High moral values and ethos guided us through the freedom movement and the same became the hallmark of our national journey ever since
The President of Mexico Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador wants the UN to set up a Three-member Commission with Pope Francis, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and Narendra Modi. He wants the three of them to work out a global plan to end wars and violence everywhere. One feels highly elated as this is a great recognition of the credibility India has acquired internationally under NarendraModi. To sustain and enhance India's international presence, the celebrations of 'Azadi Ka Amrita Mahotasava on the completion of seventy-five years must reflect on how far the national initiatives to take the nation and its people ahead on the path of progress and development have succeeded.
The place India enjoys on the global platform requires a strong, cohesive, forward-looking image of the nation that respects its ancient culture and is committed to generating and utilizing new knowledge for the welfare of its people. My mind goes to the disdain with which Indians were treated by their imperial masters. Winston Churchill; who called Gandhi the half-naked fakir; had serious doubts whether India would survive after independence! Seventy-five years is a very minuscule period in the life of any nation, but it's long enough to reflect on the journey of a lifetime. Persons who have seen independent India in its initial years fondly recall the past but are full of pride and self-assurance on achievements in equity, equality, and social justice, so prominently assured in the Constitution of India. The youngsters in schools and colleges could smell of the freedom struggle all around. In school and college functions, dramas and debates, one would invariably find the presence of freedom struggle, and stories connected with the lives of great leaders, young revolutionaries. One recalls the commonality of emphasis on the sacrifices of the political leaders and, probably more than that, the revolutionaries. We also came across teachers in schools who strictly followed Gandhian instructions 'live to serve others!
India was known for its adherence to ethical, moral, and human values. Where do we stand now on this count? Any detailed assessment of the decline would not be encouraging. India just cannot drift away from its cherished values that enjoy historic continuity from ancient days to Gandhian practices. And hence, India just cannot ignore any decline in these values if it has to acquire quality, excellence, self-dependence; and regain the unique Indian comprehension of a good life, that prepares people to devote themselves fully for the welfare of all: 'SarvaBhuthiteRatah'.
Every Indian could be proud of the strength of its democracy when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was defeated in the lower house of the parliament by one vote, people and nations around yet he handled and won the Kargil war as care-taker prime minister. India had the strength and ammunition to confront the enemy, as it had progressed much ahead of the 1962 Chinese attack. This is also the time to salute the leaders of great stature, vision, and insight who took over the reins of power in 1947 from the alien rulers who had squeezed India to bare bones. Our achievements in science, technology, ICT, space research and its utilization, and success in the area of atomic and nuclear energy, particularly its peaceful utilization are the products of their vision and ingenuity. They understood the role of academic and professional institutions in the process of forth and development, the outcomes of which are before us in the shape of Institutions like IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, NCERT, AICTE, CSIR, and its regional laboratories, and many more. There is a big lesson -in recalling all this -for the generations ahead:
The pace of human-centered progress and development depends on ideas and imagination, foresight and vision, and consideration and compassion of the leadership at the top. Hence Institutions that nurture ideas, imagination, and leadership must be consistently strengthened. And this has to be achieved on a vast and varied canvass.
The measure of social cohesion and religious amity that is achieved on the playfields could be an eye opener to those not familiar with its strength and outreach. It emanates the positive vibes of 'learning to live together, a critical ingredient in achieving social cohesion and religious amity in India known globally for its diversities.
Institutions develop values, compassion, and caring for others. These become the centers of nurturing talent and creativity that lead to innovations and serious research, the most sought-after ingredient in the knowledge society. The history of social, cultural, and philosophical evolution in India has consistently emphasized human values. In the current global crisis, it is the Indian value - and practiced tradition - of Aparigraha -non-accumulation - that could show the path to retrieve the dangerously declining man-nature relationship. Our internal inadequacies are many. Mutual Trust and respect amongst people and their representatives have declined, leading to several anomalies in the manner our legislatures function. Cases of corruption amongst the senior functionaries - both in bureaucracy and ministerial levels - upset people and reduce the confidence of the young in, say, recruitment procedures, which was not the case at least for the first two-three decades after independence. Our national agenda for the decade ahead must remain conscious of such inadequacies that are hurtful to individuals and consequently, to the nation. Adherence to norms, ethics and morals has suffered under the onslaught of the glitz and glamour of globalization.
(The writer is a Professor and works in education, social cohesion, and religious amity. The views expressed are personal.)
