By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 4: The Regional Director of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Shillong, Dr N Munish Singh, has stressed the need to bring indigenous knowledge to the centre of education, calling it essential for both heritage preservation and modern innovation.
Speaking at the International Conference on ‘The Indian Knowledge System in the Curriculum: Pedagogical Perspectives’ held at English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU), Regional Campus Shillong, in collaboration with ICSSR-NERC, Singh said the Northeast represents a “repository of traditions, philosophies, and languages that together form a vibrant part of India’s civilisational mosaic.”
He underlined that intercultural exchange through such academic platforms can deepen understanding and strengthen the role of indigenous knowledge in shaping global education.
The day-long conference brought together scholars from India and abroad for technical sessions that examined the Indian Knowledge System across language, literature, ecology, pedagogy, gender, and technology — paving the way for a more inclusive and holistic model of education.
Delivering the Presidential Address online, Prof N Nagaraju, Vice Chancellor of EFLU Hyderabad, lauded the Shillong Campus for its excellence and commitment to promoting linguistic and cultural diversity. He said the university is dedicated to nurturing India’s indigenous knowledge traditions through education that blends “heritage and innovation.”
Prof Mousumi Guha Banerjee, Director, EFLU Shillong, in her address, spoke of the integral connection between indigenous knowledge and sustainable living, describing it as an “amalgamation of mind, body, and soul” that fosters balance, ethics, and ecological awareness.
A key moment of the inaugural session was the release of three books — Legends of Manipur: Retelling the Puyas by Dr Rosy Yumnam, and two edited volumes, Studies in Language, Literature and Linguistics and Language, Literature and Culture: Multidisciplinary Perspectives in the Context of NEP 2020 — reflecting the university’s ongoing engagement with culture, pedagogy, and research.
The keynote address, delivered by Prof Ana Sanchez-Muñoz of California State University, Northridge, explored how decolonising curriculum and integrating indigenous linguistic knowledge can reshape education across global contexts.
Drawing from her research, she highlighted the need to reconnect education with community, heritage, and identity.
At the valedictory session, Prof Bhagirathi Panda, Honorary Director of ICSSR–NERC, urged a shift beyond conventional academic boundaries to view the Indian Knowledge System (IKS) as a global model for sustainability rooted in social and ecological wisdom. Prof Shailendra Kumar Singh of NEHU called for a spiritually grounded decolonization of India’s knowledge systems to strengthen national unity.
In her closing remarks, Prof Guha Banerjee reaffirmed EFLU Shillong’s commitment to advancing research and education based on India’s indigenous epistemologies.
