This edited volume reimagines psychological science through Indian cultural, philosophical, and spiritual traditions, responding to growing concerns about the dominance of Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) paradigms in mainstream psychology. Questioning universalist assumptions and imposed etics, the volume advances a context-sensitive, bottom-up approach that takes culture and lived experience seriously in the study of well-being, resilience, and flourishing.

Grounded in Indigenous Psychology and contemporary positive psychology, the book integrates Indian constructs such as anāsakti (non-attachment), samatva (equanimity). ānanda (bliss), and related ideas from yoga, Vedānta, Buddhism, and the Bhagavad Gita with empirical rigor. It brings together mixed-method research, narrative inquiry, and culturally valid psychometric research to demonstrate how indigenous epistemologies can coexist with scientific standards of reliability and validity.

Drawing on contributions presented at the 3rd International Conference on Positive Psychology, India, the volume is organized into three thematic sections: philosophical foundations and indigenous constructs; culturally grounded interventions and practices for well-being; and emerging empirical insights from Indian populations. Chapters engage with themes including quiet ego, wellbeing literacy, yoga-based self-regulation, mindfulness, nature connectedness, social-emotional learning, resilience in adversity, and the development and adaptation of psychological measures for Indian contexts.

The volume also addresses contemporary challenges facing psychology in India, such as mental health innovation, culturally responsive assessment, ethical research practice, and the need for interdisciplinary collaboration across psychology, education, health, and indigenous knowledge systems. By situating individual well-being within social, ecological, and cultural systems, the book moves beyond narrow individualism toward more inclusive models of psychological functioning.

By bridging ancient wisdom with modern methodologies, this volume offers a coherent framework for culturally grounded theory, research, and practice. It serves as a valuable resource for scholars, graduate students, mental health professionals, educators, and policymakers seeking approaches that expand psychological science while remaining ethically and culturally attuned - both within India and in the global context.

Kamlesh Singh is a Professor of Psychology at IIT Delhi with over two decades of teaching and research experience. She has authored four books and published 125+ papers in national and international journals. A recipient of the Shane J. Lopez Award (2019) by APA and the Rajbhasha Gaurav Award by the Govt. of India, her work focuses on Positive Psychology and culturally grounded mental health research. She is a Founder member and Secretary of the National Positive Psychology Association (NPPA) and serves on the Council of Advisors of IPPA. 

Jaseel C K is a Ph.D. scholar in Psychology at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Delhi. His doctoral research explores eudaimonic experiences on social media among Indian youth, situated at the intersection of technology and wellbeing. His broader interests include applied positive psychology, positive technology, mental health literacy, and psychometrics. He has worked on several funded research projects that examine wellbeing in the Indian context and has presented and published his work at national and international platforms. 

Purnima Singh is a Ph.D. scholar in Psychology at IIT Delhi, where her research focuses on ethics, morality, and values in the Indian context. Her doctoral work examines moral reasoning and ethical orientations using both qualitative and quantitative methods, with an emphasis on culturally grounded psychological frameworks. Her primary research interests lie in Moral Psychology and Positive Psychology. She also has an academic interest in Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC), especially in the context of value-based and health-related behaviour change initiatives.