The Indian Institute of World Culture (IIWC) is a cultural and educational organisation based in Basavanagudi, Bengaluru, in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. It functions as a forum for the study and dissemination of Indian and world cultural traditions through lectures, seminars, study circles, publications, and a public library. The Institute draws inspiration from the Theosophical movement and emphasises the unity underlying diverse cultural and philosophical traditions.
| Name | The Indian Institute of World Culture |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | IIWC |
| Type | Cultural and educational institution |
| Location | Basavanagudi, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India |
| Founders | B. P. Wadia and Sophia Wadia |
| Affiliated tradition | Theosophy and comparative cultural studies |
The Institute was established by B. P. Wadia (Bahman Pestonji Wadia), an Indian theosophist and labour leader, together with his wife Sophia Wadia, a writer and theosophist of European origin. The Wadias were associated with the United Lodge of Theosophists and were active in promoting cross-cultural learning, comparative religion, and Indian philosophical thought.
The Institute was conceived as a non-sectarian platform where scholars, students, and the general public could engage with the literary, philosophical, religious, and artistic traditions of India alongside those of other world cultures.
The Institute occupies a campus in Basavanagudi, one of the older neighbourhoods of Bengaluru known for its concentration of cultural and educational institutions. The premises include a hall used for public lectures and performances, classrooms or meeting rooms for study circles, and the library.
For several decades, the IIWC has served as a notable venue in Bengaluru for public intellectual life, particularly in the areas of philosophy, religious studies, and the humanities. It has hosted speakers from across India and abroad, and has contributed to the city's tradition of accessible, non-commercial cultural programming. Its association with the Wadias links it to the broader twentieth-century history of Theosophy in India and to efforts at cultural synthesis between Indian and Western thought.