The Makers of a New India

                                                              The Makers of a New India

                                         

In one of the engaging books Makers of Modern India by the illustrious historian Ramachandra Guha, he selects nineteen individuals who made India’s history and who wrote most authoritatively about it. Explaining his rationale for his selection of the makers of modern India, Guha writes that they were not only the most influential political thinkers of their time, but they were also the most influential political actors. Making a distinction between ‘thinking politician’ and ‘thinker politician’, he says that the former contributed to original thoughts and ideas and acted on their own ideas and reflections while the latter acted on the ideas of professional ideologues or intellectuals. “Long before India was conceived of as a nation, in the extended run-up to Indian independence, and in the first few decades of freedom, the most interesting reflections on society and politics were offered by men ( and women) who were in the thick of political action.”

 The Freedom Movement has been rightfully hailed as a movement to free India from the British rule, but more significantly it was a movement that united the people of this country into one nation. James Joyce in his Ulysses says:  “A nation is the same people living in the same place.” It brought people from North, South, East and West of India together to fight as one homogenous nation transcending the shadow lines of religion, caste, class and gender. One may agree or disagree with Guha’s selection but there is no denying the fact that all the nineteen makers of modern India were thinking politicians known for their original thinking and for actions based on their reflections. All of them wrote fluently- some in English, others in their regional languages – and even when they differed in their ideas and beliefs, there was remarkable civility among them in their writings and speech. They were motivated by a common selfless desire to free the country from the British rule and establish the rule of democracy. The love of one’s country and the willingness to sacrifice personal interests for it guided their thoughts and actions and in turn,inspired millions of their countrymen to join the Freedom movement in a spirit of sacrifice. Nation first, the rest later was the guiding principle of the Freedom Movement.

                        That is now history. Many of our contemporary politicians belong to the post-independence generation. India will be celebrating her 68^th year of independence shortly and the oldest minister in Modi’s cabinet( Madam Najma Heptullah) must have been a seven year old girl when Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru  hoisted the Indian National flag and gave his inspiring speech about India’s tryst with destiny. It is therefore natural that the Freedom movement is to the current post-independence generation purely of academic interest sans its inspiring ideals. The ideal of Nation first is for many of them a romantic (and therefore an abstract and unattainable) ideal, as they are hooked on to individualism with its belief in the primary importance of the individual and in the virtues of self-reliance and personal independence. The modern generation is truly aspirational, guided by the doctrine that the interests of the individual should take precedence over the interests of the state or social group. Self-centredness and personal ambition have taken the place of sacrifice and national loyalty that were germane to the freedom movement. The gradual unfolding of a saga of corruption, ineptitude, inefficiency and incompetence after the euphoria of independence had ebbed away has set the stage for a second freedom movement – freedom from corruption. Anna Hazare’ movement followed by Arvind Kejriwall’s short-lived foray into governance has not yielded the desired result. On the contrary, the recent elections showed that corruption is no longer an issue with the voters. In fact the much hyped second freedom movement has taken a bizarre turn during the recently concluded elections to define itself as ‘Congress mukht ’ and  ‘ma-beta mukht’ movement. (freedom from Congress and freedom from mother-son duo)

                       What went missing in the second freedom movement that it  failed to inspire the Indian voters- especially the middle class and the youth? There was nothing fake about India against corruption fervor that seized the common man a couple of years back, and  despite the huge surge of goodwill towards Anna Hazare and Kejriwall, the movement went bust. The simple answer is none of the leaders of this movement and none of our present set of politicians is a thinking politician. Some of them may be thinker politicians, acting on borrowed and partly understood ideologies of the past, but there is no one amongst the present crop whose thinking and action are in sync with a new ideology to subscribe to the nation’s aspirations. The oratory of most leaders- ghost written or  spontaneous- have nothing new to offer except a repetition of clichéd phrases from quotable quotes. With the thumping majority the new Government has received today, there is a real danger to democracy. The main opposition party has been reduced to such a pass that it cannot even stake its claim to the post of the Leader of opposition. All other parties are basically regional parties and they are being wooed with concessions to support the ruling party. If there is no opposition, it signals the end of democracy. But that is the verdict of the  recent election and that has to be respected even if it leads to one party rule that defies rule of democracy.

