Ashadha Krishna 14 Vik. Samvat 2080, Yugabda 5125 : 16 June, 2023:SM 5006 (For Private Circulation only)
1. FESTIVALS:
JAGANNATH RATH YATRA: Jagannath mandir in Puri is one of the four Hindu
pilgrimage centers known as Char Dham. The festival of Puri Rath Yatra is
associated with Bhagwan Jagannath, one of the incarnations of Bhagwan Vishnu.
Rath Yatra falls on Ashadh Shukla 2 (June 20 this year).
In one of the oldest
Rath Yatra of the world, the decorated statues of Bhagwan Jagannath and his
siblings - Devi Subhadra and Bhagwan Balabhadra - cover a 3-km-long journey from
Jagannath Mandir to the Gundicha Mandir in chariots drawn by hundreds of
devotees. After nine days, the deities ride the chariots back to Shri Mandir
in ‘bahuda jatra’. This religious procession is also known as Chariot Festival,
Navadina Yatra, Gundicha Yatra, or Dasavatara.
The Rath Yatra festival has also become a common sight in many major cities of
the world including San Francisco, Prague, Brisbane etc.-GoTop
2. RSS TRITIYA VARSHA SANGH SHIKSHA VARG CONCLUDED: On
June 1, RSS Sarasanghachalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat addressed the concluding ceremony
of the Tritiya Varsh Sangh Shiksha Varg of RSS at Reshim Bagh, Nagpur.
Kadsiddheshwar Swami of Siddhgiri Sansthan Kaneri Math, Kolhapur was the chief
guest of the event and Vidarbha Prant Sanghachalak Ram Harkare and Nagpur
Sanghachalak Rajesh Loya were also present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Bhagwat said that it is the duty of all of us to
remember our ancient tradition and accept our Bharatiya culture that
accommodates all diversities. He added that in our country, since ancient times,
there has been a culture of coordination among the diversities and everyone
should make efforts for enhancing Bharat’s unity and integrity. Dr. Bhagwat also
said that Bharat has done a good job in the financial crisis and in the corona
epidemic and it is a matter of pride that Bharat got the prestigious G-20
presidency.
Dr. Bhagwat said that people living in Bharat have Hindu roots since their
forefathers were Hindus and that living in Bharat makes everyone Hindu, even if
they follow different faiths. He emphasised the need for 'unity in diversity',
called for dialogue instead of controversy and urged everyone to avoid
unnecessary conflicts.
Shri Kadsiddheshwar Swamiji while addressing the swayamsevaks said that Sangh
means discipline, sewa, harmony and dedication. He added that Bharat was a
Vishwaguru and the seeds of the future to restore it on this pedestal are within
us with the medium of its manifestation being the Sangh Shiksha Varg.
The Varg was inaugurated on May 8 by Sah Sarakaryavah Ram Dutt at Maharishi Vyas
Auditorium located in Dr. Hedgewar Smriti Mandir premises. Speaking on the
occasion, he had said that Sangh plants the seeds of culture and every
Swayamsevak in the varg gets an opportunity to develop the sense of country
first, pride, authenticity, patriotism, discipline and affection towards self.
682 swayamsevaks from all over Bharat participated in the varg. -GoTop
3. SAVARKAR'S COURAGE, SACRIFICE CONTINUE TO INSPIRE US: PM
MODI: On May 28, Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi hailed freedom fighter Vinayak
Damodar Savarkar, popularly known as Veer Savarkar, and said that his fearless
and self-respecting nature did not tolerate the mentality of slavery. While
paying homage to Savarkar on his 140th birth anniversary, the PM said his
sacrifice, courage and determination continue to inspire us.
Earlier, after inauguration of the new Parliament building project, PM Modi, Lok
Sabha speaker Om Birla and a host of Central ministers paid floral tribute to
Savarkar in the Central Hall of the current Parliament.
In his 101st ‘Mann ki Baat’, PM Modi said that Savarkar was a great freedom
fighter and the stories related to his sacrifice, courage and resolve inspire us
all even today. Veer Savarkar's personality comprised firmness and magnanimity.
