The Indian Institute of Technology Madras has launched the Indian Network for Memory Studies (INMS).
The first such national network in Asia, it will coordinate with different institutes, including cultural studies centres and neuroscience laboratories and industry research on artificial intelligence and related fields.
The formal network was formed under the aegis of Memory Studies Association, Amsterdam. Around 600 persons participated from across the Europe, Asia and the U.S. in the virtual inauguration on Wednesday.
Avishek Parui and Merin Simi Raj, assistant professor, English, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Madras, who founded the INMS, will be the chairpersons. Mr. Parui is a nominated member of the advisory board of the International Memory Studies Association.
Institute director Bhaskar Ramamurthi inaugurated the network. The network envisages offering India-centric model of memory studies. One of its aims is to recreate Indian and south Asian pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial events and identities.
It also aims is to offer an entirely original perspective on studies in national memory, history and cultural identities, drawing on theoretical models from humanities research as well as innovative tools of technology.