The World Philosophy Day, a UNESCO event, was celebrated at the IIT Bhubaneswar on Friday with Prof Ramesh Chandra Sinha, Chairman, Indian Council of Philosophical Research (ICPR), New Delhi as chief guest and presided over by Prof RV Raja Kumar, Director, IIT Bhubaneswar.
Prof Raja Kumar said the day is celebrated to promote an international culture of philosophical debate respecting human dignity and diversity. He emphasised the need to teach philosophy at all levels, especially to the students of science and technology, as has been done at the IIT Bhubaneswar. He presented an overview of the various courses being offered at the School of Humanities, Social Sciences and Management (SHSSM) at IIT Bhubaneswar.
Prof Sinha said that for centuries, in every culture, philosophy has given birth to concepts, ideas and analyses, and, through this, has laid the foundation for critical, independent and creative thoughts.
He added that philosophy should not be restricted to eminent scholars but should be used for upliftment of the downtrodden, the marginalised, paving the path for building a better society of tomorrow.
The programme also included a thought-provoking session addressed by distinguished professors from different universities in the country.