He is remembered not only for the freedom movement, but also for his
contributions towards social equality and social justice. -GoTop
4. SHIVAJI ESTABLISHED ‘SWARAJ’, ENDED SLAVERY MINDSET: PM
MODI: On June 2, Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi said that when Chhatrapati
Shivaji Maharaj’s coronation took place, it carried the slogan of swaraj and
pledged that Shivaji’s model would be the guiding principle for governance in
Amrit Kaal in the next 25 years to make Bharat a developed nation.
In a video message on the 350th anniversary of Shivaji’s coronation, PM Modi
said that Shivaji was a great soldier as well as a great administrator and he
ended the mindset of slavery. He added that hundreds of years of slavery had
taken away the country’s self-esteem and confidence and Shivaji Maharaj not only
fought invaders but also infused a belief in the people that self-rule was
possible. He also said that the coronation of Shivaji Maharaj is a special
chapter of the historic period 350 years ago and the great tales of
self-governance, good governance and prosperity inspire everyone even today.
As per an official press release, the Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde
stated that the Cultural Affairs Department has been entrusted with collecting
and collating literature, relics, and other things from the era of Shivaji
Maharaj from across the world in a bid to propagate his ideas and beliefs and
preserve his legacy. According to the CMO release, Shinde also informed that
various programs will be organised throughout the year to mark Chhatrapati
Shivaji Maharaj's coronation. -GoTop
5. G20 DELEGATES EXPERIENCE 1000-YR OLD MAHARASHTRIAN 'PALKHI
SOHALA’: Pune, renowned for its cultural heritage, witnessed a mesmerizing
display of tradition as delegates from several countries, who are in the city
for the G20 summit, experienced the 1000-year old Maharashtrian 'Palkhi Sohala'
on June 12. The delegates took the blessings of the 'Palkhi' and were
overwhelmed with the devotional environment.
Maharashtra government had made arrangements for the G20 delegates to witness
the annual pilgrimage to Pandharpur ahead of the Ashadi Ekadashi festivities.
Pune Guardian Minister Chandrakant Patil enlightened the G20 guests about the
rich traditions of the warkari sect in the state.
The annual wari or pilgrimage owes its origins to the Bhakti movement and is one
of the most important traditions of the Warkari-sampradaya. -GoTop
6. SHIBIR ORGANIZED BY HSS JAPAN: After a 4 years hiatus
due to COVID-19, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh HSS Japan organized a 2-day residential
shibir at Yumesen Indian, Chiba, on May 20-21. 87 participants from 39 families
attended the shibir. The participants from 9 shakhas were of diverse age groups,
including 58 adults and 23 bals. Various physical activities, cultural
presentations, and intellectual assignments were carried out promoting a deeper
understanding of HSS, key issues faced by Hindu society, the need for Hindu
unity and the means of achieving it.
A workshop was conducted in which several teams brainstormed on themes like
‘Dependency on machines in day-to-day-life’ and ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ and
presented their ideas regarding it. Cultural programs and fireworks were
arranged during the evening sessions. A maha khel of four levels including
treasure hunt and sand castle building was conducted on the second day. The
shibir concluded with the participants sharing their experiences. One
participant said that participating in such a large scale shibir was an amazing
experience. Some others commented on the exciting and demanding shareerik
activities and the thought provoking bauddhik sessions. -GoTop
7. HSS JAPAN BAL MARATHON 2023: HSS Japan organised a
Bal Marathon to celebrate the 350th Coronation Day of Chhatrapati Shivaji as
Hindu Samrajya Divas. The marathon was held at Komatsugawa Park, Ojima on June
4. Mrs. Kanika Aggrawal, Director of Vivekanand Cultural Centre, Bharatiya
Embassy in Japan graced this event as the chief guest.
The event started with a
shakha attended by more than 500 participants. Mrs. Kanika Aggrawal offered
floral tributes to the murti of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and addressed the
participants about the history of Shivaji Maharaj. She also flagged off the 256
participants of the marathon in various age and distance categories. Winners
were presented with medals and all participants received a participation
certificate. -GoTop
8. HSS AUSTRALIA: HINDU SANGHATHAN DIVAS 2023: 285
people participated in the Hindu Sanghathan Diwas organised by Queensland Vibhag
of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh HSS Australia.
On June 4, Victoria Vibhag celebrated Hindu Sanghathan Diwas at Shivaji Shakha,
Melbourne. The primary purpose of the Utsav was to promote and foster a sense of
unity among Hindus and articulate how the ideals and leadership of Shivaji
Maharaj continue to inspire generations even today. More than 150 people of
various age groups participated in the event.
