New Delhi: Human and Resource Development (HRD) Minister Smriti Irani reconstituted Indian Council for Philosophical Research (ICPR). Through the reconstitution, it ropes in Sanskrit students, a former BJP member of Legislative Council in Karnataka, a retired IPS officer who has turned to Hinduism and believe in a massive approach and a scholar who is related to an organization claimed to have place Lord Rama's actual date of birth.

This reconstitution of Council which was approved on 22 Feb 2016 added 12 new members, including four Sanskrit scholars.

The last Council term expired in Oct 2015 where Prof Siddheshwar Bhatt, a philosopher, and sanskritist was nominated as Chairperson to precede reputed educationist Prof Mrinal Miri.

The other members introduced on board are Prof SR Leela, a BJP nominated MLC within Karnataka in 2014 who is also a Sanskrit scholar and former head division of Sanskrit, Banglore College, Prof Hare Ram Tripathi from Delhi's Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, and Prof Om Prakash Pandey who is a former HoD Sanskrit and Prakrit languages, Lucknow College.

Prof K Aravinda Rao, a retired who served as DGP in Andhra Pradesh also may be a part of ICPR. He presently working as the Director of Hyderabad-based Advaita Academy. Rao wrote books like 'How you can inform Hinduism to child?' and 'Analysis of Jnanam within the Upanishads'.

Prof V Kutumba Sastri is an exceptional member of Philosophical Analysis Council, who is a former VC Somnath Sanskrit University. Sastri is also a member of Institute of Scientific Research on Vedas (I-SERVE), which claimed to have put an exact date to the several events from Ramayana and Mahabharata including God Rama's exact date and time of birth.

The opposite members on board the council are Prof Kusum Jain, former professor & HoD of Philosophy, Rajasthan College, Prof Jatashankar Tiwari, former professor & HoD Philosophy, Allahabad College, Prof X P Mao, professor of Philosophy, North East Hill College, Prof R C Sinha, former professor & HoD Philosophy, Patna College. That aside Prof Dharmanand Sharma, former professor and HoD philosophy, Chandigarh College and Prof Naresh Kumar Ambastha, HoD philosophy, PKRM School, Dhanbad and Dr Rajaram Shukla, professor Vaidic Darshan, BHU Varanasi are additionally on the reconstituted ICPR Council. This council will additional co-choose one other 4 eminent philosophers.

ICPR is a physique of famed philosophers, social faces and government representatives that evaluate the progress of research in Philosophy, sponsors and tasks of analysis in Philosophy by institutes.(Inputs from agencies)