UTIKS portal launched to promote understanding of Indian culture abroad

The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) in collaboration with Savitribai Phule Pune University organized the soft launch of an online platform "Universalization of Traditional Indian Knowledge System (UTIKS) portal" at Manipal Academy of Higher Education, on October 5.

The UTIKS portal was soft-launched by Dr Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, President, ICCR in the presence of Kumar Tuhin, Director General, ICCR, Dr Narayan Sabhahit, Pro-VC, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Dignitaries and Officials from the state Government of Karnataka and international students from Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, Karnataka.

During his address, President ICCR Vinay Sahasrabuddhe said, "India was always a knowledge society, a knowledge giver as well but the colonial masters suppressed facts, denigrated our culture and scholarship and created an inferiority complex. With this portal, we are generating curiosity and restoring the dignity of India's knowledge culture."

 

This online platform is for short courses on Traditional Indian Knowledge which provides an authentic single window source of introductory level knowledge on a range of subjects under the Traditional Indian Knowledge System and was developed in collaboration with Savitribai Phule Pune University.

The Portal is aimed at disseminating knowledge and authentic information about Indian culture to the uninitiated, as well as introducing Indian culture in a nuanced manner to those who may already have a basic understanding but would be looking for a deeper appreciation of diverse subjects.

"Savitribai Phule Pune University as the partner for creation of UTIKS, contributed by providing the academic framework for UTIKS capsules. Each UTIKS capsule consists of a 30-minute video segment, including organized video and audio content, images, interviews, and demonstrations," a press release statement said. Five of the UTIKS capsules-- 'Architecture of India', 'Cuisine of India', 'Attires of India', 'Introduction to Indian Cinema', and 'Ramayana and Mahabharata' were presented on October 5. "Seven more UTIKS capsules on diverse subjects are under different stages of preparation and will be available online shortly, the press release statement added.

During the soft launch of the portal, a presentation on UTIKS showcasing videos of the 5 capsules on Indian culture with a brief narration was presented by Abhay Kumar, Deputy Director General, ICCR.

UTIKS, an initiative of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), is an e-learning platform designed to take Indian culture to a global audience and present its rich civilization and culture in a learner-friendly manner.

UTIKS provides an integrated platform and portal for online courses in Distance Learning Mode, accessible on various devices, from PCs and laptops to smartphones and tablets. It is not just for foreigners; but for everyone including those residing in India, and may be unaware of the depth and richness of our culture.