Address And Interaction With The Students And Teachers Visva-bharati University, Kolkata

Evolution of Enlightened Citizens

I am indeed delighted to meet my fellow teachers, students and other participants of Visva-Bharati University, Kolkata. My greetings to all of you. Today I would like to share with you some interesting events which occurred during my visits to different institutions in the country and while interacting with different personalities. Before I start, I would like to recall the famous statement by Sri Swami Ranganathanada ?Let us remember that ours is the only country which can claim that, if national maladies exists, our nation also has effective remedies. In many countries today, remedies applied are worse than maladies. This truth, yes this truth and not a false national claim, will really make us realize that the present total erosion of values at high levels is a passing phase. We had such experiences before also and our nation will learn to apply their remedies and build up during the next century, a progressive, humanistic, and peaceful, democratic polity and society?. This thought on our value system was also reflected in our Prime Minister?s announcement that all executives including the Prime minister will be brought under the purview of Lokpal, in the proposed Lokpal Bill to be enacted in the forthcoming Parliament Session. In the narration of a few experiences I give here, you will find the unfolding of the thoughts expressed by Swami Ranganathanada.

Centre of Attraction for Education

Last week i.e. on 27 September 2004, I participated in the Sesqui Centenary Celebration of St. George?s College at Mussoorie, Uttaranchal. There, I saw a large number of foreign students from various parts of the world studying in the college. I asked the Principal that how the college attracted large number of foreign students from many countries. The Principal gave me two reasons. One is that it is the efforts of the Alumni who propagate the quality of learning including certain value system which they gained from the college campus. Secondly, it was noticed that during the 150 years of existence of the college, there was regular meeting of parents in the college convocation, which led to the parents becoming the promoters of the schools among their friends and relatives. Also the college doesn?t look like a normal college, indeed it has got high academic environment, well equipped laboratories and infrastructural facilities and backed by the self-less service of Patrician brothers and committed teachers. Above all, a beautiful Himalayan hilly environment and climate engulfs the college.

I am sure Visva Bharathi University with its unique objective and environment and with the spirit of Gurudev Rabindra Nath Tagore ever present in this campus should certainly be able to attract students and faculties from many parts of the country and abroad. When I am in the Visva Bharathi University, I realize that it has a unique history, how the father of Rabindra Nath Tagore conceived a traditional learning centre and the Gurudev established this institution with a great vision. He expected something like our ancient Nalanda University which attracted students and great teachers from over sixty countries. Nalanda was a unique centre for imparting studies in theology, philosophy, education for elevation of minds and evolution of a good way of life.

The role of teacher

I have a dream for Visva-Bharati. Why me? The whole billion plus people of the nation have this dream. Gurudev?s Vision of Visva-Bharati should be ringing-in this campus for ever and should become the beacon for the world especially during this most promising and most difficult phase of human history. There is a potential to create human history here. The great teachers in large numbers coming from many parts of the world, who love teaching and would be radiating the knowledge and skills in this campus. This reminds me the echo from Bestolozzy, a great teacher's saying, "Give me a child for seven years, afterwards, let the God or devil take the child, they cannot change the child." That is indeed the power of the teacher. For parents and teachers, school campus and home have to have an integrated mission: education with value system. During this period of education, it is essential to have a one hour class every week to discuss about the virtues of the good human beings, present and past, and what makes a good human being. I would like to recall my student days in St. Josephs College, Trichy. We used to have a moral science class taught by Rev Father Rector. He was the highest in the hierarchy of the Jesuit teaching system. He used to teach us one hour every week about great spiritual leaders, religious leaders, renowned scientists and above all good human beings in the society. I am convinced that what I learnt in that class of moral science stands by me even today. Introduction of such courses called ?Elevate the Young Minds? in the schools and colleges at least once in a week and discuss the great personalities from Hinduism, Islam, Christianity and other religions. In addition, it can include the discussion on great human beings such as Confucius, Buddha, St. Augustine, Kalifa Omar, Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindra Nath Tagore, Einstein, Abraham Lincoln and moral stories linked to our civilizational heritage. Interspersed with melodious music such as that of Rabindra Sangeet and from other languages of India and world, it will truly elevate the spirit of young minds much as Gurudev would have expected.

