīti Darśana: An Indian Framework for Political Thought and Governance
- Developing Indian theory of Law (Rethinking Indian Jurisprudence from Indian Perspective)
- Textbook on Bharatiya Perspectives on Leadership and Organisational Management: Text and Cases
- Śāḍguṇya in the Modern Arena: Indigenous Diplomacy and International Relations.
Philosophical and Historical Studies
India’s philosophical tradition is one of the most pluralistic and sustained in the world, covering a wide spectrum of metaphysics, logic, ethics, and epistemology. From Vedanta and Samkhya to Jain and Buddhist philosophies, Indian thinkers engaged deeply with fundamental questions of reality, truth, perception, and liberation. These schools were not insular—they engaged in rigorous debate, critique, and dialogue, developing sophisticated methodologies and taxonomies of knowledge.
Historical studies rooted in Indian sources—like the Itihasa, Puranas, and regional texts—offer alternative modes of historical consciousness and a civilizational perspective that challenges colonial and orientalist narratives. Reviving these traditions strengthens cultural memory, informs curriculum design, and cultivates philosophical literacy in learners. At Chanakya University, such scholarship is central to our aim of producing well-rounded thinkers who can engage with the world from a rooted and reflective standpoint.
Research Areas and Relevance :
- Reconstructing Indian philosophical systems and debates with contemporary relevance.
- Indigenous historiography and frameworks of historical writing.
- Translation and critical commentary on primary texts in Sanskrit, Prakrit, and regional languages.
- Cross-cultural philosophical dialogues between Indian and Western thought.
- Pedagogical models from ancient India’s knowledge traditions (e.g., guru-shishya, shastrartha).
Current & Future Projects
- Foundations of Indian Culture: A Collection of Articles
- Transliteration and classification of pertinent audio corpus through internship and temporary engagement of external scholars.
- Character Analysis in Indian Narrative Literature
- Translating and analysing Indian classics with historical significance – Raghunathabhyudaya
Indian Aesthetics and Linguistics
India is the first civilization to offer a systematic, scientific treatment of both language and aesthetics. These were never seen merely as tools of communication or entertainment, but as profound means to access physical and metaphysical spheres.
Linguistics: Structure with Soul
The tradition finds a momentum with Pāṇini’s Aṣṭādhyāyī (5th century BCE), the world’s earliest available most sophisticated linguistic treatise. It presents a generative system of linguistic rules — anticipating modern linguistic theories by over two millennia. Schools like Mīmāṃsā and Nyāya explored language’s role in knowledge, meaning, and perception.
Today’s linguistic debates — on syntax, semantics, the nature of meaning, and even recursion — have clear echoes in ancient Indian texts. In fact, many modern discussions have drawn directly from Indian insights, a fact increasingly acknowledged in global academic circles.
In contrast, Western linguistics focused largely on convention and sign systems, with metaphysical dimensions appearing only in recent philosophy and cognitive science.
Aesthetics: The Rasa Experience
The number of art forms that have emerged in India is countless, each reflecting its rich cultural depth. Rasānanda — the bliss of aesthetic experience — has long been regarded as central to Indian life, continuing even today to serve as jīvanadravya, the very essence that nourishes individual existence.
In Indian aesthetics, Bharata’s Nāṭyaśāstra not only introduced the concept of rasa — the distilled emotional essence experienced by the viewer — but also serves as a profound repository of all the elements essential for both the performance and appreciation of any artistic expression.
Current Projects
- A Book titled Women’s Writings in Sanskrit
- Exploring (>)64 arts mentioned in Indian classical texts
- Introduction to Social Linguistics (A textbook basically in Sanskrit to be done in other Indian Languages later)
Future Projects
- The Art of Avadhanam: A Multidimensional Exploration
- Glossary of Temple Architectural Terms (Could be funded by CSU, Delhi)
- Paninian Linguistics: A Philosophical Perspective (A UG level textbook in English)
- Creating an Encyclopaedia of the (>)64 arts