Spirituality is not religious study. It is education for life. It is training that helps us understand ourselves truly. It gives us strength, and helps us comprehend the deeper realms of knowledge and gain a deeper understanding of the world, our mind and emotions, as well as those of others. It helps us face life’s challenges with courage and equanimity of mind. This is why spirituality is known as manasa vidya—the science of the mind.
We are standing on the threshold of a new era, wherein material science and spirituality will move forward, hand in hand. One of the main reasons for conflicts in today’s world is the separation between science and spirituality. Both science without spirituality and spirituality without science are incomplete.
It is Amma’s prayer that we develop the expansiveness of mind to embrace both scientific knowledge and spiritual wisdom. We can no longer afford to see these two streams of knowledge flowing in opposite directions. In truth, they complement one another. If we merge these streams, we will find that we are able to create a mighty river—a river whose waters can remove suffering and revitalize all of humanity. Our Mission To provide value-based education and mould the character of the younger generation through a system of wholesome learning, so that their earnest endeavour to achieve progress and prosperity in life is matched by an ardent desire to extend selfless service to the society, one complementing the other.
Our Vision We envision a world endowed with the wealth of knowledge and the strength of discrimination. We envision a system, which is a healthy breeding ground for the sprouting, culturing and dissemination of the whole gamut of knowledge in a righteous and holistic manner for the well being of humankind.
We envision a human being empowered with wholesome knowledge that makes one an enabler and an icon in the deep search for the ultimatewisdom. We envision a system that guarantees interplay and exchange of thoughts, feelings and ideas and imbibe noble character and human values in the younger generation. We envision an environment that prepares individuals to build a world of love, harmony and peace, following the path of Dharma and having a clear direction in every thought and endeavour. About AMRITA : 4
About the Centre : 6
Programmes Offered : 7
Curricula : 8
Faculty : 12
University Administration : 20
About Mata Amritanandamayi Math : 22
International Collaborations : 26 4 Drawing its inspiration, guidance, nourishment, energy, and resource directly from our Chancellor and world renowned humanitarian leader, Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (AMMA), Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham (University) has grown into a dynamic, multi-disciplinary University (www.amrita.edu), with a mission towards solving the monumental scientific and societal challenges being faced by the world today. AMRITA offers wide ranging disciplines: Engineering, Medicine and Healthcare, Biotechnology, Nanotechnology, Business and Management, Arts and Science, Communication, Education, etc. We also have postgraduate, doctoral, and advanced research programmes, many of which are being offered in close collaboration and inter‐ disciplinary partnerships with some of the foremost universities of international repute from United States of America, Europe, Japan, and Australia, and through our national centres of excellence in areas of importance such as, Biotechnology, Nanotechnology, E‐Learning, Cybersecurity, etc. AMRITA has been ranked in the top category, along with Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore; Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai; and other leading Universities by the Govt. of India, in a recent review.
AMRITA has been on a steep trajectory to quickly achieve a world-class status. In 2005, during Prime Minister’s visit to United States, AMRITA architected and lead a consortium of Indian organizations including the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) to sign in a landmark Indo‐US Inter‐University Collaborative Initiative in Higher Education & Research, with 20 eminent US universities. With strong partnership with highly ranked universities, AMRITA has been catapulted into global research initiatives.
AMRITA is both young and immensely dynamic, with its fertile environment and ambience for inter-disciplinary research, and has a unique holistic approach to produce the best scientists, philosophers, engineers, doctors, managers, entrepreneurs, and societal contributors in a wide spectrum of fields, all under the superb guidance and chancellorship of one of the most inspiring leaders of the world today, Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (AMMA).
5 About the Centre
One of the most important dimensions of all round human and societal development is spirituality. AMMA, by her all-embracing love, compassion, service and universal motherhood, has given a whole new life, vibrancy, and practical meaning to Indian spirituality. In order to give the younger generation an opportunity to study, learn, imbibe, practice, and spread the essence of the wisdom of our scriptures, rishis and God realized masters, AMRITA has launched a new International Centre for Spiritual Studies called Amrita Darshanam. DARSHAN: DEVELOPMENT OF ALL ROUND SPIRITUAL & SOCIAL HARMONY ACROSS NATIONS
Amrita Darshanam, offers various courses to fill up this lacuna of the lopsided development of our modern educated youth. It aims at providing a complementary course of education for students to develop better personality as well-developed human beings with better social sensitivity and community awareness, by providing the younger generation an opportunity to study, learn, imbibe, practice, and spread the essence of the wisdom of our scriptures, rishis and God realized masters, through the medium of Philosophy, Arts, and Culture.
