School of Humanities
The School of Humanities is engaged in research in the broad areas of philosophy, psychology, literature, fine arts, and culture. Research in the School currently focuses on philosophical foundations of sciences; cognitive sciences; scientific and philosophical studies of consciousness; Indian psychology and philosophy; history and philosophy of biology; archaeometalurgy and analysis of ancient metals; and translations of literary classics in Kannada into English.
about_school
A Shifting River, Shifting Narratives: The Sacred Landscape of Mahabodhi
Bodh Gaya, where the Buddha attained enlightenment, was a major Buddhist sacred site for nearly two thousand years. This paper argues that its sacred landscape was far larger than the three commonly excavated sites. Drawing on historical, archaeological, and geospatial evidence, it identifies 40 features showing that Mahābodhi extended in all directions from the Mahabodhi Temple. The study also suggests that the Lilajan’s present course, about 250 metres east of the temple, differs from the historical Nirañjanā, which lay roughly 1.5 kilometres further east.
Quantum Effects in Biology
This book intends to give a systematic exposition of the validity of quantum principles in biological systems. There are two types of applications of quantum theory in physical systems — the "trivial applications" and "non-trivial applications". Since every object in this universe consists of atoms and molecules, they should be described by the laws of quantum theory — which we call trivial applications.
Dr. Raja Ramanna and Ancient Indian Traditions
Dr. Raja Ramanna, an internationally renowned nuclear physicist and founder and Director of the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), had deep interests in Western classical music as well as in ancient Indian traditions.
Are Plants Conscious? Vegetal ‘Being’ in the Caraka Saṁhitā
This study discusses notions of plant consciousness within the classical Ayurveda text, the Caraka Saṁhitā (CS) and its ideas on vegetal ‘being’. Drawing extensively from Cakrapāṇidatta’s commentarial gloss on the CS, the Āyurvedadīpikā, it begins by pointing to two frequently conflicting conceptualizations and positions ascribed to plants within the text: (a) plants as material agents of therapy and (b) plants as sentient and conscious ‘beings’.
Coastal Tamil urn burial sites and Harappan links: Wrought in iron?
The writeup explores the implications of the recent early AMS dates of coastal Iron Age urn burial sites of Tamil Nadu.
Raghu Ananthanarayanan
Image of the person
School
Designation
Adjunct Faculty
Body
Raghu Ananthanarayanan is a direct disciple of Yogachaarya Krishnamaachaarya and his son Shri TKV Desikachar and has spent more than a decade in deep study of the Yoga Shastras with them. He has also benefitted from a long association with J. Krishnamurti and Prof. Pulin K. Garg (IIM Ahmedabad). Raghu is also a post-Graduate in Engineering from IIT Madras.
Raghu, has delved deeply into Yoga and Behavioural Sciences to develop a unique approach to personal unfolding and organizational transformation called “Citta Vidya”. “Citta Vidya” brings together his understanding of Antaranga Yoga, Human Processes, Theatre and Dance. He has applied this in organizations through a model called the “Tensegrity Mandala”. He has pioneered the use of traditional theatre and the Mahabharata in experiential learning, Leadership Development and Coaching. Raghu has devoted almost four decades to transforming organizational cultures across the spectrum from grass roots developmental organizations to modern industrial organizations.
Raghu has authored several books: Learning Through Yoga; Anataranga Yoga- The Foundation of Indian Psychology and The 5 Seats of Power Learning Through Yoga, The Totally Aligned Organization, Leadership Dharma, Arjuna the Timeless Metaphor, Organizational Development and Alignment: The Tensegrity Mandala (as co-author with Gagandeep Singh). Raghu is engaged in designing an advanced leadership development and inner transformation based on Indic Wisdom. He is in the process of creating the Centre for Citta VidyA and Indian Psychology in collaboration with the National Institute of Advanced Studies (Bangalore). Currently his wife Sashi and he, donning their role as Chief Mentors are working on nurturing people on a Dharmic Quest at Ritambhara Ashram, situated in the beautiful Nilagiris.
Posting
Department
Search Exclude Entity
No
Rupsa Karmakar
Image of the person
School
Designation
DOCTORAL STUDENT
Body
Rupsa Karmakar is a PhD student at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (School of Humanities), Bengaluru, whose research involves archaeometallurgy, indigenous smelting, the history and the processes of metal crafting technology, ethnoarchaeology, and preservation of both tangible and intangible heritages in India. She holds an M.Sc. In Anthropology with a specialization in Paleoanthropology-Prehistoric Archaeology and a B.Sc. in Anthropology from the University of Calcutta.
Phone
E-mail
rupsa.karmakar@nias.res.in
Posting
Department
Guide
Doctoral and Other Programmes
Batch
2025
Search Exclude Entity
No