BECOME TRULY EDUCATED, NOT JUST LITERATE: PREZ PRANAB

Addressing a conference by an RSS affiliate, President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday said love for the motherland, compassion for all, tolerance for pluralism and self restraint in conduct are core civilisational values, which put together form an Indian world view.

He was speaking at the inauguration of a three- day International Conference on ‘Bharat Bodh’, organised by the RSS affiliate Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal (BSM) in association with the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU).

Commenting on the country’s composite culture he said India is a land of huge diversity, yet all its people are living under one system, one flag and one Constitution.

“People have lived in this great civilization giving rise to a unique trait of oneness, overcoming the apparent contradictions, thriving on a composite culture and yet alive to the identities of its sub-parts,” he said.

Speaking at the conference which is being attended by over 900 scholars to deliberate on a wide range of themes, he said students should delve into a multiplicity of resources and disciplines becoming truly educated instead of merely being literate.

Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar, who was also present on the occasion said there is a need to introduce India as a subject of knowledge for students from classes 8 to 12. “The need to bring forward a correct indological narrative is also required.”

Suresh Soni, joint general secretary of the RSS echoed Javadekar’s view and called for revisiting the way history is interpreted in India.

HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE INAUGURATION OF A CONFERENCE ON BHARAT BODH, ORGANISED BY AN

RSS AFFILIATE