Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Building a developed India by 2047 would require more than economic growth and would depend on a knowledge-based society, quality education and research, good governance, social inclusion and environmentally sustainable development, former Vice-Chancellor of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University Prof Manoj Dixit said.
He was speaking at the valedictory session of a two-day national seminar organised by the Department of Political Science of the university on “Revisiting Political Thought and Indigenous Polity through the Lens of Indian Knowledge System” at the SIFART Auditorium on Wednesday.
Pro-Vice-Chancellor Dr Pravin Wakte presided over the session. Dean of the Faculty of Humanities Dr Dhanshree Mahajan and Head of the Department of Political Science Dr Prashant Amrutkar were present.
The seminar was organised with financial support from the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR).
Prof Dixit said the idea of Viksit Bharat was not merely a government programme but a national mission requiring the participation of citizens. Universities and higher education institutions had an important role in promoting research, innovation, skills, entrepreneurship and social responsibility among students, he said.
“Knowledge, technology and human values must develop in balance,” Prof Dixit said, stressing the need to give equal importance to rural development, agricultural modernisation, employment generation, women’s empowerment, social justice and environmental sustainability.
He said the youth were the country’s greatest strength and that the goal of a developed India could be achieved if young people pursued excellence in their respective fields and contributed to nation-building.
Dr Wakte said India’s ancient knowledge tradition had evolved amid its physical, biological and cultural diversity. The National Education Policy had accorded importance to the Indian Knowledge System, and the university had incorporated several changes in its curriculum accordingly.
Artificial intelligence, digital technology and innovation had created significant opportunities for India. However, young people needed to be equipped with ethical values along with modern skills to ensure that technology was used responsibly and in the larger interest of society, he said.
Dr Amrutkar said a detailed report of the seminar would be submitted to the ICSSR.
The seminar saw the participation of 240 students, researchers and teachers. Padma Shri Prof JK Bajaj, former Vice-Chancellor Prof Sanjeev Kumar Sharma, Prof Brijendra Pandey, Dr Vitthal Dahiphale, Dr Ramesh Pandav, Prof Prashant Paul, Dr Anusaya Nain, Dr Ashwin Ranjanikar, Prof Surendra Jondhle, Prof Shriram Yeralkar, Prof Makarand Paithankar, Prof Jitendra Wasnik, Prof Dattatraya Wable and Prof Sudhir Wadekar addressed the seminar.
Mahesh Shinde, Raviraj Kale, Rajesh Jadhav, contractual faculty members and staff contributed to the organisation of the seminar.