Capacity Building

The purpose of teaching is to build certain capacities in the students. Knowledge derived from the missions of the institutions like Santhiniketan, supported by the teacher?s experience, their great love for research on civilizational heritage and science of the universe will enable the creation of capacity required for nation building by the students. When the students go out of Santhiniketan, he or she should carry the leadership quality with nobility. The campus should endeavor to generate the spiritual bond between students and teachers, and also the staff of Visva-Barathi which is essential for fulfilling the mission of Gurudev. I visualize the enlightened students in hundreds and thousands coming out of this campus and they enrich the nation and the world towards global peace and prosperity. Following verse, gives the description of enlightened citizens in the words of Gurudev.

I quote:

Give Me Strength

This is my prayer to thee, my lord---strike,

strike at the root of penury in my heart.

Give me the strength lightly to bear my joys and sorrows.

Give me the strength to make my love fruitful in service.

Give me the strength never to disown the poor

or bend my knees before insolent might.

Give me the strength to raise my mind high above daily trifles. And give me the strength to surrender my strength to thy will with love.

I unquote:

Such a strength gives the indomitable spirit to succeed and to transform the earth to a paradise of prosperity and peace.

Enlightened Citizen

The enlightened citizen generated by Visva-Bharati will have strong determination, a great will and above all a unified mind with the capacity to transform the world into a beautiful, prosperous, useful and violence free place to live.

I am convinced that the teachers and the University campus environment will give the leadership skills to the Visva-Bharati students and contribute in the creation of enlightened citizens for this nation as envisaged by our Gurudev. The enlightened citizenship has three components: education with value system, religion transforming into spiritual force and bringing economic prosperity through development. This mission can be put into action by the institutions like Visva-Bharati. All the youth will be learning in the schools and colleges, the education with value system, with the teacher in the centre stage. Every religion has got two components: religious preaching and spiritual insights. The spiritual focus influenced by compassion and love must be nurtured as an integrated mission. In many states in India, in spite of their core competence, material wealth, biodiversity and human resources, still a large percentage of people live below the poverty line. By using the core competence, with competitiveness as a base and the mission of transforming the developing nation into a developed country, we can work together for a peaceful, prosperous and safe region, which can also spread everywhere. Visva-Bharati is going to play a very important role with its high value system in making Gurudev?s dream of transforming India into a prosperous nation.

What can I do for you

Every one of us has gone through the various phases of education from the childhood to profession. A scene appears in front of me. It is, a child, a teenager, an adult and a leader. Let us see how each one reacts in a particular situation. The situation is human need. The child asks, ?what can you do for me?? The teenager says, ?I want to do it alone?. The young person proclaims, ?let us do it together?. The leader offers, ?what can I do for you?. So, the teachers have got a tremendous responsibility to transform a child into a leader ? the transformation of ?what can you do for me? to ?what I can do for you?. That will demand a teacher of Visva Bharathi to be a visionary with an inspiring capability to give the leadership.

Technological Challenge

By the year 2009, a $1,000 personal computer can perform about a trillion calculations per second. Personal computers with high-resolution visual displays would come in a range of sizes, from those small enough to be embedded in clothing and jewelry up to the size of a thin book. By 2019 - a $1000 computer will have the ability that will be approximately equal to that of the human brain. By 2029 - a $1000 computer will have the computing capacity of approximately 1,000 human brains. This is how the technology is advancing.

Creativity is the foundation of human thinking that will always be at the higher end of the value chain irrespective of the growth of computers with respect to speed and memory. Creativity will continue to be the forte of the human kind and enormous computing power provided by technology would be the effective tool that the human mind will use to craft its plants to create a better world to live in. Being a technologist myself, I strongly urge this campus, to use high technology and flourish at the forefront of knowledge creation and dissemination. You should not be left behind in this technological race. The convergence of technology with spirituality is touted to be the future for both technology and spirituality. I believe that the Visva Bharati University has the right ambience of spirituality and the willingness to assimilate and adapt technology and the commitment and the conviction for meeting the noble missions set by the Gurudev.

Dream for Visva Bharathi

To our people and all the people who live a deprived life on this planet, I share a four fold dream:

A socio-economic movement based on technology and education that would achieve a secure and developed nation.

Resurgence and liberation of the peoples of developing societies from an unjust economic order that is perpetuating poverty for the majority.

The renaissance of traditions in the light of modern knowledge forming the outer basis of a fairer, brighter and nobler life for all mankind

Unity of minds as a step in evolution towards the solution of the problems that have perplexed and vexed the mankind in the 20th century.

This dream is the best I can share with the students, teachers, staff and all those who are connected with the Visva Bharathi University, Kolkatta. Gurudev will bless us with a song from the heaven if we can collectively realize this dream. For achieving this dream we all have to work hard. There will be difficulties. We keep in mind the song of Gurudev "Deliverance?"

