Indian Academy of Social Sciences
INDIAN ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
The Indian Academy of Social Science (ISSA) was established on August 15, 1974 with registered headquarters at Allahabad. Its major objectives are:
(a)To undertake co-operative and multidisciplinary research in areas having relevance to social science and to the Indian society; and thereby,
To relate the social sciences theorization to actual reality.
(b)To function as a centre of exchange of ideas among social scientists, physical scientists, chemical scientists, biological scientists, agricultural scientists, ecological and environmental scientists and engineering scientists, philosophers, visionaries, social activists, planners and administrators.
(c)To act as a national forum for integrated development of science in India.
(d)To hold the annual Indian Social Science Congress (ISSC), and also State and the Regional Social Science Congresses;
(e)To publish multilingual social science journals; monographs and books in Indian languages.
(f)To promote multilingual socially relevant social science teaching and research; and
To undertake evaluation of social science teaching and research in India:
(a) To collaborate and cooperate with national and international organisations in the field of social and natural sciences.
(b)To strive to develop unity of Science of Nature-Man-Society and bring all sciences-physical, chemical, biological, agricultural., ecological and social together to form a united whole capable of developing a holistic theory and holistic methods in Indian conditions.
The ISSA has undertaken the following academic programmes in order to march towards its goals:
- Appraisal and integration of researches, theories and methods.
- Publication of Journals/monographs and books in Indian Languages.
- Networking with Universities, Colleges, research institutes laboratories, associations and other social and academic organizations.
Discovery, development and dissemination of Science of Nature-Man-Society through appraisal and integration of current researches, theories and methods was sought to be achieved through the following:
- Indian Social Science Congress.
- State Social Science Congresses.
- Research and training Centres
- Seminars/Symposia/Colloquia/Workshops/Group Discussions/Public Lectures
- Publication of Research Journals/Newsletters/ Monographs/Books in Indian languages.
ISSA initiated organization of Indian Social Science Congress (ISSC) in 1976 and as of now 30 sessions of ISSC have been held in different parts of India. Its 31st session is scheduled between December 27-31, 2007 at SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai. It also initiated organization of State Social Science Congresses proceedings of which are held in the languages of the respective States. (e.g. A.P. Social Science Congress in Telugu, Karnataka Social Science Congress in Kannada, Bengal Social Science Congress in Bengali etc. Third West Bangal Social Science Congress was held from September 27-29, 2004 at North Bengal University, Darjeeling.
Survey Research Centre and Rural Development Study Centre were set up simultaneously for undertaking coordinated research programmes, data building and training. A Peoples Centre for Theoretical And Policy Research has been planned during the Silver Jubilee year of ISSA.
Well-planned thematic seminars/symposia/workshops/colloquia at local, regional and national levels have been held since the inception of ISSA.
Publication of quarterly research journals and Newsletters were initiated with a view to disseminating scientific knowledge among people. ISSA is publishing two quarterly journals- Bharatiya Samajik Chintan in English and Samayik Samajik Chintan in Hindi at present. Publication of Samayik Samajik Chintan has been stopped for the time being. A quarterly ISSA Newsletter is also published. It has also published several books/monographs during the last 33 years.
ISSA proposes to publish research Journals, monographs and books in all Indian languages(e,g,, Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam etc.).
Ever since its inception ISSA has been engaged in building co-operation with universities, colleges, research institutes, laboratories, other academic and social institutions in India. Several universities and research institutes are its permanent institutional members.
ISSA has set up a Young Scientists Division for development and utilization of creative potentialities of young scientists of all disciplines. The Division Orgnises All India Young Scientists Convention. First All India Young Scientist Convention was held on December 30-31, 2006 at Alagappa University, Karaikudi at the second is due to be held from December 30-31, 2007 at SNDT Women’s University, Bombay. It encourages young scientists to learn to practice democracy and to dissent and develop critical and creative thinking.
It has also been engaged in building regional and state centres all over India. Andhra Centre of ISSA holds Andhra Social Science Congress. Karnataka Centre organises Karnataka Social Science Congress. Bengal Centre organises Bengal Social Science Congress. Similar Centres in other states are being developed. ISSA proposes to christen respective state centres in their names-Andhra Social Science Academy, Karnataka Social Science Academy, etc. Panjab Social Science Academy And Literature is already a federal member of ISSA.
Major thrust of activities of the Indian Academy of Social Sciences involve building of a holistic theory of science of Nature-man-Society through concerted interactive discourse, dialogue and exchange among natural scientists, agricultural scientists, biologists, social scientists, etc. ISSA places greater premium on Indian languages for communicating science.
To the ISSA science is social and unitary. Its major concern is on science of Nature-Man-Society.
IndiaN ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
PRESIDENTS
Sl. No. / Name of President / Place / Year1. / Prof. A.D. Sharma / Allahabad / 1974-75
2. / Prof. R.L. Singh / Varanasi / 1976-77
3. / Prof. A.D. Pant / Allahabad / 1977-78
4. / Prof. B.K. Roy Burman / New Delhi / 1978-79
5. / Prof. R.P. Dhokalia / New Delhi / 1979-80
6. / Prof. S.P. Dasgupta / Calcutta / 1980-81
7. / Prof. Shib K. Mitra / New Delhi / 1981-82
8. / Prof. Gautam Mathur / New Delhi / 1982-83
9. / Prof. Ravinder Kumar / New Delhi / 1983-84
10. / Prof. Ramkrishna Mukherjee / Calcutta / 1984-85
11. / Prof. Yogendra Singh / New Delhi / 1985-86
12. / Prof. V.K.R.V. Rao / Bangalore / 1986-87
13. / Prof. M.S. Gore / Mumbai / 1987-88
14. / Prof. B.M. Udgaonkar / Mumbai / 1988-89
15. / Prof. D.P. Pattanayak / Bhubaneswar / 1989-90
16. / Prof. Upendra Baxi / New Delhi / 1990-91
17. / Prof. B.L. Amla / Mysore / 1991-92
18. / Prof. P.M. Bhargava / Hyderabad / 1992-93
19. / Dr. K.S. Singh / Ranchi / 1993-94
20. / Prof. A. Rahman / New Delhi / 1994-95
21. / Dr. Basanta Sarkar / Hyderabad / 1995-96
22. / Prof. K. Raghavendra Rao / Dharward / 1996-97
23. / Dr. Upendra Trivedi / New Delhi / 1997-98
24. / Prof. S.C. Bhattacharya / Allahabad / 1998-99
25. / Prof. G.C. Pande / Allahabad / 1999-2000
26. / Prof. G.D. Sharma / New Delhi / 2000 -2001
27. / Prof. Rajammal P. Devadas / Coimbatore / 2001-2002
28. / Prof. K. Wilson / Hyderabad / 2002-2003
29 / Prof. K.H. Cheluva Raju / Bangalore / 2003-2004
30 / Dr. A. K. Tharien / Dindigul / 2004-2005
31 / Prof. M. G. S. Narayanan / Calicut / 2005-2006
32 / Prof. N. Markandan / Coimbatore / 2006-2007
33 / Dr. Bhalchandra Mungekar / New Delhi / 2007-2008
34 / Sri S.P. Shukla (President-elect) / New Delhi / 2008-2009
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