Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the Indian way of life offers rays of hope in a world seeking to break free from mindless hate, violence, conflict, and terrorism.
Inaugurating via videoconferencing the three-day international conclave on Globalising Indian Thought (GIT) organised by the Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode, (IIM-K), on Thursday, Mr. Modi said the Indian way of conflict avoidance was not by brute force but the power of dialogue.
“Indian thought is vibrant and diverse. It is constant and evolving. Broadly, there are certain ideals that have remained central to Indian values. They are compassion, harmony, justice, service, and openness,” he said.
“For centuries, we welcomed the world to our land. Our civilisation has prospered when many could not. Because one finds peace and harmony here,” Mr. Modi said.
In the 20th century, Mahatma Gandhi championed these ideals and this contributed to India’s freedom, he noted. At the same time, he said, the Indians gave strength to millions outside. “It is no coincidence that we are talking about globalising Indian thought at a time when a life-size statue of Swami Vivekananda finds a special place on this campus. Who can forget the contribution of Swami Vivekananda in globalising Indian thought,” he asked.
Vivekananda’s speech
Swami Vivekananda, the Prime Minister said, had given a glimpse of India’s ethos during his iconic speech in Chicago on September 11, 1893. “As we all know, the moment he began his speech ‘Sisters and Brothers of America’, there were loud claps,” he said, adding that these “magic words” were not just the words but a display of India’s conviction and commitment towards universal brotherhood.
The Prime Minister said the IIM community was one of the brightest and one of the busiest groups of people. The excellent work prospects also bring with it stressful routines. “I would urge them all to devote time to yoga. You will see the positive difference it brings in,” he said.
Even while most western countries took decades to give voting rights to women, the makers of the Indian Constitution ensured women had voting rights from the very first day, Mr. Modi said. “Where there is openness, respect for different opinions, innovation is natural. The innovative zeal of Indians is drawing the world to India,” he added.
“Indian thought has given a lot to the world and it also has the potential to contribute even more. It has the potential to solve some of the most leading challenges our planet faces,” Mr. Modi said.
