Infosys Foundation, the philanthropic and CSR arm of Infosys, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune, for five years to strengthen research activities in Orientology, the study of Ancient cultures of the Asian sub-continent.
The proposed grant of INR 9.13 crores will be utilized to train scholars in Orientology and prepare a bibliography of relevant academic texts in the field. The grant will also help to create a centralized information cell through descriptive cataloguing of manuscripts, collection and publishing of inscriptions and outlining the history of the collected information, enabled by a team of specialists.
The Foundation will establish two chairs at the institute, The Infosys Foundation Chair of Orientology and the Karnataka Chair of Orientology, for eminent scholars of Orientology. Two visiting scholars renowned in any area of Orientology will also be invited for a term of two to six months, as part of this grant, and will be known as Infosys scholars.
Through this grant the Institute will appoint four visiting fellows for visits of one week to one month, who will be referred to as ‘Infosys Fellows’, and also make provisions for two principal investigators, six research assistants, one helper and one design artist for various activities that will be conducted by the Institute.
Speaking on the occasion Sudha Murty, Chairperson, Infosys Foundation, said, “The study of ancient texts holds great importance in society today as it forms a means to better understand both our past as well as our present. The discovery and preservation of these texts will ensure that Indological research continues to grow and thrive as an academic field in our country. Our partnership with the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute aims to support the field of Orientology through the provision of the necessary tools and resources and we at the Infosys Foundation are proud to be a part of this endeavour to better understand India’s past and its place in the history of the East.”
“The Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute focuses on Orientology which is the study of ancient cultures of the Asian sub-continent. We live in a time where social sciences have expanded their horizons to be able to apply their inferences across almost all fields of learning. Orientology, therefore, is not limited to the Orient and the Occident alone; it has numerous applications in areas of social sciences and more. This initiative by Infosys Foundation will definitely boost the vigour and charm of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute.” said, Prof. Shrikant Bahulkar, Honorary Secretary, The Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute.
