INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INDIAN PHILOSOPHY,
SCIENCE AND CULTURE BEGINS ON SATURDAY
FOCUS ON 77-VOLUME
PUBLICATION PROJECT
An International Conference on
Indian Philosophy, Science and Culture will be held here from
29th March to 1st April 2003. About 500
scholars and experts on various subjects from all over India as
well as from Asia, Africa, Europe and North America will participate
in it.
Professor Murli Manohar Joshi,
Union Minister of Human Resource Development, Science & Technology
and Ocean Development will inaugurate the Conference on March
29, 2003. Shri Jagmohan, Union Minister of Tourism and Culture
will be the Chief Guest of the Valedictory Session on 1st
April, 2003.
The main agenda of the Conference
is to focus on the ongoing Project of History of Indian Science,
Philosophy and Culture (PHISPC), a gigantic venture to publish
77 volumes on India’s history from the dawn of civilization to
the present day. The focus is not on political history but on
unfolding of the soul of the nation. The books cover India’s achievements
through the ages in all branches of human activities and knowledge
— philosophy and religion, art and literature, economics and other
social studies, science and technology, metallurgy and agriculture,
mathematics and astronomy, chemistry and life sciences as well
as India’s interactions with the other contemporary civilizations
in Asia, Africa, and Europe. The theme of the forthcoming Conference
is, therefore, central to India’s discovery, rediscovery and to
her future.
Conceived in the 1980s and sanctioned
by the Central Government in 1992, the first publications under
PHISPC could be brought out only in 1995. So far 27 Volumes have
been published. The Project is scheduled to be completed by the
year 2009-10. The Government of India has earmarked a total amount
of Rs.22.75 crores over successive Five Year Plan periods for
the Project.
It is felt that the present moment
marks an important juncture when this Project can be highlighted
through an International Conference so that it can be brought
to the notice of scholars and others who are devoted to the study
of Indian culture in its various aspects. It is also felt that
an International Conference could provide an opportunity to scientists,
philosophers, and leaders of culture in our country and the world
to exchange their views and to stimulate further research in the
concerned areas. This will also give a fresh impetus to the research
that is being conducted at present for the production of the forthcoming
volumes. The Conference will also provide to the participating
scholars a firsthand opportunity to discuss with the general editors
of various volumes as also contributors who have participated
and who are going to participate in the production of the volumes
of the Project.
Indian Council of Philosophical
Research (ICPR) is organising the international conference but
the Project is inter-disciplinary in nature, a large number of
Government Departments and autonomous Councils under the Ministries
of Human Resource Development, Science and Technology, Tourism
and Culture etc., as well as some other Government departments,
Universities and Institutions of research and learning, are co-sponsoring
this major conference along with ICPR.
The Conference is divided into
7 Theme Sessions each with two theme presentations, 3 Lecture
Sessions with single theme presentation and 4 Open Sessions where
a group of panellist will discuss a single theme. All the sessions
will be plenary so that all the delegates can participate in all
the sessions. All Theme Sessions have been allotted an hour and
a quarter time for questions and answers in order to make these
sessions interactive for all the participants.
