ICPR, Bharat Bodh Kendra Organise National Seminar on Relevance of Shastrartha in Contemporary Times

A national seminar in New Delhi emphasises Shastrartha as the soul of Indian knowledge, linking it to NEP 2020. The event highlights disciplined, fact-based dialogue in governance, the importance of listening, and the ongoing relevance of intellectual debate for nation-building and reconciliation of diverse ideas.

A two-day national seminar on "The Relevance of Shastrartha in Contemporary Times" was inaugurated in New Delhi on Friday. The seminar has been jointly organised by the Indian Council of Philosophical Research (ICPR), Ministry of Education, Government of India, and Bharat Bodh Kendra at the India Habitat Centre.

Delhi Legislative Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta, who attended the inaugural session as the chief guest, described Shastrartha as the soul of the Indian knowledge system. He said the tradition of intellectual debate and dialogue has always played a crucial role in shaping Indian civilisation and generating creative ideas.

Addressing the gathering, Gupta expressed concern that the ability to listen carefully is gradually declining in today's information-driven age, which he termed harmful for a healthy society. He remarked that debates conducted in legislative assemblies are a modern form of Shastrartha, where respectful, objective and fact-based discussions strengthen democracy and contribute to nation-building. He further said that even defeat in Shastrartha is a form of victory, as both sides gain knowledge and understanding through meaningful dialogue.

All India President of Sanskrit Bharati, Prof. Ramesh Kumar Pandey, who attended as the guest of honour, said that Shastrartha has always encouraged curiosity and healthy intellectual discourse rather than conflict. According to him, the purpose of Shastrartha is to refine and elevate ideas.

He emphasised that Shastrartha is as significant as scriptures themselves and noted that the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has opened new opportunities to study and understand Indian Knowledge Systems. He also underlined the importance of sound reasoning in meaningful debate and cautioned against misleading arguments in contemporary discourse.

Prof. Sachchidanand Mishra, Member Secretary of ICPR, who presided over the inaugural session, said the seminar would provide a new direction to the meaningful tradition of Shastrartha. He highlighted its importance in the Indianisation of knowledge and noted that India has a rich legacy of dialogue and discussion.

"Collective dialogue is essential for advancing knowledge," he said, adding that Shastrartha is not confined to a single discipline but is deeply rooted in areas such as logic, grammar and literature. He also observed that dialogue remains the best solution to conflicts across the world.

Seminar Convener Siddheshwar Shukla said that Indian culture has always encouraged questioning and intellectual inquiry. He noted that the tradition of healthy debate finds mention in Vedic literature, the Upanishads and several classical texts associated with the Indian knowledge system.

Dr. Amit Yadav said that Shastrartha plays an important role in promoting public welfare and aligns with the vision of NEP 2020, which emphasises reconnecting with India's cultural and intellectual roots. The inaugural session was moderated by Dr. Yogita Sharma, while the vote of thanks was delivered by Devendra Kumar Jatav. The seminar also featured several thematic technical sessions, where professors and research scholars from leading universities presented research papers and shared their views on the relevance of Shastrartha in contemporary society.