Shantamani Kala Kendra is envisaged as the fulcrum for liberal education in the University offering educational programmes in Fine Arts and Performing Arts, besides promoting and amalgamating various traditional and modern art forms. From time immemorial, these forms have been referred to as Lalit Kala.
Shantamani Kala Kendra derives its name and inspiration from the former Chief Mentor of the JAIN Group of Institutions, the late Professor Shantamani, who was instrumental in developing and instituting the Ph.D. and post-graduate programmes in Performing Arts. In addition, Dr. Shantamani designed a unique course relating to Mind Management and Human Values, which is today being offered to all undergraduate students of the University.
Para 11.1 of the National Education Policy (NEP) refers to Chathusashti Kalas in the following context, “India has a long tradition of holistic and multidisciplinary learning, from universities such as Takshashila and Nalanda, to the extensive literatures of India combining subjects across fields. Ancient Indian literary works such as Banabhatta’s Kadambari described a good education as knowledge of the 64 Kalaas or arts; and among these 64 ‘arts’ were not only subjects, such as singing and painting, but also ‘scientific’ fields, such as chemistry and mathematics, ‘vocational’ fields such as carpentry and clothes-making, ‘professional ’fields, such as medicine and engineering, as well as ‘soft skills such as communication, discussion, and debate. The very idea that all branches of creative human endeavour, including mathematics, science, vocational subjects, professional subjects, and soft skills should be considered ‘arts’, has distinctly Indian origins. This notion of a ‘knowledge of many arts’ or what in modern times is often called the ‘liberal arts’ (i.e., a liberal notion of the arts) must be brought back to Indian education, as it is exactly the kind of education that will be required for the 21st century."
In furtherance of the mandate of the NEP to integrate liberal arts, Shantamani Kala Kendra aims to connect with art galleries, museums, artisans, researchers, practitioners, and distinguished experts who have made a remarkable contribution towards fine arts to galvanise research in the area, preservation, and restoration of Indian Art and Culture and offer programmes for learners across the globe.
