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This year, the Indian Institute of Heritage (IIH), Noida, and the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) have partnered together for the first time to offer a three-day summer school on the Brahmi Script in a major push toward the promotion of India's intellectual and culturally rich heritage. The first-of-its-kind program will happen from June 2-4, 2023. The purpose of the program is to introduce participants (students, researchers, and heritage lovers) to one of the ancient writing scripts from the Indian subcontinent.
The program was launched on June 2 at IGNCA in New Delhi and is a major step toward protecting India's ancient knowledge systems and practices. Brahmi is the first ancient Indian writing script to be deciphered and is the ancestor of many modern Indian scripts. The workshop will unveil the significance and structure of Brahmi inscriptions and help participants appreciate their evolution, which is essential for reconstructing India's diverse histories.
Experts Focus on the Need for Preserving Ancient Scripts
The first day of the conference saw a number of eminent scholars and academicians in attendance. These included Dr. Sachchidanand Joshi, Member Secretary of IGNCA and Vice Chancellor of the Indian Institute of Heritage, Prof. Sudhir Lall, Head of Kalakosa Division, IGNCA, and Prof. (Dr.) Anupa Pande, Emeritus Professor of Art History, and Head of the Department of Palaeography, Epigraphy and Numismatics, IIH, Noida.
The importance of preserving India's manuscript traditions, inscriptions, and ancient scripts was underscored by the speakers, as they constitute the memory of India's civilisation. The speakers also provided details on the need for trained scholars in epigraphy, archaeology, and heritage and cultural studies. This is a step toward national initiatives that aim to foster the study of Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) and raise awareness of India's intellectual heritage among youth.
Why is the Brahmi Script Important for Students and Researchers?
Brahmi holds importance in Indian heritage as many old inscriptions, including some of Ashoka the Great's edicts, are in this script. The reading and comprehension of Brahmi inscriptions allow historians and archaeologists, among many others, to access primary sources of history directly.
Highlights of the Summer School
- A joint initiative of the Indian Institute of Heritage and IGNCA.
- Scheduled for June 2–4, 2026.
- Centres on the study and comprehension of the Brahmi Script.
- Aims at the preservation of India's epigraphic and knowledge systems.
- Involves scholars of palaeography, epigraphy, art history, and heritage studies.
- Offers students guided engagement with ancient Indian inscriptions and manuscripts.
For students of history, archaeology, museum studies, heritage studies, Sanskrit, ancient Indian culture, and allied fields, this workshop offers an excellent opportunity to gain firsthand experience.
Advancing India's Knowledge Heritage Through Education
The Summer School encourages the appreciation of India's traditional knowledge systems. Its design integrates India's traditional knowledge discourse with mainstream knowledge. Academic and cultural organisations are lessening the distance between the ancient languages and scripts and the indigenous intellectual traditions. Due to the increase in research pertaining to archaeology, cultural preservation, and heritage studies in India, the Brahmi Script Summer School and others like it, will be vital as the first programs of their kind to prepare emerging scholars and researchers.
The workshop combines practical experience with academic knowledge of ancient scripts and inscriptions to provide students with opportunities to engage with India's civilizational heritage and to preserve it.
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