Symposium On Hindu-Buddhist Philosophical Dialogues

Nithin Sridhar is a Practising Hindu, Author, and Speaker He is the Director & Chief Curator of INDICA Center for Moksha Studies (Advaita Academy) dedicated to the dissemination of Advaita Vedanta. He has authored six books on various aspects of Hindu culture and practice. His first book “Musings On Hinduism '' provided an overview of various aspects of Hindu philosophy and society. His book ‘Samanya Dharma’ enunciates upon general tenets of ethics as available in Hindu texts. His latest book ‘Isopanishad: An English Commentary’ is an English translation and commentary on one of the prominent Hindu texts. However, his most widely read book is “Menstruation Across Cultures: A Historical Perspective'' which examines menstruation notions and practices prevalent in different cultures & religions from across the world. His upcoming book is a commentary on the opening verses of Manusmriti. He teaches courses on Hinduism for Indica Courses and regularly contributes articles and delivers lectures on religion, spirituality, and culture at various platforms. Earlier, he had also served as the Editor of IndiaFacts- a portal on Indian history and culture. He tweets at @nkgrock.

Trained in Sanskrit and Advaita Vedanta by his hyper-polyglot, polymath and spiritually accomplished sakala-shaastra-paarangata father, late Sri Paturi Sitaramanjaneyulu garu, Dr Nagaraj Paturi is seriously committed to the transmission of Vedic sciences to the present generation. In his PhD thesis (1998, University of Hyderabad), he developed an Indic Model of Myth Criticism of Literature and in his MPhil (1987, University of Hyderabad), he foregrounded Vakyapadiya as the theoretical foundation of the Ashtadhyayi. In addition to over 50 publications and about 60 conference/seminar/workshop papers, Dr Paturi has designed several courses pertaining to the contemporary applications of Vedic Sciences and has been successfully teaching them and getting them taught. Formerly Senior Professor of Cultural Studies FLAME School of Communication (& FLAME School of Liberal Education) and a Visiting Professor, University of Chicago (USA), Dr Paturi is currently Senior Director and Chief Curator at INDICA, a Distinguished Professor, Curriculum Designer, Executive Committee Member, Board of Studies, MIT School of Vedic Sciences (Pune, Maharashtra), Member, Board of Studies at Kavikulaguru Kalidasa Sanskrit University (Ramtek, Maharashtra) and Rashtram School of Public Leadership (Sonipat, Haryana). He is also the Editor-in-Chief of International Journals of Studies in Public Leadership and is a member of the Advisory Council of Veda Vijnana Shodha Samsthanam (Bengaluru, Karnataka). He has provided consultancy to numerous culture research, theatre, and dance innovation projects. He has authored scores of creative writing works for Classical Dance, Modern Theater, and magazines and has delivered several series of talks and other programs on Radio and Television channels.

Dr Ganesh Ishwar Bhat is the HOD & Professor in Advaita Vedanta Department, Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan(Deemed University) Rajiv Gandhi Campus, SRINGERI. Born in Sirsi, North Kanara Dist. Karnataka. He had his Krishna Yajurveda adhyayana at Swarnavalli Mutt. After studying Advaita Vedanta under HH Sri Gangadharendra Saraswati Swamiji, he has qualified in the title examination Vidwan (M.A) from Karnataka Sanskrit University and M.A. in Sanskrit from Karnataka State Open University, Mysore. He received vidyāvāridhi (Ph.D.) degree from the Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha Tirupati, for the thesis namely A Critical Study of Advaita Philosophy in Vishnupurana on the basis of Sridhariya Commentary. He completed his Shikshashastri ( B Ed) in Rajiv Gandhi Campus Sringeri. He has edited 7 books and has written several research articles in Sanskrit and Kannada language. He has delivered lectures in several religious programs & participated in many Vakyarthasabhas and Kavigoshthis in different parts of the country.

Srinivas Jammalamadaka studied Nyaya/Tarka Shastra under Sri. Ambadipudi Radhe Shyama Shastri, Advaita Vedanta under Sri. R. Mani David's Sastrigal, and Vyakarana under Sri. Ganti Dattatreya Murthy. He has completed the Tenali exams in Tarka Shastra and appeared for the Tenali exams in Advaita Vedanta. He has completed MPhil & PhD in Nyaya shastra. He is presently the Assistant Professor at the School of Shastric Learning, Kavikulaguru Kalidas Sanskrit University, Ramtek. He has been conferred awards such as - Tarka-Ratnam & Vidwan Mani by Sri Kanchi Shankaracharya, Shastrakalanidhi by Madhya Pradesh State Governor.

