Kudos for Anand Mahindra

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 It is no mean achievement to be the biggest donor in the history of Harvard University's Humanities Center. Anand G. Mahindra has once again drawn global attention to India's big- heartedness and respect for higher education and culture. Mr. Mahindra, now Vice Chairman and MD of Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd, has had an illustrious career and is an eminent member of various educational, economic and cultural bodies both in India and abroad.

Among other notable donors to the Harvard University have been names like NR Narayana Murthy of Infosys Technologies. His family and he has donated $5.2 million to Harvard University Press earlier this year. The list of Indian patrons to ivy-league institutions in the US and UK is getting longer and well done too. It not only helps to put the names of big business houses from India on the patron's list and have education centers named after Indian tycoons, it also encourages Indian students studying in these institutions to aim higher and perform better in academics. The entire country is very proud of these philanthropists and may their tribe increase.

What does come to mind, however, is that, why is there such a rush to offer largess to institutions that are already well established and doing fine on their own merits? Why does charity not begin at home? Donating $10 million to an American University in one’s mother’s memory is laudable, but why not spend a fraction of that astronomical sum on Indian girls who are forced to discontinue higher studies because the education infra-structure is so poor in our homeland? Why not promote the cause of the studies of Humanities in our own universities and colleges? Is it not a fact that Indian students are considered to be the best all over the world? Then why not offer courses and facilities in India so that students can study and do well and take the country ahead with them? Why not foster a culture of academic excellence on our own soil?

There are a good many people and business houses that invest a lot towards the education sector in our country. The Birla’s have been pioneers in this respect, the Tata’s have also invested a lot in the education and sporting arenas and so have numerous others. Shiv Nadar, founder of HCL Technologies, donated more than  Rs 550 crore this year towards the country’s education sector. Wipro is also a big donor in the field of primary education in India. The country’s youth is no doubt indebted towards these philanthropists for their generosity, but, there is need for many more super rich citizens to come forward and carry on with these humanitarian deeds for India to be truly uplifted.

From Gurus to Goondas

Gururbrahma gururvishnu gurudevo maheswara guru sakshat parabrahma tasmai sri gurave namah. 

Whatever happened to the haloed practice of guru-shishya parampara in our country? Why have we lost the Ved Vyasas, Dronacharyas and Sarvepalli Radhakrishnans in the confused milieu of what we call education today?

India has been renowned for its teacher-disciple tradition and bonding. The gurus of yester years laid emphasis on experiential learning and acquiring knowledge through practice. They earned respect and loyalty from their disciples because they were able to impart such specialized knowledge based on their experiences that was not easily acquired through reading books. The teacher or guru was the spiritual guide, teacher and mentor all rolled into one.

One wonders why teachers did not face so much frustration with their students then. Why did they not brutalize, maim and even murder their students in those days? Something is horribly wrong with our society today- we have criminals in the garb of teachers. Every day the so called “teachers” find new ways to brutalize their students- every day we allow them to dehumanize our children.

Are we apathetic because it is not our own child who is being beaten up and terrorized in schools across the nation? When will we realize that social apathy is the root cause of all the social evils that ails our society? When will we have the courage to own up and say all is not well with my world today- my child is withering and languishing in the posh school I slave to send him to?

Parents, please wake up to your child’s dire need for protection and security. Participate in your child’s life. Leave a comfortable space for your child to come to you and vent his/her sorrow, hurt and humiliation. Don’t leave it till it’s too late. Don’t let Rouvanjit Rawla, Siddhartha Saha and Gobindo Saha’s plight be repeated. The school and its teachers are responsible for the care and education of your children. Demand that from the schools. Create awareness in parents’ associations and take active interest in what is going on inside the portals of the once distinguished schools.

Love, laughter, education and sunshine are a child’s birthright. Let us help the schools in their mission to provide all these to our children. Let us stand by them and create a society where our children can go to school and recite bravely- “where the mind is without fear…”

 Let us join hands and strive to revive the great tradition of guru sakshat parabrahma (guru is Brahma, the Absolute) and make our children believe once more that moksha mulam guru kripa (in the grace of the guru lies the source of salvation).