Indian higher education institutions should take steps to teach ancient Indian sciences to students, said P.R. Krishnakumar, Chancellor, Avinashilingam University, and managing director, Arya Vaidya Pharmacy, Coimbatore, at the conference of Higher Education organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry here on Friday.
In the impact of foreign invasion, pursuit to know the self has been relegated to the background. But it was by the pursuit of knowing the self, the inner vision, that the seers discovered many sciences. In Ayurveda, the seers knew of the uses of hundreds of herbs and how to use metals. And this was at a time when they did not have access to internet or search engines.
Understanding the vast knowledge available, Switzerland has opened its doors to Ayurveda. The schools run by the Church in England are teaching Sanskrit and students are going there, though the fee is at a premium.
Therefore, higher education institutions here must teach Sanskrit and whatever is left of the 64 ancient Indian sciences, said Mr. Krishnakumar.
S. Ramachandran, Vice-Chancellor, Hindustan University, Chennai, said that higher education institutions should focus on ranking, research, innovation and employability and urged them to make students active participants in the teaching-learning process.
He also spoke on the tools available to faculty and students to enhance their teaching and learning skills.
Anand Sudarshan, founder and director, Sylvant Advisors Pvt. Ltd., said that the focus of institutions should be to equip students for their life, for they leave a deep impact in the minds of the youth.
Nethra J.S. Kumar, Chairperson-CII Coimbatore Zone, K. Senthil Ganesh, Convenor - Education Panel, CII Coimbatore, and C.R. Swaminathan, Chairman, Board of Apprenticeship Training and Past Chairman, CII Southern Region, also spoke on the occasion.