6 Programmes Offered
7 Curriculum for MA in Philosophy, Arts, & Culture
I Semester Credits 1. Philosophy in Life: Contribution of Amma 4 2. Indian Philosophy I - An Outline 4 3. Humanities 3 4. Origin and Development of Sanskrit Literature 4 5. Indian Art & Culture I 4
II Semester 1. Contemporary Indian Spiritual Movements 3 2. Indian Philosophy II – Introduction to Sankhya, Nyaya, Mimamsa (Shad Darsanas) 4 3. Western Philosophy I 3 4. Techniques of Self-Unfoldment I 4 5. Indian Art & Culture II 4
III Semester 1. Harmony in Spiritual Approaches: Integration & Unification 3 2. Scriptures as Manuals of Right Living 3 3. Bhakthi Yoga: Blossoming of Personality 3 4. Techniques of Self-Unfoldment II 4 5. Research Methodology 3
IV Semester 1. Modern Problems and Ancient Solutions 3 2. Indian Art & Culture III 4 3. Major Project/Thesis 9
Total Credits 69
8 Curriculum for M.A. in Philosophy and Applied Psychology
I Semester Credits 1. Philosophy in Life: Contribution of Amma 4 2. An Introduction ot Indian Philosophy 4 3. Indian Art & Culture 4 4. Origin and Development of Sanskrit Literature 4 5. Studies in Mind and Matter: aradigmsP of Psychology 4
II Semester 1. Contemporary Indian Spiritual Movements 3 2. Indian Philosophy II – Introduction to Sankhya, Nyaya, Mimamsa (Shad Darsanas) 4 3. Western Philosophy - I 4 4. Studies in Indian Psychology 4 5. Techniques of Self-Unfoldment 4
III Semester 1. Behavioral and Social Psychology 4 2. Logic and Epistemology 4 3. Western Philosophy - II 4 4. Research Methodology 3 5. Bhakthi Yoga: Blossoming of Personality 4
IV Semester 1. Elective -I 3 2. Elective - II 3 3. Elective- III 3 5. Project/Thesis Combined with A-Serve Village Visit 10
Total Credits 77
9 Students are required to select three electives. One elective from each topic is compulsory and the third one can be from either of the topics.
Philosophy Electives Credits 1. Studies in Aesthetic Theories 3 2. Socio Political ystemsS 3 3. Indian Logic 3 4. Philosophy of Religion 3 5. Philosophy of Upanishads (Textual Study) 3 6. Fundamentals of Ethics 3 7. Environmental Ethics 3 8. Business Ethics 3 9. Bio-Medical Ethics 3 10 Computational Aspects in Sanskrit nowledgeK 3
Applied Psychology Electives
1. Behavior Modification 3 2. Counseling Psychology 3
10 Curriculum for Ph.D.
11 Faculty
Dr. A. Ramaswamy Iyengar Head of the Department
Dr. A. Ramaswamy Iyengar has worked as lecturer in Sanskrit since 1971, Served as Teacher Fellow Centre of Advanced Study in Sanskrit, University of Poona, 1977-80. He has served as Reader and HOD of Sanskrit, NMKRV College, Bangalore, 1980-89 and as Associate Editor, Encyclopedic Sanskrit Dictionary Project, Deccan College Post Graduate Research Institute, Pune, 1989-91. He worked as Principal and Professor of Sanskrit, SSMRV College, 1992-97. He was also the Director of Chinmaya International Foundation, M.G.University, Kottayam, Kerala, 1997-2003; he is also Director of Vidyasagara Prof. M. P. L. Sastri, Indological Library and Research Centre, MES College, Bangalore, since 2004. Email: [email protected]
Dr. Premeela Gurumurthy HoD - Art & Culture
Dr. Premeela was the President and the Chairperson of the School of Fine and Performing Arts, Professor and Head, Dept of Indian Music, Member Syndicate (2007- 2010), University of Madras. She started to perform Karnatic music concerts from the age of 12 and learned various genres of music. She has also specialized in multi lingual devotional music in languages such as Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marthi, Hindi and Gujarathi. She completed her Ph.D in Kathakalakshepa, a study in which she not only researched the art of storytelling in the States of Maharashtra, Tamilnadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka but also learned the art to perform musical discourses from veterans of the art such as Embar Vijayaraghavacharya and Smt.C.Banni Bai. As a musicologist her specialization is in the areas of ancient Tamil Music, composers and the History of Music. 12 Prof. Sriram Ananthanarayanan HoD - Humanities
Prof. Sriram Ananthanarayanan received his B.Tech in Electrical Engineering from IIT Bombay in 1991 and M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from University of California, Irvine in 1995. After more than a decade of R&D in world-class technology companies, he joined Amrita University in 2005 as a faculty member. Pursuing his passion for philosophy, he wrote his doctoral thesis on the poetic works of Sri Ramana Maharshi. His current research and teaching is focused on the application of India’s ancient spiritual wisdom in the modern era, as exemplified by Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi.
