New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman felicitated scholars, artists, practitioners and spiritual seekers honoured as Gurus by INDICA at Guru Utsava 2026 on 30 July. As Sitharaman presented them with mementos and shawls, she bowed and touched their feet as a mark of respect.
The celebration at IIT Delhi’s Research and Innovation Park was held by the Indian National Trust for Indic Civilisation, a non-profit institute for Indian knowledge systems, culture, and traditions.
INDICA founder Hari Kiran Vadlamani started the event by leading a tribute to the gurus as members performed Pada Puja, washing the feet of the gurus seated on the stage. They then sprinkled flowers at the gurus’ feet as Vedic chants echoed throughout the hall.
Sitharaman also called herself a shishya or a disciple. She added that the “guru-shishya” tradition in India has shown the right path and helped Indian youth find their way.
“We do not want our youth to be misdirected. We do not want them to be lost. It is our duty and our responsibility to live this life,” she said.
‘Gurus have no caste’
“The guru is not defined by age, gender, birth, caste or appearance. We respect the guru for the knowledge he or she imparts”, said the finance minister in her speech
Since its launch in 2016, INDICA has held the Guru Utsav at different locations. This was the first time it took place at IIT Delhi.
Over the years, 155 gurus have been chosen for their exemplary knowledge and vision. The event was initially meant to be a conventional academic conference.
“Over time, we realised that every conference should become a yatra. A conference on Shaivism is held in Varanasi. A conference on Tantra belongs to Bhubaneswar. A conference on Bhakti belongs to Chennai. A conference on Jainism is held in Jodhpur. A conference on Vaishnavism is held in Srirangam. The place itself should become part of the learning experience,” Vadlamani explained.
He further expressed his gratitude to the government for encouraging Indian knowledge systems.
“Our mission is to preserve and strengthen the transformational dimension—the timeless wisdom related to well-being, psychology, ecology and consciousness. These are not ideas that become obsolete; they remain relevant across generations,” Vadlamani said.
Throughout her 26-minute-long speech, Sitharaman emphasised India’s youth and how they should carry India’s centuries-old knowledge systems forward.
“India’s indigenous knowledge system has survived because we live it. Every bit of what we do every day should bear the imprint of that inheritance. We have to live this tradition. We have to continue to live it. We have to carry it forward so that our children can follow us,” the minister said.
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A celebration of the guru-shishya parampara
The guru-shishya relation repeatedly echoed throughout the four-hour-long event.
The non-profit organisation aims to bridge the gap between ancient Gurukulams, traditional systems of religious education, and modern academic spaces.
Thursday’s programme was divided into two sections. First, a classical dance performance showed the many guru-shishya traditions over the years; then came a rendition of Sanskrit verse. A discussion on renowned yoga therapist TKV Desikachar followed the performances.
Desikachar’s student Nrithya Jagannathan, director at the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram Institute of Yoga Studies at IIT Delhi, gave the presentation on his guru’s contribution to Yoga.
“I do not have spectacular stories to tell about my teacher. What is so special about Desikachar is exactly that there are none of those stories. To me, he is a model of modesty and unpretentiousness. One of his greatest contributions is that he showed how one can teach yoga quietly, steadily and wholeheartedly,” she said.
Desichakar ran a yoga school inside the royal palace in Mysore, under the Maharaja Krishnarajendra Wadiyar IV.
“His vision was yoga for all–in a manner that is authentic, never diluting or deviating from the strength of the parampara (tradition), and yet accessible to everyone,” said Jagannathan.
INDICA also organises an annual yoga festival, Mysuru Yoga Utsava. This year, the event will take place on 17 December at the Jagannatha Center for Art and Culture (JCAC) in Mysuru.
(Edited by Insha Jalil Waziri)