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Online a : h ps:// esea ch endsjou nal.com ISSN No: 2584-282X
Indexed Jou nal, Impac Fac o : 6.1 Pee Re iewed Jou nal
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TRENDS IN EMERGING RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Volume 3; Issue 5; 2025; Page No. 79-82
Special Issue o In e na ional Semina (23 d - 24 h Augus , 2025)
On he Topic
Indian Knowledge Sys em (IKS): Challenges & i s Applica ion in Highe Educa ion o
Sus ainable De elopmen
By
Facul y o Educa ion, IASE (DU), Sa da shaha , Chu u, Rajas han - 331403
Role o Indian Knowledge Sys em in Achie ing he UN Sus ainable
De elopmen Goals (SDGs)
Mukesh Kuma
Assis an P o esso , Depa men o Poli ical Science, Maha ma Buddha Lok Kalyan E am G amya Vikas Sams han, Nighasan
Lakhimpu Khe i, U a P adesh, India
DOI: h ps://doi.o g/10.5281/zenodo.17514084
Co esponding Au ho : Mukesh Kuma
Abs ac
The Indian Knowledge Sys em (IKS), oo ed in ancien adi ions, o e s aluable insigh s o achie ing he Uni ed Na ions Sus ainable
De elopmen Goals (SDGs). I s holis ic app oach emphasizes he in e connec edness o human, ecological, and spi i ual ealms, aligning
wi h SDGs like en i onmen al sus ainabili y, po e y educ ion, and communi y well-being. IKS ad oca es o sus ainable p ac ices in
ag icul u e, such as c op o a ion and ze o-budge na u al a ming, which con ibu e o SDG 2 (Ze o Hunge ) and SDG 12 (Responsible
Consump ion). I also highligh s adi ional wa e managemen sys ems, like s epwells and johads, which suppo SDG 6 (Clean Wa e and
Sani a ion) and SDG 15 (Li e on Land). Addi ionally, sys ems like Ayu eda, Yoga, and ancien educa ional adi ions p omo e heal h, well-
being, and quali y educa ion, esona ing wi h SDGs 3 and 4. IKS u he suppo s social jus ice, gende equali y, and e hical go e nance,
aligning wi h SDGs 5 and 16. By in eg a ing IKS wi h mode n sus ainabili y ini ia i es, India can le e age i s cul u al he i age o os e
sus ainable de elopmen and global pa ne ships.
Keywo ds: Sus ainabili y, T adi ional Knowledge, IKS (Indian Knowledge Sys em), Clima e Ac ion, Ag icul u e, Well-being, Social Jus ice
In oduc ion
The Uni ed Na ions Sus ainable De elopmen Goals
(SDGs), adop ed in 2015, p o ide a global bluep in o
peace, p ospe i y, and sus ainabili y by 2030. India’s ancien
in ellec ual adi ions - collec i ely known as he Indian
Knowledge Sys em (IKS) - o e a holis ic amewo k ha
esona es deeply wi h hese goals. Roo ed in ha mony
be ween humans, na u e, and he cosmos, IKS emphasizes
sus ainable li ing, e hical go e nance, social equi y, and
spi i ual well-being.
1. En i onmen al Sus ainabili y (SDG 6, 7, 13, 14, 15)
Vaidik and Upanishadic wisdom p omo es he idea o
“Vasudhai a Ku umbakam” - he wo ld is one amily -
os e ing ecological balance.
A ha a Veda and A hashas a emphasize sus ainable use
o na u al esou ces.
T adi ional sys ems like ainwa e ha es ing, c op o a ion,
ayu edic ag icul u e, and a o es a ion p ac ices (e.g.,
V ikshayu eda) di ec ly con ibu e o:
SDG 6 (Clean Wa e and Sani a ion)
SDG 13 (Clima e Ac ion)
SDG 15 (Li e on Land)
Indigenous p ac ices in wa e managemen (e.g., s epwells,
johads, and anks) showcase India’s ancien enginee ing o
sus ainable ecosys ems.
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2. Heal h and Well-being (SDG 3)
Ayu eda, Yoga, Siddha, and Unani sys ems emphasize
p e en i e heal hca e, men al balance, and holis ic well-
being.
The Cha aka Samhi a and Sush u a Samhi a discuss
balanced die , hygiene, and men al heal h - echoing SDG 3
a ge s.
Global accep ance o In e na ional Yoga Day (June 21)
highligh s India’s con ibu ion o men al and physical
heal h.
3. Educa ion and Knowledge (SDG 4)
Ancien ins i u ions like Nalanda and Takshashila exempli y
inclusi e and mul idisciplina y educa ion.
The Gu ukul sys em p omo ed expe ien ial lea ning and
mo al de elopmen - pa alleling SDG 4 (Quali y
Educa ion).
