About the Book

Long before the first European universities appeared, India already had multi-disciplinary centres of learning that fuelled a knowledge revolution around the world. This book fills a dire need to chronicle the great educational heritage of India. It describes a unique ecosystem which ensured that Gurus and Acharyas handed the lamp of learning to generations of students. As the author puts it, “When swords quenched their thirst and famine ravaged the lands, Indians still held on to their truth that there was nothing more purifying than knowledge.” She has collated information from oral history, local lore, travelogues, surviving literature, inscriptions, salvaged manuscripts and accounts of scholars and laity. Historically, the book covers a vast time span from ancient India’s traditions to the deliberate destruction of its heritage. It also outlines steps that can be taken today to incorporate the most relevant aspects of ancient learning systems into the current structure of school and university education.

About the Author

An alumnus of Delhi Technological University, Sahana Singh made a career shift to writing and editing after moving to Singapore from India. Her articles have been published in The Reader’s Digest, Washington Post, Discovery Channel Asia, The Straits Times, Swarajya, IndiaFacts and MyIndMakers. Sahana is on the board of multiple non-profit organisations working in the areas of historical research, traditional Indic knowledge systems, and assistance to Hindu refugees. She has won several awards for journalism including the Developing Asia Journalism Award 2008.