The sole central institution in the state, Nagaland institution, is still working to increase scholarly and research endeavors related to Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS). In an effort to promote interdisciplinary engagement across departments and integrate the goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 into mainstream higher education, the institution has started teaching and research activities in the field of chemistry.
The University Academic Council has approved the value-added course Chemistry in Indian Knowledge Systems, which is given by the university’s Department of Chemistry. The course aims to close this gap by acknowledging that, despite their historical relevance, India’s chemical knowledge traditions have gotten relatively little scholarly attention. Its goal is to familiarize students with the fundamentals of IKS, such as educational traditions and forms of knowledge transfer, while analyzing how these practices relate to current debates about environmental responsibility and sustainability.
Additionally, it will acquaint students with the evolution of chemical knowledge in India throughout history and how it relates to environmental practices, metallurgy, medicine, and materials science.
The course’s interdisciplinary nature and wide academic importance are shown by the fact that students from all disciplines are welcome to enroll.
Prof. Jagadish K. Patnaik, Vice-Chancellor of Nagaland University, urged students to take advantage of the program, saying, “Nagaland University is supporting advanced scholarly research in the area of Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) in Chemistry through this teaching initiative.”
Prof. Patnaik called it a major step toward achieving the goal of NEP 2020 and commended Prof. Upasana Bora Sinha and her team for their leadership and committed efforts in boosting research and academic activity in IKS within the chemistry discipline. Nagaland University is funding advanced scholarly research in the field of Indian Knowledge Systems in Chemistry in addition to the teaching initiative.
Prof. Upasana Bora Sinha of the Department of Chemistry is presently pursuing a Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) program with the research topic “A Chronological Study of Chemistry in India from 1500 BC to the 21st Century: Linking Ancient Chemistry Knowledge with Modern Day Research Through Computational Simulation.” The study’s main objective is to employ modern analytical and computational techniques to conduct a methodical scientific investigation of India’s chemical knowledge traditions.
The study also makes it possible to record India’s chemical history.
Course Coordinator Prof. Upasana Bora Sinha of Nagaland University’s Department of Chemistry went on to elaborate, saying, “The teaching and research initiatives provide students with contextual learning, interdisciplinary exposure and research-informed perspectives, equipping them to engage critically with both India’s scientific heritage and contemporary global challenges.” Nagaland University’s dedication to providing inclusive, future-ready education based on indigenous knowledge traditions is strengthened by this project.
