Abstract
Modern development has generated unparalleled advances in science, technology, healthcare, communication, and productivity. Yet, it has also been associated with environmental degradation, climate change, loss of biodiversity, stress, inequality, and unsustainable lifestyles. These developments have generated interest in alternative knowledge systems that prioritize human well-being in social, ethical, and ecological contexts. Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) consist of diverse traditions of health, Yoga, philosophy, agriculture, water management, architecture, mathematics, ecology, and education. Their significance in contemporary times comes from certain ideas and approaches that they propose to enhance the well-being of people and our planet. This chapter attempts to highlight the contribution of the Indian knowledge systems to furthering global well-being and sustainable development with particular attention paid to higher education. It addresses the significance of Ayurveda and preventive health, Yoga and mental well-being, ethical traditions, agriculture, water resource management, and ecological knowledge for contemporary issues of global well-being, including sustainable development goals. This chapter is based on the traditional knowledge system. Higher education can play a special role in engaging with IKS by advancing curricular innovations, interdisciplinary research, ethical collaborations with traditional knowledge holders, and development of context-specific applications. This chapter, therefore, prioritizes the opportunities for higher education and its role for exploring the relevance of Indian knowledge systems to contemporary issues of well-being and sustainable development.