Mode n IKS in eg a ion ini ia i es by he Indian
go e nmen (e.g., Na ional Educa ion Policy 2020)
encou age indigenous knowledge in cu icula.
4. Gende Equali y and Social Jus ice (SDG 5, 10, 16)
Tex s like he Rig eda and his o ical igu es such as Ga gi
and Mai eyi ep esen women’s in ellec ual empowe men .
The concep o Dha ma p omo es jus ice, equali y, and
e hical go e nance, con ibu ing o:
SDG 5 (Gende Equali y)
SDG 16 (Peace, Jus ice, and S ong Ins i u ions)
The ancien Panchaya sys em and pa icipa o y models o
go e nance e lec g ass oo s democ acy and inclusi i y.
5. Sus ainable Economy and Wo k E hics (SDG 8, 9, 12)
A hashas a and Thi ukku al p o ide amewo ks o
e hical economics, esponsible consump ion, and good
go e nance.
Swadeshi philosophy and Gandhian economics ( us eeship,
sel - eliance, and u al de elopmen ) echo SDG a ge s o :
Decen Wo k and Economic G ow h (SDG 8)
Responsible Consump ion and P oduc ion (SDG 12)
6. Peace, Ha mony, and Global Pa ne ship (SDG 16,
17)
Philosophies like Ahimsa (non- iolence) and Sa odaya
(wel a e o all) encou age peace ul coexis ence and
coope a i e de elopmen .
The idea o “One Ea h, One Family, One Fu u e” (G20
heme inspi ed by IKS) p omo es global pa ne ship (SDG
17).
7. Mode n Applica ions and Policy In eg a ion
NEP 2020, AYUSH Mission, and IKS Di ision (AICTE)
aim o in eg a e adi ional wisdom wi h mode n science.
Sus ainable a ming (e.g., ze o-budge na u al a ming) and
enewable ene gy models oo ed in Indian philosophy
suppo u al li elihoods and SDGs.
The Indian Knowledge Sys em (IKS) plays a i al ole in
achie ing he Uni ed Na ions' Sus ainable De elopmen
Goals (SDGs). Roo ed in ancien philosophical adi ions,
IKS o e s a holis ic app oach o unde s anding he
in e connec edness o human and na u al sys ems. He e a e
some key ways IKS con ibu es o he SDGs:
Key Con ibu ions
▪ Sus ainable De elopmen : IKS emphasizes li ing in
ha mony wi h na u e, p omo ing sus ainable p ac ices
and en i onmen al s ewa dship, aligning wi h SDG 12
(Responsible Consump ion and P oduc ion) and SDG
13 (Clima e Ac ion).
▪ Po e y Reduc ion: Indigenous knowledge sys ems,
pa o IKS, p o ide aluable insigh s in o sus ainable
ag icul u e, na u al esou ce managemen , and eco-
iendly p ac ices, suppo ing SDG 1 (No Po e y) and
SDG 2 (Ze o Hunge ).
▪ En i onmen al Conse a ion: IKS p omo es
conse a ion o biodi e si y, p o ec ion o sac ed
g o es, and sus ainable use o na u al esou ces,
con ibu ing o SDG 14 (Li e Below Wa e ) and SDG
15 (Li e on Land).
▪ Communi y De elopmen : IKS os e s communi y
pa icipa ion, social cohesion, and collec i e
esponsibili y, aligning wi h SDG 11 (Sus ainable
Ci ies and Communi ies) and SDG 16 (Peace, Jus ice,
and S ong Ins i u ions).
▪ Clima e Change Mi iga ion: IKS o e s adi ional
knowledge and p ac ices ha can in o m clima e
change adap a ion and mi iga ion s a egies, suppo ing
SDG 13 (Clima e Ac ion).
Examples o IKS in Ac ion
▪ Sus ainable Ag icul u e: Indigenous communi ies in
India ha e de eloped adi ional p ac ices like mixed
c opping, c op o a ion, and o ganic a ming, p omo ing
sus ainable ag icul u e and educing en i onmen al
deg ada ion.
▪ Conse a ion o Na u al Resou ces: Sac ed g o es and
communi y-managed o es s in India demons a e
e ec i e conse a ion p ac ices, p o ec ing biodi e si y
and ecosys em se ices.
▪ Clima e-Resilien P ac ices: T adi ional knowledge
sys ems, such as wea he o ecas ing and clima e
p edic ion, can in o m clima e- esilien ag icul u e and
disas e managemen .
In eg a ion wi h Mode n Sus ainabili y Ini ia i es
▪ NITI Aayog's SDG Ini ia i es: The Na ional Ins i u ion
o T ans o ming India (NITI Aayog) has launched
ini ia i es o p omo e sus ainable de elopmen ,
inco po a ing IKS p inciples and p ac ices.
