Bhubaneswar, Dec 05: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar today inaugurated the three-day-long first annual Dharma Studies Conference (DSC 2025), marking a significant step toward institutionalising Dharma Studies as a research-driven, interdisciplinary field.
The conference is being held in collaboration with leading academic and research institutions including the Department of English, Banaras Hindu University (BHU); Bhaktivedanta Institute, Bhubaneswar; Humanities and Social Sciences Department of IIT Roorkee; Bhaktivedanta Research Centre, Kolkata; SammakkaSarakka Central Tribal University; The India Centre at FLAME University; and The English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU), Hyderabad.
The three-day event has brought together scholars, researchers and practitioners from across India and abroad to explore the evolving interpretations, applications, and societal relevance of Dharma in the modern world.
The inaugural ceremony was attended by distinguished guests, including Gauranga Das, Director of Govardhan Ecovillage and Member of the ISKCON Governing Body Commission, as the Chief Guest, and Prof. Shreepad Karmalkar, Director, IIT Bhubaneswar, who presided over the event. Convener Dr. Akshaya K. Rath highlighted the relevance of establishing a dedicated academic platform to study Dharma as a multidisciplinary and intercultural field.
In his insightful address, Gauranga Das said, “The world today is confronting psychological stress, environmental imbalance, and social fragmentation at an unprecedented scale, and Dharma offers a framework to restore harmony. The Bhagavad Gita reminds us of three timeless principles—stability in identity, purity in intention, and intensity in action. If we apply these consciously, they can guide individuals and institutions toward responsible, sustainable, and value-based progress. This conference is not just timely—it can influence how the world reimagines ethics, leadership, and wellbeing.”
Prof. Karmalkar said, “Dharma is one of India’s most profound and non-translatable ideas. The term "dharma" is not accurately conveyed by the English word "religion," a distinction evident in the numerous compound expressions found within Indian languages. Phrases like sanatana dharma, varnashrama dharma, swa-dharma, apaddharma, yuga dharma and others lose all coherent meaning if "dharma" is rigidly translated as "religion" in a two-word English equivalent. The concept is far broader and context-dependent than "religion" can accommodate. Hence, Dharma deserves rigorous academic attention beyond a simplified interpretation as religion. By hosting this conference, IIT Bhubaneswar hopes to strengthen scholarly engagement with Dharma as a civilizational framework and inspire future research that connects language, culture, and knowledge systems with contemporary inquiry.”
As a leading technology institution, IIT Bhubaneswar sees this dialogue as a crucial bridge between ethics and innovation, especially as emerging technologies reshape human identity, intentions, and societal values.
Convenor Dr. Naresh Chandra Sahu proposed a vote of thanks at the conclusion of the inaugural session. He also announced the institution of two jury awards this year: the AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad Award, instituted by the Bhaktivedanta Research Centre, and the Whabiz Merchant Best Essay Prize, instituted by Prof. Hoshang Merchant.
Following the inauguration, the academic proceedings began with a keynote address by Prof. Pankaj Jain, FLAME University, titled “Revisiting Dharma in the 21st Century: Ecology, Ethics, and the Case for Dharma Studies in India.”
The first day features multiple plenary sessions and panel discussions examining Dharma through lenses such as sustainability, literature, social justice, identity, artificial intelligence, and indigenous knowledge systems. Presenters include Hoshang Merchant, Rita D. Sherma, Ashok Mohapatra, and scholars from IITs, Central Universities, and global research institutions.
The three-day conference programme spans over 100 scholarly presentations, keynote addresses, thematic plenaries, hybrid research panels, and cultural reflections, making it one of the most extensive academic gatherings focused on Dharma Studies in recent years. Day 2 highlights include keynote addresses by Prof. Ferdinando Sardella (Stockholm University) and Prof. Graham M. Schweig (Christopher Newport University), followed by a conference dinner to facilitate academic networking. The final day will feature a keynote lecture by Shrivatsa Goswami, a special workshop session, and the valedictory ceremony with Prof. N. Nagaraju, Vice Chancellor, EFL University Hyderabad, as chief guest.
With participation from humanities, law, science, literature, philosophy, cultural studies, education, and technology domains, DSC 2025 signals a renewed academic momentum in exploring Dharma as an intellectual tradition and contemporary framework for ethical, ecological, and socio-philosophical reasoning.
