NEW YORK (TIP): President of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe conferred the ICCR Distinguished Indologist Award for 2019 on  Dr. Vishwa P. Adluri and for 2020 on Shri   Rajiv Malhotra at the Consulate General of India in New York. The ICCR Distinguished Indologist Award was set up in 2015 by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations to recognize and honor scholarly works on India undertaken abroad, one that illuminates her civilizational wealth and knowledge. The Awards for 2019 and 2020 were declared but could not be conferreddue to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In his special address, President ICCR Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe congratulated the awardees and paid compliments to them for enriching the field of Indology. Speaking on the discipline, he said that the Indian tradition does not see development and environment; or individualism and collectivism as binaries and can strike a balance which ensures everyone’s welfare. Dr. Sahasrabuddhe emphasized that we need ‘’New Indology’, which connects India’s past, present and future with the spirit of nitya nootan, chira puratan (new everyday yet ancient). He concluded his address by reminding that the field of Indology is not just for scholars and academicians, but for all Indians and India lovers.

Replying to a question from The Indian Panorama editor Prof. Indrajit Saluja as to whether the philosophy of Indology is only a theory or it can be practically lived,  Dr. Saharsabuddhe said it has always been a practiced philosophy, and that efforts to be redoubled to take it to people.

In his acceptance speech, Dr. Vishwa P. Adluri thanked his mentors, colleagues,and students. He expressed confidence that the field of Indology has a bright future and that the upcoming young scholars are full of promise and shall take the discipline to newer heights. Dr. Vishwa P. Adluri, the recipient for 2019, is an accomplishedscholar with three PhDs, a lifetime of distinguished service to the profession, and publications that have changed the field of Indology.

In his acceptance remarks, Shri Rajiv Malhotra, the recipient for 2020, underlined that study of India must be undertaken with Indian Drishti, or from the Indian point-of-view. Shri Malhotra is a trained physicist and computer scientist who had a successful career in corporateAmerica at the highest levels. In the mid-1990s, he decided to quit and dedicate his time to the study of Indian thought. He has written eight popular yet scholarly books on the state of Indology worldwide. The event began with a welcome address by Consul General Shri Randhir Jaiswal, where he spoke about how the discipline of Indology developed in the United States. His address was followed by a Kathak recital by Ms. Pallavi Degwekar on the Shiva Panchakshara Stotra. The ceremony saw participation from members of mediacommunity, academia including students, diaspora, cultural organizations, and American thought leaders.