                        India desperately needs thinkers to lift the nation out of the morass into which it has fallen. We need educated men and women to inspire people to come together to free the nation from its current intellectual and spiritual atrophy. We need inspired writers to bring an intellectual and moral revolution very similar to the inspiration given by Rammohan Roy, Gokhale, Golwalker, Gandhi, Nehru, Tagore, Ambedkar, Rajaji and others during the Freedom movement. In the 20^th century Europe witnessed the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia inspired by intellectuals like Vaclav Havel. The term Velvet Revolution is associated with Czechoslovakia's democratic revolution because it was a peaceful movement ending in compromise, not violence. Havel and his activist movement had a strategic preference for nonviolent action that captured the public's confidence and imagination. Havel wrote "I really do inhabit a system in which words are capable of shaking the entire structure of government, where words can prove mightier than ten military divisions." Velvet revolution in the Czech Republic showed that any movement for a clean, honest, progressive nation can last only if it is founded on a moral and intellectual base.

                        The raging debate today about whether one is to be learned or educated to be a leader is puerile and lacks a proper understanding of the role of a leader. What was remarkable about the Freedom Movement was it was pioneered by highly educated people who despite (and also because of ) their mental elitism, connected with the common people and educated them on principles of  Swarjya or self rule, on the importance of satyagraha or non violence, on the virtue of sacrifice and above all on the need to speak, act and fight for a cause without enmity or bitterness against the alien rulers. There was no attempt to ridicule the British rulers, to mock at them and to generate hatred and anger against them. They won the freedom for the country with no malice or rancor towards the British and after the British left our shores, there was no attempt to humiliate them.  On the contrary soon after the Independence, the government of the day requested the British Government to set up the British Council in India to encourage educational opportunities and cultural relationships between the two countries.  The leaders were sensitive to the delicate nuances of governance and diplomacy and their writings and speeches communicated subtle nuances of genteel emotion.

                        We desperately need such leaders today and it will be foolish and naïve to think that the educated leaders will prove a failure as they cannot connect with the masses. In fact our literacy level and awareness level today stand higher than they were during the pre-independence days. Yet the great leaders in the past were successful in inspiring the masses. We will remain backward if we do not educate our people to engage in intellectual debates and make informed choices at the end. It will be apt to quote Einstein who said that that leaders should be purposeful persons and not successful persons for a  “successful person is one who takes the maximum from the society and gives the least while a purposeful person is one who gives the maximum and takes the least from the society.” We need thinkers who can educate our people to differentiate between these two types of leaders. It is time that our academic intellectuals move out of their  ivory towers and TV studios where they  pontificate on good governance and leadership and use their knowledge and understanding to educate and engage people in meaningful discussions and debates. This is the only way to safeguard our much vaunted democracy where people can argue, debate, question, analyze and conclude what is best for a sustainable continuation of democracy.

                        During 1906-10, Sri Aurobindo wrote a letter on Parliamentary Democracy.: "Be very careful to follow my instructions in avoiding the old kind of politics. Spirituality is India's only politics, the fulfillment of the Sanatana Dharma its only Swaraj…Socialistic democracy is the only true democracy, for without it we cannot get the equalized and harmonized distribution of functions, each part of the community existing for the good of all and not struggling for its own separate interests, which will give humanity as a whole the necessary conditions in which it can turn its best energies to its higher development. To realize those conditions is also the aim of Hindu civilization and the original intention of caste. The fulfillment of Hinduism is the fulfillment of the highest tendencies of human civilization and it must include in its sweep the most vital impulses of modern life. It will include democracy and Socialism also, purifying them, raising them above the excessive stress on the economic adjustments which are the means, and teaching them to fix their eyes more constantly and clearly on the moral, intellectual and spiritual perfection of mankind which is the end".

                          Democracy does not lie only in periodical exercise of our franchise, but in our discernment to elect thinking politicians whose thoughts and actions can inspire the masses. Democracy is not just subscribing to the elementary principle of governance by those who secure majority votes, but in keeping a watch on those elected to govern through constant vigil. We all know the hollow claims of the media that it is the watchdog of democracy when it has abdicated its neutrality on many occasions and functioned as a covert paid media. Democracy is simply not governance by, for and of the people, but by people trained to exercise judgement in their selection. It is best to remember that a harmonium or a flute cannot by itself make music, but it is the player who creates the musical notes on the instruments. We have a paucity of such players and this vacuum can be filled only if thinkers and intellectuals make people understand the worth and value of their vote for an intellectual, ethical and moral government. The makers of a New India will have to come from thinking politicians who will use their education and knowledge for a revival of a ethical and cerebral nation founded upon the tradition of selflessness, sacrifice and patriotism(bereft of jingoism) that was in evidence in the Freedom Movement.

An Open Letter to the hon’ble Minister of HRD, Ms.Smriti Irani

                               An Open  Letter to the hon’ble Minister of HRD, Ms.Smriti Irani

Respected Minister,

The Newspapers today speak about your intention to scrap the FYUP introduced by the University of Delhi. Maybe your move to abort this programme is in line with the promise made by your party before elections and is a concession to the demands made by the Teachers Association(DUTA)  and student groups who have not been well informed about the programme and the rationale behind introducing it at the First degree level. Many fear that it is a backdoor plan to allow entry of foreign universities that follow four year first degree programmes and thus make Delhi University on par with them. In fact the US universities  and some of the top European universities want students to have a 16year study before they can be admitted to a Masters programme.

