New Delhi, Nov 2 (IANS) Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta said on Monday that the future of our civilisation’s intellectual heritage depends upon the questions the younger generation is prepared to ask.
Inaugurating Auditorium 2 at South Asian University and launching the book “Vedas: Language of Life – From Sacred Sound to DNA-RNA”, authored by Major General (Dr.) G. D. Bakshi (Retd), SM, VSM, Gupta emphasised that India’s ancient knowledge traditions must not be regarded merely as an inherited legacy but explored, researched and understood through fresh perspectives.
Addressing scholars, faculty members and students, he observed that universities were not merely institutions for imparting existing knowledge but spaces where knowledge was renewed and advanced.
The event was attended by K. K. Aggarwal, President of South Asian University; Ramesh Chandra Gaur, Dean, Faculty of Arts, Media and Design; Major General Bakshi, Rajiv Malhotra, distinguished author and founder of the Infinity Foundation; Rashmi Singh, Secretary, Department of Women and Child Development, Government of Delhi; Arvind Kumar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Government of India; and Shobha Vijender, President of Sampurna Foundation, along with the University’s Vice-Presidents, administrative officials, faculty members, scholars and students.
Congratulating South Asian University and its Faculty of Arts, Media and Design on the inauguration of Auditorium 2, Gupta observed that an auditorium was more than a physical structure; it was a place where ideas found expression.
He expressed hope that the new facility would emerge as a vibrant centre for intellectual exchange, cultural activities, artistic expression and academic discussions.
Underscoring the larger responsibility of educational institutions, he said that universities must not remain confined to transmitting established knowledge but should contribute to its continued development and advancement.
Referring to the book, Gupta described the Vedas as an invaluable part of India’s civilisational heritage, encompassing philosophy, language, poetry, mathematics, the cosmos, nature and fundamental questions concerning life.
He observed that Major General Bakshi’s work seeks to explore the relationship between Vedic language and contemporary scientific concepts, bringing together diverse subjects, including DNA and RNA, mathematical language, information, biological development, Vedic poetry and literature.
He said the book offered readers an opportunity to reflect upon possible connections between ancient knowledge and modern scientific thought.
Appreciating the author’s 37 years of service in the Indian Army, including during the 1971 war, Gupta referred to his association with his spiritual guide, Swami Pranavananda Saraswati, and how meditation and spiritual reflection had opened new avenues of thought and self-discovery in his life.
–IANS
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