Post-2014, we've begun to speak about Indian culture, 'sanatan' values with pride: RS Dy Chairman

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh on Friday said India envisioned about a 'Viksit Bharat' after 2014 and did not dream about it before, adding post-2014 the countrymen have begun to speak about "Indian culture and 'sanatan' values" with pride and that has been a "big change".

He said this in his address at the launch of a compilation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speeches on the subject of culture -- 'Sanskriti Ka Paanchva Adhyay' here at the the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Culture.

Modi first took office of the prime minister in 2014 after winning the Lok Sabha elections from Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi constituency.

The compilation in form of a book has 34 speeches, arranged chronologically, beginning with his 2015 Independence Day address at the Red Fort in Delhi and concluding with the one delivered in October 2024 at the inauguration of the R J Shankar Eye Hospital in Varanasi.

The Rajya Sabha deputy chairman said the country is currently in 'Azadi ka Amrit Kaal' period.

"And the prime minster gave a resolve to make a 'Viksit Bharat' by the time we complete 100 years of our independence. This dream of 'Viksit Bharat' was dreamt after 2014 and not dreamt before it," he added.

In this vision of 'Viksit Bharat', the prime minister has asked to let go of mentality of slavery and take pride on our culture. And rich material on taking pride on our culture is in this book, Harivansh said.

"After 2014, we have begun to speak about Indian culture and 'sanatan' values with pride, and that has been a big change. And, therefore, this book has greater significance," he added.

In his address, Harivansh referred to Ramdhari Singh Dinkar's seminal work 'Sanskriti ke Chaar Adhyay', whose foreword was written by then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

Had Dinkar been alive today, he would have revisited and revised parts of his work, he said.

The book was released by Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Pujya Swami Avdheshanand Giri Maharaj, the head of the Juna Akhara.

'Sanskriti Ka Paanchva Adhyay' is a curated collection of speeches by Prime Minister Modi delivered on various occasions, highlighting the Indian culture, traditions, spiritual values and cultural heritage.

Together, these 34 speeches cover a wide range of cultural contexts -- from sacred shrines like Kedarnath, Ram Janmabhoomi, Kashi Vishwanath Dham and Omkareshwar to occasions such as the launch of various editions of the 'Bhagavad Gita', Guru Nanak Jayanti, the Global Buddhist Conference, the birth anniversary of Acharya Vijay Vallabh Surishwar Ji Maharaj and the World Sufi Conference, the IGNCA said in a statement.

"These speeches reflect a quest to identify the Indianness in various religious traditions. The appendix contains reflections by Acharya Shri Pragya Sagar Ji Maharaj and Shankaracharya Shri Shankar Vijayendra Saraswati Swami Ji of Kanchi Kamakoti. Both appear to affirm the cultural vision espoused by the Prime Minister," it said.

The compilation has been done by Prabhat Ojha. The book has been published by Prabhat Prakashan.