200 people participated in the Hindu Sanghathan Divas Utsav organised by the
Western Australia Vibhag at Bunbury which is 200 km away from the main Perth
city. All the events included khel and bauddhik on Shivaji Maharaj. -GoTop
9. HSS JAPAN ORGANISED CLOTH RECYCLING DRIVE: On May 27,
HSS Japan organised the cloth recycle drive at shakha level. The drive received
a huge response from community members and around 1750 kg clothes were
collected.
With this year’s spring cloth recycle drive, HSS Japan has collected
7,050 kg cloths till date for the needy. The clothes are donated to the local
NPO in Japan and to Hindu refugees from Pakistan in Adarsh Nagar, Delhi. -GoTop
10. SEWA SANGAM NETHERLANDS: On May 28, Hindu
Swayamsevak Sangh HSS Netherlands organized Sewa Sangam for the first time in
The Hague. 65 swayamsevak and sevikas from all 12 shakhas across Netherlands
participated in sewa activities at 6 different locations (5 Mandirs and 1
Gurudwara) on the same day, at the same time.
The sewa work included registration desk activities, prasadam/bhojan
distribution and cleaning at the Srinivasa Kalyanam Utsav attended by more than
1200 people. In the other Mandirs and Gurudwara, the aim was to do deep
cleaning, gardening, and small maintenance activities according to mandir
management team needs and directions.
Subsequently, all karyakartas went to the Gurudwara together for darshan and
along with the Gurudwara management, sang a sangh geet in front of the premises.
-GoTop
11. ODISHA TRAIN INCIDENT: RSS AND ABVP HELP SURVIVORS:
More than a thousand swayamsevaks of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Akhil
Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) worked round the clock since the train
accident took place in Odisha on June 2. Karyakartas were deployed at the
Balasore hospital to help people with identifying their relatives and family
members and to provide food and water.
Some provided telephones and mobiles to
those who had lost their phones and were looking for their respective family
members. Swayamsevaks helped the railway officials and NDRF teams with the
rescue operation on site. They also issued numbers for the blood bank and
provided a thousand units of blood at the hospital. -GoTop
12. SEWA INTERNATIONAL MANIPUR RELIEF: Sewa
International and its partner organizations responded to the recent violence in
Manipur by establishing 41 relief camps. These camps were equipped with
essential services and relief materials to support the victims.
The relief
efforts covered five districts and involved more than 50 dedicated volunteers
who worked tirelessly to relieve the hardships faced by the 3,677 inmates in
Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Kakching, and Thoubal districts of Manipur.
The volunteers distributed relief materials and organized ten health camps to
ensure the well-being and safety of the affected individuals. -GoTop
13. SIF KUWAIT CONDUCTED ANNUAL SCIENCE GALA: The
Annual Science Gala for the academic year 2022-23 organized by Science
International Forum (SIF), Kuwait was conducted on May 26 at Kuwait College of
Science and Technology. The ceremony was inaugurated by the chief guest for the
evening Dr. Satheesh C Shenoi. He addressed the audience on the subject ‘The
Story of Indian Tsunami Early Warning System’. Dr. Suleiman Al Sabah (Director
of Research Core Facility, Kuwait University), Dr. Mohamed Bin Sabt (Acting
Dean, Faculty of Science, Kuwait University) and Mr. Musaed Al Tamemi (Team
leader, Lab Services, EQUATE) also attended the function.
The winners and outstanding performers of Sastra Pratibha Contest 2023 and
Kuwait Children’s Science Congress (KCSC) 2022 were honored with trophy and
certificate. The students and teachers of Fahaheel Al-Watanieh Indian Private
School (DPS) along with their Vice principal Dr. Sheeba Balraj received the
prestigious ‘Acharya J. C. Bose Sastra Puraskar’ for the best performing school.
The grand evening was studded with the presence of scientific personalities from
Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research and other eminent academicians. -GoTop
14. SURINAME CONFERS HIGHEST CIVILIAN AWARD TO RASHTRAPATI
DROUPADI MURMU: On the first leg of her state visit to Serbia and Suriname,
Rashtrapati Droupadi Murmu had arrived in Paramaribo, Suriname, on June 4. She
was welcomed at the Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport with full state
honours by Suriname’s President Chandrikapersad Santokhi, the official release
of Rashtrapati Bhavan said.
