Exploring the Indian Knowledge System with Special Reference to Assam: Traditions, Practices and Prospects

The Indian Knowledge System (IKS) is an enormous repository of history, philosophy, sciences, arts, material technologies, ecological understanding, and social practices. Assam, comprised of the Brahmaputra and Barak valleys, exemplifies a regionally nuanced articulation of IKS, shaped by its unique ecology, cultural syncretism, and historical interactions across South and Southeast Asia. This study explores Assam’s contributions to IKS through its historical chronicles, Neo-Vaishnavite reform and pedagogy, performing arts, material crafts, ethnomedicinal knowledge, and adaptive agricultural practices. Findings highlight the contemporary relevance of these traditions for education, cultural preservation, sustainability, and economic development, illustrating how Assam’s rich indigenous knowledge shaped in policy frameworks and sustainable practices in modern society. This study also delves into the potential possibilities of the rich treasuries of various resources from Assam for contribution towards various contemporary fields.