VIKAS | Welcome to Jawaharlal Nehru University

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About_Us

Vidyaranya_Institute_of_Knowledge_and_Advanced_Studies_(VIKAS),_previously_known_as_JNU_Institute_of_Advanced_Studies_and_later_renamed_as_Jawaharlal_Nehru_Institute_of_Advanced_Studies_(JNIAS),_has_evolved_since_mid-1990s._Completing_its_existence_as_an_Institute_for_more_than_two_decades,_VIKAS_seeks_to_expand_its_outreach_and_visibility_and_emerge_as_a_pioneering_research_institute_of_the_country._It_aims_to_provide_leadership_in_making_India_a_vibrant_knowledge_society_in_the_emerging_levels_global_village_which_is_going_through_paradigmatic_structural_transformations_at_multiple.

Vision

VIKAS_aims_to_become_a_nucleus_of_Indo-centric_studies._

Mission

VIKAS_would_be_an_effective_academic_voice_of_non-western,_Sanatani,_Dharmic_and_alternative_narratives_such_as_Pali,_Prakrit,_Tamil_and_Sanskrit.

Focus

•_Until_very_recently,_Europe_had_studied_Non-European_societies,_cultures_and_civilizations_from_the_Imperialist_Ideology,_popularly_known_as_Orientalism;_and_European_study_of_India_as_a_colony_by_canons_of_Indology_developed_by_Christian_missionaries,_orientalists_and_civil_servants_of_the_East_India_Company_as_well_as_the_British_Raj._JNU_institute_of_Advanced_Study_later_(in_May_11,_2004)_renamed_as_JNIAS_had_tried_to_decolonize_the_study_of_India_as_a_civilizational_state_and_traditional_Indic_civilization_by_exchanging_ideas_with_global_scholars._During_Covid-19_pandemic_years_however_it_was_realized_that_mere_decolonization_was_not_sufficient_in_the_rapidly_changing_global_scenario._Ongoing_Russia-Ukraine_war_has_already_complicated_the_volatile_situation_of_pandemic_scenario._Therefore,_JNIAS_working_group_started_wider_consultation_regarding_transforming_JNIAS_as_an_advanced_study_of_non-western_cosmologies,_ontologies,_epistemologies_as_well_as_of_a_new_science_of_Westology,_which_would_try_to_understand_traditional,_modern_and_postmodern_nation_states_and_liquid_cultural_mindspace_from_non-western,_Asian_and_Sanatani_perspectives._The_process_of_consultation_was_started_in_the_first_week_of_October_2022_and_after_extensive_consultations_the_executive_council_of_the_University_decided_to_rename_JNIAS_as_VIKAS_on_May_3,_2023.The_focus_of_VIKAS_would_be_to_study_and_disseminate_Indo-centric_knowledge_in_the_following_subjects:_

History,_Culture_and_Philosophy_in_Indian_civilizations_from_Indic_perspective

Arts,_Crafts,_Cinema,_Media_and_Performance_Studies_from_the_Indic_perspective

Westology_- _Study_of_western_culture_and_civilization_from_the_Indic_and_Asian_Perspectives.

Inter-civilizational_dialogue_

State,_Society,_Culture_and_Languages_of_the_Asian_countries_

Science,_Technology_and_Innovation

Defense,_Security,_Diplomacy_and_Foreign_Policy

Economy,_Growth_and_Sustainable_Development

Women_led_development

Role

Role_of_VIKAS_within_the_University_would_be_distinct_and_unique.

_VIKAS_would_be_a_platform_that_would_enable_collaboration_and_research_between_the_fellows_and_with_the_university_community._

VIKAS_would_create_and_offer_a_vibrant_intellectual_environment_that_supports_research,_inquiry_and_collaboration_and_integrates_the_natural_and_social_sciences_in_an_ideally_located_residential_facility_within_the_JNU._

VIKAS_would_offer_a_stimulating_environment_that_would_lead_to_incubating_frontier_areas_of_research_with_an_emphasis_on_inter/multi/trans-disciplinarity,_cutting_edge_research_and_enquiry_across_all_disciplines_that_are_taught_/_researched_in_JNU._

VIKAS_would_encourage_new_research_work_to_be_undertaken_that_brings_intellectual_exercise_with_a_spirit_of_curiosity._

VIKAS_would_enable_and_encourage_a_small_group_of_scholars_to_collaboratively_engage_with_an_interdisciplinary_thematic_project._

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