On June 5, Rashtrapati Murmu was conferred with Suriname’s highest civilian
honour award ‘The Grand Order of the Chain of Yellow Star’, the first Bharatiya
to receive this award. Rashtrapati Murmu received the award from President
Santokhi. After receiving the award, she said that the honour holds tremendous
significance for her and the people of Bharat. She dedicated the award to the
successive generations of the Bharatiya-Surinamese community who have played a
stellar role in enriching the fraternal ties between the two countries.
Bharat and Suriname also signed four major Memoranda of Understanding in health,
agriculture and capacity building. -GoTop
15. RAJNATH SINGH MEETS BHARATIYA DIASPORA IN ABUJA:
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Abuja on a three-day visit, marking
the first-ever visit of a Bharatiya defence minister to Nigeria. He represented
Bharat at the swearing-in ceremony of Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
On May 30, he interacted with the Bharatiya diaspora in Nigeria at an event
organised by the Bharatiya High Commission in Abuja. The event was attended by
members of the Bharatiya community not just from Abuja, but also from other
cities of Nigeria such as Lagos.
Underlining the country’s fast expanding economy and progressive government
actions, he highlighted Bharat’s growing importance due to these factors. He
emphasised the government’s focus on ‘Aatmanirbharta’ and the significant
progress made in defence exports in recent years towards achieving the objective
of ‘Make in India, Make for the World’.
Rajnath highlighted Bharat’s growing importance on the world stage owing to its
fast-expanding economy and appreciated the positive contributions made by the
Bharatiya community in Nigeria.
Nigeria is home to more than 50,000 Bharatiyas. Bharatiya-owned or operated
companies and businesses are among the largest employers in the country. -GoTop
16. S JAISHANKAR INAUGURATED IT CENTRE AT NAMIBIA
UNIVERSITY: The Ministry of External Affairs (EAM) and the Centre for
Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) signed an Agreement on July 16, 2018
for setting up an ‘India Namibia Centre of Excellence in Information Technology’
(INCEIT) at the Namibia University of Science & Technology.
On June 6, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar inaugurated Namibia
University’s fully equipped IT centre, INCEIT. The centre is equipped with a
CDAC PARAM Supercomputer with High-Performance Computing (HPC) Applications.
While addressing the inauguration event of the INCEIT, EAM Jaishankar said that
it reflects the long-standing people-to-people friendship and linkages between
Bharat and Namibia. Speaking on the trainers teaching at the INCEIT, the EAM
informed that six master trainers from Namibia were given training in CDAC in
Bharat.
The centre has been able to offer courses and to train more than 275
professionals, government officials from various ministries students, teachers
and researchers, Jaishankar informed. -GoTop
17. NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATURE PASSES BILL TO MAKE DIWALI
SCHOOL HOLIDAY: New York State legislature has passed a Bill to make Diwali
a school holiday in the city. Both the Senate and the Assembly voted for the
Bill before they ended their session early on June 10 morning and it now goes to
Governor Kathy Hochul for her expected signature to make it law.
Introducing the
bill, Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar said, "It is long past time to honour" the
"vibrant cultural heritage" of the South Asian, Indo-Caribbean, Hindu, Sikh,
Jain, and Buddhist communities by making Diwali a school holiday. An estimated
200,000 students from these communities will be able to celebrate the Festival
of Lights in their own way, free of school. The Bill overcame a last-minute
hurdle after the Bill`s sponsors, Rajkumar and State Senator Joseph Adabo,
introduced the proposal to have Diwali replace the Brooklyn-Queens Day holiday.
-GoTop
18. IIT TO OPEN ITS FIRST CAMPUS IN AFRICA: Indian
Institute of Technology (IIT) will open its first-ever overseas African campus
in Tanzania in October 2023 with a batch of 50 undergraduate students and 20
master’s students. The new IIT campus will be set up under the name IIT Madras
at Zanzibar. The institution will offer data science and artificial intelligence
courses.
President of Zanzibar, Hussein Mwinyi is looking forward to this project and has
made it possible for IIT to begin operations this year by giving the necessary
premises. He has guaranteed IIT the autonomy it needs to ensure that the quality
is maintained.
