Translit Talks 2026: Exploring IKS, Ayurveda, and Health Humanities in Malayalam Texts

The Department of English (SF) recently hosted a groundbreaking session titled “IKS and Health Humanities: An Interdisciplinary Exploration of Ayurveda Through Malayalam Cultural Texts.” This event was part of the second edition of the department’s flagship initiative, Translit Talks: Beyond the Boundaries of Literature.

Held on 14 January 2026 at Thoomkuzhy Hall, the session brought together scholars and students for a rich dialogue intersecting literature, Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS), Ayurveda, and the growing field of health humanities.

About Translit Talks: Beyond Boundaries

Translit Talks is a curated platform by the Department of English (SF) designed to expand the horizons of classroom learning. By connecting literary studies with wider cultural, social, and knowledge traditions, the series encourages engagement with disciplines such as:

• Philosophy and Medicine
• Cultural Studies
• Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS)

Key Session Highlights

1. Ayurveda through the Lens of IKS

The session featured Dr. Arathi Lakshman (BAMS) as the resource person. She provided a deep dive into Ayurveda through the framework of Indian Knowledge Systems.

• Holistic Orientation: Dr. Lakshman highlighted how Ayurveda is not just a medical system but a philosophy of wellness and balance.
• Cultural Narratives: She explored how embodied experiences of health are represented and reimagined in regional Malayalam literary and cultural texts.

2. Bridging Health Humanities and Malayalam Literature

A key focus of the talk was situating Ayurveda within Health Humanities. The discussion examined how stories, poems, and cultural texts in Malayalam engage with universal themes:

• Illness and Healing
• Caregiving and Vulnerability
• Beyond Biomedical Frameworks

3. Critical Interventions

Mr. Manu B, a Research Scholar in Health Humanities, served as the discussant. His critical observations enriched the deliberations by connecting theoretical perspectives with specific examples from Malayalam cultural productions and contemporary healthcare debates.

Why This Matters: The Outcome

This session successfully fostered an interdisciplinary dialogue, foregrounding the relevance of indigenous knowledge traditions in contemporary critical discourse. It reaffirmed the Department of English (SF)’s commitment to promoting innovative academic conversations that look beyond traditional literary boundaries.