Book discussion event organized on the account of Indian Philosophers’ Day and Śaṅkara Jayanti

2nd of May, 2025 (Offline)

On the 2nd of May, 2025, Chanakya University’s Centre for IKS organized a book discussion on “Sankarayanam – The Journey of Sankara”, authored by Sri Subramanian Chidambaran, an Indic research scholar. The event was held from 11:40 AM to 12:40 PM in Room 231 of the university campus. It was attended by Faculty, research scholars and students of the University. The event began with the recitation of Toṭakāṣṭakam by Bhairavi, Anjani and Sumudyata, students of Chanakya University. Ms. Utkarsha Deshpande, Research associate at Chankya University and co-ordinator for the event, handled the MC for the event. Sri Arjun Bharadwaj, renowned author visiting faculty at Chanakya University, was the Chief Guest for the event. He gave a crisp overview of the Indic philosophical traditions i.e. Bhāratīya Darśanas and also compared the same with Western philosophy, highlighting the uniqueness of Bhāratīya traditions. He shared his insights on the enduring legacy of Adi Shankara and his philosophy of Advaita Vedanta and commended the author’s effort in making the life and philosophy of this towering figure accessible to modern readers. Sri Subramanian Chidambaran, the author of the book, spoke about the inspiration behind his work and highlighted the spiritual and intellectual journey of Adi Shankara as portrayed in Sankarayanam. His presentation was well received by the audience and provided deeper understanding into the context and content of the book. The discussion was chaired by Prof. Sandeep Nair, Dean of the School of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. In his concluding remarks, Prof. Nair emphasized the relevance of Adi Shankara’s teachings in today’s world and the importance of literary efforts that bring philosophical ideas to the wider public. The session concluded with a book signing, allowing attendees to interact personally with the author and get their copies signed.