Rediscovering Hinduism’s Global Relevance | Shaunaka Rishi Das

In a world saturated with noise, conflict, and ideological churn, where does identity begin and where does it lead? This episode of the “Topical” kicks off with a powerful question that threads through the entire conversation: What does identity mean in today’s global landscape, especially in times of unrest?

To explore this, Rajan Nazran brings on a compelling guest, Shaunaka Rishi Das, the Dean of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, a unique institution that, though distinct from Oxford University, provides rigorous Hindu studies teaching to the ancient university. Their conversation is not just about religion or culture; it’s about reimagining how ancient knowledge systems can enrich contemporary thought, redefine education, and even challenge the moral frameworks of our legal and environmental systems.

Shaunaka Rishi Das shares how the Centre was founded 28 years ago as the first of its kind globally. Ironically, Hindu studies were not seriously institutionalized even in India at the time. The Centre took on the monumental task of building a benchmark, establishing intellectual rigor in a field too often overlooked or misunderstood. In doing so, it didn’t just create an academic discipline; it reignited a dormant flame of Indian intellectualism.

According to him, modern education, particularly in India, has systematically prioritized Western knowledge systems while relegating Indian philosophical traditions to the margins. The result? A generation alienated from its own heritage. Students chase engineering and medicine, not because they’re passionate about them, but because those paths are validated by modern systems of reward.

But what if we revalidated Indian knowledge? What if Hindu studies were seen not as niche or outdated, but as vital intellectual contributions to the global discourse?

One of the most intellectually jarring insights Shaunaka Rishi Das offers is that Hinduism is misunderstood from the very beginning; it is not merely a religion. It is philosophy, culture, poetry, drama, law, politics, and economics. “It’s multidisciplinary,” he says, an intellectual universe that demands a broader, more nuanced lens.

To prove his point, he presents a legal-philosophical challenge. Western law, shaped by Enlightenment thinking, is grounded in the concept of human dignity. Yet, Vedantic philosophy sees the self, atma, as spiritual energy present in all life forms. If legal systems were rooted in this view, rights would extend beyond humans to elephants, rivers, and tigers. The result? A radical rethinking of environmental and legal policy, no longer anthropocentric but life-centric. It’s not just provocative; it’s potentially revolutionary.

We are living in an era where global conflict is no longer rare but persistent. The Mahabharata, often simplified as a war epic, actually contains deep discourse about human duty, morality, and transcendence. The Bhagavad Gita, often seen as glorifying war, is instead a call for spiritual clarity in ethical ambiguity. Hindu philosophy doesn’t avoid the messiness of conflict; it dives into it, offering layered perspectives on how inner and outer worlds collide.

It’s time to reclaim the space Hindu thought deserves on the global stage. Not as a relic of the past, but as a living, breathing framework to rethink education, identity, legality, environment, and human purpose.

Question the systems you’ve inherited. Ask what knowledge you’ve ignored. And explore how the oldest ideas might hold the keys to the newest problems.

Produced by Global Indian Series for the Global Indian Network.

Script by Rajan Nazran
original idea: Rajan Nazran

Introduction music: (https://freesound.org/people/Timbre)