Indian Mathematical Traditions and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: Integrating Historical Depth with Contemporary Mathematical Education

India’s mathematical heritage — spanning the Sulba-sūtras, classical treatises of Aryabhata, Brahmagupta and Bhāskara, to the analytic innovations of the Kerala school — offers a rich body of ideas, methodologies and problem-focused pedagogies. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 prioritises Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) and calls for their thoughtful integration into curricula at all levels. This article argues for a rigorous and scholarly programme to integrate India’s mathematical traditions into modern mathematical education and research. After a concise historical survey highlighting key mathematical ideas and methods from Indian sources, the paper analyses conceptual affinities between these traditions and contemporary mathematical thinking; proposes curricular modules, semester-wise syllabi and pedagogical strategies for school and undergraduate levels; outlines a research agenda that combines textual scholarship, history of mathematics, and experimental-mathematical work; and discusses institutional structures, teacher education and assessment mechanisms aligned with NEP 2020’s principles. Emphasis throughout is on scholarly criticality, interdisciplinarity, and the dual goals of honoring historical contributions while cultivating mathematical rigour and modern conceptual frameworks. Concrete examples — including arithmetic algorithms, Vedic combinatorics, geometric construction from Sulba-sūtras, and infinite-series techniques from the Kerala school — are elaborated to demonstrate feasible classroom and research interventions. The article concludes with policy recommendations and a roadmap for phased implementation.