From engineering to vedic studies: GTU’s Indian knowledge centre has students from across fields

“I love our culture, rituals and ethics. A major reason to join this course is to learn Sanskrit along with the Vedas,” Sreenivasu says as he sends his practical assignment, a 15-minute video of performing yagna at his house with his family members with first semester exams going on for the course.

The online course offered by GTU is the only postgraduate programme under Dharohar — GTU’s Centre for Indian Knowledge System (GCIKS) — that launched 12 online short-term certificate courses in October 2021 related to Indian culture, philosophy, thoughts, ideology, ancient Indian knowledge and modern Indian cultural philosophy. The school was given approval by the board of governors in October 2022.

The rich heritage of ancient and eternal Indian knowledge and thought has been a guiding light for National Education Policy 2020, its document states.

“Students enrolled for this course are from across the country and working professionals in various sectors,” said professor Shruti Anerao, head of Dharohar.

The course structure designed by the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) is based on UGC NET exam, adds Anerao.

Maduchhanda Das, a 55-year-old psychotherapist from Mumbai, believes that IKS is a “brilliant opportunity” for the youth to understand and know about our “real” culture and not through the books written by “foreigners”.

“We hear about courses like Master in Islam, Master in Jainism and Master in Sikhism but nothing like Master in Hinduism. This is a brilliant step by the government,” says Das.

Satyaprakash Ramachandra Nivarthi, 59, an IT consultant based in Bangalore, too, believes that this course gives an opportunity to learn about our culture and is a “good step going forward”.

“I wanted to have knowledge about ancient Hindu scriptures and revisit them not in terms of the distorted history, which the British have imposed on us… The Vedic system, Mahabharta, Manu, Chanakya and Raj Dharma are being taught through these courses,” Nivarthi said.

Echoing similar views, Das said, “Our teachers taught us that we were uncivilised people; the British came and made us civilised… But if you study the Vedas, they are not just about spiritualism but other things like weather and agriculture… the young generation needs to know that our culture was more rich.”

A doctorate in psychology with a masters in ancient history and masters in Yoga Shastra, Das says that taking the course as a small move from his side in “taking forward the government’s initiative of educating people across country”.

Hema Vanar, 51, assistant professor at SAL College of Engineering in Ahmedabad, learnt about the course while she was doing certificate courses offered by the GTU in 2022.

“I did three courses — Studies of Puran, Ancient Science and Kautilya Artha Shastra. Then thought why to do different courses it is better to do this one course. I like reading about our culture and for many years I have been studying these subjects,” Vanar said.

Sreenivasu, too, has done a three-month certificate course in Upanishads from GTU before enrolling for the postgraduate programme about which he learnt through a forwarded message on WhatsApp.

Sharing her plans to propagate the Indian culture, Hema, who has two college-going children, says she manages to learn between teaching hours through recorded lectures.

GTU decided to continue the online structure as students, including working professionals, had enrolled from across the country, says Prof Anerao.

Shrijirani Kshatriya, another 45-year-old student, was a private school teacher till 2020 when she quit her job.

“My interest in spirituality brought me to this course while doing my three certificate courses  on Vedas, Upanishads and Puran from GTU. Only those who are interested in Vedas can do this programme. Also not everyone can teach and not everyone can study this course,” said Shrijirani from Ahmedabad who holds B.Com and B.Ed degrees.

“This is a landmark achievement of the GTU… and a major step towards the implementation of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020,” said university’s former vice-chancellor Navin Sheth whose second term just got over this month.

GTU completed the first batch of 12 certificate courses with an enrollment of over 1,400 students, including from countries such as Saudi Arabia, Australia, Tanzania, Kuwait and Canada. The courses were on Study of Indian Vedas, Puranas, Upanishads, Kautilya and Political Science Arthashastra, Ancient Indian Science and Technology, Ancient Indian Architecture, Ancient Indian Arts, Ancient Indian Classical Literature, Indian Kings and Empire, Ancient Indian Culture and Tradition, Study of Dharma and religions, and Study of Global Footprints of Indian Diaspora.

GTU Dharohar center has also started diploma and PG diploma courses in association with Bharat Shodh Sansthan and Research For Resurgence Foundation, Nagpur, from June 2022. The university has also signed an MoU with Hindu Council of Australia for PG diploma courses.

One-year diploma and postgraduate diploma programme in Indian Heritage and Cultural Tourism Management is also offered by GTU. The university has collaborated with the Shree Somnath Sanskrit University in Veraval, Gujarat.