This seminar Niṣkāma sevā (selfless social service) in Different Schools of Indic Thought: Alternate Models for Mainstream Social Work will serve as a pivotal contribution to the forthcoming two projects titled -
A Yoga-Vedānta Theoretical Framework of Consciousness & Cognition ( and niṣkāma sevā): Phenomenological (first person) Accounts of sādhaks from Different Indic Schools of Thought | Supported by & Grants-in-aid: Indian Knowledge Systems Division of Ministry of Education (IKS Division of MoE)
Period: October 2023 - October 2025
PI: Dr. Richa Chopra, CoE-IKS, IIT Kharagpur
Co PI 1: Dr. Ravindra P N, Centre of Consciousness Studies, NIMHANS
Co PI 2: Pravrajika Divyanandaprana, Sri Ramakrishna Sarada Math
Co PI 3: Dr. Sima Dey, Dept. of Anthropology, University of Calcutta
In Bhārata, the accounts of ‘sanātana dharma’ extend from centuries. Within sanātana dharma’, there are many spiritual sub-traditions, generally called “sampraḍaya”. Seeking to emphasize their fidelity to vedas, darśana (as yoga-vedānta), upaniṣads, bhagavadgītā, these sub-traditions differ in ideology, sādhanā, rituals, forms of worship, yet with a commonality – the centrality of ‘individual self-making and ‘Self-actualization’ to acts of altruism. The underlying assumption being that the spiritual Self of the individual needs to be addressed, and all other aspects of existence (encompassing social) converge into, or diverge from, that spiritual Self. The current research aims to explore the psychic processes (mental, emotional & spiritual) in the evolution of an individual through micro-oriented spiritual enculturation (as meditation, mantrā chanting, kīrtans and other practices) and its macro-oriented altruistic demonstrations (niśkāma karma) – based on first person accounts (phenomenological) of renunciate sādhaks from the Ramakrishna order (advaitavedānta), Baul tradition (vaiṣṇava sahajiyā) and ISKCON (gaudīya vaiṣṇavism). Insights into Consciousness and Cognition along with its manifestation as niśkāma karma - critical to the field of positive psychology as well as spiritually inclined social work interventions, by virtue of a grounded theory is envisioned. Further, this groundwork is conscious of the call for future research on developing better understanding of the nature of subjective experiences’ and that ‘sophisticated measures are needed’. yogavedānta can contribute to authentic ‘First-Person Research Methodologies’ based on their logical superstructures. Outlining scientific research directions for a ‘ yoga-vedānta First Person Research Methodology framework’ will also be undertaken.
Emerging inter-disciplinary models based on the study of niṣkāma sevā in different Indic schools of thought | Supported by & Grants-in-aid: Faculty Start-up Research Grants, Sponsored Research and Industrial Consultancy (FSRG, SRIC, IIT Kharagpur)
Period: October 2023 - October 2026
PI: Dr. Richa Chopra, CoE-IKS, IIT Kharagpur
CoPI 1: Dr. Sima Dey, Sports Authority of India
CoPI 2: Pravrajika Divyanandaprana, Sri Sarada Math & Ramakrishna Sarada Mission
CoPI 3: Dr. Ravindra P N, Centre for Consciousness Studies, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences
In social work, spirituality is gradually visualized as a classical intervention (particularly in transpersonal domains) as well as in lending epistemic base to values and ethics of the profession. In bhārata, the accounts of ‘sanātana dharma’ extend from centuries. Within sanātana dharma, there are many spiritual sub-traditions, generally called “sampraḍaya”. Seeking to emphasize their fidelity to vedas, darśana (as yoga-vedānta, āyurveda), upaniṣads, bhagavadgītā, these sub-traditions differ in ideology, sādhanā, rituals, forms of worship, yet with a commonality – the centrality of ‘individual self-making and ‘Self-actualization’’ to acts of altruism. This plays a critical role in configuring the nature of the public sphere. The underlying assumption being that spiritual Self of the individual needs to be addressed and all other aspects of existence converge into, or diverge from, that spiritual Self.
