JNU marks first anniversary of unveiling of Vivekananda statue on campus

Bollywood actor Anupam Kher on Friday said educational institutes are laboratories of knowledge and they should be stopped from becoming laboratories of personal interests.

The actor was virtually addressing an event organised at the Jawaharlal Nehru University to mark the first anniversary of the unveiling of Swami Vivekananda's statue on the campus.

The statue was unveiled on this day last year by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The prime minister wished the statue to inspire everyone and provide strength and teach them the spirit of compassion, Kher said.

For a new world to develop, the western and the eastern schools of thoughts will have to come together, he said.

''On one hand, there is a need to change the way the western world perceives the eastern world with pre-conceived notions, while on the other, the east has a tendency to reject western ideas,'' Kher added.

The actor said there are two types of educational systems, the American and European system and the ancient Taxila and Nalanda system. ''We should not forget our ancient educational systems,'' he said.

''Swamiji's inclusive thoughts have been important since the inception of all educational institutions. Higher educational institutions are laboratories for knowledge and they should be stopped from becoming laboratories for personal interests. We should not only remember the objectives behind the establishment of JNU but also of other educational institutions,'' Kher added.

Talking about the JNU, he said that the university has stayed among the top institutions in various rankings and its alumnus Sharad Kumar did the nation proud by winning a bronze medal at the Tokyo Paralympics.

While stressing that we have to think about the complete definition of education, the actor said Swami Vivekananda was in favour of technical education that could lead to the industrial development of the nation.

''The formal educational system should strengthen the informal educational systems and not destroy them. Swamiji had also said that educated people should strengthen the weak and not poke fun at them,'' Kher said.

Sushree Pranjali Yerikar from the Vivekananda Kendra delivered the keynote address.

Swami Vivekananda worked for the youth of India and strove to bring the common people of the country to the mainstream of development and progress. He championed the cause of educating the girl child of India and those who are deprived of an opportunity for education, Yerikar added.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)