The initial instructors for Zanzibar will be from Bharat, but the long-term
objective is to train a cadre of IIT-trained local instructors to carry the
mantle. -GoTop
19. BHARATIYA AMERICAN STUDENT WIN REGENERON YOUNG
SCIENTIST AWARD: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Society for Science announced
that Saathvik Kannan, 17, of Columbia, Missouri, received one of two Regeneron
Young Scientist Awards of $50,000. The Regeneron International Science and
Engineering Fair is the world’s largest global pre-college science and
engineering competition.
Kannan won for using biocomputational methods to
understand the causes of heightened infectivity in the disease mpox after it
reemerged in 2022. Saathvik’s approach, named Bioplex, uses a combination of
machine learning and three-dimensional comparative protein modeling to decode
structures like those that enable the mpox virus to replicate. This allowed him
to identify the mutations in the virus that likely made it more infectious as
well as other mutations that could make it resistant to antibiotics. -GoTop
20. OM SRI SAI BALAJI MANDIR BHOOMI POOJA FOR 25 FT HANUMAN
MURTI: The Om Sri Sai Balaji Mandir & Cultural Center based in Monroe, New
Jersey, marked a milestone May 14, with the Bhoomi Pooja for its mandir with a
25 foot image of Bhagwan Hanuman. A massive gathering of devotees, community
members, and guests attended the event “symbolizing the unity and devotion of
the community” the mandir said in a press release. Among those present was the
Consul General of Bharat, New York Randhir Jaiswal.
The 11.2-acre site, which will house a Hindu Mandir & Cultural Center and aims
to cater to the spiritual needs of the community while cultivating a divine
atmosphere, the Mandir said in its press release. -GoTop
21. OBITIUARY : JAYANT SAHASRABUDDHE: Jayant
Sahasrabuddhe (April 17, 1966 - June 2, 2023), National Organising Secretary of
Vijnana Bharati and Pracharak, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, passed away on June
2 early morning. He was 66. He was being treated for a long time after he met
with an accident on September 3, 2022. Since then, his health was continuously
deteriorating.
After completing BSc Tech (Electronics) from Mumbai University, he worked at
Bhabha Atomic
Research Centre (BARC). In 1989, he became Sangh Pracharak and served in
Maharashtra. He was Vibhag Pracharak of Goa and Prant Pracharak of Konkan Prant.
Since 2009, he had the responsibility of National Organising Secretary of
Vijnana Bharati.
Many initiatives of Vijnana Bharati, like Viddyarthi Vijnana Manthan, Tech for
Seva, IISF, Vishva Ved Vijnana Sammelan, Bharatiya Vijnana Sammelan etc., were
being guided by him. He used to give direction to many dimensions of Vijnana
Bharati, like the World Ayurveda Foundation, GIST- Global Indian Scientist and
Technocrats Forum, and NASYA–National Ayurveda Students Youth Association.
Jayant Sahasrabuddhe played a vital role in expanding Vijnana Bharati’s work
globally. He also successfully brought the role of Bharatiya Scientists in the
country’s independence before the people.
In a shraddhanjali sabha in Delhi on June 15, RSS Sarakaryavah Dattatreya
Hosabale highlighted several aspects of Jayant Sahasrabuddhe’s personality and
said that he was the embodiment of the 5 gunas mentioned in the sangh prarthana.-GoTop
22. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN:Pravas: Visitors: Ahinandan
Kumar - Botswana. -GoTop
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: I have totally forgotten my jealousy of others, since I
found the Saadh, Sangat, the Company of the Holy. No one is my enemy, and no one
is a stranger, I get along with everyone … The One God is pervading in all.
Gazing upon Him, beholding Him, Nanak blossoms forth in happiness. – Adi Granth.-GoTop
JAI SHRI RAM
----
INDIA AS A NORM INITIATOR, DEVELOPER
Nishtha Kaushiki
The Indian philosophies of ‘Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah' and ‘Sarve Santu Niramayah' state that all peoples should be happy and contended
Under the guidance of PM Modi,
India's stature in the world has grown immensely, and we are being looked to as
a 'superpower'. This write-up aims to surface the differences between the Indian
concept of a Vishwa Guru and the Western values of a 'great power'. The
fundamental values of India's exceptionalism have been the strong foundations of
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the entire world is one family) that 'presented the world
with a philosophy for uniting humankind. Nevertheless, India's unique approach
of 'Sarve Bhantu Sukinah', 'Mitrasya Chakshusha Samikshamahe' (Look at the world
with friendly eyes), 'Krinvanto Vishvamaryam' – (be noble and make the world
noble) add to India's uniqueness. The same concepts were acknowledged by Dr S.
