Nagaland University has initiated teaching and research activities on Indian Knowledge Systems within the discipline of chemistry, marking an expansion of its academic and research portfolio. The initiative aligns with the objectives of the National Education Policy 2020 and is aimed at promoting interdisciplinary engagement across departments.
The university, the only central university in the state, has introduced a value-added course titled Chemistry in Indian Knowledge Systems through its Department of Chemistry. The course has received approval from the University Academic Council. According to the university, the programme seeks to address the relatively limited academic focus on India’s chemical knowledge traditions despite their historical importance.
The course is designed to introduce students to foundational aspects of Indian Knowledge Systems, including traditional modes of knowledge transmission and pedagogical practices. It also examines the relevance of these traditions to contemporary issues such as sustainability and environmental responsibility. Students will be familiarised with the historical development of chemical knowledge in India and its links with medicine, metallurgy, materials science and environmental practices. The course is open to students from all disciplines.
Encouraging students to enrol, Jagadish K. Patnaik, Vice-Chancellor of Nagaland University, said, “Through this teaching initiative, Nagaland University is supporting advanced scholarly research in the area of Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) in Chemistry. The Value-Added Course titled Chemistry in Indian Knowledge Systems, offered by the University’s Department of Chemistry, has the approval of the University Academic Council and the Academic Council.”
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Patnaik also congratulated Upasana Bora Sinha and her team for their role in strengthening research and academic activity related to Indian Knowledge Systems within the chemistry discipline, describing it as a step towards realising the vision of National Education Policy 2020.
Alongside the teaching initiative, the university is supporting advanced research in this area. A Doctor of Science programme is currently being pursued by Bora Sinha on the 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 research involves a systematic scientific examination of India’s chemical knowledge traditions using contemporary analytical and computational methods. It also aims to document the history of chemistry in India, building on work initiated by Acharya P. C. Ray and later continued by scholars such as B. V. Subbarayappa and Priyadaranjan Ray.
Elaborating on the initiative, Bora Sinha said, “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. Through this initiative, Nagaland University continues to strengthen its commitment to inclusive, future-ready education rooted in indigenous knowledge traditions.”
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