Dr. Ramadas Pai Chair on Education at Chanakya University strongly believes that the purpose of higher education is to imbue Indian youth with the values, knowledge and skills that would help them proudly and knowledgeably manifest Indian civilization in the modern world and contribute to the multi-dimensional task of nation-building. The Chair believe that for such purposeful education shall make students of all disciplines deeply conversant with the foundational principles of Indian civilization and with the Indian understanding of the essential one-ness of all creation. It further believes that such education, while equipping the students with the modern knowledge and skills of their respective professional disciplines, shall be anchored in the values, knowledge and skills of the corresponding discipline as enshrined in the extensive corpus of Indian Knowledge and in the practices of our traditional practitioners. Students who are well-versed in both the modern and traditional Indian knowledge and skills of their discipline and who are deeply conversant with the foundational principles and knowledge of Indian civilization shall help in the development of a self-confident resurgent Indian nation and the creation of a new harmonious and sustainable world order.
The Chair recognizes the importance of complex relationships between human development, world peace, and democratic civic life of the nation. Its focus is on the goal of preparing responsible world citizens, who can actively participate in sustainable development activities. The Chair would work on formulating the philosophy of education on the foundations of ancient Indian ethos and contemporary intellectual developments in theory and practice. It is envisioned that the Chair on education with its collective and collaborative initiatives would greatly influence our current understanding of education and enable us to create possibilities for establishing a new world order where people can live in harmony with others, including animal and nonmaterial world. Further, experience the beauty of human values, freedom, equality, and social justice. Education is construed here in a broader theoretical and philosophical terms. It recognizes how colonial and postcolonial ideas, as well as modernity, have stifled our ability to think creatively and have failed to comprehend the complexity of Indian knowledge systems and the dynamism of social realities.
The Chair on Education asserts that models of thought for social and educational sciences should be generated through Indigenous/ Indian ways of life and cultural practices. Further, it assumes that Indian realities cannot be captured properly through the culture bound theoretical models of the west. The Chair believes that in order to explain the complexity of Indian reality, local cultural perspectives must be incorporated in all the curricular and research practices. Hence, there is an immediate need to reduce the gap between institutional structures of learning and social realities.
Advisory Committee:
Prof. Sudhakar Venukapalli
Chairman
Dr. Sudhakar Venukapalli is a member of the NCTE & ICPR, New Delhi, under the Government of India, and previously served as the Dean of the School of English Language Education and Professor of Education at The English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU). His expertise lies in the domains of education policy, teacher education, and the dynamics of Indian society, economy, and polity.
Prof. K. Ramachandran
Member
Prof. K. Ramachandran brings his expertise as a Senior Advisor at UIC, specializing in education policy, teacher development, and the internationalization of education. His insights contribute significantly to shaping educational strategies and initiatives both nationally and internationally.
Dr. J. K. Bajaj
Member
Dr. JK Bajaj, the former Chairman of the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) in New Delhi, possesses profound knowledge in various facets of Indian society, economy, and polity. His research spans the scientific and technological traditions of India, Indian ideas and institutions, and religious demography, making him a distinguished scholar in his field.
Dr. M. D. Srinivas
Member
Prof. M. D. Srinivas currently holds the position of Chairman at the Centre for Policy Studies, Chennai. His academic background is rooted in theoretical physics, with a focus on the conceptual and mathematical foundations of quantum mechanics. Additionally, he has extensive knowledge in the history and philosophy of science, along with insights into various aspects of Indian society, economy, and polity.
Prof. Induprasad
Member
Prof. Indu Prasad serves as the Vice Chancellor of Azim Premji University, Bengaluru, and directs the School of Continuing Education and University Resource Centre (SCE-URC) at the institution. With a background in education, particularly in teaching children with disabilities, she has dedicated her career to teacher education, education policy, inclusive education, and addressing learning disabilities.
Sri. Herambh Kulkarni
Member
Heramb Kulkarni, Director of Strategy and Development at CCE Finland, has spent over 15 years in Finland, spearheading innovative learning methodologies in schools globally. His expertise lies in educational technology, global education reforms, collaborative innovations, and the application of technology in education. He is renowned for his leadership and contributions across educational institutions and start-ups in Europe and India.