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The Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS)

The Indian Institute of Advanced Study was set up by the Ministry of Education, Government of India as a Society under the Societies Registration act XXI of 1860, with effect from 6th October 1964. The Institute started functioning at Shimla on 20th October,1965 when it was formally inaugurated by the thenPresidentofIndia, Professor S.Radhakrishnan.

The Institute aims at free and creative enquiry into the fundamental themes and problems of life and thought. It is a residential centre for research and encourages promotion of creative thought in areas which have deep human significance, and provides.an environment suitable for academic research, particularly in selected subjects in the Humanities, Indian Culture, Comparative Religion, Social and Natural Sciences and such other areas as the Institute may, from time to time, decide. The Institute provides facilities for advanced consultations and collaboration besides library and documentation facilities.

The following areas have been selected for studies by the Institute:
• Social, political and economic philosophy;
• Comparative Indian (including ancient, medieval, modern folk and tribal);
• Comparative studies in philosophy and religion;
• Development of world-views;
• Education, culture, arts including performing arts and craft;
• Fundamental concepts and problems of logic and mathematics.
• Fundamental concepts and problems of natural and life sciences;
• Studies in environment, natural and social;
• Indian civilization in the context of Asian neighbours; and
• Problems of contemporary India in the context of national integration and nation-building.

• Theme of Indian unity in diversity;
• Intergrality of Indian consciousness;
• Philosophy of education in the Indian perspective;
• Advanced concepts in natural sciences and their philosophical implications;
• Indian and Asian contribution to the synthesis of science and spirituality;
• Indian and human unity;
• A Campanion to Indian Literature;
• A Comparitive Study of Indian Epics; and
• Human Environment.

The ongoing academic activity of the Institute is the research being done at any given time by its Fellows. From time to time, the Institute also undertakes interdisciplinary research project on which scholars from different disciplines work as a team.

The Institute also organizes several national level seminars every year on themes of pressing contemporary relevance as well as of fundamental theoretical significance. Frequently, distinguished scholars from abroad are also invited to these seminars.

The academic activities of the Institute have been backed by interesting cultural and extra curricular activities and celebrations of national events and festivals in befitting manner.

An essential part of the Institute's activities is the organization of seminars on themes of pressing contemporary relevance as well as of fundamental theoretical significance. Every year three seminars are organized -one to expose the outcome of research at the Institute, another to generate ideas and give direction to the research efforts of the Institute and the third on the theme of National Integration. The Institute also organizes seminars with other Institutions. Themes for discussion are chosen with care and so are the participants.

Lecture Most important academic event of the Institute is annual Radhakrishnan Memorial Lecture. The lecture is held during the birth week of Philosopher-President Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan who had gifted the Rashtrapati Nivas to the Ministry of Education to house Indian Institute of Advanced Study.So far this lecture has been delivered by Professor K.N. Raj, Professor J.S. Bajaj, Professor Simon Blackburn, Professor Richard Sorabji, Professor Andre Beteille, Professor M.G.K.Menon and Professor D.P. Chattopadhyaya.

The Institute has also started Inter-Institutional Collaboration with other Institutions like Center for Studies in Civilization; Ved Vidya Pratishthan; Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan; Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies; National Institute of Advanced Study; Govind Ballabh Pant Social Science Institute; Allahabad Museum, Deccan College, Post-Graduate and Research Institute; and the Center for Research in Rural and Industrial Development.

The backbone of the Institute have been the scholars who come to reside and work at the Institute.