“KNOWLEDGE SWAYAMVARAM” - An Intellectual Match Making

The Mylapore Trio’s brain child is “Knowledge Swayamvaram” – An Innovative Event conducted on Sunday, 11th November, 2018, at their residence at Mandavelipakkam. Dr.S.Amarnath, ( Kalakshetra Alumni & One of the Mylapore Trio) who is a Professor of History at Presidency College, Chennai, organized this unique “Knowledge Swayamvaram” (Intellectual Academic Interaction) between his Ph.D, M.Phil Research Scholars and Resource Persons, who are eminent Academicians, Professors, Historians, artists in dance, music, arts & crafts. It was a first of its kind event in which the Researchers and the Experts in various fields were brought under one roof for intellectual match up. He has organized the same event earlier in 2011, 2015 and repeated once again now. In this novel venture, he was supported by his brother Surendranath, sister Aparna.

The Eminent Resource Persons were - Dr. G.J. Sudhakar, Professor & Head, Historical Studies, C.P.R Foundation and Former Prof. and HOD of History, Loyola College, Chennai. Mr.Rangaraj, a Journalist and Founder of Chennai 2000 Plus, Mrs Chitra Rangaraj – a Journalist & Historian, Dr. Sumabala, Professor of History, Quaid – E – Millet College for Women, Chennai. Surendranath – a Masters in Vis.Com & an Art Director, Aparna - A Chartered Accountant & a Banker – Kalakshetra Alumni and Founders of Sri Sumukhi Rajasekharan Memorial Foundation, Chennai.

The research scholars included Ph.D and M.Phil scholars of Dr.Amarnath who are doing research on various spectrums of Art and culture. They continue to work on a variety of topics in history, archaeology & heritage

Since Dr. Amarnath is a Cultural historian and an alumni of Kalakshetra with a strong leaning towards dance, music and other art forms, he feels the dire need to explore the cultural arena and bring it to the academic platform, which has not been done significantly. Hence the students are encouraged to quench their cultural thirst by taking up cultural topics under the guidance of Dr. Amarnath. His students have done extensive research on folk arts and were awarded the Ph.D degree for their ground breaking works on The Folk Games of Tamil Nadu, Folk Theatre, Folk Music and Dance, Classical Bharatanatyam, Carnatic Music, Arts and Crafts, Temple study, Heritage etc…

Scholars conglomerated to quench their intellectual thirst and to satiate their hunger for knowledge. It was a Satsung of Gurus and Sishyas held in a very Artistic Ambience and in a Serene Atmosphere. This exclusive session began with an introduction of the professionals and the students, followed by one to one interaction. The resource persons, belonging to a spectrum of fields, so happened to be Primary sources for the candidates, who ultimately catered to the scholarly needs of the researchers. 

The event was a sort of Intellectual Mating between the givers and takers of knowledge. Each candidate was given an easy approach to meet their respective specialist without much ado, which otherwise would not have been easily possible. It was like the Mountain coming to meet the Prophet. After two hours of solid discussion the session ended with a sumptuous High Tea.

According to the experts, it was a rejuvenating experience in their academic career & felt happy to share their expertise, knowledge and wisdom to the blooming historians and offered their services any time required. The students on their part were very much thrilled about this new concept of meeting doyens who were simple and easily approachable. In its true sense, it was indeed a “Knowledge Swayamvaram” between the seekers & providers of information. At the end of the day, the students turned a new leaf in their academic career.