Suhani Sharma
NEP – 2020 for Viksit Bharat : Integrating Bhartiya Knowledge Systems with Education was released on 25th September, 2024 in a National Seminar organized by Central University of Jammu in collaboration with Bhartiya Shikshan Mandal, Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh Prant. One of the most elevating experiences of the release was the address by the chief Guest, B R Shankaranand, where he succinctly conveyed that the vision of Viksit Bharat is not a developed nation in corporeal material sense but a nation which is spiritually evolved.
The Foreword of the book by Prof. Sanjeev Jain, Vice Chancellor, Central University of Jammu highlights how NEP-2020 as a landmark initiative aims at transforming the educational landscape of Bharat in the 21st century, rooted in Bhartiya values and the principles of accessibility, equity and inclusivity.
Edited by Prof. Vandana Sharma, Dean, School of Languages, CUJ ,the book provides an exhaustive and all-encompassing perspective of a Viksit Bharat where young scholars have presented their perspective and vision for a Viksit Bharat in different disciplines and domains, predominant among which are papers related to Bhartiya Gyan Parampara; Law; culture and heritage; Environment Conservation; Space Exploration; Astronomical Heritage and vision for women empowerment.
The anthology is a collection of 15 papers selected through a rigorous peer review in VIVIBHA-2024, Vision for Viksit Bharat Research paper Writing Competition being organized by Bhartiya Shikshan Mandal. The students and scholars who are contributors of the anthology are from Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh who have exhibited their vision of Viksit Bharat in their highly researched papers following the pattern of writing a research paper. There are two papers on Implementation of Bhartiya Gyan Parampara in Education and The Gurukul Education System and Its Decline During Mughal and British Rule in India’ wherein the sudents discuss numerous possibilities for Bharat to emerge as a developed nation by nurturing national pride and a unified identity through preservation and promoting its rich cultural history by integrating Bhartiya Gyan Parampara into school curricula. The scholars vehemently favour the revival of Gurukul education system in Viksit Bharat through NEP -2020 The paper on Heritage of Mathematics in Bharat discusses the phenomenal contribution that Bharat has made to the world in the field of mathematics. One paper situates Duggar Art, Culture and Literature and the need for preserving identity and heritage as we envision Viksit Bharat.
There are four papers thematically related to environment and sustainability goals. Yawar Muzaffar Lone in Environmental Conservation for a Prosperous Bharat investigates the critical areas of environmental concern in India and discusses the importance of conservation by evaluating existing policies and strategies, and proposes actionable steps to enhance environmental protection and sustainable development in India. Arushi Saini in Environment in Vedas and Bharat @ 2047 analyzes the teachings, writings, and observatory records of the ancient Bharatiya philosophers and ecologists mentioned in the Vedas and to weigh its relevance to the future by understanding the traditional ecological knowledge embedded in the texts and its implications for sustainable development and ecosystem and environmental conservation in modern day India. She proposes that a multidisciplinary approach is required to examine how ancient wisdom can guide us towards a rationally driven, harmonious, scientifically progressive co-existence with nature in near and far future, paving a way for a greener and prosperous Bharat in 2047.
Huzaifa Javid in Bharatiya Space Exploration and Astronomical Heritage explores Bharatiya space exploration’s historical and contemporary aspects and its astronomical heritage. She makes a comprehensive analysis of India’s significant contributions to astronomy and space science by tracing developments from ancient times to the current era of advanced space missions led by organizations such as the Indian Space Research Organisation (lSRO). The researcher highlights how the groundbreaking contributions of figures like Aryabhata and Brahmagupta laid the groundwork for the scientific principles that inform modern astronomy. Rohit in his paper ‘From Dependence to Independence: Strategic Autonomy and Self-Reliance in India’s Defence Production’ delves into the debate of self-reliance and the strategic autonomy for India’s defence production which has grown enormously in the recent years. He has attempted to evaluate the correlation between these two elements for which careful planning and investment are required at both domestic as well as international levels. Iraq Ahmad Reshi in his paper ‘Swarm Shield: A Blockchain-Based Internet of Defence for Autonomous Drone Coordination and Mission Security underscores the growing dependence on autonomous drones in military operations which requires the creation of secure and efficient systems for their coordination and management.
Taking a cue from a landmark judgement wherein a seven-judge Bench of the Supreme Court on August 1st 2024, reframed how the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) quota may operate – for the very first time since reservations were introduced in the Constitution in 1950, Suhani Sharma in her well researched paper on ‘Minorities, Minoritism and Our Constitution’ analyses the need to revisit, reconsider and re-frame our Constitution so as to decolonize it and bring it at an equal footing with the rest of the modern world while not losing the Bhartiya values and ethics.
The three papers on vision for women empowerment examine the historical context of women empowerment in Bharat, which is land of Shakti and ring to the fore need for women-led development. Ekta Chauhan in her paper examines the concept of Pancha Kanya, and Sati in juxtaposition with the modern Indian woman and establishes how Indian woman today must emulate not only the notion of only sati, which has been misrepresented and also the Pancha Kanyas who all embody courage, resilience and strength. Raja Boboy Chiru in his paper on ‘Jor Machangna – Becoming Woman of the Clan: Foster Parents of Chiru Tribe ‘examines the challenges faced by women, particularly within the institution of marriage, and how traditional mechanisms like Jor Machangna offer empowerment, protection, and care. Meenakshi Rana in ‘Redefining Empowerment: Women’s Vision for Agency, Equality and Progress’explores the multifaceted concept of women’s vision for empowerment, focusing on the critical role women play in shaping their futures and driving societal progress.
The book cover impressively designed by Boboy Chiru, has been published by the Highbrow Publisher Jammu and is all in all a highly comprehensive book about the vision and perspective of Viksit Bharat, a must read for any discerning mind.
(The reviewer is Second year Law Student The Law School, University of Jammu)
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