▪ Go e nmen Schemes: Va ious go e nmen schemes,
such as he Na ional Ru al Employmen Gua an ee Ac
(NREGA) and he P adhan Man i Jan Dhan Yojana
(PMJDY), inco po a e elemen s o IKS, p omo ing
sus ainable li elihoods and inancial inclusion.
By in eg a ing IKS wi h mode n sus ainabili y ini ia i es,
India can le e age i s ich cul u al he i age o achie e he
SDGs, p omo ing sus ainable de elopmen , en i onmen al
conse a ion, and communi y well-being.
Concep ual pilla s o IKS ele an o sus ainabili y
1. Holism: Sys ems hinking; human, ecological, and
spi i ual ealms seen as in e dependen .
2. E hics o es ain and du y: Dha ma, T adi ional
commons managemen (g azing lands, illage anks)
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suppo s li elihoods and bu e s ulne abili y.
3. Local knowledge & place-based p ac ices:
Communi y wa e sys ems, ag o-ecologies, c a
economies.
4. P e en i e heal h & well-being: Ayu eda and Yoga
emphasize p e en ion, li es yle, and men al heal h.
5. Ins i u ional memo y & pedagogy:
Gu ukul/Uni e si y adi ions os e ing in e disciplina y
lea ning.
6. Ci cula i y & low-was e p ac ices: Ma e ial h i ,
euse, compos ing embedded in daily li e.
Mapping IKS con ibu ions o SDGs (selec highligh s
and examples)
Po e y (SDG 1): Sys ems hinking; human, ecological,
and spi i ual ealms seen as in e dependen .
C a s, co age indus ies, and local alue chains (handloom,
a isanal oodways) o e decen alized income gene a ion.
Ze o Hunge & Sus ainable Ag icul u e (SDG 2)
Indigenous c opping pa e ns, mixed c opping, ag o o es y,
and seed-conse a ion p ac ices imp o e esilience.
Ze o Budge Na u al Fa ming and adi ional o ganic inpu s
echo sus ainable, low-inpu ag icul u e.
Being Good Heal h & Well (SDG 3)
Ayu eda and Yoga p o ide p e en i e ca e models,
communi y heal h p ac ices, and low-cos in e en ions o
li es yle diseases.
T adi ional midwi e y, medicinal plan knowledge, and
die a y egimens s eng hen p ima y ca e in u al a eas.
Quali y Educa ion (SDG 4)
Nalanda/Takshashila model: in e disciplina y, e hical, and
men o ed lea ning.
Place-based cu icula inco po a ing local knowledge,
languages, and c a s os e con ex ual educa ion and
e en ion.
Gende Equali y (SDG 5)
His o ical examples o women schola s and social no ms
ha acknowledged women’s oles in knowledge p oduc ion
(e.g., Ga gi, Mai eyī) can in o m gende -sensi i e
educa ional e o ms.
Communi y no ms in some adi ions allow women-led
esou ce managemen .
Clean Wa e & Sani a ion (SDG 6)
Ancien wa e -ha es ing sys ems (s epwells, johads, anks,
bunds) demons a e local enginee ing o echa ge, euse
and equi able dis ibu ion.
A o dable & Clean Ene gy (SDG 7)
T adi ional passi e sola a chi ec u e, cou ya d designs,
and e icien cooking s o e p ac ices educe ene gy demand.
Decen Wo k & Economic G ow h (SDG 8)
Guilds (sh eni), coope a i e p oduc ion (co age indus ies),
and e hical economic p ecep s ( om A hashas a and la e
hinke s) suppo inclusi e employmen models.
Indus y, Inno a ion, In as uc u e (SDG 9)
His o ical me allu gical and u ban planning knowledge
(e.g., wa e managemen in ancien ci ies, me allu gy) show
indigenous inno a ion.
Reduced Inequali ies & S ong Ins i u ions (SDG 10, 16)
Panchaya i sys ems and cus oma y law o e insigh s in o
local go e nance and dispu e esolu ion.
E hical amewo ks (dha ma, us eeship) unde sco e
accoun abili y no ms.
Responsible Consump ion & P oduc ion (SDG 12)
Emphasis on mode a ion, euse, epai , and he i ualized
minimal-was e li es yle suppo s ci cula economy
p inciples.
Clima e Ac ion, Li e on Land, Li e Below Wa e (SDG
13, 14, 15)
Sac ed g o es, aboos agains elling ce ain ees, and
seasonal ishing no ms ha e conse ed biodi e si y o
cen u ies.
T adi ional wea he indica o s and phenological knowledge
aid clima e adap a ion.
