The three-day International Seminar and Performance Series on “Tracing Roots of Bhāratīya Jñāna Paramparā in Contemporary Practice of Classical Arts” concluded at the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Rashtrapati Nivas, on Friday.
Organised from May 21 to 23, the seminar brought together eminent scholars, artists, and researchers from India and abroad to deliberate on Indian Knowledge Traditions, classical arts, aesthetics, spirituality, and cultural continuity in contemporary times.
Discussions focused on themes including Natyashastra, Rasa theory, Bhakti traditions, classical dance and music, yoga, architecture, aesthetics, and the relevance of Indian Knowledge Systems in modern education and Artificial Intelligence. Speakers emphasized that Indian classical arts are not merely performative traditions but living expressions of philosophy, spirituality, and collective cultural consciousness.
The seminar featured lectures and demonstrations by distinguished scholars and artists including Prof. Mahesh Champaklal, Padma Bhushan awardee R. Ganesh, Guru Shama Bhate, Prof. Choodamani Nandagopal, Swarnamalaya Ganesh, and Vaibhav Arekar, among others.
Classical performances such as Gītagovindam, Nāda–Rasa–Vimarśa, and Sat-Cit-Anand added a rich cultural dimension to the event and received wide appreciation from audiences.
During the valedictory session, historian Dr. Rashmita Jha stressed that Indian culture survives through living traditions and active social participation, while Dr. Bhagyesh Vasudev Jha highlighted the role of Indian arts and philosophy in nurturing harmony and coexistence.
Presiding over the concluding session, Prof. Himanshu Kumar Chaturvedi reaffirmed IIAS’s commitment to promoting serious academic engagement with India’s intellectual and cultural traditions.
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
