An International webinar on the topic 'Dharampal: Bhartiya Shiksha Paddhati Ki Punah Khoj Karne Wale Itihaaskar' was organised under the joint aegis of Madhya Pradesh Culture Department, Directorate of Swaraj Sansthan and Dharmapala Shodhpeeth, on the occasion of the 14th death anniversary of renowned Gandhian, Thinker and Historian Dharampal, on 24 October.
Presiding over the programme, Shiv Shekhar Shukla, Principal Secretary, Culture Department, said that it is most important to organise such webinars and seminars from time to time to highlight services rendered by Dharampal and values ??inculcated by him in the society, before the present generation.
Principal Secretary Culture and Vice-Chairman Dharmapala Shodh Peeth Shiv Shekhar Shukla said that our webinar will be fruitful if even a part of Dharmapal's extensive research and penance reach us. The glorious traditions and Swadeshi policies of our great India should be presented before the new generation. Our younger generation is disconnecting from the mainstream of the country for many reasons. We are making efforts to make people aware of our glorious past.
Principal Secretary Shukla said that a new education policy has been implemented by the Government of India in July 2020. During the research on Dharampal Ji, work has been done on the facts of Indian culture and education. In this period of pandemic, the whole world has started greeting each other with Namsate. Yoga is being practised and Ayurved is being adopted.
Retired Historian and Professor of Heildelberg University, Germany, Prof. Geeta Dharmpal as a special guest and Young Write Dr. Ankur Kakkad as a speaker participated in the programme. According to Prof. Geeta Dharmapal, it is necessary to highlight the literature written by Dharampal among the readers through appropriate and favourable means in the present scenario, because his ideas and research defines Indian education system from a new and positive perspective. While discussing various aspects of Dharmapal ji's life and accomplishments in detail, she said that following the path shown by Mahatma Gandhi, Dharmapal ji made constant efforts to serve the country after India's independence and the took necessary steps to remove any obstacle arising between identity and security of the country.
Special speaker Ankur Kakkad, the Research Scholar of Heidelberg University, Germany, had comparative discussions on the provisions of the new education system in the light of the ideas and facts, mentioned in the important book 'The Beautiful Tree', written by Dharmapal. He told that before the arrival of the British, the ancient education system which was prevalent in India was very rich and the subjects which have been included in the new education policy are also mentioned in Dharmapl’s 'The Beautiful Tree'. Provisions like the spread of public education and equality in education were also present in India in the past. They have been highlighted by Dharampal with proof.
The coordinator of the webinar, Sanjay Swarnkar said that the work, how to assess the work done in the society by Dharmapal Ji in today's circumstances is also necessary. He always challenged the colonization. Has built a huge corpus. It is visible in various original publications. Attention should be paid to re-evaluate the past and their lasting contribution to Indian education. Participants from various states of the country attended the online webinar.
At the end of the programme, vote of thanks was proposed by Sanjay Yadav, Director, Dharampal Shodhpeeth. The webinar was broadcast live on various social media platforms.
