'Conflict between ancient, modern Indian culture'

Teachers should help the students to put into practice, the ideas of Swami Vivekananda, in their life, said Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Dr K N Vijayaprakash.

He was delivering the keynote address during the ‘Viveka Chintana,’ a value education programme for teachers, organised as a part of 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, at Ramakrishna Math in Mangalore on Tuesday.

“Education is Vivekananda’s most favourite field. He believed that quality and value education will solve the problems of India and will help in moulding India to a developed country, as well as to create model citizens,’ he said. Teachers should make the students realise the importance of education.

“Today’s youth are standing in between a clash of different culture. There is a conflict between ancient Indian culture and modern Indian culture. It is the duty of teachers to direct the students through the right path in their life, to shape themselves to lead responsible life, as a person and as a member of society,’ he added.

He lamented that today’s society is living under a wrong notion that money is everything in this world. This phenomenon is a social tragedy. Teachers should help the students to come out of these kinds of wrong perceptions.

He reminded the teachers that they should be the models for the students in the life. “If we are not following a model life, we cannot insist students to do the same,” he said.

He said that Vivekananda strived hard for imparting value education among Indians. According to Swami, for any country to achieve prosperity, proper education should be given to its citizens. He also strived for universal brotherhood.

MLC Captain Ganesh Karnik inaugurated the value education programme. He opined that teachers cannot teach the students, but can only create ideal atmosphere for them to learn things. He told teachers that they should make the students realise education is not only to make money, but to learn how to lead a happy and peaceful life.

 “Our country was looted for 65 years because the proper value education was not given to the people. The question is not who looted, but why they looted. If they had received value education, this wouldn’t have happen,” he said.

Deputy Director of Public Instructions Moses Jayashekhar, Ramakrishna Math Mangalore President Swami Jitakamanandaji were also present during the function.
Educationist Satish H L, MANAS Academy for Training Director Prof Raghottama Rao and retired professor Dr Shikaripura Krishnamurty delivered lectures for teachers on value education during the one-day programme.