The IITs, which have long been seen as providers of scientific knowledge, also want to teach students the art of being resilient and look beyond grades.
The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-Madras) is partnering with Rekhi Foundation for Happiness, a not-for-profit organisation, to establish a ‘Rekhi Centre of Excellence for the Science of Happiness’. Set to come up in the Department of Management Studies (DoMS), IIT Madras, this centre will focus on integrating the study of happiness into the academic curriculum.
The institute, on Wednesday, signed an MoU towards this with Dr Satinder Singh Rekhi, Founder, Rekhi Foundation for Happiness.
This is not the first time that a higher education institute has tried to create an ecosystem of happiness. IIT-Kharagpur, IIT-Roorkee, IIT-Jammu, IIM-Lucknow, IIT-Delhi and others are a few that already run such centres, as per an IIT-M official. The establishment of the centre is part of IIT-Madras’ Be Happy programme, which includes counselling sessions, wellness plans and other initiatives to help students cope with the stress.
“The centre will focus on developing and delivering courses that empower students to cultivate positivity, build emotional resilience and lead purposeful lives. Additionally, it will offer hands-on learning experiences through a dedicated Mind Lab, equipped with cutting-edge tools to deepen practical understanding and application,” the institute said.
Resilient communities
“The objective of this initiative should be to cultivate an ideal student-faculty environment, reinforcing the idea that true learning and holistic personal growth extend beyond academic scores,” V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said.
The idea is promote the science of happiness, which is necessary for all our well-being — be it students or faculty or others, Prof Rupashree Baral, professor, IIT-Madras, said. “With this, we are looking to build more resilient communities overall and create capacity in our students to cope with uncertainties and pitfalls of all kinds,” she added.
Rekhi Foundation for Happiness is a non-profit trust founded in 2016 by Dr Rekhi. It works to advance the practice and knowledge of Happiness Science and Positive Psychology by establishing happiness centres in universities worldwide, fostering well-being through research, education and practical applications.
