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NEWS & EVENTS
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan celebrated Gita Jayanti on December 1, 2025. On this occasion, Bhagavad Gita verses were recited by Bhavan’s staff-members of various Sanskrit Departments, at the Central Bhavan. A lecture (in English) on ‘Relevance of Karma, Bhakti and Jnanamarga for an Integrated Personality’ was delivered online by Dr. Kala Acharya, Prof. Emeritus, K.J. Somaiya Institute of Dharma Studies, Mumbai.
In her enlightening lecture, Dr. Kala Acharya explored the unique idea of harnessing the triune paths enjoined in the Gita for an integrated personality.
Felicitation of Jagadguru Sri Sankaracharya of Kanchi
Guruvandana Samaroha was organised on November 29, 2025 at Sri Shanmukhananda Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Auditorium, Sion, Mumbai, wherein hosts of cultural, educational and socio-religious institutions based in and around Mumbai felicitated HH Sri Sankara Vijayendra Saraswati Swamigal, the 70th Jagadguru Sankaracharya of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Pitham on his visit to Mumbai after more than two decades. Over sixty institutions participated in the grand event.
In his Anugraha-bhashanam, HH Swamiji spoke about the egalitarian and altruistic ideals of the Vedas and the need to re-create a society based on the Vedic ethos. Referring to the ties of the Kanchi Mutt with the city of Mumbai, Swamiji also mentioned the names of Kulapati Munshiji, the founder of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and Sri Ramakrishnanji, its former executive secretary as devotees of the mutt, who, along with many others had kept the contact between the Kanchipuram and Mumbai intact.
Dr. Sriram Narainswamy Iyer, Dy. Director, Sanskrit Studies and Research, represented the Bhavan at the event. He along with his wife Smt. Shilpa Iyer, honoured the Jagadguru in the customary manner.
55th Punya-tithi of Dr. K. M. Munshi and an online lecture on ‘Practical Applications of Vedanta’ by Dr. Uma Shankar, on Sunday, 8-2-2026
The 55th Punya-tithi of Dr. K. M. Munshi, the Founder-President of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, was solemnly observed at the Central Bhavan, Mumbai, on Sunday, February 8, 2026. As part of the observance, members of the Bhavan’s P.G. & Research Department recited Chapter XII of the Bhagavadgita at the Gita Mandir Hall. This was followed by an online lecture titled “Practical Applications of Vedanta” delivered by Dr. Uma Shankar, Director (Academics), South Indian Education Society (SIES), Mumbai.
The online lecture commenced with the recitation of Vedic prayers and a brief introduction highlighting Munshiji’s contributions to art, culture, and education by Dr. Hitesh Trivedi, Assistant Director, Bhavan’s P.G. & Research Department. Dr. Sriram N. Iyer, Deputy Director of the Department, delivered the welcome address and formally introduced the speaker.
In her erudite and engaging lecture, Dr. Uma Shankar presented a distinctive perspective on the application of Vedantic principles in everyday life. Quoting extensively from Vedantic scriptures such as the Upanishads, the Bhagavadgita, and the Prakarana-granthas of Adi Shankaracharya, she emphasised the importance of spiritual disciplines—Viveka (discrimination), Vairagya (detachment), Shama (control of the mind), Dama (control of the senses), Uparati (temperance), Titiksha (endurance), Shraddha (faith), Samadhana (contentment), and Mumukshutva (the desire for liberation)—in various walks of life, illustrating them with relevant examples. Her reflections on adopting a sakshi-bhava in the performance of one’s duties as “monks in uniform” and the ideal of “work as worship” were particularly noteworthy.
Dr. G. B. Jani, Director, P.G. & Research Department, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, lauded the speaker and recalled the noble vision of the Founder. The programme concluded with a formal vote of thanks proposed by Dr. Jani. Dr. Hitesh Trivedi compered the event.
Research Paper presentation and a special talk by Dr. Sriram N. Iyer at the Second Workshop on the Historiography of Adi Shankara
The Second Workshop on the Historiography of Adi Shankara jointly organized by Kalavai Sri Mahadevendra Saraswati Sankaracharya Trust, Mumbai, National Adi Sankara Mission (NASM), Pune and Sri Ramakrishna Advaita Ashram, Kalady, was held on January 17, 2026 at Kalady, the native village of Adi Sankaracharya. The theme of the workshop being the tradition of Adi Sankara in Kerala & Tamil Nadu, several eminent scholars from across India as well as the members of the paternal and maternal families of Adi Sankaracharya were speakers at the workshop. The event was graced by the presence of Swami Srividyananda Maharaj of the Ramakrishna Math, Kalady and Swami Shrihariprasad of Vishnumohan Foundation, Chennai.