Dr. Amitabhan K. Associate Professor
Dr. K. Amitabhan came to Amrita in the year 2011 with more than 20 years of teaching experience at M.A. College Kotamangalam affiliated to Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala. He obtained his M.A. in Hindi Language and Literature in 1987, M.Phil. in 1989 and Ph.D. in 1997 from Cochin University for Analysis of Ramacharitamanas on the basis of Bhakti Sastra. He has given spiritual talks in many temples in Kerala and in many centres of M.A. Math. He has been an Associate Professor in the Department of Cultural Education of Amrita University in the Amritapuri Campus. Email: [email protected]
Dr. Anand S. Assistant Professor
He completed his Post Graduation in Adwaita Vedanta from the University of Kerala and has currently submitted his Ph.D. thesis titled ‘Upakhyanas in the Upanishads- A study’, in the University of Kerala. He is currently serving as Assistant professor in the Department of Humanities. His research areas include Studies based on the Philospohy of Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi and her practical approach on Vedanta Philosophy, Comparative Philosophy, Indian Philosophy and Modern science. Email: [email protected] 13 Dr. Sripad H. Ghaligi Assistant Professor
Dr. Sripad H Ghaligi, has a PhD in Yoga Psychology, (Bhagavdgita and Yoga sutra) from Mysore University. He has done M.Sc in Yoga at SVYASA University and M.A in Samskritam. He also studied Veda, Vedanta and Yoga in traditional Gurukula System from Veda Vijnana Gurukulam, Bangalore. He is the Member of Board of studies in Division of Yoga- Spirituality, SVYASA University, Bangalore. Referee/Reviewer of International Journal of Yoga- Philosophy, Psychology and Parapsychology, teacher’s resource book preparation committee (Yoga) Dept. of State Education Research and Training (DSERT), Bangalore, & Honorary Acharya in Veda Vijnana Gurukulam. He has also been a resource person to a number of spiritual and cultural organizations. Email: [email protected]
Dr. Upadyayula K. V. Sarma Assistant Professor
Dr. U. K. V. Sarma joined Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham Ettimadai, as a faculty in the Department of Cultural Education in July 2013. He obtained Ph.D in 2012 for his dissertation entitled “Planetary Models Expounded by Bhāskara, Mādhava and Nīlakantha”. After getting Ph.D he got an opportunity to explore and work in the area of Natural Language Processing in the department of Computer Science and engineering, IIT Bombay. Hailing from a lineage of Vedic scholars, he also learnt Karma-Yajurveda under the tutelage of his own father. Email: [email protected]
Dr. P.R. Padmakumar Assistant Professor
Dr. P.R. Padmakumar has completed his postgraduate degree in philosophy from Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam. He has done doctoral degree in ‘Philosophy of Mind’ from University of Madras, Chennai. Out of keen interest he has done a two year Postgraduate diploma in Yoga Therapy from University of Madras .He is passionate to teach Indian Ethics.
14 Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam Member - Board of Studies
Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam is an Indian classical Bharata Natyam dancer. She is also a research scholar, choreographer, music composer, musician, teacher and author. She is well known as the developer and founder of the dance form ‘Bharata Nrithyam’. She has a bachelor’s degree in Music, a Master’s degree in Ethnomusicology, as well as a Ph.D. in Dance. Dr. Padma has received many awards including ‘Padmashri’ in 1981, ‘Padma Bhushan’ in 2003, ‘Sangeet Natak Akademi Award’ (1983), Kalaimamani Award, Kalidas Samman from the federal government of Madhya Pradesh, Nada Brahmam, Bharata Sastra Rakshamani, Nehru Award from the Soviet Union, Fukuoka Asian Culture Prize from Japan.
