Aryabhatta to Viksit Bharat 2047: Edu Ministry’s R-Day tableau to trace learning journey

The Union Ministry of Education’s tableau at Republic Day parade will showcase India’s civilisational knowledge, modern aspirations under Prime Minister’s Schools for Rising India

Published on: Jan 23, 2026, 12:15:57 IST

By Sanjay Maurya

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New Delhi: From mathematician Aryabhatta to the nation’s journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047, the Union Ministry of Education’s tableau at the Republic Day parade on January 26 will showcase India’s civilisational knowledge and modern aspirations under the Prime Minister’s Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI).

The ministry said in a release that this year’s tableau will be on the theme “National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: Rocketing Indian School Education on the Path to Viksit Bharat”, with the central message of the tableau, according to the note, being: “NEP 2020 is the rocket, giving the much-needed acceleration to reforms in the Indian school education system, propelling the nation to Viksit Bharat 2047.”

At the front of the tableau, ancient mathematician Aryabhatta will be depicted blessing children holding zero (shunya) and a globe, “symbolising India’s contribution to the world as also the baton being passed to a future-ready generation, embracing a knowledge economy.”

According to the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) Class 11 elective textbook Knowledge Traditions and Practices of India, the symbol for zero was discovered by Aryabhatta (born in A.D. 496) in connection with the decimal expression of numbers.

The tableau will feature children wearing VR headsets that portray the blend of “Ancient Roots, Digital Wings,” while Jaadui Pitara (Magic Box)—a play-based learning kit for children aged three to eight developed by NCERT—will highlight joyful, play-based and mother-tongue-centric foundational learning through indigenous toys and multilingual materials. It will also feature children planting saplings, symbolising Mission Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE), and another learner practising with tools to highlight the emphasis on skill education under NEP 2020.

The centre of the tableau will showcase experiential learning in arts and sports and feature a robotic hand fusing tradition with technology.

“The tableau will culminate at the Viksit Bharat 2047 tower, showcasing smart classrooms and tinkering labs as centres of innovation,” the note reads.

The Republic Day celebrations are being organised around the theme of Vande Mataram, marking 150 years since the first two stanzas of the song were published. The tableaux of six states and government departments will showcase the theme of Vande Mataram. There will be 30 tableaux in all. The parade will also feature a large-scale cultural dance performance involving around 2,500 artistes.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sanjay Maurya
Sanjay Maurya is a Principal Correspondent with Hindustan Times, where he covers education, with a focus on school and higher education, competitive examinations, education policy and governance. Working as part of the National Bureau, he is based in New Delhi and reports on the Ministry of Education and covers various statutory bodies like UGC, AICTE and NCTE and autonomous bodies like CBSE and NCERT. His reporting also tracks the implementation of key government reforms and policies from school education to higher education including in IITs, NITs, IIMs, central and state universities, and their impact on students and educational institutions. His reporting on the irregularities and rushed implementation of CBSE's On-Screen Marking (OSM) system for evaluation of Class 12 board exams 2026, triggered administrative action, leading to the transfer of the board's two senior-most officials and the constitution of a committee to probe alleged irregularities in procurement process of the system. He joined Hindustan Times in December 2024. Prior to that, he had a three-year stint at Careers360, where he reported on school and higher education, entrance examinations, admissions, rankings and various education policies involving universities and professional education bodies. Over the years, Maurya has reported extensively on major developments in India's education sector, including the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, reforms in the National Testing Agency (NTA) following the NEET-UG 2024 controversy, changes in school education, higher education regulation, and the evolution of entrance examinations such as NEET, JEE and CUET. He regularly produces data-driven and explanatory stories based on government documents, parliamentary proceedings, court records and official data. His focus remains on helping readers understand how education policies and institutional decisions affect millions of students, teachers and educational institutions across the country.Read More

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