INTERNATIONALCENTRE FOR

CULTURAL STUDIES

Registration No. MAH 558/99 (N)Public Trust No.: F-15908/30.10.99

98, Indira Niwas, Hindu Dharma Sanskriti Mandir, Tilak Vidyalaya Lane, Dhantoli,

NAGPUR-440 012, BHARAT (INDIA)

CONTACT: +91-9422870842E-Mail: iccsbharat@gmail.com

vsp641952@gmail.comWebsite: http://nagpur.iccsus.org

A brief introduction

Once again the world is on the verge ofdramatic change. One of the compo-nents that will effect this change will

be the Renaissance of Ancient Cultures andTraditions. Renaissance is a French wordthat means “rebirth”. Historians consider theRenaissance to be the beginning of modernhistory (around 1450 AD). When the Italiancities traded with the Arabs, ideas wereexchanged along with goods. These ideas,preserved from the ancient past, served asthe basis of the Renaissance.

The International Centre for CulturalStudies was set up in May 1996 to facilitateand undertake research on ancient traditionsand cultures around the world. In fact thebeginning was made in 1994 when DrYashwant Pathak, after spending someyears in African countries, returnedto Nagpur and discussed the ideaof setting up a “Centre for Afro-Hindu Studies.” The idea waswell received by the intelligen-cia of Central Indian City ofNagpur, which incidentallyhappens to be the focal point ofcultural renaissance in ModernBharat (India).

This centre organized its first confer-ence on “Afro-Hindu Cultural Similarities” in1995 at Nagpur in which scholars from vari-

ous parts of Bharat and Africanstudents from Nagpur partici-pated.

This Centre was rechristenedas International Centre forCultural Studies (ICCS) underthe commendable guidance anddirection of the late Prof. S WBakhle, former Head ofDepartment of Philosophy,

Rashtrasant Tukdoji Maharaj NagpurUniversity. Under the able leadership of DrBakhle, the ICCS initiated studies on variousancient cultures of the world in fulfillment ofits objective of strengthening the relationshipbetween people who respect and practice

ancient traditions and cultures. The ICCS provided platform for the schol-

ars to pursue their research in the field ofancient and modern history, sociolo-

gy, anthropology, philosophy, reli-gion, archaeology, language, finearts, folk lore, folk media, sci-ence and other related fields.

The ICCS tries to keep livecontacts and communicationwith scholars of ancient tradi-

tions all over the world besidesworking with like minded organi-

zations to foster collaborative effortsthat draw indigenous knowledge. The ICCS

is having highly qualified and experiencedfaculty members who motivate and inspirestudents and scholars to undertake and pur-sue research.

The Centre is committed to provide newavenues of enquiry and thorough criticalexamination of ancient traditions and cul-tures. The ICCS organizes conferences, semi-nars, workshops, orientation courses, andpublish deserving research works, journalsetc. besides conducting lecture series to facil-itate the fulfillment of its objectives.

The ICCS has opened its center in the USAunder the leadership of Dr R S Dwivedi.Centers have also been opened in Kenya,South Africa, Lithuania, Australia and NewZealand and some European countries.

Dr S W Bakhle,Founder President

The premises of ICCS at Nagpur

Our MissionMeet common challenges and

problems, to serve as ameeting ground, and to

strengthen ancientcultures of the

world.

International conferences:To bring on a common platform the various

individuals, groups and communities practic-ing ancient traditions and cultures worldover, the ICCS floated a forum called “WorldCouncil of Elders of the Ancient Traditionsand Cultures” (WCEATC) and under the aus-pices of this forum the International Centrefor Cultural Studies has so far organizedthree global conferences in India very suc-cessfully.

The 1st International conference was heldat Mumbai in 2003 with the underlyingtheme “Metakuye Oyasin” meaning “We areall related” (A Native American saying). Theconference was attended by 167 delegatesfrom all over the world. The participantsadopted a “Mumbai Manifesto” at the end ofthe five-day international event of its kind.

The 2nd International gathering sawincreased participation of 257 delegates fromvarious countries across the globe. This con-ference was held at Jaipur in Rajasthan in2006 with the theme “Spirituality beyondReligions”.

The 3rd World Conference of Elders wasorganized at Nagpur in Central India in 2009which was centered around the theme of“Renaissance of Ancient Traditions andCultures: Challenges and Solutions”.

