Creativity is at the heart of scientific innovation, yet the atmosphere of rigorous competition prevalent in our education system curbs creativity and overemphasizes curricular performance. Unfortunately this is creating a generation which is less confident in thinking out of the box, afraid of taking risks in the pursuit of innovation, and trained to prioritize competition over collaboration. The spirit of creativity, collaboration and collective well-being is ingrained in the teaching-learning of our traditional performing and creative art forms. Inspiring the present generation to learn creative arts will enable them to develop the faculties of concentration, coordination, confidence and creativity, which are catalysts for scientific excellence.
The academy offers exciting areas of research. The next wave of scientific innovation will transform humanities. AI and Machine Learning technologies are being tuned to behave humanely. These frontiers are beginning to reach creative arts and offer unique user experiences. The connections between creative arts with cognitive sciences promises to transform our mental well-being in innovative ways.
In spite of our rich heritage in classical and folk arts, we have as a nation ignored its potential when explored through the lens of science and technology. The Academy, which is a unique new entity in our IIT system offers a platform for all to participate -- students, faculty, staff across departments, campus community. We also aim to reach out to educate the world about the creative liberty in Indian forms of music and art. IIT Kharagpur thanks its alumni for supporting this unique initiative.
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