Institutional Activities

Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya Announces International Conference on Decolonizing Knowledge and Rethinking Cultural Traditions

The upcoming two-day international conference, "Rethinking Traditions: Shifting Perspectives in Cultural Interpretation," is scheduled to take place on February 27th and 28th, 2026, at Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh. This significant academic event is organized by the university in collaboration with the International Centre for Cultural Studies (ICCS) India.

By : Vivek 2026-02-19 18:05:39

Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, a premier Central University in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, has announced a significant two-day international conference titled "Rethinking Traditions: Shifting Perspectives in Cultural Interpretation," scheduled for February 27th and 28th, 2026. Organised in collaboration with the International Centre for Cultural Studies (ICCS) India, this academic gathering aims to address the global momentum toward decolonising knowledge production. The conference serves as a critical response to historical colonial encounters that exploited lands and fundamentally undermined civilizational knowledge systems by altering what is valued as legitimate knowledge.

As an institution, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya (GGV) draws its core identity from the 18th-century Satnami Saint, Guru Ghasidas, and is deeply committed to his legacy of social justice, equality, and transformative learning. The university holds a prestigious NAAC A++ accreditation and maintains a strong presence in global rankings, including NIRF, QS, and Times Higher Education. With a sprawling 650-acre campus and a robust research ecosystem, evidenced by over 252 patents and an H-index of 80+, GGV provides an ideal academic environment for hosting a dialogue of this magnitude.

The importance of the conference lies in its call to re-anchor modern scholarship in ancient traditions, viewing them not as static relics of the past but as living repositories of plural worldviews and robust methodologies. By interrogating inherited colonial research frameworks, the conference seeks to present viable alternatives rooted in decolonial philosophy and the wisdom of ancient cultures. This initiative is particularly significant as it moves beyond mere critique toward the active revitalisation and integration of indigenous knowledge, ensuring it informs and enhances modern global inquiry in a holistic, context-sensitive, and just manner. The event will cover a broad spectrum of sub-themes, ranging from methodological plurality and epistemic authority to digital humanities and environmental wisdom. Expected outcomes include the publication of interdisciplinary proceedings, policy recommendations for educational institutions, and the creation of open-access digital resources. This conference represents a vital step for scholars and practitioners to collaborate in shifting the academic lens, ultimately catalysing a renewed alliance between ancient wisdom and contemporary scholarship for a decolonised future.

For too long, colonial frameworks have marginalised indigenous knowledge, and this gathering serves as an urgent platform to view these traditions as living repositories of ethical worldviews and robust methodologies rather than static relics of the past. By joining this event, participants will help shift the academic lens toward a more holistic and just approach to global inquiry, ensuring that ancient wisdom actively informs contemporary solutions. Scholars and practitioners interested in contributing to this decolonised academic future are encouraged to participate in sessions covering sub-themes such as Methodological Plurality, Epistemic Authority, and Digital Humanities. For more information regarding international or domestic travel and accommodation, you may reach out to the conference secretariat, including Dr Manoj Gupta at +91 94628 24850 or Prof. Santosh Kumar Prajapati at +91 94791 68632. This is a unique opportunity to engage with a "University with a Difference" and collaborate on revitalising the intellectual continuity between our past and our future.

 

 

Click Here for More Institutional Activities

Tags: # Institutional Activities Chhattisgarh