25 March 2019, India:
Infosys Foundation, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune, for five years to strengthen research activities in Orientology.
The grant of ₹9.13 crores has been proposed. The proposed grant will be used to train scholars in Orientology and prepare a bibliography of relevant academic texts in the field.
The proposed grant will also help in creating a centralized information cell.
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.
“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,” said Mrs. Sudha Murty, Chairperson, Infosys Foundation.
Mrs. Sudha Murty, added, “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 endeavor 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,” said Prof. Shrikant Bahulkar, Honorary Secretary, The Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute.
Prof. Shrikant Bahulkar, added, “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 vigor and charm of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute.”
Infosys Foundation is the philanthropic and CSR arm of Infosys. It was established in 1996. It supports programs in the areas of education, rural development, healthcare, arts and culture, and destitute care.
(Image – Infosys Foundation)