This conference witnessed participation ofover 300 delegates from 32 countries repre-senting 25 ancient traditions and culturesacross the globe. The participants presentedover 75 research papers highlighting the var-

ious aspects of all-inclusive ancient culturesand traditions still in vogue in different partsof the world. In all the three conferences theparticipants performed various religious ritu-als and surprised to find the striking similar-ities in them. The delegates adopted unani-mously the “Nagpur Manifesto” during theNagpur Conference.

The ICCS organizes national conferencesalso which prominently include:-

1. Afro-Hindu Cultural Similarities2. Global Cultural-viability & desirability3. Decolonizing the Mind4. Indo-Native American Cultural

Similarities.5. Role & Place of Culture in 21st

Century6. Cultures of South Asia & Pacific

Region7. Preservation of Ancient Cultures and

Globalization Scenario (Waikato University New Zealand)

8. Man and Nature Relationship in Indo-Australian Aboriginal Culture and Traditions.

Lecture Series:The ICCS organizes Dr S W Bakhle

Memorial Lecture Series every year onunderstanding cultures and cultural coopera-tion. Dr S W Bakhle was the founderPresident of the ICCS and was a scholar ofgreat repute.

Eminent scholars in their respective fieldsincluding Dr Shyam Singh Shashi, Dr Dixit,Dr R Ganesh, Professor Sharad Deshpande,

Foreign delegates enjoying camel ride during a procession tomark the 3rd International conference at Nagpur

Hungarian delegates in their traditional attire at the 3rd WCE held at Nagpur in 2009

Dr Srinivas Tilak, Dr Andrew Foss, PrincipalRam Shewalkar, Sri Anand Hardikar, Sri B GMurthy, Dr Subhash Chandra and DrShankar Abhyankar have delivered theBakhle Memorial Lectures so far.

Besides, noted scholars, Ambassadors,social and cultural leaders from various coun-tries have paid visit to ICCS and interactedwith the members from time to time.

The ICCS has formed Overseas StudyGroups to interact and accelerate researchstudies for different regions of the world.

Research facilities & LibraryThe ICCS has a well equipped library of its

own with nearly 3000 rare books on differentcultures of the world such as African, Native

Americans andAsian. A goodnumber of schol-ars have gener-ously donatedtheir personalcollection ofbooks to ICCSlibrary. Besides,the research

scholars can have easy access to the excellentcollection of over 30,000 books of the HinduDharma Sanskriti Mandir library.

FellowshipsThe ICCS awards fellowships to scholars to

conduct research in culture, religion, polity,etc. This exercise is aimed at involving thescholars in study and understanding differ-ent cultures of the world and to find our sim-ilarities between them.

Publications:The ICCS has published following journals

and research monograph that have gained

circulation in India andabroad with researchersimmensely benefittingfrom them. The majorpublications include:

1. Ancient Afro-Hindu Cultural Affinity

2. Indo-Native American Cultural Similarities

3. Decolonizing the Mind4. Role & Place of Culture in 21st

Century5. Indo-Aztec Cultural Affinity6. Indo-Inca Cultural Panorama7. Maya-Hindu Hermonas8. The Afghan Connection9. Indo-Sumerian Culture.Besides the ICCS publishes its Quarterly

News Bulletin in Jan, Apr, July and Oct.Riwatch:The Research Institute of World’s Ancient

Traditions, Cultures and Heritage(Riwatch),is an ambitious project of ICCS.The first Riwatch is set up at Roing inArunachal Pradesh under the guidance of SriVijay Swami and Dr Joram Begi, Director,Higher & Technical Education, Govt ofArunachal Pradesh. There is a plan to set upsuch centers in different countries in thefuture. Setting up Riwatch at Nagpur is alsounder consideration.

An Appeal:The ICCS is a non-profit, non-governmen-

tal autonomous body which encourages andprovides facilities for research in ancient cul-tures and traditions for creating an atmos-phere of cultural cooperation amongst thenations of the world. We, therefore, appeal tothe large hearted, generous philanthropistsand individuals to extend all possible helpand cooperation to ICCS.

Executive Committee of ICCS NagpurPresident- Virag PachporeVice-President- Dr V S DeshpandeSecretary- Vijay BhagdikarJt. Secretary- Dr Shailaja DeshpandeTreasurer- Vinay BakhleMembers- Dr Vinod Indurkar

Dr Leena GahaneP M (Manan) DeshpandeShrikant Gadge

Sri B G Murthy from Pune delivering Dr S W Bakhle MemorialLecture in 2008 in Nagpur

The rich library of ICCS