But there has hardly been a debate on the academic rationale to resist this change except to win brownie points and win favour of that section of the academic community that does not like a year’s extension of the UG courses. In continuation of this change at the UG level, Masters programmes have been reduced from two years to one year of study. The academic debate on the rightness and usefulness of 3+ 2 or 4+1 study is essentially a debate on whether change is to be adopted or resisted. There have been a few other changes Delhi University has introduced where change becomes the debating point.  All these changes have to be validated against cause and effect sequence. 

The opposition to the FYUP unfortunately rests on the inability to recognize the rationale that demands a change from three to four years and it has no patience to wait to see the effect on the first batch of students who will be completing a four year degree course.

The introduction of FYUP in DU in 2013, coming after nearly 200 years since the establishment of the University is to use the clichéd phrase ‘neither too late nor too little.’ The academic programmes in the last few decades have failed to equip young graduate students with holistic learning to develop into knowledgeable, responsible citizens. The rationale for the change to add one more year to the three year UG programme is to provide extra time for the study of Foundation course and Additional courses in disciplines other than the one in which the student seeks to major.

It is also in line with the current world-wide enthusiasm for Liberal Arts programme which seeks to erase the divide between arts and sciences.  It is meant to provide inclusive learning in both streams.  The idea is not to make students scholars in all disciplines, but to give them a glimpse into different disciplines that impact not only each other but impact life in many ways.  Foundation course as the name suggests relates to education or instruction in the fundamentals of any field of knowledge. The dissatisfaction with the Foundation course in Delhi University is not with the idea of a broad canvas but in its failure to design an interesting and informative course. Teachers have not been adequately informed and trained to teach these courses and so they baulk at the idea of compressing vast knowledge of different disciplines into capsule forms for students to learn. The disapproval by a large section of teachers is due to the mind boggling task of catching a leviathan in a fishnet. The problem of FYUP is the failure of DU to design a proper structure that draws an acceptable line between inclusive learning and in-depth learning.

In fact I had suggested the model of Great Book Series or The Wisdom of the Ages Series  for the Foundation Course (which unfortunately DU  did not see ) where seminal books on different disciplines are discussed by teachers in the class and students could make a choice of three books to make a presentation each semester. The ideas contained in these books are perennial ideas and students of Humanities will learn about Theories of Science and vice versa. All these lectures which will be delivered by teachers and invited specialists, have to be attended by all students so that they make their choice of three books every semester to write a paper.  I give below a possible list of books that students should be exposed . These are some of the books that come to my mind. The teachers who opt to teach Foundation course must be given a three weeks training programme to enable them select books of seminal ideas of different  disciplines that can influence the growth of others. It is the richness of ideas and thoughts of brilliant minds that are to be shared with students. These are perennial ideas that relate them to life at all times. The taste for reading among students will be the beneficial offshoot of such an exposure as it serves the purpose, sufficient to kindle their curiosity without imposing mental strain. FYUP is a welcome change that puts the student on a multi-disciplinary foundation on which he can build the discipline of his choice for advanced learning. The change to 4 years is certainly a change for the better if the implementation is done with adequate training of the faculty. Kindly do not throw the baby out with the water bath. This course is vital to the intellectual and holistic development of the young students and helps them to develop critical and analytical ability to make informed choices in their life.

Another change mooted is the one year PG course which inter alia puts greater onus on self learning rather than classroom lectures that discourage independent thought and research. The structure of the course, the examination schemes that should include a mini dissertation on a specified project have to be properly worked out. Teachers will have to prepare their lectures as mini capsules of all that have to be taught. Lectures should be just two per week on each paper and the emphasis should be on seminars and paper presentations by students. This change is long overdue as it encourages students to rely on their own study than on classroom lectures. The five year consolidated Masters programme (of four year UG + one year PG) replacing the current three year UG and two year PG should not be seen as an academic sleight of hand to ring in change; the rationale behind such an exercise is to provide holistic development of students- something that is missing in our Undergraduate programmes.

Kindly request the officials of HRD to explain why the Ministry had remained silent all this while-which means an acceptance of the FYUP and what is its rationale today to revoke it.

 The students of the earlier three year degree programme could not find gainful employment as they were ill equipped both in theoretical knowledge and technical skills. The four year programme gives them time to develop holistically and be trained in skills that will fetch them reasonable employment.

