The Indian Institute of Technology-Hyderabad (IIT-H) has launched a department of Heritage Science and Technology and announced the starting of an online M.Tech course in the subject from August 2022 with three specialisations — science and technology of yoga, Indian language processing, and conservation and reconstruction of heritage architecture.
The department was inaugurated by Vijay Bhatkar, best known as the father of India’s PARAM series supercomputers. Speaking on the occasion, he said, “Bringing heritage and science together to India’s premier institutions is a giant step in academics. This shows the way to recreate the ancient Takshashilas and Nalandas in a contemporary form. We are happy that IIT Hyderabad has taken the lead in this.”
The course will be taught online for two years, where the second year will be exclusively earmarked for a thesis project with a focus on either research or product development. There is an option to exit at the end of first year (after course work) with a post-graduate diploma.
The highlight of the course is an in-campus, in-person weekend workshop/ hackathon at the end of each semester. Interested candidates can contact ‘admissions@hst.iith.ac.in’ for more information on the online M.Tech, or write to head@hst.iith.ac.in to explore collaborations.
IIT-H director B.S. Murty said, “The department allows the exploration of India’s scientific heritage. There is an acute need to undertake this exploration without any biases and in the true spirit of rigorous science.”
