The proposed project, mentored by faculty members associated with a dedicated IKS (Indian Knowledge System) centre at IIT Kanpur, focuses on preparing reference materials that can be readily used for textbook writing. It is especially aimed at preparing material that can be used in school/college education. The major themes considered -- Gaṇita, Darśana, Nīti, Kalā and Āyurveda -- are those that are necessary for the holistic development of a student, and where students can greatly benefit from the knowledge available in the IKS corpus. The reference materials developed can be easily integrated using modern pedagogical approaches with minimal effort in textbooks and/or by teachers. These reference materials will be based on primary references available in Sanskrit. Each mentee, working under a mentor, will be assigned a theme and will systematically review relevant original texts. After detailed examination, a list of references specific to a concept will be filtered. These references will then be presented in simpler languages with examples, sketches, figures, etc. wherever applicable, so that students with little or no prior exposure to Sanskrit or IKS can also understand them easily. Utmost care will be taken to preserve the original meaning and context. Study materials will also include a comparative list of references to expose students/teachers to the vastness of IKS corpus as well as inculcate in them the habit of referring to original texts and critically reviewing them.
