Banaras Hindu University

KREEDA Explores Toys As Tools Of Innovation, Education and Cultural Heritage

The three-day National Conference ‘KREEDA: Knowledge, Recognition & Enhancement through Educational Design and Activity’ was commenced by the Department of Physical Education. The Conference is centred around the theme “Recognition of Toys for Games & Sports: Innovation, Indigenous Knowledge, Physical Literacy and Sustainable Play Ecosystems”. Addressing the inaugural function, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi emphasised that toys should not be viewed as trivial objects. He described the toy market as a serious business and highlighted the need for greater attention to popularity, ingenuity, innovation, ease of use and inclusivity in toy design. Prof. Chaturvedi noted that toys and games should not be restricted to children and pointed to their potential for older adults as well, particularly through word games, sedentary games and activities that encourage mental agility, learning and social interaction. The Vice-Chancellor also highlighted the need for research into suitable materials for toy production, including wood, plastic, aluminium and newer engineering materials, while keeping affordability and ease of fabrication in mind. He observed that traditional methods of producing wooden toys can be time-consuming and therefore stressed the importance of developing manufacturing and fabrication processes that can support production at scale. He also referred to the potential of educational toys in areas such as science, engineering and mathematics and encouraged participants to engage actively in the conference sessions through questions and discussions. Guest of Honour Padma Shri Dr Rajnikant, known for his work in promoting Geographical Indication (GI) products and supporting traditional artisans, spoke about the importance of protecting and documenting India’s community-based knowledge and traditional products. He highlighted examples of GI-linked cultural products and discussed the importance of documenting traditional toys and crafts. Dr Rajnikant emphasised that traditional toys represent more than material objects, as they are connected with India’s cultural traditions, knowledge systems and practices of learning through play. He encouraged universities and academic departments to undertake research on GI toys, educational toys and traditional games, while working closely with artisans and industry. Prof. Sushma Ghildiyal, Dean, Faculty of Arts, said that the playful instinct is inherent to human development but may gradually diminish during childhood, making it important to rejuvenate play activities and toys that remain connected with cultural roots and traditions. She highlighted the emphasis placed by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 on activity-based learning and gamification in school education. She stressed the responsibility of teacher education to incorporate ‘Toy Pedagogy’, particularly at the foundational and primary stages of education. Prof. B.C. Kapri, Organising Secretary, described toys as an important repository of learning for children, rooted in India’s culture and traditions. He emphasised that play is a natural instinct and that toys give it a practical and educational form. Citing a simple toy involving throwing and catching a ball, he explained that such activities can develop hand-eye coordination and decision-making skills. He highlighted the diversity of traditional games across India and said that KREEDA seeks to explore their relationship with education, culture and Indian knowledge traditions. The academic programme featured a distinguished panel of keynote speakers including Dr. Vineeta Siddharth, President, KREEDA for Reviving Traditional Games, Chennai; Dr. Shailendra Jaiswal, Advisor, Toy Association of India and Founder, Srijan Sanchar; Mr. Atitendra Jaiswal, CEO, Srijan Sanchar; Prof. Shanti Swarup Sinha; Prof. Manish Arora, Faculty of Visual Arts, BHU; Ms. Bhavya Agrawal, Guest Faculty, Department of Applied Arts, Faculty of Visual Arts, BHU; and Dr. Sachin Tiwari, Assistant Professor, Department of Ancient Indian History and Archaeology, BHU The conference includes paper & poster presentations, demonstrations of toys and traditional games, workshops and lectures, providing a platform for academic exchange as well as interaction between researchers, educators, designers, practitioners and traditional knowledge holders. As part of the concluding proceedings, Organising Secretary Dr. Binayak Kumar Dubey launched his book “Kreeda Design Activity Handbook”, co-authored with Dr. Deepak Kumar Dogra and Mr. Dheeraj Tiwari. The conference is being organised in collaboration with the Department of Applied Arts, Faculty of Visual Arts, BHU; Arogya Shiksha Foundation; Krida Bharti Varanasi; TAPESIA Varanasi; The Toy Association of India; and Srijan Sanchar. Over the decades, BHU has developed into a multidisciplinary institution encompassing education, research, innovation, healthcare, agriculture, technology, humanities, social sciences, performing arts, and numerous other fields of knowledge. Its academic environment encourages students and scholars to pursue excellence, creativity, critical thinking, and meaningful research. The University's heritage is deeply connected with the vision of Mahamana Malaviya, who believed that education should contribute not only to individual development but also to the service and progress of society and the nation. This vision continues to inspire the University's academic and institutional journey. Located in the culturally rich city of Varanasi, BHU provides a distinctive environment where knowledge, tradition, culture, and contemporary learning coexist. Its historic campus, academic institutions, libraries, laboratories, healthcare facilities, residential infrastructure, and vibrant student life contribute to a comprehensive university experience. With a distinguished community of teachers, researchers, students, alumni, and staff, BHU continues to contribute to the advancement of knowledge and to the educational, scientific, cultural, and social development of the country. The legacy of BHU is not only its history—it is a continuing commitment to knowledge, innovation, character, service, and excellence.