New Delhi: I am happy to launch this collection of essays and lectures by Dr. R.P. Dhokalia. The thrust of the book is on the connection between human rights and the intrinsic and core human values which in turn manifest in the cultural ethos of a society.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights has been the basis for the formulation of many provisions in the Constitutions of many countries around the world including India. Over the last seven decades, there has been a tremendous proliferation of laws in all countries with focus on rights of human beings.
Notwithstanding the plethora of laws recognizing human rights, there is no country in the world where these human rights are not violated in one form or another and in varying degrees.
The author has therefore highlighted at the outset that there should be an equally important focus on fundamental duties as well as on nurturing the cultural ethos. He feels that human rights and human values are easiest to protect if they become a part of the cultural ethos.
The author believes that core human values alone can ensure civilized, good quality of human life. In his view, a life without values remains value-less.
Since primitive times, man alone, in contrast to all other living beings, has been relentless in pursuit of a good quality of worldly life and transformation in living conditions through successive periods of history. This he has achieved by making innovations in technology – first by muscle power followed by wheel power, the electric power and the nuclear power. These endeavors have resulted in the evolution of the modern technological civilization of material prosperity.
Besides the remarkable achievement of science and technology, the unquenchable curiosity of mankind also led him to explore the secrets of nature and of the Soul within the body, the question of birth and death and the quest of an invisible power directing the universe. This led to his philosophical, spiritual journey, the concept of God, founding of varieties of beliefs, faiths and religions, and a quest for higher values of life and the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment and wisdom, and living a complete life and enjoying a better quality of life.
The author has brought out the need to encourage the pursuit of higher values – whether moral, political, economic, social, cultural, constitutional, scientific or spiritual – through an effective State policy, vision and a philosophy of education. In his view, culture encompasses all aspects of living – the beliefs, habits and behaviour.
Cultural ethos has to be founded, according to the author, on the bedrock of human rights, values and duties and enlightened citizenship.
A vision and a philosophy of education has, therefore, to provide for the total development of citizens, including the development of the physical, intellectual, emotional, material and spiritual aspects of their personality.
The Epilogue of this book succinctly elaborates the role of education in ‘man-making’ , life-building’ and ‘character- strengthening’. Education should also focus on strengthening the cultural ethos through a teaching learning process that fosters universal ethics and moral conduct. It should lead to total human development by creating conditions for ‘learning to be’ as well as ‘learning to do’.
According to the author, the globalized world of our times needs both scientific and spiritual development. This would require recognition and respect for cultural diversity and a better appreciation of universal human rights.
This book is a timely reminder to all of us that human rights and values should become a part of the cultural ethos and we need to incorporate these universal values into our education system.
I would like to compliment the author on producing this excellent book. The theme is very relevant and the exposition is thought provoking.
Human rights are sacred. We cannot allow any system to continue if it tramples on these rights and violates them. Democracy is a system that gives respect to each individual’s rights and, therefore, is considered as the most preferred governance system all over the world now.
However, one must recognize that authoritarian tendencies, terrorist activities and lack of empowered citizenry can potentially very easily derail democracy.
Which is why eternal vigilance is required to safeguard human rights and restore human dignity to each and every person. Civil liberties are well protected when each of us respects others’ rights. As I said yesterday, citizens must be guardians of liberty of fellow citizens. Violence in any form needs to be condemned. That’s the duty of every citizen. That’s the way to reform our polity.
This is the lesson that the history of our own country teaches us through the dark chapter of emergency in the 1975-77 period as well as through the sporadic despicable incidents of violence of all kinds and atrocities, especially against women, in contemporary India.
It is a matter of great satisfaction and a source of optimism in the inner strength of all Indians that as a nation, we have risen up as a strong force against such violations of human rights, and against violence and oppression.
It is not surprising that we have condemned authoritarianism and violation of human rights. We are a country that has valued freedom and respected each living creature including human beings. We are inheritors of an ancient heritage which has at its core the timeless universal value system that has valued freedom and tolerance, acceptance and assimilation and has believed that the world is one family and that every creature, small or big has a distinct value and therefore has to be respected.
This fountain of ancient thought has been nourishing our cultural and social roots for many centuries.
This is the spring that has ensured that we remain one of the most vibrant, functioning democratic systems in the world.
This cultural ethos must be preserved, protected, propagated and nurtured further.
This can be achieved not only through education but also through media and the ideal behavior of leaders in all walks of life.
I see this as the essential message of this work. It is a view that reflects India’s holistic vision. It is a view that illumines the way forward. I hope it will generate new ideas for further action at various levels for improving the quality of life of each citizen in our country.
