Indian psychology is not “it’s my life” — it’s “it is all life.” That single distinction separates it from every Western framework. This second part of the Chitta Vidya discussion deepens the conversation on how India’s understanding of the mind — rooted in Yoga Sutras, Sankhya, and Abhinavagupta’s rasa theory — offers tools that mainstream Western psychology cannot.
The speakers explore how the Yoga Sutra’s concept of tanu vasanas — impulses in their subtlest state — is the only window for genuine choice before they take over consciousness. Sadaranikaran, the mechanism of resonance in human communication drawn from rasa theory, is presented as the basis for authentic connection beyond egotism. The conversation closes with a bold claim: the environmental and civilisational crises of today are caused by applying a war-hierarchy model to peacetime, and only India has the civilisational wisdom and weight to offer an alternative.
About the Speakers:
Prof. Ashish Pandey teaches at the Shailesh J. Mehta School of Management, IIT Bombay, with over 14 years of experience in management education, research, and consulting. His research focuses on the application of Indian wisdom traditions to management, leadership, and organizational development. He has published extensively in the form of books and journal articles and teaches courses on Indian management philosophy, ethics, and spirituality for MBA and PhD programs.
Raghu Ananthanarayanan is a direct disciple of Yogacharya Krishnamacharya and Shri TKV Desikachar, been influenced by J. Krishnamurti and Prof. Pulin K. Garg (IIM Ahmedabad), and holds a postgraduate degree in Engineering from IIT Madras. Drawing from Yoga, Behavioural Sciences, theatre, and dance, Raghu has developed Citta Vidyā—a unique approach to personal unfolding and organizational transformation. He is currently establishing the Centre for Citta Vidyā and Indian Psychology with the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru. Along with his wife Sashi, he serves as Chief Mentor at Ritambhara Ashram in the Nilgiris.
Prashant Pandey is the Director, Centre for Hindu Identity Studies at the Sarayu Trust. He is also a seasoned journalist with nearly two decades of experience He has subsequently contributed to the publishing sector and co-authored two books, including the BBC’s True Lies. Since 2019, his work has been oriented toward advancing Indic civilizational discourse and Sanatana understanding, with a focus on developing youth capacity for culturally grounded social negotiation and public engagement.
