Recovering Indian Philosophical Thought: Comparative Perspectives & Postcolonial Insights

Indian philosophical traditions, from the Vedas and Upaniṣads to classical schools such as Nyāya, Vaiśeṣika, Sāṅkhya, and Vedānta, offer profound analyses of knowledge, reality, language, and ethics. This article explores the relevance of these traditions in contemporary discourse through comparative philosophy and postcolonial recovery. It examines epistemological frameworks of thinkers like Dignāga and Dharmakīrti, linguistic theories of Bhartrhari, and ethical insights rooted in dharma, highlighting continuities and contrasts with modern cognitive science, philosophy of mind, and ethics. Further, it interrogates colonial distortions of Indian thought and demonstrates how postcolonial scholarship can reconstruct indigenous intellectual history on its own terms. By situating Indian philosophy in dialogue with global discourses, the article emphasizes its enduring analytical rigor, ethical sophistication, and practical relevance for contemporary challenges.