Call For Papers

CALL FOR PAPERS FOR VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1, 2026

INDOLOGY REIMAGINED: INTERSECTIONS OF PHILOSOPHY, HISTORY, CULTURE AND LITERATURE

         Though Oxford-dictionary teaches the meaning of Indology as the study of Indian history, literature, philosophy, and culture; the pertinent question is: What compels the entire world to undergo a study, particularly, on Indology? To get the answer of this question, if we resume the history of the development of  civilization, it is observed, human history, in every corner of the world, is  infatuated with a strong yearning so that it could shape a special form in this mortal world for the sake of immortality. In the Western world, especially, in the lands of Europe and America, human power, relying on material science, has already established itself in a distinct form. Its history, however, is no more than four or five centuries old. On the other hand, in Russia and China, another remarkable experiment in history began during the last century—the experiment of establishing equal rights for all people in every sphere of life.

          Whereas, the civilization that emerged in our motherland, India, several thousand years ago, is yet to reach its twilight. The sun of Indian civilization continues to manifest itself uninterruptedly, progressing through various stages like the periods of a day. Remarkably, we are the inheritors of the civilization that, perhaps, began five thousand years ago. The intention of history that sought to express itself long ago is still continuously finding its way to manifest itself through us.

         Again, while Europe, through the study of physical science, has tried to find out the unique power through which the universe is regularly recharged in the unconscious particles; in India, experimentation began with the human mind and consciousness, starting from the very dawn of its civilization. Evidence of this can be found by looking at our everyday life. Throughout this long period, we have not launched voyages abroad, nor have we conquered any foreign lands. We have rarely established large empires, and we have not become obsessed with bringing back jewels or wealth to our country through foreign invasions and treaties.

          For ages, we the Indians have asked the same question, ‘Which path leads to liberation?’ This is the self-question of India. This question has been sounded in the very ancient mantras of the Vedas, the Upanishads, and so on. Based on this question, not only religion, not only philosophy, not only poetry, epics or literature and culture, how many great empires, how many great royal glories have been built in the history of our nation, and then broken down over time.

          The path of history, is the path of liberation. The history of India is also a history of rapid movement, a history of liberation through the ages, or a history of repeated and very unstoppable movement on an eternal path of liberation. The history of India is not only the history of religion. Nor is it just the history of slavery.

          So far, the Indological study is concerned, the colonial era of Classical Indology is characterized by the diligent and meticulous work of notable Indologists such as William Jones, Henry Thomas Colebrooke, and Max Müller, who translated significant texts from ancient Indian civilization and made them accessible to contemporary Western society. Medieval Indology, is however is cultivated by many Indians amongst which the contribution of Prasanna Kumar Acarya, Rakhaldas Bandyopadhyay, Ramakṛṣna Gopal Bhandarkar, Viṣnu Narayaṇ Bhathkhande, Suniti Kumar Chatterjee, Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy, Surendranath Dāsgupta, Gaṅgānāth Jhā, Gopinātha Kavirāja, Hiriyaṇṇa M, Nani Gopal Majumdar, Rādhā Kumud Mookerji, Rādhākṛṣṇan, Hemacandra Ray Caudhuri, Tārānātha Tarkavācaspati and son are remarkable. Nonetheless, recent critiques have emerged that challenge several underlying assumptions of classical Indology, particularly the notion that Indian civilization is mythical, esoteric, and other-worldly, lacking a historical perspective, and incapable of fostering theoretical and practical sciences.

          This argument encourages a careful and objective re-examination of many popular beliefs as well as an investigation of previously overlooked facets of Indian civilization, giving rise to ‘New Indology.’ How can Indian scholars, working with their international colleagues, contribute to the creation of a new Indology in a way that honours the essence and spirit of India’s rich, diverse, and dynamic cultural legacy? In order to comprehend India’s civilizational identity, what would be the proper epistemological foundation for such a reconstructed Bhārat-Vidyā?

         This issue Volume-2 Issue-1 (January’ 2026 to June’ 2026) of Indian Journal of Philosophical Research (IJPR) [ISSN 3107-8060] calls for papers from the interested scholarly persons on this topic so that everyone could understand  the uniqueness of Indian Culture and Heritage i.e., the Indian Knowledge System, lies in the fact that it teaches to look into the world not from utilitarian perspective but from aesthetic perspective and thereby to achieve in the state of liberation so that one could realise “Ayam Ātmā Brahman” (अयम् आत्मा ब्रह्म).

Subthemes:

• Defining Bhārat-Vidyā: Creating an indigenous epistemological framework for 21st-century research
• From Colonial to New Indology: Critiquing the ‘other-worldly’ myths of classical Indology in favour of objective, evidence-based histories
• Decolonizing the Indian Mind: Strategies for integrating traditional wisdom into modern educational and research structure
• Ayam Ātmā Brahman in Practice: Exploring the Vedantic realization of the Self as a foundation for ethical and social life
• The Path of Liberation (Mukti): Comparative studies of liberation across various Indian schools of thought (Nyāya, Vaiśeṣika, Advaita, etc.)
• Consciousness Studies: Intersections between ancient Indian experimentation with the mind and modern cognitive science

• Ancient Indian Sciences: Contributions of Aryabhata, Brahmagupta, and others to mathematics, astronomy, and physics
• IKS and AI: Exploring the logic of Sanskrit and Indian linguistics for Natural Language Processing and ethical Artificial Intelligence
• Sustainable Traditions: Applying ancient agricultural, forest conservation, and water management practices to contemporary climate crises

• The Aesthetic Perspective: Moving beyond utilitarianism to look at the world through the lens of Rasa, Dhvani, and Bhāva
• Traditional Arts and Skills: The philosophical and technical foundations of the 64 Kalās (Chatushasti Kalā) in modern skill development
• Heritage Preservation: Using digital humanities to archive and revitalize Indian cultural sites and oral traditions
• Bharatiya Arthashastra: Reinterpreting Kautilyan principles for modern sustainable economics and inclusive growth

• Viksit Bharat 2047: The role of the Indian Knowledge System in shaping a self-reliant and innovation-led society
• Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam: The global relevance of Indian ethics in international relations and universal welfare     
• Last Date of submission paper through Email: ijpresearch01@gmail.com is 30.04.2026
                                                                                RKM                                                                                                                                                              CE of IJPR