Dr.Godabarisha Mishra is a Professor and Dean, School of Buddhist Studies, Philosophy and Comparative Religion at the Nalanda International University. India. Earlier. he served as a Visiting Professor in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the IIT, Bhubaneswar from 2018-22. Forn1erly, he also worked as the Chairman of the School of Philosophy and Religious Thought as well as the Professor and Head Department of Philosophy. University of Madras. At the University of Madras, he was also heading the Centre of Buddhist Studies as the Director and also acted as the Director of the Publication Division of the University of Madras as well as the Coordinator of the University Newsletter. He was the Editor at the Kuppuswami Sastri Research Institute, Chennai during 1985-88 and also was the Member Secretary of the Indian Council of Philosophical Research, New Delhi during (2007-2011 ). During 2008-10. he was the Editor of the Journal of Indian Council of Philosophical Research, New Delhi. He was awarded Charles Wallace Visiting Fellowship to study at Oxford University UK. He was also a visiting professor at the Oxford Centre for Hindu studies, Oxford, UK and at Mahatma Gandhi Institute. Mauritius. His main areas of specializations are Indian Philosophical Schools, Vedanta and Buddhism, especially classical and textual traditions. He has published more than fifty research papers on Classical and Contemporary Indian Thought and Comparative Philosophy and authored many review articles in many National and International journals. His publications include Sivajna-nabodha- sangraha-bhasya of sivagrayogin, co-editor (1993), Paramapara: Essays in Honour of R. Balasubramanian co-edited with Srinivasa Rao (2003), Breaking Barriers: Essays in Asian and Comparative Philosophy co-edited with Frank Hoffman (2003) and Vedanta without Maya (A Debate on Saptavidha-anupapatti (2014). At present he is busy completing a project of two volumes of Encyclopedia of Indian Philosophy (Advaita Vedanta) assigned by (late) Karl H Potter.

Dr. K. S. Maheswaran, born on 8th January 1981 in Peringode, Kerala, is an Assistant Professor in Vedanta at Madras Sanskrit College, Chennai. He specializes in Sastras, particularly Poorvamimamsa and Vedanta. Dr. Maheswaran completed his traditional studies under the guidance of renowned scholars and passed the Tenali exam in mimamsa. He holds several academic qualifications, including BA Sahitya, MA Vedanta, Net JRF, and a PhD in Vedanta. Dr. Maheswaran is actively involved in training disciples in various Sastras using the Gurukula traditional system, preparing them for exams such as Tenali Sastra pareeksha. He has written several books in Sanskrit and Malayalam and has presented papers in various seminars conducted by universities. Dr. Maheswaran has won several awards and recognitions, including Maharshi Badarayan Vyas Samman from the Honorable President of India in 2015, Suvarnanguleeyakam from Sringeri Mutt in 2015, and Bharathi Theertha Puraskar from Sringeri Mutt in 2021. He is also proficient in Carnatic music, kathakali music, Mridangam playing, and oil painting.

Vidwan P R Vasudevan has completed his Masters and PhD in Vedanta. He is traditionally learning Vedanta under Mahamopadhyaya Dr. Mani Dravid Sastrigal and Dr. K S Maheshwaran. He is also completing his Rig Veda Adhyayana under Sri. K. Shyama Sundara. He also studied basic Mimamsa Shastra under Dr. K S Maheshwaran and is currently studying Tarka Shastra under Vachaspathi Sastri Joshi. He has attended main Vakyartha Sadas and have received many awards including Sadachara Cash Prize with Gold coin endowed by His Holiness Sri Jagadguru Sankaracharya Swamigal of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam in 2014-15 and Dharmatma Sri Dr. Vaidya Subramania Iyer Award for excellence in Vedanta Studies in 2013.