Pa ne ships o he Goals (SDG 17)
T ansna ional sp ead o Yoga, Ayu edic p ac ices, and
philosophical ideas c ea es so -powe pa ne ships;
communi y-le el knowledge sha ing suppo s sou h–sou h
coope a ion.
Conc e e om India (sho examples case s udies)
1. Johads and wa e shed e i al
(Rajas han/Himachal): Communi y-buil check dams
and anks es o ed g oundwa e and li elihoods.
2. Ze o Budge Na u al Fa ming
(Andh a/Telangana/Ka na aka): Reduced inpu
cos s, highe esilience o smallholde s.
3. Sac ed g o es (Wes e n Gha s, A a alli):
Biodi e si y ho spo s conse ed h ough i ual
p o ec ion.
4. AYUSH in eg a ion Pilo s: P ima y-ca e wellness
packages in ce ain s a es combining yoga and
Ayu eda o noncommunicable disease p e en ion.
5. Nalanda e i al ini ia i es: In e disciplina y esea ch
cen e s e e encing ancien models o mode n
pedagogy.
Policy ecommenda ions - how o in eg a e IKS in o
SDG implemen a ion
1. E idence-based in eg a ion: Rigo ously e alua e
adi ional p ac ices wi h scien i ic me hods
(ag oecology ials, clinical s udies o he bal he apies)
while espec ing epis emic di e ences.
2. Cu iculum inclusion: Inco po a e place-based IKS
modules in o school and highe educa ion (e hnobo any,
adi ional enginee ing, local his o y).
3. Co-p oduc ion & pa icipa o y go e nance: In ol e
cus odians o adi ional knowledge ( a me s, heale s,
communi y elde s) in policy design and local SDG
planning.
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4. P o ec and sus ainably: Comme cialize adi ional
alue chains (geog aphical indica ions, ai - ade
coope a i es).
5. Secu e igh s & bene i sha ing: Ensu e in ellec ual
p ope y p o ec ions and equi able bene i -sha ing
mechanisms o indigenous knowledge (Nagoya
P o ocol–s yle sa egua ds).
6. Mains eam low- ech, low-cos solu ions: P omo e
wa e ha es ing, passi e cooling a chi ec u e, and low-
inpu a ming a scale wi h echnical suppo .
7. Moni o ing & me ics: De elop cul u ally ele an
indica o s o cap u e IKS con ibu ions.
Measu emen & indica o s (how o documen IKS
impac on SDGs)
▪ Composi e indica o s combining social, ecological and
economic me ics (e.g., g oundwa e echa ge a e +
li elihood income + biodi e si y index).
▪ Local SDG dashboa ds wi h pa icipa o y da a ( illage-
le el wa e a ailabili y, heal h ou comes a e yoga
p og ams).
▪ Quali a i e me ics: esilience na a i es, o al his o ies,
p ac ice longe i y.
▪ Adop ion & scaling indica o s: a ea unde
adi ional/o ganic a ming, numbe o communi y
wa e s uc u es es o ed, AYUSH-based clinics
unc ioning, numbe o schools wi h IKS modules.
Conclusion
The Indian Knowledge Sys em p o ides a ime- es ed,
holis ic app oach o sus ainabili y — one ha ha monizes
economic p og ess wi h en i onmen al ca e and human
wel a e. By blending IKS wi h mode n inno a ions, India
can no only accele a e p og ess owa d he 2030 Agenda
o Sus ainable De elopmen , bu also o e a ci iliza ional
model o sus ainable li ing o he wo ld.
The Indian Knowledge Sys em (IKS) - a se o in e linked
adi ions encompassing Vedic/Upaniṣadic hough ,
Buddhism, Jainism, Ayu eda, Yoga, illage ins i u ions,
classical sciences (śās as), and local ecological knowledges
- o e s a holis ic wo ld iew ha na u ally aligns wi h he
UN Sus ainable De elopmen Goals (SDGs). IKS
con ibu es on ologies, e hics, echnologies, ins i u ions, and
p ac ices ha can complemen mode n policy ools o
ad ance social, economic, and en i onmen al sus ainabili y.
Re e ences
1. Kau ilya. A hashas a. New Delhi: Penguin Classics;
c1992.
2. Sha ma PV, edi o . Cha aka Samhi a and Sush u a
Samhi a. Va anasi: Chaukhambha O ien alia; c1981.
3. Go e nmen o India, Minis y o Educa ion. Na ional
Educa ion Policy 2020. New Delhi: Go e nmen o
India; c2020.
4. Uni ed Na ions. T ans o ming Ou Wo ld: The 2030
Agenda o Sus ainable De elopmen . New Yo k:
Uni ed Na ions; c2015.
5. Kapu D. Indian Knowledge Sys ems: Redisco e ing
Indigenous Pa adigms. Indian Jou nal o T adi ional
Knowledge. 2021;20(3):450–458.
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