Abstract

Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) signify a vast reservoir of aboriginal wisdom including social norms, cultural practices, ecological knowledge, health traditions, and community-based institutions that have historically guided rural life in India. In the context of rapid socio-economic transformation, globalization, and state-led development interventions, rural society is undergoing profound changes that both challenge and reshape traditional knowledge structures. This study undertakes a sociological analysis of the role of Indian Knowledge Systems in influencing processes of rural social change, focusing on their interaction with modern institutions, technologies, and power relations. Today, rural society in India is changing quickly because of economic development, globalization, new technologies, and government programs. These changes often challenge traditional knowledge and ways of life, but they can also modify and adapt them. This paper aims to bridge this gap by exploring how IKS influence rural social change, particularly in the domains of education, healthcare, agriculture, and gender roles. Selected rural communities are studied as case studies to examine how traditional farming practices, local governance systems, indigenous health practices, and social customs respond to current social and economic changes.