Swami Sharadananda Visiting Faculty
Swami Sharadananda is an Acharya in Chinmaya International Foundation. Prior to joining the Chinmaya Mission, Swamiji studied various Indian spiritual disciplines including Vedanta & Yoga from different ashrams and institutions like Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh; Bihar School of Yoga, Munger, etc. A post graduate in Advaita Vedanta, he ranked first at an All India level and was awarded a gold medal from the prestigious Sanskrit University, Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, New Delhi. Formerly known as Br. Samvid Chaitanya, Swamiji received Sannyasa-diksha from Pujya Guruji on Sivaratri, 2014. Swami Sharadananda joined Chinmaya International Foundation in March 2014.
15 Dr. P. Ramanujan Visiting Faculty
Dr. Ramanujan is the Associate Director (IHLC), at Centre for Development of Advanced Computing. He is also the Group Coordinator of Indian Heritage Group (IHG) at the Centre which is engaged in activities related to Sanskrit and Vedic Processing in Computers. He has proficiency in Gurukula system, Taittireeya KrishnaYajurVeda, Vyakarana, Vishishtadvaita Vedanta & Nalayira Divya Prabandhams (4000 devotional songs) of Alwars in Tamil. He has been awarded various titles, including “VEDA VARIDHI, “VEDA VIJNANA SIROMANI”, “VAIDIKA BHUSHANAM”. He has also been appointed as “ASTHANA VIDVAN”, by Sri Ahobila Mutt in 1999. He was awarded “SAMSKRITA MITRA” Puraskar by MHRD in Aug. 2003 in recognition of remarkable services rendered for the cause of Sanskrit through IT.
Nandu Menon Adjunct Faculty
Mr. Nandakumar Menon is currently as senior Physical Therapist specialized in rehabilitation of patient’s with orthopedic diagnosis and surgeries. He is also a wound care specialist charged with the evaluation and treatment of diabetic and vascular wounds. He has done his Graduate Studies in Religious Ethics, from Harvard University; Masters in Physical Therapy, from Loma Linda University, California; Bachelors in Sciences and Sanskrit. He has also studied Veda and Vedanta, Vedic Sanskrit, Classical Sanskrit. He is also received the title of Yoga Shiromani.
16 17 Centre Co-ordinators Brni. Meera S.R. She completed her Post Graduation in Adwaita Vedanta from the University of Kerala and did her M.Phil. from the University of Madras. She is currently serving as Assistant Professor in the Department of Humanities. Her research areas include Studying Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi’s philosophy and its practical implementation; Women’s studies, Indian culture and Epics in Sanskrit. Email: [email protected] | Ph: +91 94960 12703 Dr. Anand S. Assistant Professor Email: [email protected] Ph: +91 85890 04288
18 19 University Administration
Swami Amritaswarupananda Puri President Swami Amritaswarupananda, the Vice Chairman of the Mata Amritanandamayi Math, is the senior-most disciple of Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi. He holds a post-graduate degree in western and Indian Philosophies. He is the author and compiler of many books about Amma and her teachings, including a biography and a series called Awaken, Children! His latest book, The Color of the Rainbow, is about how to bring compassion into leadership positions.
Brahmachari Abhayamrita Chaitanya Pro-Chancellor
He has an engineering degree from REC Kurukshetra University. He played the lead role in the establishment of Amrita University and looks after large scale humanitarian projects of the Mata Amritanandamayi Math.
Dr. P. Venkat Rangan Vice Chancellor In 2003, Amma, the chancellor appointed Dr. P. Venkat Rangan as the Vice Chancellor of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham. Previously, Dr. Rangan founded and directed the Multimedia Laboratory and Internet & Wireless Networks (WiFi) Research at the University of California, San Diego, (UCSD) where he served as a Professor of Computer Science and Engineering for 16 years. He is an internationally recognized pioneer of research in Multimedia Systems and Internet E- Commerce. In 1996, Dr. Rangan became one of the youngest faculty members to be awarded the Full Professor position at the University of California - just 7 years after his Ph.D. from U.C. Berkeley in 1989. Dr. Rangan has over 75 publications in International (mainly IEEE and ACM) Journals and Conferences, and also holds over 20 US Patents. 20 Br. Sudeep Director, Amritapuri campus
Br. Sudeep joined the Mata Amritanandamayi Math in the early 1990s. As the Director of the Amritapuri Campus of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, he has been functioning as the Chief Mentor of the Campus since its inception and has been instrumental in its fast development as an institution of higher education and research.