Last but not the least, there is no point in letting loose young men and women who at 21 are not adequately educated and trained to roam around the streets. Let them be properly educated –even if it means one additional year before they get a degree. Promise of jobs for all will remain an election slogan if the present trend of untrained and under-qualified youth continues. One additional year will not only arrest the number of unemployed, but will positively impact nation’s progress as the universities turn out worthy young men and women to contribute significantly.    I hope you give due consideration to the issues I have raised in this mail before taking your final decision.

With regards

Hema Raghavan

(former) Dean of Students’ Welfare, Univ. of Delhi and

(former) Principal, Gargi College,Univ. of Delhi.

Possible List of books teachers should discuss with students:

Amartya Sen’s book on Development as Freedom that discusses Capability Theory, 

Martha Nussbaum’s on Cultivating Humanity, that discusses Global Citizenship

Fritjof Capra’s on The Web of Life or Hidden Connections,  The Tao of Physics,  Cosmic Dance of Shiva Nataraj,  Quantum Physics, and Laws of Nature. on Science and Sustainable Development

 Gurcharan Das’ on The Difficulty of being Good(based on the Mahabharata)On the Ethics of Governance ,Gandhiji's  My Experiments with Truth  on personal Ethics and Character Building
The Bible (specially the 18^th Book of the Old Testament –The Book of Job that deals with Faith and Suffering), the works of the Sufi saint Jalaluddin Rumi, The Bhagavad Gita, Life of Lord Buddha, the Kabbalah etc  on the core principles underlying world Religions
 

Andre Beteille’s The Idea of Natural Inequality,  Anti‑Utopia,  etc on Society and People

Ramacchandra Guha 's The Makers of Modern India 

Robert Kanigel’s on The Man Who Knew Infinity: a Life of the Genius Ramanujan on the importance of Mathematics on our life.

More Books can be added and teachers can choose from them. 

The Teaching Tree

                                                                    The Teaching Tree

For the last few months during my morning peregrination, I had noticed a couple of small, green, unripe papaya fruits hanging from their mother tree. They neither grew big nor shrunk with the passage of time but seemed well ensconced in their mother’s arms. Every day I would look at the two little papayas and wonder how the tree had held them firm in its grip without letting them fall. Somehow an uneasy thought used to cross my mind that the tree seemed over protective and did not give the tiny green fruits enough space to grow and ripen into big yellow ones that would have fallen down by their sheer weight. Last night’s thunder storm with dusty winds raging at a speed over 90 kmph brought down many trees and this morning while walking  through the devastation, I noticed the two unripe fruits missing on the tree. My heart missed a beat as the tree had let them go unable to withstand the thunder squall. The tree stood as a mute spectator as the fruits lay scattered around the tree amidst fallen leaves and branches.

I returned home with a vicarious sadness at the mother tree losing her children especially the two weaker ones who lacked adequate genetic strength to ripe and mature and stand on their own. I ruminated pensively on protectiveness that hinders development of any vestige of self dependence  in a growing person and denies them the opportunity to rise up to their potential even if that potential is among the lowest rungs of human calibre.  What is more alarming is protectiveness is a double edged sword; it weakens him that gives and him that receives. Just as the Tree could not hold on to its young ones in the presence of Nature’s fury, mother’s protectiveness of her children against external power or influence-personal, social, political or economic that is endemic to humans as social beings- ends in a disaster. Mothers should learn to leave their  grip over their children at the time they start growing their wings and not hang on to them till both end as victims to forces beyond their power to resist.

I write this in the context of the drubbing Congress had received in the recently concluded elections. Mother-son relationship is always wonderful provided it does not carry the baggage of protectiveness. The Rahul fruit clinging to the Sonia Papaya has been blown by the Modi gale that swept through the nation. That fruit never ripened in the first instance, as it was forever in the shadow of the protective mother and in that unripened form did not have the strength and vigour to face the onslaught of the fury whipped by a focused, Modi galvanized BJP. It will be foolish for the Congress once again to pick the pieces that are strewn all around the mother tree. It is time for the mother tree to leave the battle to the better and more mature fruits that had ripened without her protective garb and found favour with many who relished their sweetness.  The seeds of those fruits have gone into the soil and are rising up in new bloom.

Congress revival depends on new seeds, fresh plants  and unfettered growth  in a new ambience that builds upon the inherited culture and philosophy of the 125 year old grand old party and tweaks it purposefully to meet the aspirations of the new-age people that go beyond their earlier demands that sought freedom from  poverty, hunger and social deprivation. The mighty fall of the mother-son duo must herald the rise of a new leadership that is ethically and morally strong, intellectually visionary and emotionally at home with diverse population, respecting every individual as a part of the great Indian humanity.