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan was represented by Dr. Sriram Narainswamy Iyer, Deputy Director, P.G. & Research Department, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai who presented a paper on the ‘Sankaracharya-charitam of Govindanatha’ and delivered a special talk on the corpus of biographical literature on Adi Sankaracharya. He was also a resource person for the workshop.
Dr. Murali Kathiramangalam, Director- NASM; Prof. P.C. Muraleemadhavan, Director-in-chief - Kantaloor Sala Institute for higher learning in ancient Indian Wisdom and Prof. C. M. Neelakandan Namboothiri, Retired Professor, Sree Sankara University of Sanskrit, Kalady, were some of the renowned scholars who had participated in the workshop.
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Dr. Hitesh Trivedi, Asst. Director, P.G. & Research Dept., Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, delivered a lecture (in Hindi) on 'Psychology in Indian Knowledge System', on 31-1-2026, at the month-along Jnana-yagna (January, 2026) organized by Somaiya Trust, at Somaiya University, Vidyavihar, Mumbai.
Mrs. Pallavi Pednekar, Sanskrit Teacher, S.K. Somaiya Vinay Mandir, Junior College, delivered the welcome address and introduced the speaker - Dr. Hitesh Trivedi. Dr. Hitesh Trivedi was felicitated with shawl by Dr. Mrs. Mrunal Bhatt, Head, Dept. of Sanskrit, K.J. Somaiya College of Arts & Commerce, Vidyavihar (East).
In his lecture, Dr. Trivedi explained the etymology and significance of the terms Paramparā (tradition), Manas (mind), Anna (food/matter), Prāṇa (life force), and Vāk (speech), illustrating the psychological perspective within the Indian knowledge tradition. He mentioned along with the interpretation of Śivasaṅkalpasūkta in the Vedas by commentators Uvvaṭa and Mahīdhara, he portrayed the characteristics of the inner instrument (Antaḥkaraṇa), the nature of speech, mind, and life force in the Chāndogya Upaniṣad, the five sheaths (Pañcakośa) and their utility in the Taittirīya Upaniṣad, the obstacles of the inner instrument with sense objects in Sāṅkhya philosophy, the role and types of mind-stuff (Citta) in the Yoga Sūtras, the relationship between mind-stuff and life force in Haṭha Yoga, the four-fold inner instrument according to Vedānta, the importance of the story-telling style in narrative literature, the diet, behavior, and mutual relationship of the senses mentioned in the Caraka Saṃhitā, and depicted the utility of the psychological analysis.
Mrs. Pallavi Pednekar, compered the programme of the function. Dr. Mrunal Bhatt, proposed the vote of thanks.
Bhavan’s latest Sanskrit publication, Shrigurucharitamrutam, was formally released by Prof. Gauri Mahulikar, Academic Director - Chinmaya International Foundation (Veliyanad, Kerala) on January 31, 2026 at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai. Shrigurucharitamrutam, composed by Late Shri A. G. Deshpande is an adaptation of the Shrigurucharitra in the form of a Sanskrit mahakavya.
The programme commenced with the recitation of Vedic prayers, followed by the reading of a message from Shri Jagdish Lakhani, Executive Secretary of the Bhavan, by Dr. Hitesh Trivedi, Assistant Director of Bhavan’s P. G. and Research Department.
Dr. Sriram N. Iyer, Deputy Director of Bhavan’s P. G. and Research Department, delivered a brief introduction to Prof. Mahulikar, the guest speaker; Shri Paresh Deshpande, the author’s son and sponsor of the publication; Dr. G. B. Jani, editor of the text and Director of Bhavan’s P. G. and Research Department; and Shri Vimal Kumar, Joint Director of Bhavan Publications. He also spoke briefly on the literary features of the work and the author’s contribution to Sanskrit literature.
Ms. Jayna Shah, Joint Director, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, felicitated the guest, while Dr. Hitesh Trivedi felicitated the sponsor. The unveiling of the book was followed by an erudite and engaging oration on the ‘Role of Guru in the acquisition of Para & Apara Vidyas’ by Dr. Mahulikar. Shri Paresh Deshpande briefly spoke about the works of his late father. He was followed by Dr. Jani, who shared his experience of working on the erudite mahakavya composed by the gifted poet. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Dr. Hitesh Trivedi.