Dr. M A Alwar is a professor of Nyāyaśāstra in the Govt. Maharaja’s Sanskrit College, Mysuru and a Hon. Director of Transdisciplinary University, Bengaluru, implementing projects related to cataloging, editing, and publishing manuscripts and framing curriculum in Āyurveda. He has authored several monographs, articles and presented several papers in academic congregations related to Darśaṇās. A dynamic scholar, he is active both in spheres of academic research and in traditional vidvat-sabhās alike. Honored with many recognitions including the Śāstra-ratnākara award by Rāmāñjaneya Veda-pāṭhaśālā, he also holds membership in several professional and academic bodies. He also works for social outreach of Vedic knowledge, especially to children through multi-media publication and web-based programs. He specializes in the fields of Navya-nyāya, Prācīna-nyāya, Viśiṣṭādvaita-vedānta, Manuscriptology, Lexicography and comparative study and application of ancient Indian scientific concepts to modern science, especially Computer Science. He is a visiting faculty at Maharastra Institute of Technology, School of Vedic Sciences (MIT SVS) to teach Vedas and Nyāya.

Maitri is a Vaishnavite by faith and a learner of Vedanta, Bharatiya culture and Sanskrit scriptures. She has pursued MA from Sampoornanand Vishvavidyalay, Varanasi with Vedant as the main subject. As the 17th descendent of Mahaprabhu Shri Vallabhachary, she has been studying all the Sampradayik scriptures of Pushti-Bhakti-Margiya sect from her father Shri Sharad Goswami and her revered Guru Goswami Shri Shyammanoharji for the last 14 years.

In addition to Sampradayik scriptures, she has studied Sanskrit Vyakaran, Nyay, Sankhyashastra and philosophies of Shankaracharya, Ramanujachary, Madhvachary as a part of comparative studies. In accordance with her duties towards her sampraday, she currently preaches the scriptures written by Mahaprabhu Shri Vallabhachary and Vedic philosophy. She is working with her father at Shri Vallabhachary Vidyapeeth established in Gujarat for publishing, preserving and teaching the Vedic scriptures and Granthas written by the respected Acharyas of Vallabh Sampraday. She also teaches Vallabh Vedant in a Diploma course run by the department of Philosophy, University of Mumbai and is working as faculty in an online course regarding life and works of vallabhachary run by indica courses.

Dr. Venkatesha Tatacharya is Assistant Professor in the Department of Mimamsa at the Central Sanskrit University, Rajiv Gandhi Campus, Sringeri. He completed his PhD in Mimamsa in 2009 and his areas of research interest include Adhikaranas of Mimamsa, Shabdabodha, and Pramana-prameya-vichara. He has edited five books and published 30 research papers. He has received many awards including 'Mimamsa Vidwatpravara' and Golden Ring award by Sringeri Sharada Peetham, Shastra Ratnam by Seetaramanjaneya Pathashala, Bangalore and Veda Pandit by Uttar Pradesh Sanskrit Sansthan.

Prof. Sachchidananda Mishra assumed the responsibility of the post of Member Secretary in the Indian Council of Philosophical Research, on 8th June 2021. He is a well-known academician in the areas of Indian Logic and Epistemology, Conceptual development of Navya-Nyāya, AdvaitaVedānta, ŚuddhādvaitaVedānta, Kashmiri Śaiva Schools and Indian Aesthetics, besides being an erudite scholar in classical philosophy and literature in Sanskrit. He is a professor of Philosophy and Religion at the Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, since 2010, where he joined as Reader in 2004. He served as a lecturer in Nyāya in Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan,(Deemed University), Sadāśiva Campus, Puri, after shifting from a college where he started his initial teaching carrier in Sanskritsince 1996. He has his Vidyā-Vāridhi (Ph.D.) in NyāyābhimateśvarasyaDarśanāntaradṛṣṭyāParyālocanam in 1997. He has triple masters’ degrees – in Navya-Nyāya, Shankara-Vedānta, and Sanskrit Sāhitya. He has also been a recipient of MaharṣhiBādrāyaṇVyāsSammān (Presidential award) for the year 2009, besides being selected by ICCR for the prestigious Sanskrit chair at Sorbonne Nouvelle University, Paris in 2012. He has authored and edited around 11 noted books, basically in the field of Nyāya, Vedānta and other areas of Philosophy and Sanskrit literature. He has also edited the eminent research journal,Anvikṣiki(vol. 7 to 11). He has contributed chapters in various books, and published more than 50 research papers in various journals. He has been invited as resource person in academic events, like seminars, conferencesand workshops and special lecture programmes, and his contribution in them are well applauded.

