ICSSR-NERC-Sponsored National Seminar Held at Barpeta College

A Correspondent

Barpeta: With the sponsorship of Indian Council for Social Science Research (ICSSR), North Eastern Regional Centre (NERC), a two-day national seminar on ‘Indian Knowledge System: Tradition and Modernity’ was held at Barpeta College on March 25 and 26 . On March 25, the seminar was inaugurated by Barindra Bhuyan, president of the governing body of the college by lighting an earthen lamp. Giving the  welcome address, Principal of the college Dr. Birinchi Kumar Das said that India has been playing a significant role in cultivation and dissemination of knowledge since ancient time, and after the promulgation of National Education Policy-2020, a new awakening could be seen in respect of Indian Knowledge System. The keynote address on the topic was delivered by Diganta Biswa Sarma, Professor of Practice, Dibrugarh University, Adjunct Professor in the Department of Sanskrit, Gauhati University and a Sahitya Academy Translation Awardee. In his speech, he said that Indian knowledge tradition has a heritage spanning five thousand years. Though after continuous attack of the foreign forces India came under the foreign rule for a long time and it resulted in slowing down of Indian Knowledge System, it never weakened. He also added that the education that Lord Macaulay proposed for India during the British rule was aimed at creating an elite section in India, which would remain mentally enslaved to the British.

Even today, some Indian people have the notion that anything European is the best. But on contrary to that, the uneducated section has always been showing respect to the Indian consciousness. He also said that Indian knowledge tradition encompasses everything Indian, even the future of India. Taking part in the seminar as a resource person, Dr. Dhurjjati Sarma, Assistant Professor in the Department of MIL&LS, Gauhati University, discussed various aspects of Indian Knowledge System and their significances. He said that Indian Knowledge System is not a unitary term, it covers various aspects. He also said that Indian Knowledge System is an amalgamation of Darshana, Jnan and Vidya.  In the inaugural session, vote of thanks was offered by Dr. Abhijeet Borah, coordinator of the seminar. The first technical session held after the inaugural session was chaired by Dr. Dhurjjati Sarma. On March 26, the seminar was attended by Dr. Mukunda Sarma, Registrar of Krishnaguru Adhyatmik Viswavidyalaya.

In his speech, he discussed the education policies starting with the first education policy in the post-Independence India up to  National Education Policy-2020, while explaining how National Education Policy-2020 created a special  interest in Indian Knowledge System. While speaking about the heritage of Knowledge promotion in India, he discussed the significances of the four ages – Satya, Treta, Dwapar and Kali. Dr. Kaushik Deka, Principal of N.H. College, Patacharkuchi, also expressed his opinions on the topic.

The two parallel offline and online sessions were chaired respectively by Dr. Mukunda Sarma and Dr. Anjalee Nath, Head of the Department of Assamese, Barpeta College. In the seminar altogether 70 participants presented their papers in English , Hindi and Assamese.

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