"Deliverance?"

Where is this deliverance to be found?

Our master himself has joyfully taken upon him the bonds of creation;

he is bound with us all for ever.

That will give us the indomitable spirit to create a new India, a new world.

Bengal a beacon of light in India

When I am in Shantiniketan, on the one side, I am reminded of the pre-eminence of India in creating world class universities since the 4th BC till the 5th Century AD. On the other side, I am also curious to know why most of the eminent scientists in the pre-independent era and almost all the Nobel laureates have come from Bengal. Names like SN Bose, JC Bose, Rabindra Nath Tagore, Mahalanobis, Meghnath Saha, CV Raman and Mother Teresa have become synonymous with the supremacy of Bengal in science, art and literature. Ramakrishna and Vivekananda represented the pinnacle of our spiritual enlightenment. I have been thinking for a long time why was the pre-independent Bengal so fertile to be the fountain head of such great leaders and visionary sons of India. Was it because the Britishers first set their foot in Bengal, hurting the Indian pride? Was it because the Bengals always wanted to prove to the invaders that the Indians were in no way inferior to them? They expressed their anger at the invaders by the very best of their performance in every profession they chose. Visva Bharati will stand for many years for that pride of India to excel and exceed in Science, art and religion.

Conclusion

Finally I would like to conclude friends, our war of Independence commenced in 1857, and we got the freedom in 1947, after 90 years of freedom movement. Politically our nation has got freedom, after the British rule of more than 200 years. Now we have about 260 million people below the poverty line, they need food, they need nutrition, they need livable habitat, they need education, and they need health care and employment. Our mission today, is to transform India into a developed nation before 2020 that will be a nation with economic prosperity preserving its civilizational heritage. In the planet earth, India will prosper and radiate the democracy to the whole world. Dear teachers and dear students of Visva Bharathi and all those who have assembled here, I am sure you are ready to take up this challenge which is the vision of Gurudev. I wish you all success in your academic pursuits and social actions.

May God bless you.

Questions and Answer Session

1. In your book, WINGS OF FIRE, you have quoted Milton Auden, Shaw, Khalil Gibran and other writers who have given you a clearer insight into life. Keeping this in mind, I would like to know how, in your opinion, Sir, students of literature and the arts can help to take India forward?

- Sudeshna Majumdar, BA III, Deptt. of English, Vidya-Bhavana

Ans. Prosperity of any nation depends directly on the creativity of its artists and writer. You will remember in your history books, you will always come across the fact that during the golden periods of any empire there were more artists and writers supported by the kings and courts. I believe that the students of arts and literature will be critical and important contributors to taking India as a developed nation and sustaining it there. Creative entertainment and management are likely to be areas where the future society is going to spend enormous amount of time and money. The students of art and literature can find ample opportunities in this arena to good jobs. They can also act as a very effective interface between the people and the policy makers as well as between the people and the scientist and technologists.

2. I have heard that nuclear experiments are harmful. How can nuclear power be used safely and for the welfare of the humanity?

- Suparna Basu-Sarbadhikary, Class IX, Patha Bhavana.

Ans. There are many peaceful applications of nuclear energy viz. in medicine, food processing, power and industry. However, there is a need to adopt all the safety procedures while dealing with nuclear systems. As you are aware, we have plans to generate 20,000 mega watts of power through nuclear sources. Irradiation of grains can be done as a preservative technique. Nuclear medicine is being used for treatment of thyroid and cancer etc.

3. I am pained to notice that infrastructural shortcomings have hindered optimal utilization of available talent in scientific research. A host of meritorious students of science are compelled to look for employment immediately on completion of higher education. Consequently, promising Scientist gravitate towards administrative and other non-scientific positions. I would like your comments on this please?

- Debasish Mondal, B.Sc., III year, Siksha Bhavana.

Ans. There is continuous upgradation of infrastructural facilities in our Universities and Research and Development Laboratories. The cause of meritorious students seeking in administration and management is not purely due to non-availability of infrastructural facilities. Universities have to cultivate the habit of research and innovation among our students right from the early stages. This will lead to the prevention of science students migrating to other non-scientific areas.

4. I am a student of Vinaya Bhavana, the Institute of Education of Visva-Bharati, I am aspire to become a teacher. What in your opinion are the qualities an ideal teacher should posses and what is the role of such a teacher in the development of modern world, particularly India?

