Ancient Hindu Wisdom and Contemporary Technology: An Exploratory Journey

This course begins by examining the civilizational idea of India—its cultural continuity, 
philosophical depth, and longstanding traditions of knowledge-making. Students engage with 
foundational concepts from the Darshanas, the Upanishads, and the epics to understand how 
India historically conceived of ethics, governance, human flourishing, and social harmony. A 
central focus of the course is the Arthashastra, which provides one of the world’s earliest and 
most sophisticated frameworks for statecraft, diplomacy, economic management, and public 
administration. Students study Kautilya’s sophisticated models of statecraft, intelligence, 
economic planning, and innovation, and connect them with contemporary domains such as AI 
governance, cybersecurity, digital infrastructure, data sovereignty, and technological autonomy. 
By placing ancient strategic thinking in dialogue with modern technological challenges, the 
course equips students to envision India’s role in an increasingly competitive global tech 
landscape.
Drawing from both classical thought and contemporary policy frameworks, students engage 
with forward-looking questions around India’s technological future: How can India build human-centric AI grounded in its philosophical traditions? What might a dharma-based framework for 
data governance look like? How can ancient models of education and knowledge transmission 
inspire 21st-century digital learning ecosystems? What forms of strategic autonomy in 
technology are essential for India to emerge as a global leader?

Learning Objectives

  • Foster awareness and appreciation of India’s intellectual heritage and philosophical 
    schools.
  • Cultivate an Indian perspective on technology and its philosophical implications.
  • Discover intersections between engineering education and the application of Indian 
    thought.
  • Contribute to India’s vision of becoming a developed nation by 2047 by harmonizing its heritage with technological advancements.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, each student will have had the opportunity to:

  • Integrate Indic philosophical insights with contemporary technological paradigms.
  • Expand their understanding of technology through the lens of Indian philosophy.
  • Develop technological policies inspired by concepts from Hindu intellectual traditions

Indian Philosophy and Upanishads

  • Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan — Indian Philosophy and The Principal Upanishads
  • Sri Aurobindo — The Upanishads (Selected Essays)
  • Bhagavad Gita (any reputable translation)
  • Kautilya — Arthashastra (R.P. Kangle or R. Shamasastry translation
  • Upinder Singh — A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India
  • Bibek Debroy (ed.) — Making of New India
  • Nandan Nilekani, Tanuj Bhojwani — The Art of Bitfulness
  • Shashi Tharoor — The Elephant, The Tiger and the Cell Phone
  • Abhijit Banerjee & Esther Duflo — Good Economics for Hard Times
  • NITI Aayog — India@2047 Reports, Public Policy Toolkits
  • Swami Vivekananda — Lectures from Colombo to Almora
  • Pavan K. Varma — The Great Indian Genius: Vivekananda
  • Pavan K. Varma – Adi Shankaracharya: Hinduism's Greatest Thinker

Assessments and Grading

Note: Courses not having an exam will have an end semester jury for a maximum total 
of 40%.

  • Reflection Papers: 60% (multi-week assignments)
  • Class Participation: 30% (participating in class discussions and reflections of the reading 
    material)
  • Attendance: 10%
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