Kumar Bahukhandi
Anant National University recently hosted two landmark international events. The International Conference on Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices: Designing Sustainable Futures brought together global voices, highlighting the importance of integrating Indigenous knowledge into contemporary practices. The 3rd edition of WITH Festival, themed ‘Borderless – Global Indigenous Futures,’ celebrated Indigenous storytelling through contemporary media, simultaneously taking place in Quito (Ecuador), Miami (USA) and So Paulo (Brazil), with Anant hosting its Indian edition.
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Dr Anunaya Chaubey, Provost of Anant National University, delivering the welcome address at the International Conference on Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices
The conference, led by Dr Anunaya Chaubey, Provost, Anant National University and Dr Rajendra Singh, Professor of Practice, Anant National University, featured keynote addresses by Prof Sonajharia Minz and Prof Rishi Narain Singh, alongside research presentations from global experts. It provided a platform for thought leaders, policymakers and scholars to engage in meaningful discussions on sustainable solutions in response to escalating environmental challenges, social inequalities and economic instability.
Anant, the exclusive host of WITH 2025 in India, curated diverse performances during the 2-day festival. These included musical and theatrical performances, poetry recitals and storytelling sessions by artists dedicated to promoting and conserving Indigenous knowledge. From Kashmiri folk artists performing traditional Kashmiri play, skateboarder-rapper from Madhya Pradesh sharing her pathbreaking journey to a rock-fusion band from Meghalaya narrating Khasi stories and artists from Majuli, Assam, showcasing their unique talent, the performances captured the audiences with their uniqueness.
Talking about the events, Dr Anunaya Chaubey, Provost, Anant National University, shared, “At Anant, we believe that Indigenous knowledge holds timeless wisdom for building a sustainable future. Hosting these events allows us to bring global voices together, fostering dialogue between tradition and contemporary innovation. These events provide young minds with a deeper understanding of sustainability, culture and design, inspiring them to explore solutions rooted in traditions while embracing modern advancements.”
Both events offered immersive learning opportunities for Anant students as the participating artists and experts engaged with them through workshops, discussions and interactive sessions, taking Anant’s DesignX philosophy forward and reinforcing Anant’s commitment to preparing and empowering the next generation of problem solvers.
About Anant National University
Anant National University, India’s first DesignX university, is dedicated to training students to devise solutions for global problems. The X in Design X is the symbol drawn from mathematics, representing enhancement. This new learning approach multiplies traditional design pedagogy with liberal arts disciplines, emerging technologies and knowledge drawn from hands-on community experiences to help understand our world better and to devise impactful solutions.
Our multidisciplinary undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes in design, architecture, climate action and visual arts harness knowledge from various disciplines and traditional practices to integrate it with cutting-edge technology to address diverse challenges. We train our designers to become solutionaries – revolutionary thinkers with a solution-oriented mindset.
Anant National University has been awarded the prestigious ‘5-Star Rating‘ in the category of Architecture and a ‘4-Star Rating‘ in the University category in Gujarat State Institutional Rating Framework (GSIRF) 2023-24. This recognition reinforces our commitment to creating a world-class institution of great eminence and excellence.