Radhakrishnan, the second president of India, who stated that the "higher
concept is world community; it is this kind of world community to which we have
to attach ourselves". Thus, India's foreign and security policy has been deeply
rooted in the principles of regional and international peace and peaceful
co-existence. Thus, India, with exceptional civilisational values, is poised to
be the Vishwa Guru once again.
There are fundamental differences between superpowers/ great powers and a 'Vishwa
Guru'. As a first, India's civilisation has been scientifically proven to date
back to the Indus Valley civilisation (1200-1500 BCE). Later, Bharat's grand
stature in the world was defined by the existence of different Universities such
as Nalanda and Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu). Thus, the unique civilisation gave us
an intellectual legacy. India's academic and philosophical foundations rest on
the premise that the ultimate goal of knowledge is not 'power maximisation' but
the enhancement of the mental and physical well-being of all; thus, knowledge
and justice share an intricate bond.
The Western traditions of Realism and the English School in international
politics speak of maintaining the 'hegemony' and the 'status quo' of the
stronger power. Liberalism, on the other hand, speaks for a total market economy
with little or no regard for the less privileged. On the contrary, Marxism and
its critical strands speak of the marginalised groups and countries but
primarily present themselves as a critique of liberalism. Consequently, no
theory takes a well-balanced approach while maintaining the interests of all the
contesting stakeholders. Here, the Indian traditional knowledge system can play
an important role wherein there is justice and prosperity for all. 'Sarve
Bhavantu Sukhinah' and 'Sarve Santu Niramayah', as core philosophies, firmly
believe that all should be happy, contended, and free from diseases as only a
healthy mind can contribute to strong nation-building.
Second, the stature of a 'great power is purely a Western or a Eurocentric
concept that stands on the bedrock principle of international anarchy and a
deep-rooted lust for power. In the West, for external developments and events to
serve as triggers for garnering support for specific defence policy agendas,
they must be rhetorically portrayed as potential challenges and threats, which
in international relations is called 'agenda setting'. The West, in the 1980s
and 1990s, had narratives of "rogue states" and "axis of evil" for those
"deviant" regimes which did not align with its "ideals and principles". Later,
to harness domestic support and finance apart from the international coalition,
the fundamental concept of "anti-Christ" leaders came into the picture, the most
prominent of which was Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi. Later, it was proved
that Iraq had dismantled its WMD infrastructure before the invasion. The
consequence of such concepts is always a "tragedy" that results in war. The
struggle thus is a vicious cycle of power maximisation, security dilemma and
great power wars.
India has a very different approach in line with its 'Sarve Bhavantu Sukinah'
policy. From ancient times, examples that have used religious terminologies or a
religion-based national identity have been deliberately avoided. Later, because
of the Mongol and Mughal invasions, India became a multicultural population.
India has always tried to adopt an inclusive approach in which it firmly
believes that the interests of all countries are better served through the
skills of humanitarianism.
Finally, western geopolitics firmly believes in the concept of a geographic
'sphere of influence' for a major power. Since its inception, New Delhi's
foreign policy approach has been the opposite of a 'clash of civilisations' and
certainly is not "us versus them". India's civilisational glory lies in the fact
that it does not believe in 'civilisational subsuming'. Indian philosophers have
tried to expand their 'civilisational sphere of influence' where India's soft
power, such as cultural values and later Buddhism, were active foreign policy
tools.
India has stood in solidarity with the world's countries to ensure that the
developing world's concerns are not side-lined. Given the global conflicts with
a crisscross of interstate rivalries, the world looks up to India under the
leadership of PM Modi. India's presidency of G20 from December last year
strongly indicates that PM Modi's multilateral diplomacy based on the ancient
Indian knowledge system has been a norm initiator and developer. https://www.dailypioneer.com/2023/columnists/india-as-a-norm-initiator--developer.html
09 June 2023 -GoTop
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