SEES Distinguished Lecture: Harnessing the Heritage in Shaping the Future

March 28, 2017

Professor Krishnamurthi Ramasubramanian, from Department of Humanities & Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB), Mumbai delivered a Distinguished Lecture titled, “Harnessing the Heritage in Shaping the Future” on March 27, 2017.

This lecture presented an overview of some of India’s past intellectual tradition and scientific heritage as exemplified by various forms of arts and architecture, forts and canons, dams and water catchments, string and percussion instruments, as well as from the sophisticated techniques employed by them in handling various mathematical, and astronomical problems involved in the computation of lunar and solar calendars. Professor Ramasubramanian explained how by harnessing the long, rich and hallowed past of the country, we can march into the future with a completely open inquiring mind to seek the truth rather than getting caught in several skirmishes, which would in fact be defeating the very essence of education.

Professor Krishnamurthi Ramasubramanian, Department of Humanities & Social Sciences, IITB, Mumbai delivering the Distinguished Lecture 

Bio-Sketch of Professor Krishnamurthi Ramasubramanian

Professor Ramasubramanianan holds a doctorate in Theoretical Physics, a Bachelors in Engineering, and a Masters in Sanskrit. For completing a rigorous course in Advaita Vedanta (a 14 semester program) he was honored with the coveted title “Vidvat Pravara” by the Shankaracharya of Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham in the year 2003. 

In 2008, he was conferred the prestigious Maharshi Badarayan Vyas Samman by the President of India in recognition of his scholarship as well as the outstanding research work done by him to the process of synergy between modernity and tradition. He is presently Professor at IIT Bombay in the Cell for Indian Science and Technology in Sanskrit, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences.