Sreenivasu is one of the 16 students who have registered for Masters in Hindu Studies given by the Gujarat Technological University (GTU), state’s biggest state technical institution, under the School of Indian Knowledge System inaugurated in August 2022.
Kolagani Sreeni-vasu, a metallurgical engineer from Bengaluru with over 23 years of work experience in organisations such as the Ordnance Factory, Heavy Vehicles Factory, and Tata Steel in Mumbai, is currently a student.
Sreenivasu is one of 16 students enrolled in the Masters in Hindu Studies programme at Gujarat Technological University (GTU), the state’s biggest state technical institution, as part of the School of Indian Knowledge System, which will be inaugurated in August 2022.
“I like our culture, ceremonies, and ethics. “Learning Sanskrit with the Vedas is a key incentive to attend this programme,” Sreenivasu adds as he delivers his practical project, a 15-minute film of conducting yagna at his residence with his family members, with the course’s first semester examinations underway.
GTU’s online course is the only postgraduate programme offered by Dharohar, GTU’s Centre for Indian Knowledge System (GCIKS), which 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 board of governors approved the school in October 2022.
According to the text, the rich tradition of ancient and eternal Indian knowledge and thinking has served as a guiding light for National Education Policy 2020.
“Students enrolling in this course come from all across the nation and work in a variety of fields,” said Dharohar’s director, professor Shruti Anerao.
Anerao says that the course structure created by Banaras Hindu University (BHU) is based on the UGC NET test.
Maduchhanda Das, a 55-year-old psychotherapist from Bombay, says that IKS is a “great chance” for the young to comprehend and know about our “true” culture and not via the books published by “foreigners”.
“We hear of courses like Master in Islam, Master in Jainism and Master in Sikhism but nothing like Master in Hinduism. “The government has taken a fantastic move,” Das adds.
Satyaprakash Ramachandra Nivarthi, 59, an IT consultant located in Bangalore, agrees that this training is a “good step forward” in learning about our culture.
“I wanted to learn about old Hindu teachings and revisit them without the skewed history that the Brits imposed on us… These classes teach the Vedic system, Mahabharta, Manu, Chanakya, and Raj Dharma, according to Nivarthi.
“Our instructors told us that we were uncivilised people; the British came and civilised us,” Das remarked, echoing similar sentiments. Yet, if you read the Vedas, you will discover that they are not just about spiritualism, but also about weather and agriculture… The next generation must understand how rich our culture was.”
A PhD in psychology with a masters in ancient history and masters in Yoga Shastra, Das adds that attending the course as a tiny effort from his part in “carrying forward the government’s aim of teaching people throughout nation”.
Hema Vanar, 51, an assistant professor at SAL College of Engineering in Ahmedabad, discovered the course while taking GTU certificate courses in 2022.
“I took three courses: Puran Studies, Ancient Science, and Kautilya Artha Shastra. So I thought, why do various courses when this one is better? “I like reading about our culture and have been studying it for many years,” Vanar added.
Sreenivasu, too, completed a three-month certificate course in Upanishads from GTU before enrolling in the postgraduate programme, which he learned about via a forwarded WhatsApp message.
Hema, who has two college-aged daughters, shares her aspirations to spread Indian culture via learning between class hours through recorded lectures.
According to Prof Anerao, GTU opted to keep the online format since students from all across the nation had registered.
Shrijirani Kshatriya, a 45-year-old student, worked as a private school teacher until 2020, when she resigned.
“My interest in spirituality attracted me to this course while taking my three certificate courses on Vedas, Upanishads and Puran from GTU. This programme is only available to people who are interested in Vedas. “Not everyone can teach, and not everyone can take this course,” said Shrijirani, a B.Com and B.Ed graduate from Ahmedabad.
“This is a milestone accomplishment for the GTU… and a significant step towards the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020,” said Navin Sheth, the university’s former vice-chancellor, whose second tenure ended last month.
GTU concluded the first batch of 12 certificate courses with over 1,400 students from Saudi Arabia, Australia, Tanzania, Kuwait, and Canada, among others. 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 were among the courses offered.
GTU Dharohar has also begun diploma and postgraduate diploma programmes in collaboration with Bharat Shodh Sansthan and Research For Revival Foundation, Nagpur, beginning in June 2022. In addition, the institution has inked an Agreement with the Hindu Council of Australia for postgraduate diploma programmes.
GTU also offers a one-year diploma and postgraduate diploma degree in Indian Heritage & Cultural Tourism Management. The institution has partnered with Gujarat’s Shree Somnath Sanskrit University in Veraval.
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