IIMC To Teach Natya Shastra, Ancient Arts Treatise
Indian Institute of Mass Communication(IIMC) which offers courses in journalism and public relations, will now be teaching its students about the complexities of Indian communication models and theories.
Included in Bharat Muni's Natya Shastra, students who have been previously only covering western communication theories in their syllabi will benefit from this curriculum change.
This ancient treatise on performing arts, Bharat Muni's Natya Shastra is already included in universities such as the Makhanlal Chaturvedi University of journalism and communication and now it is being adopted by the state run IIMC so that students can find a balance between Western and Indian communication models.
The model will be taught to students from the current academic session by academicians and experts who are familiar with the treatise.
Though this move by the institute can be taken as an attempt to project a religious viewpoint, KG Suresh, director general of IIMC said that this curriculum change has been done to ensure that students have an understanding of the country's achievements in the past, even in communication.
According to a report by HT, Suresh said, "The model illustrates how successful communication is possible in the society where complex hierarchies of castes, languages, cultures and religious practices are prevalent. Sahridayata helps those communicating to pervade the unequal relationship prevailing in the society and the very process of communication is facilitated."
"We are producing global journalists with strong Indian roots", he further added.
India's ancient past along with contemporary history, marking its transition to a democracy will be the focus area of this course.
He also said that the institute has been teaching western models of communication that will continue to be taught, while Bharat Muni's Natya Shastra will expose the students to the Indian models of communication as well.