Dr. Krishnashree Achuthan Dean, Post-graduate Programmes She also heads the Centre for Cyber security Systems and Networks and Amrita Technology Business Incubator (Amrita TBI) at Amrita University. She is also the Co- Director of Indo - U. S. and International Initiatives at Amrita University. She is an ardent researcher actively involved in research projects that have stemmed from research centres at Amrita like Amrita Centre for Cyber security Systems and Networks, Amrita TBI and so on.
Dr. Maneesha V. Ramesh Director, Amrita Centre for International Programmes
She pursued her Ph. D. in Computer Science from Amrita University and authored a research thesis titled Wireless Sensor Network to Detect Rainfall Induced Landslides. Her research work was instrumental in deploying the first ever Wireless Sensor Network system capable of issuing landslide warning. She has an M. B. A. in Systems Management and Financial Management from Amrita University. She completed her B. Tech. in Production Engineering from Kerala University. She also serves as the Director and Associate Professor of the Amrita Centre for Wireless Networks & Applications. 21 22 Mata Amritanandamayi Math, is an international charitable organization aimed at the spiritual and material upliftment of humankind, headquartered at Amritapuri, which is the spiritual home for Amma’s monastic disciples and hundreds of householder devotees. All the residents have dedicated their lives for realising God and serving the world. Everyday, Amma’s children from across India and abroad flock here to have Amma’s darshan. She sees each and every one, listens to their worries, consoles, encourages, provides new direction to their lives.
Built up on the very property where Amma was born, Amritapuri is the living example of the ancient Indian ideal “the whole world is one family” (vasudhaiva kutumbakam). Here you will find people from all parts of the world — speaking different languages and having different customs and religions — all living under one roof.
23 The Ashram: a Place for Spiritual Unfoldment In the beginning the ashram was simply Amma’s family’s house. The handful of brahmacharis slept on the sand under the stars. Amma had a small hut built next to the parents’ house, which doubled as a kitchen, in which she slept with the earliest female disciples. Darshan took place in the family cowshed that Amma’s father had allowed to be converted into a small temple. This first temple still exists today; it is known as the Kalari or the Krishna temple and is now used for conducting pujas. Gradually, huts were added near the parent’s house for the brahmacharis. A proper, yet humble, room was constructed for Amma. This simple room is still where Amma stays today.
As the number of devotees coming for Amma’s darshan grew bigger and bigger, it became necessary to construct a large darshan hall. It was then that the beautiful Kali Temple was erected. It was the first big cement structure to be built and took five years to finish – from 1988 to 1992 – as the financial means of the ashram were still very modest at the time. The Kali idol in the temple was crafted in Calcutta as per Amma’s instructions.
From 2000 onwards, even that temple became too small for the nights with large crowds, and an enormous hall was erected behind the temple. It is today the largest such hall in Southern India, with 30,000 sq. feet and no pillars to block the view. This is where Amma sings bhajans every night and holds darshan regularly now. Indeed, except for the early Kalari which remains intact, the Amritapuri of today bears little physical resemblance to the one of the early day.
Today, Amritapuri is a home to more than 3,000 permanent residents, including monastic disciples and families from all over India and abroad. Inspired by Amma, they have dedicated their lives to attaining the goal of Self-realization and serving the world. It is here that they live with Amma, imbibing her teachings, practicing meditation and participating in selfless service. It is also Amritapuri is also a pilgrimage centre for people searching for solace, inspiration and inner peace. Thousands of people come to the ashram every day to experience Amma’s boundless love. Amma makes herself available day and night to meet everyone who comes, and to advise the disciples and volunteers managing the many humanitarian projects of Math. Amma leads the evening prayers and devotional singing. Several times a week, she sits with all the residents in meditation and holds open question-and-answer sessions on spiritual topics. The ancient traditions of the Sanatana Dharma is followed at Amritapuri; all the ashram work is attended to by the residents and visitors themselves. Amritapuri is looked upon by Amma’s many devotees as their spiritual home and as a fertile field where noble spiritual qualities can be abundantly cultivated, and the fruit of God-realization reaped. 25 26 27 28