IGNCA and BSIP Forge Historic Science-Culture Alliance to Preserve India’s Heritage
The partnership aims to preserve, interpret, and present India’s heritage in innovative ways, inspiring public engagement and fostering awareness of the nation’s legacy at both national and international levels.
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- India
In a landmark initiative blending India’s scientific prowess with its vast cultural legacy, the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi, and the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP), Lucknow, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at creating a unified platform for science and culture. The agreement was formalised at IGNCA in the presence of senior academics, cultural leaders, and students, alongside an orientation programme for the eleven Postgraduate Diploma Courses run by IGNCA.
The event was graced by Prof. Mahesh G. Thakkar, Director of BSIP, as Chief Guest, with Dr. Sachchidanand Joshi, Member Secretary of IGNCA, leading the proceedings. Senior faculty including Prof. Pratapanand Jha, Dean (Academics), and Prof. Arun Bhardawaj, Incharge Academic Unit, joined heads of divisions to mark the occasion.
Integrating Science and Culture: A First in India
The MoU represents India’s first formal initiative to integrate science and culture on a common platform, with the goal of presenting the nation’s scientific and cultural achievements to both domestic and global audiences. Through interdisciplinary research, joint events, and shared expertise, the partnership will focus on:
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Digitisation and archival work to preserve cultural and scientific resources.
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Educational collaborations to embed traditional knowledge into contemporary curricula.
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Support for Project Mausam, linking climate change studies with maritime history.
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Conservation and heritage management training for professionals and students.
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Joint research, documentation, and museum development.
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Public outreach programmes, including exhibitions, audio-visual productions, and publications.
The partnership aims to preserve, interpret, and present India’s heritage in innovative ways, inspiring public engagement and fostering awareness of the nation’s legacy at both national and international levels.
Strengthening IGNCA’s Educational Mission
Coinciding with the MoU signing was an orientation programme for IGNCA’s eleven PG Diploma courses—a substantial expansion from the three launched in 2017 under Dr. Joshi’s leadership. These programmes cover diverse areas such as Cultural Informatics, Indian Literature, and Heritage Conservation, designed to produce skilled professionals capable of working at the intersection of tradition and innovation.
Dr. Joshi likened IGNCA to a ship with only one-third visible above water, symbolising the immense untapped cultural resources awaiting exploration. He highlighted IGNCA’s high-profile contributions, from the art installations in India’s new Parliament building and the world’s largest Ashtadhatu Nataraja statue at Bharat Mandapam, to the India Pavilion at Osaka Expo and the Mera Gaon, Meri Dharohar project, which is documenting the cultural heritage of 650,000 villages.
Voices from the Collaboration
Prof. Mahesh G. Thakkar hailed the MoU as a pioneering step to bring science, art, and culture together, saying it will inspire the younger generation and deepen public understanding of the nation’s history and heritage.
Dr. Shilpa Pandey, Senior Scientist at BSIP and nodal officer for the collaboration, emphasised that the alliance will highlight overlooked connections between science, culture, and society, producing documentaries, articles, and campaigns to protect endangered traditions—from Himalayan communities to Kanyakumari’s coastal heritage.
Prof. Achal Pandya, Head of the Conservation Division at IGNCA, stressed that the initiative bridges past and future by merging scientific precision with cultural depth, enabling India’s story to be told to the world with both accuracy and authenticity.
The success of the MoU was attributed in part to Shri Pratapanand Jha, Director of Cultural Informatics, and Shri Ajit Kumar, Project Director of Project Mausam, whose contributions helped define its scope and objectives.
A Vision for National and Global Impact
By combining the resources and expertise of IGNCA and BSIP, this collaboration seeks to transform how India’s heritage is preserved and communicated. Beyond academic research, it will engage the public through interactive programmes, exhibitions, and knowledge-sharing initiatives, ensuring that both scientific discoveries and cultural treasures are not only safeguarded but actively celebrated.
With this alliance, India is taking a bold step towards an integrated heritage strategy, one that positions the nation as a global leader in the preservation and promotion of its shared cultural and scientific legacy.
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