Shastrartha Can Act as a Powerful Tool for Critical Thinking and Communication Skills in the Age of Information Overload: Siddheshwar Shukla

Emphasizing the enduring relevance of India's indigenous knowledge traditions in contemporary education, senior journalist and author Siddheshwar Shukla highlighted the role of Shastrartha in strengthening critical thinking and communication skills among students in today's age of information overload.

Shukla, author of the acclaimed book "Shastrartha in India: Methodology and Applications", was speaking as the Chief Guest at the first-ever Pre Media-Meet 2026, organized at CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Delhi NCR Campus.

Addressing students and faculty, Shukla explained that Shastrartha offers a structured framework that enables learners to sift useful information from the vast virtual world while identifying misinformation and disinformation. He noted that the method of Shastrartha comprises 16 categories, which can be broadly grouped into four key areas: (a) Composing infallible arguments, (b) Identifying fallacies, (c) Models of Shastrartha, and (d) Ascertainment of subject matter.

He further observed that Shastrartha inherently integrates all four components of communication—intrapersonal, interpersonal, group, and mass communication, making it a comprehensive model for communication studies. "The foremost requirement of Shastrartha is a friendly, mutually respectful ambience and an open-minded approach. It provides a holistic framework for articulation on any subject and accommodates divergent views with the aim of reaching the truth," Shukla said.

Underscoring its academic relevance, he pointed out that Shastrartha is particularly valuable in Qualitative Research, especially in content analysis and media analysis. He also connected Shastrartha to modern communication theories, noting its closeness to circular models of communication, as it incorporates both message and feedback, along with elements of psychological theories, social change theory, and media literacy theory.

Explaining its practical dimensions, Shukla described the four models of Shastrartha: (a) Samvada – a highly friendly dialogue between scholars, (b) Vada – a structured discussion akin to classroom teaching, (c) Jalp – similar to judicial or legislative debates, (d) Vitanda – a highly deconstructive style resembling many contemporary media debates.

On the occasion, Rev. Dr. Fr. Biju, Professor and Associate Director at Christ University, Yeshwanthpur Campus, Bangalore, and founder of Media Meet initiative, joined the session online and remarked that the university remains open to engaging with industry professionals and experts from diverse fields to enhance its curriculum in line with contemporary needs. He also expressed gratitude to Rev. Dr. Fr. Vinod Michael, Campus Director of the NCR Campus, the Head of Department Dr. Shivani Choudhary, Coordinator Dr. Jitender Bhandari, and Programme Coordinator of Media Studies, Delhi NCR campus, Dr. Nishant Kumar Bhardwaj.

Dr. Nishant Kumar Bhardwaj moderated the session and discussed several dimensions of Shashtrartha and the Indian Knowledge System (IKS).

The event was attended by faculty members and students at the university. Students actively participated in the session and engaged in a lively interaction with the speaker, expressing keen interest in learning more about the theory and application of Shastrartha. The Pre Media-Meet 2026 marked an important step in bridging traditional Indian intellectual practices with modern media education and communication studies. The Media Meet conference will happen in August and will be observed across the campuses of Christ University.