Srinagar, Aug 2 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Saturday said India’s ancient knowledge systems should be a part of mainstream education, and called on writers to “rewrite history”, which was “distorted” in the past.
Asserting that India was witnessing economic, cultural and scientific renaissance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sinha said future generations should be told that ancient India was the engine of world civilisation and culture.
He said this while addressing the inaugural function of the nine-day ‘Chinar Book Festival’ organised by National Book Trust (NBT) of India at Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) here, which was also attended by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
“The new generation must be made aware that our civilisation was economically prosperous and it was also the global centre of literature, science and spirituality,” he said.
“We gave the gift of science, mathematics, medicines to the world and we should be proud of our cultural, literary, scientific and spiritual heritage,” he added.
Sinha said the roots of “our knowledge and science” have always been immense.
“We need to liberate ourselves from the colonial mindset and the new generation must be told that our heritage has been leading in the world and the gift of science that we have given to the entire humanity is incomparable,” he said.
The LG called on writers to think about rewriting history to “correct facts”, which were “distorted” in the past.
He said in order to strengthen the nation’s spiritual, social, and emotional unity, the unique contributions of writers and thinkers are essential.
Sinha said India’s ancient knowledge systems should be revived and be made a part of “mainstream education”.
Sinha called upon the NBT to publish and translate the Nilamat Purana, Rajatarangini, and Kathasaritsagara into various Indian languages.
These editions in regional language should also be prominently featured at international book festivals to introduce the world to J-K’s unique literary heritage, he added.
The LG also asked the NBT to actively promote famous literature from Kashmiri, Pahari, Gojri, Dogri, Urdu, and Punjabi at book festivals and ensure their translation into various languages to reach a wider audience.
The event also witnessed the inauguration of ‘Saradaksarani’, the first national-level exhibition of Sharada alphabets, and the Kashmiri translation of the book, “Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh-through the ages”.
Sinha added that the Chinar Book Festival will connect the new generation to the country’s “precious literary heritage and inspire them to preserve and promote our traditional wisdom left behind by our ancestors”, he said. PTI SSB SKY SKY
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