Tamil Nadu Governor inaugurates Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat programme
The Hindu
Governor R.N. Ravi said that the soul of the country was its cultural and spiritual unity
The soul of the country is its cultural and spiritual unity. This is what brings us together, spanning geographical boundaries, said Governor R.N. Ravi.
He was speaking at the inauguration of the two-day 'Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat' programme at the Raj Bhavan on Monday. Nearly 152 Undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as faculty members from 9 universities across the State are participating in the programme.
"We have a very little understanding of who we are as well as our country, and it has become a question of our identity," Mr. Ravi said.
Stating that while it gives one a great sense of pride to be a citizen of this great country with a civilization spanning several thousand years, Mr. Ravi spoke about how fragmentation on political lines has kept dividing people.
Mr. Ravi said that there was a need to go back, to understand the concept of ‘Bharat’ which many have not been taught about. “This country cannot be fully understood with a mere understanding of India. India was never the name of this country, it was given by outsiders,” he said, further speaking about Subramania Bharathiyar writing about ‘Bharat’ in his song as well as other freedom fighters and writers.
"For many of you, this is just the beginning. A lot of what will be shared over the next two days is not something easily found in textbooks. This country has a big responsibility and unless we learn about ourselves, we are a failure," he said, urging the participants to make the best use of the talks and interactions over the next two days.
D.K. Hari, Founder, Bharath Gyan, who will be facilitating the programme, said that three sessions would be held on both days for the participants. "While we will explore several detailed facets of the country, this is not even the tip of the iceberg. There is so much more to know, and it has rightly been called a 'Connecting India Series'," he said.