Education for Character Development - foreword

Foreword

As one analyses the theme of the contemporary degeneration, one comes to the conclusion that the present crisis is a crisis of character and that unless we radically change the objectives, contents and methods of education, we cannot hope to bring about the regeneration of India. While we of the older generation have failed to give the right direction in implementing the dreams of those leaders who sacrificed everything for the freedom of the nation, we can at least partly redeem our debt by helping our children to develop their latent powers for illumination, courage, fearlessness, humanism, dedication to duty and universality - elements that constitute the character that is needed at this critical juncture.

It is against this background that the Dharam Hinduja International Centre of Indic Research formed a Working Group on "Indian Tradition of Knowledge and Contemporary Crisis" under the Chairmanship of Mr. T.N. Seshan, formerly Chief Election Commissioner, and held a series of discussions which, among other things, underlined the necessity of reforming the present system of education and related issues in order to actively promote character development. I am happy that as a part of these efforts, Kireet Joshi, President of the Dharam Hinduja International Centre of Indic Research, conducted a Workshop on "Education for Character Development" on December 1, 1996, at Delhi, under the Chairmanship of Dr. Subhash C. Kashyap, formerly Secretary-General, Lok Sabha. A number of distinguished teachers, educationists and others participated. In order to disseminate and promote a wider discussion on these ideas, our Indic Centre has decided to bring out this publication. I welcome