A multidisciplinary research center at NIMHANS bridging modern neuroscience with India's ancient contemplative traditions.
Vision
To be a global leader of excellence in consciousness studies
Build a platform for multidisciplinary research integrating Indian philosophical wisdom with neuroscience.
Undertake research on tradition-based meditation techniques and their effects on consciousness and wellbeing.
Provide leadership in mind-brain-self and consciousness by creating opportunities for young scientists and faculty.
Promote teaching and learning activities across the domains of consciousness.
Undertake Yoga and meditation-based intervention approaches into neuropsychiatric clinical settings.
Deciphering the scientific basis of consciousness is one of the greatest challenges confronted by neuroscientists, philosophers, mathematicians, and evolutionary biologists alike.”
Inaugurated at NIMHANS (Dept. of Neurophysiology, ICMR-funded under Prof. T. Desiraju). A whole-body study of yoga and meditation in sound-proof cabins: 91 men registered; TM, Rajayoga, Yoga Nidra, pranayama.
A 1982 symposium on Yoga, Brain & Consciousness brought yoga, neuroscience and philosophy together; the first lab followed with a 13-channel EEG polygraph, a 4-channel portable polygraph and Russian collaborators.
Under Prof. Bindu M. Kutty. Expanded beyond sleep into high-density EEG/ERP, fMRI, cognitive paradigm development, and meditation studies across traditions, alongside whole-night polysomnography, Ayurveda/yoga trials, schizophrenia, and lucid dream decoding.
Founded by Prof. Bindu M. Kutty. Four core areas: sleep & dreams, mind–body & contemplative, clinical & developmental, neurotechnology. Cross-tradition EEG, wearables, open-source tools.
India has a long tradition of exploring consciousness from philosophical and cultural perspectives. NIMHANS, by virtue of its indisputable competence in neuroscience and mind science, is uniquely positioned to establish a multi-disciplinary center for consciousness studies.
Renowned scientists of NIMHANS — late Prof. T. Desiraju, late Prof. R.M. Verma, and late Prof. R.L. Kapur — had recognized the importance of initiating studies to explore the neural basis of brain–mind–self and consciousness. ICMR funded a project on consciousness studies in 1976 under Prof. T. Desiraju, whose team undertook landmark studies on the neurophysiology of Yoga and Meditation.
Building on this legacy, the current research team under Prof. Bindu M. Kutty has initiated studies spanning neural mechanisms of meditation, meditation and cognition, sleep organization, neurobiology of schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, and neurodegenerative disorders — accumulating over 20 years of core expertise in EEG, ERP, MRI, fMRI, and psychometric assessment.
Additional Professor and Officer In Charge - CCS
Scientist-D (Neuroscience)
Scientist-C (Cognitive Science)
Scientist-C (Yogic Science)
Post-Doctoral Fellow
PhD Scholar (2022–2027)
Frontal-midline-theta training & mentation
PhD Scholar (2023–Present)
Neurophysiology & phenomenology of Yoga Nidra
PhD Scholar (2025–Present)
Resonance breathing & perception in ADHD
PhD Scholar (2025–Present)
VR-assisted induction of lucid dreaming
PhD Scholar (External – SVYASA, 2022–2026)
EEG-signatures of meditation proficiency
PhD Scholar (2021–2025)
Yoga intervention in adolescent depression
PhD Scholar (2021–2025)
Sleep spindle modulation in MCI
M.Sc. Neuroscience, NIMHANS (2026–2027)
Heart-brain biases in perception
M.Sc. Neuroscience, NIMHANS (2026–2027)
Pressure-based nasal airflow wearable
M.Sc. Neuroscience, NIMHANS (2025–2026)
Perceived stress & sleep micro-architecture
M.Sc. Neuroscience, NIMHANS (2024–2025)
Working memory & network dynamics
Research Staff
Medical lab technologist
Medical lab technologist
PhD Alumnus
PhD Alumna
PhD Alumnus
PhD Alumnus
PhD Alumnus
PhD Alumna
PhD Alumnus
PhD Alumnus
PhD Alumna
PhD Alumnus
PhD Alumnus
PhD Alumna
PhD Alumna
PhD Alumna
Research Intern
Research Fellow
Project Staff
Project Staff
Technical Staff
Research Scholar
Founder, Centre for Consciousness Studies
Former Professor & Head, Dept. of Neurophysiology
The pioneering scientists of Project Consciousness who together laid the foundational research at NIMHANS.
Principal Investigator, Project Consciousness
Professor & Head, Neurophysiology
Scientist & Research Investigator
Project Consciousness
Scientist & Research Investigator
Project Consciousness
Scientist & Research Investigator
Project Consciousness
From brain rhythms to inner worlds
Ancient wisdom. Modern neuroscience.
From mechanisms to meaningful change
From measurement to modulation, bench to bedside
Neurodynamic profiles in the alpha band distinguish different forms of meditation
Neuroscience of Consciousness
Neuro-behavioural correlates of cognitive flexibility associated with working memory performance in healthy volunteers
Cognitive Systems Research
Development and Content Validation of a Yoga-Based Spiritual Well-Being Scale
Consciousness, Cognition, and Contemplative Sciences
Development and Validation of VIPASSANA Proficiency Scale
Consciousness, Cognition, and Contemplative Sciences
Non-duality in brain and experience of advanced meditators-key role for intrinsic neural timescales
Communications Biology
Loading facilities…
The seventh edition of the national workshop on Fundamentals of Polysomnography & Sleep, offering hands-on training in sleep recording and scoring techniques.
📍 Centre for Consciousness Studies (CCS), Bengaluru, India
Exploring Consciousness: From Non-duality to Non-locality — a structured debate on the nature of consciousness and artificial intelligence.
📍 Centre for Consciousness Studies (CCS), Bengaluru, India
Young Investigator Award offering a research grant of up to ₹3 lakhs. SpARC wing of Brahma Kumaris, Mount Abu, in collaboration with CCS.
📍 Centre for Consciousness Studies (CCS), Bengaluru, India
CCS & NIMHANS Sleep Disorder Clinic panel discussion on World Sleep Day 2022. Theme: Quality Sleep, Sound Mind, Happy World.
📍 Online
NIMHANS Institute Fellowships for PhD admissions are available (3 seats). External fellowships from CSIR, DBT, UGC or other approved funding agencies are also accepted.
Apply via NIMHANS →Students interested in doing internships or final-year dissertations are welcome. Send your CV and a brief statement of interest to our lab email.
Write to Us →Scholars and institutions interested in collaborative consciousness research are welcome. We actively seek partnerships across neuroscience, philosophy, and contemplative traditions.
Get in Touch →Dept. of Neurophysiology, NIMHANS, Hosur Road, Bengaluru – 560029
First
floor, Old Administrative Building (stone building, opposite to Director's Office)
Monday to Saturday — 09:00 to 17:00 hrs