Delivered by Prof. Prakash Shah on behalf of Prof. Vamsee Juluri at the panel "Decolonisation, Public Discourse and IKS" during the IKSHA Conference at Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida, this thought-provoking talk argues that decolonisation cannot be reduced to merely replacing Western knowledge with Indian knowledge. It challenges the Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) movement to examine its own assumptions and recover the spiritual foundations of Bharatiya knowledge. The talk ultimately asks whether true decolonisation is possible if Bhagawan is removed from the centre of the civilizational worldview.
Latest Posts

Scholarship and Sacred Truth
Can a civilization survive if all its sacred truths are judged solely by external academic standards? This essay argues that while historical inquiry has its place, Hindu Dharma must remain rooted in its own sacred framework of shraddha, sampradaya, and parampara. A living tradition cannot endure if its foundational beliefs are endlessly relativized. History may study a civilization from the outside, but only its sacred truths sustain it from within.

Rāmo Vigrahavān Dharmaḥ: The Sixteen Lakṣaṇas as a Complete Condition-Set of Dharma
What does it truly mean to call Rāma "Vigrahavān Dharmaḥ" - the embodiment of Dharma? Drawing on the opening verses of the Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, this essay argues that the sixteen lakṣaṇas are not merely admirable virtues but a complete and indispensable condition-set for the embodiment of Dharma. Through a rigorous śāstric analysis of pramāṇa, lakṣaṇa, and embodiment, it presents a compelling philosophical framework that reveals why Rāma is not simply a follower of Dharma, but its fullest living manifestation.

British Colonial Raj: Drivers of Socio-Cultural Impact
This essay examines how British colonial rule reshaped not just India's institutions, but also its everyday habits, aspirations, and cultural imagination. From club culture and hill stations to vacations and leisure travel, it argues that colonial-era practices continue to influence Indian society long after independence. By contrasting these with pre-colonial civilisational patterns, the article invites readers to reflect on whether India can rediscover a balance rooted in its own timeless traditions while navigating modernity.

The Sanitized Shastra: The Cost of Domesticating India’s Intellectual Traditions
A seemingly local controversy in Udupi sparked a nationwide digital outrage, revealing a far deeper civilisational crisis: the growing tendency to sanitize India's philosophical traditions to fit modern sensibilities. Examining the history of rigorous debate across Indian schools of thought, this essay argues that intellectual sharpness - not polite uniformity -was the hallmark of India's knowledge systems. It makes the case that reclaiming India's authentic civilisational confidence requires preserving the raw, uncompromising vocabulary and traditions that once made its philosophical culture so vibrant.
Daily Feed
Ask the Past
Ancient India's knowledge traditions were continuous & cumulative and it's a pity that young Indians know little of this vast intellectual heritage.
Yaksha’s Lake and the Fire Drill
The Pandavas' encounter with a Yaksha on the lake leads to a deep and profound discovery.
Karmayoga is not workaholism
Neither overwork nor the giving up of work but detachment is the hallmark of the Karmayogi according to the Gita.
Caste: Purusha and Varna
The dominant school of academic scholarship on the caste system makes very serious mistakes in understanding and conveying the meaning of the most fundamental Indic concepts of Purusha and Varna.
Narrativizing Bharatavarsha
India's history and cultural ethos have been presented from a skewed lens that needs urgent correction.
SGPC Ban on portrayal of Sikh Gurus
Sikhism, since its advent, has looked down upon murti pooja. Guru Nanak himself has called Hindus ignorant for worshipping murtis made of stone, instead of the all-encompassing Almighty God.
The same belief is now being applied to pictorial, cinematographic, and animated depictions of Sikh Gurus, their kin, and other eminent Sikh personalities; by the SGPC.
Heena & the Hijab
An exploration into what constitutes adoption of cultural markers and practices in the context of the protests against O.S Arun's program to sing carnatic compositions in praise of Jesus and the left's utter inability to grasp the nuances of the issue.
Sanatana Dharma – The Mother
Even though they are now classified as separate religions, Buddhism and Jainism are very much offshoots of Sanatana Dharma.
An open letter to Ma Durga
How the original 'idea of India' is no different from the reverence for Durga, the mother of the Universe.
Bhima Karna Yuddha – Part 2
An enraged Karna once again challenged Bhima with an expectant looking Kaurava army behind him.
Chronicles of Valour- The Battle of Haldighati
A research-based, blow-by-blow account of the day “the best blood of Mewar irrigated the pass of Haldighat”.
The earliest historical account of Teg Bahadur’s end and later narratives
The history of Guru Teg Bahadur in modern times is rampant with inaccuracies as the historical sources themselves aren't trustworthy
Daily Feed
American Progressives also typify others: Olmsted and Pollock
There are striking parallels between the seemingly progressive yet deeply prejudiced views of leftist American intellectuals of the 19th century and today.
Is there a trap in devotion?
An Indic Response to Jason Gregory’s piece on “The Trap of Devotion to God and Guru”.
नए जीवन की ओर (भाग २)
सुचिता के जीवन मे रमन का वापस आना उसके लिय बहुत उतार-चढ़ाव भरा समय होता हैं।
The one who stands apart
Bhairava, the terrifying form of Shiva, inspires fear as he strikes at the root of all fear, the ego.
Guha's Golwalkar (Part 2)
Examining Ram Guha's perception of Guru Golwalkar reveals not only the studied superficiality of Nehruvian secularists but also serious flaws in the strategic thinking of 'Hindu Nationalists'.
Analysis of the Representation of Hindus in Western News Coverage during the 2019 Indian Elections
The media coverage of events in India have a heavy tilt where they repeatedly show Hindus in a bad light.
Śaṅkara Charitam – a re-telling – Chapter 04
Darkness and light; When the lion roars, even the elephants retreat.
Sister Nivedita’s gifts
Sister Nivedita’s far reaching contributions to India’s revival came in fields as diverse as politics, spirituality, science and art.
Aavarana (The Veil) By S. L. Bhyrappa – Translated by Sandeep Balakrishnan – A Review
Rohan Raghav Sharma reviews SL Bhyrappa's "Aavarana - the veil" translated from the original Kannada into English by Sandeep Balakrishnan. He explores the multi-layered plot, the flow of the story, and evolution of the characters while also touching upon salient points of criticism along with his own critique of the book.
Book review: Essence of the Fifth Veda by Gaurang Damani
Dr Pingali Gopal reviews Essence of the Fifth Veda, a captivating compendium by Gaurang Damani.
An Indic Reading of Nietzsche’s Thus Spoke Zarathustra – Part II
Knowledge is not merely to be read or heard as words; on the contrary, it is to be lived, experienced and thus renewed.
Thoughtful Reflections on ‘Mahabharata Unravelled’ by Ami Ganatra
A deeper dive into some characters and aspects of Mahabharata with the help of Ami Ganatra's book "Mahabharat Unravelled".