Dr. Ketu Ramachandrasekhar has his Doctorate in Indian Epistemology and is a recipient of Prince of Wales Medal for outstanding Performance in University of Madras and was fortunate to complete his studies under to his Guru Vidya Vachaspati Brahmashri Goda Venkateshwara Shastrigal. He was selected as a Fellow for Studies in Neuro- Aesthetics and Indian Rhetorics by Ministry of Culture, GOI. He was a part of Academic Team of scholars across Europe on discussion of Natya Texts and a member of Aix-en-Provence University, France Academic Panel. He is also involved with Samskrt Theatre for the past 28 years and has acted in many plays produced by Samskrta Ranga founded by Dr V. Raghavan. His knowledge in Shaiva Pratyabhijna School is well recognised by scholars of Kashmir Shaivism and he has been a regular contributor to their Journals on the works and contributions of Acharya Abhinavagupta. He has attended several national and International Conferences. He has several research articles and books to his credit which includes a detailed study of Abhinayadarpana of Nandikeshvara, Independent commentary on Devi Mahatmya, translation of Majma-ul-bahrain of Dara Shikoh and others. His advice is also sought in matters relating to prayoga aspect of Tantra Shastra by established centers of Shakti worship. He owes all his achievements to his Guru Vidya Vacaspati Brahmashri Goda Venkateshwara Shastrigal.

Prof. Bishnupada Mahapatra is presently the Professor & Head of the Department at the Department of Nyaya-Vaisheshika, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rastriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, New Delhi. He has studied Nyaya Vaisheshika Shastra and Darshana Shastra under a number of teachers including Prof. Vashistha Tripathi, Prof. Rampujan Pandey, Prof. Rajaram Shukla, and Prof. Sudhakar Dixit among others. He has published more than 50 Research Articles and eight books. He regularly presents at National and International Seminars and Conferences and has guided many students in PhD. Prof. Mahapatra has received many awards including Maharshi Badarayan Vyas Samman, President Award in 2015, Vidwatbhushan Awarded by Kashi Vidwat Parishad in 2017, and Abhinandan Samman from GOVT. Sanskrit Mahavidyalay, Sikkim in 2016.

T. Ganesan, with Ph.D. in Sanskrit has been working as Director of Research at the prestigious French Institute, Pondicherry (IFP) since 1985 and now he continues to be a Research Associate there. He is working on the projects A Comprehensive History of Śaivasiddhānta in Tamilnadu as well as on the project Critical Edition of the Śaivāgama-s. He is one of the editors of the Sukshmagama (3 volumes published and the 4th volume under preparation) published by the French Institute of Pondicherry. The first two volumes of the Paushkaragama along with the two unpublished commentaries of Umapati and Jnanaprakasa critically edited by him for the first time has been published by the National Mission for the Manuscripts (NMM), New Delhi in 2014 and 2020. Śivajñānabodhasūtra with the Laghuṭīkā of Śivāgrayogī, Varuṇapaddhati with the commentary Vilocana of Nigamajñānadeśika, Siddhāntaprakāśikā of Sarvātmaśambhu with Tamil and English translations (published 2009), Śivajñānabodhasūtra with the unpublished commentary of Nigamajñānadeśika (published 2009 by Rashtriya Sanskrit Samsthan) and a few other Śaivasiddhānta texts are some of the important Saiva texts critically edited by him. Two Śaiva Teachers of the 16th century: Nigamajñāna I and Nigamajñāna II an analytical study of all the œuvres of these two Śaiva Ācāryas, was published from IFP 2009. He has presented more than 40 seminar papers and research articles concerning Saivism and Saivasiddhanta. He had delivered special lectures concerning various aspects of Saivasiddhānta at The Tamil University, Thanjavur, Pondicherry University, Pondicherry, University of Madras as well as at the Université de Paris III-Nouvelle Sorbonne, Paris and at the University of Marbourg, Germany. Two articles of 10,000 words each on the Śaivasiddhānta and on the Śaiva Āgama-s were published in the volumes of the Brill’s Encyclopedia of Hinduism in 2011 and in 2018. Presently T. Ganesan heads the Centre for Shaiva Studies, Pondicherry.