Tomorrow is Children's Day. The greatest tribute to 'Chacha Nehru' would be to work for value-based education. Education must attend to all facets of human life. Principles of education need to include the concept that education is an initiation into a life of spirit and a training of the human soul in the pursuit of truth and the practice of virtue.
Through nurturing the mind, body and spirit in the child, family values are strengthened and social barriers are replaced
with progressive attitudes.
Every spirit is endowed with values. Only an education that can nourish in-built virtues can impart true intelligence.
Awareness of existence, belongingness to the whole creation and commitment to human values in life will help broaden our vision and deepen our roots.
Pluralism and embracing people of all cultures should be part of our education. The multicultural, multi-religious fabric are the glory and beauty of the planet. If this thought is imparted to children at an early age, they will love the difference. We need to bring about that multi-cultural and multi-ethnic approach, which in Sanskrit we call ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’(The whole world is one family.)
The sign of success to me is smile and friendliness, compassion and willingness to serve. I ask children to take a vow to make one new friend everyday. The second thing is to laugh and let go. Third is to work together towards a dual goal. One is to protect our environment, our planet earth. The second thing is to promote human values -- compassion, friendliness, cooperation and a sense of belonging to each other.
{{/usCountry}}The sign of success to me is smile and friendliness, compassion and willingness to serve. I ask children to take a vow to make one new friend everyday. The second thing is to laugh and let go. Third is to work together towards a dual goal. One is to protect our environment, our planet earth. The second thing is to promote human values -- compassion, friendliness, cooperation and a sense of belonging to each other.
{{/usCountry}}These human values need to be nurtured so we can have a stress-free, violence-free society. The right education must
harness a mind that is free, not obsessed with anything.
Through right education, we can change and unite the hearts and minds of people. The key is to harness the ancient wisdom and being innovative with the modern. We, as global citizens, should vow to take this responsibility.
(The author writes exclusively for HT every other week)