Defence minister Rajnath Singh said that Gurukuls have an important role to play for the successful implementation of the National Education Policy- 2020 with an amalgamation of traditional and modern education. This is necessary to preserve cultural values along with modern education, he said. The Defence minister said this after laying the foundation stone for the new buildings of Patanjali Gurukulam and Acharyakulam at Swami Darshanand Gurukul Mahavidyalay in Haridwar on Saturday.
Addressing the gathering, Singh said that education in Gurukuls should include the latest science including artificial intelligence and quantum technology along with the ethical and cultural heritage of India at a time when the blind imitation of western culture is affecting the value system. “There were many large universities which functioned like Gurukuls in India centuries ago. Foreign invaders tried to destroy this system and later in the colonial era Macaulay introduced an education system which was not in accordance with our cultural values. The NEP-2020 envisages focus on ethics from the primary level itself and the Gurukuls can play an important role in facilitating this amalgamation of knowledge based on our heritage and modern education,” the Defence minister said.
Referring to various works done by the Union government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he cited the Kashi Vishwanath corridor, development of Mahakal temple in Ujjain and the Ram temple in Ayodhya, stating that the government’s efforts are aimed at going beyond cultural preservation to facilitate cultural development.
Speaking on the occasion, Swami Ramdev said that at present the plan is to build Patanjali Gurukulam and Acharyakulam with Rs 500 crore with a target of spending upto Rs 10,000 crore on this education system in the coming five years. The Patanjali Gurukulam will prepare flag bearers of the Sanatan culture who will publicise Indian culture across the world.
Expressing his views, Acharya Balkrishna said that new records will be set from this land in the future and these will be witnessed by the prominent personalities of the world.
Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the manner in which Ramdev had worked to popularise Yoga and Ayurveda across the world, the Patanjali Gurukulam will also bring revolutionary changes in the sphere of education. He said that the National Cadet Corps should also be part of the education at this Gurukulam. Dhami said that Uttarakhand is progressing swiftly under PM Modi’s leadership with various major decisions being taken by the State government like implementing a strict anti-copying law, anti-conversion law and taking concrete action against encroachment on government lands. The government is also preparing to implement the Uniform Civil Code in Uttarakhand, he added.
Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav exhorted Ramdev to prepare this Gurukulam at the earliest and also attempt to establish a similar institution in Madhya Pradesh as well.
Union minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal, Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi and Bharatiya Shiksha Board chairman MP Singh also addressed the gathering. MP Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, cabinet minister Dhan Singh Rawat, MLAs Madan Kaushik and Pradeep Batra were also among those present on the occasion.