- Supratim Pal, B.Ed., Vinaya Bhavana.

Ans. The teacher must be a committed teacher and he or she must love teaching and children. Teachers should be life long learners. They should not only teach the theory and practical of the subject but they must provide a good grounding on the civilizational heritage and value system. With the use of modern technology, the teacher should groom the students to become autonomous learner. The teacher must be able to convert the child from the stage of ?What can you do for me to What can I do for you?.

5. Gurudev Rabindra Nath Tagore laid great stress on the role of music in Education. Music we know, has many elevating qualities including its use in therapy. As a musician yourself, what is your opinion about the role of music in education?

- Sukti Shuvra De, B.Music, III Year, Sangeet Bhavana.

Ans. Music is a divine art. There are professionals like Dr. Balamurali Krishna and Dr. L. Subramanian who are carrying out research on the application of music as a therapy. The melody of the music works on the emotive state of the person and provides both physical and mental cure. Swami Ganapathy Sachitananda of Mysore has also carried out considerable research in the therapeutic aspect of music.

6. In the present scenario, higher studies and research are opened primarily to brilliant students. How can average students thrive and progress in such a competitive situation?

- Atreyee Das Gupta, M.A., Centre for Journalism and Mass Communication.

Ans. As a first step you remove the feeling that you are an average students from your mind. All students have certain unique strength. Please recognize that strength. Concentrate work hard. I am sure you will succeed and will be able to compete with confidence in the chosen field.

7. We know that 20 million people are added to our country every year, but there are not enough institutes to educate them all. How, in your opinion, Sir, can this situation be changed?

- Swagata Sarkar, Class IX, Siksha Satra.

Ans. As you know, technology can play an important role in providing education to large number of people. On 20th September, 2004 EDUSAT has been successfully launched. With the availability of EDUSAT and tele-education systems available with number of establishments education can reach many remote parts of the nation. Now a teacher can teach thousands of students from a studio through number of virtual class rooms located in different parts of the country. This should certainly enable availability of quality education to all the eligible people.

8. I am a student of siksha-satra, the school at Srinikaten. We are actually aware of the problem of child labour, which seems to be increasing day by day. It is also true, that the government has taken steps to eradicate this social disease. As a student what I can do to help in the fight against child labour?

Ans:

One of the ways by which the child labour can be eradicated is to educate the children and provide them with the hope for a better employment. Many of the young children are taken to child labour in order to feed their stomach ? mid day meals programme will mitigate this to some extent.

As a child yourself, being fortunate to be in schools like siksha-sastra, you can take up educating three children in your area who otherwise would have been pushed into child labour.

10. Where do we see our nation in the next twenty years? Keeping in mind the acute problems of corruption, population, illiteracy and so on. How can we as the future of the nation help in the development of our great nation?

Ans:

Create the righteousness movement starting from home

Educate the women child

11. I am very distressed to note the state of farmers committing suicides. We also see that they are interested in accepting new technologies. We would be grateful for your observation regarding this marriage of agriculture with technology?

Ans:

Technology is already there in agriculture but the continuous training and awareness is the need of the hour.

Crop insurance to cover failures

Co-operative for integrated management

12. If everyone is educated who will perform the so called low and menial jobs such as sweepers, dhobis and so on. Do you think that education for all can solve all the problems of the society?

Ans:

No job is menial or low

Education will enrich and enable you to perform the job better, faster and cheaper.

13. Despite the highly evolved state of Ayurveda in India, much of the modern research is being carried out outside India. What are your views on this issue?

Ans: There are many efforts in India to promote indigenous system of medicine. Modern biology and indigenous medicine are being symbiotically connected and new molecules based on indigenous knowledge of medicine are being designed in India. CSIR is leading the efforts in the country.

14. After the Kalpna Chawla incident, how safe are the astronauts and their spacecrafts in space?

Ans:

Every accident has a lesson for improving the safety of space vehicles.

Spacecraft and astronauts are safer than driving in roads.

Aircraft industry though only about 50 years old, even today produces some of the most dependable man made vehicles. Can you imagine the confidence with which a pilot starts his aircraft in the morning just like starting a cycle with the same confidence and reliability. I wish such reliability levels will one day be seen in our PCs.

15. How can India become a leader in the field of artificial intelligence?

Ans: Sweat, Sweat and Sweat.

16. Is there any feasible solutions to the problem of brain drain, whereby educated and developed brains are leaving the country in large numbers?

Ans:Brain drain