What is the career in Indology?



A passage to India



India, home to one of the oldest civilizations in the world, has captured the world’s imagination for centuries now. The rise and fall of its mighty kingdoms, its protected struggle for Independence and its ancient traditions – Ayurveda and yoga for instance, continue to attract the world’s attention. Little wonder there’s an entire discipline of social sciences dedicated to the study of this mystic land.



Indology or India Studies, helps us understand India’s past, its culture and finally, its evolution into the world’s largest democracy.



Becoming an Indologist is a good option for those students who enjoy learning history and Sanskrit and take pride in India’s ancient traditions.



Scope



Today, opportunities in Indology are largely in academics and research. But the subject is also useful for those interested in understanding the nature and dynamics of Indian Culture and society, particularly to teachers of higher educational institutions, journalists, and those pursuing careers in tourism, archaeology and museums.



Opportunities



** Universities and colleges



** Library and research centres



** Archaeology institutes



** Museums and archives



** Tourism industry



Required skills



** Knowledge of ancient Indian languages, especially Sanskrit



** Research orientation



** Linguistic skills



** Interest in history



How it works



Indology as a subject began in the 18th Century when English scientist William Jones started the Asiatic Society of Bengal. Also, world-wide interest in Indian languages, culture, geography and political climate grew considerably after World War II when India gained Independence from the British Raj.



There are two branches of Indology: classical, which looks at the past; and modern, which studies the contemporary scenario. Classical Indology focuses on Sanskrit and other ancient languages. On the other hand, modern Indology is relevant to the understanding of the current situation in India and uses multiple language sources and social approaches.



What to study



There is paucity of institutes in India offering courses in Indology. Surprisingly, many foreign universities have a chair in Indology and so encourage graduation and postgraduation in Indology and South Asian Studies.



Where



In India:



** Centre for Indological Studies and Research, Ramakrishna Mission Institute of culture (RMIC), Kolkata: A 10-month course in Indology.



** School of Indology, Nalanda Open University: M.A. in History and B.A. (Hons) in History. Certificate courses in Buddhist Studies, Christian Studies, Hindu Studies, Islamic Studies, Jain Studies and Sikh Studies.



** Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi: B.A. Philosophy; M.A. Philosophy; and PG Diploma in Indian Philosophy and Religion.



** Shri Balmukund Lohia Centre of Sanskrit and Indological Studies, Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth, Pune: (B.A.) Visharad in Sanskrit; Parangat (M.A.) in Sanskrit; Parangat (M.A.) in Sanskrit; Parangat in Indology (M.A.)



Abroad:



** Institute for Indology and Tibetology, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany: Bachelors and Masters in Indology; Ph.D. programme in Buddhism Studies.



** University of Wuerzburg, Germany: Bachelors of Indology / South Asian Studies.



** Heidelberg University, Germany: Cultural and Religious History of South Asia (Classical Indology)



** University of Tuebingen, Germany: Bachelors in Modern India and Masters in Indology



** Australian National University: Bachelors of Asian and Pacific Studies



** School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London: M.A. Intensive South Asian Studies



 



Picture Credit : Google