Education for a Nation

Swami Vivekananda (1863–1902) wrote several letters during His time, which offer a glimpse into His brilliant personality. This fearless disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was a spiritual Master, a popular philosopher and a dynamic patriot-saint of modern India. He introduced Bharatiya philosophy to the West at the 1893 Chicago Parliament of Religions, emphasising the need for strength of character.Loved and respected for awakening India’s spiritual pride and national consciousness, Swami Vivekananda combined deep Vedantic wisdom with practical service, urging the upliftment of the poor through education and compassion. His inspiring speeches and letters, and His vision of unity and self-reliance, continue to guide generations.This month, we have selected excerpts from a letter written by this great hero of Bharat to Sri Haridas Viharidas Desai, whom He fondly addressed as Diwanji Saheb. The recipient was a progressive and reform-centred Minister of Junagadh state in Gujarat, also a great supporter and admirer of Swami Vivekananda and His work. The letter was written on 20 June 1894 from Chicago; yes, that’s 131 years ago, but each and every word is apt even today..Educate and raise the masses, and thus alone a nation is possible… They are to be given back their lost individuality. They are to be educated… If the poor cannot come to education, education must reach them at the plough, in the factory, everywhere… The whole difference between the West and the East is in this… Education here is general; it penetrates the masses. The higher classes in India and America are the same, but the distance is infinite between the lower classes of the two countries. Why was it so easy for the English to conquer India? It was because they are a nation, we are not. When one of our great men dies, we must sit for centuries to have another; they can produce them as fast as they die. When our Diwanji Saheb will pass away (which the Lord may delay long for the good of my country), the nation will see the difficulty at once of filling his place… It is the dearth of great ones. Why so? …Because the number of educated men and women in those nations is so great. Now, do not mistake me, my kind friend, this is the great defect in our nation and must be removed.Swami Vivekananda.In this letter, Swami Vivekananda emphasises the need for a solid, value-oriented education system that empowers Bharat’s future leaders. The letter is a clarion call for man-making, grassroots empowerment and national revival—for all strata of society. Have we managed that as a nation?Interestingly, parallels are often drawn between the vision of Swami Vivekananda and Swami Chinmayananda, our inspiration at CU. Both were passionate about the nation, its education, its value system and its spiritual culture. During His lifetime, Swami Chinmayananda established educational institutions across the country, with contemporary education rooted in holistic values. The work has continued well beyond his years, with a robust Education Cell in place to manage its 100+ schools and colleges, including the top-ranking Chinmaya International Residential School, as well as the creation of the Chinmaya Vishwa Vidyapeeth University since 2017, where Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees are taught via Indian Knowledge Systems.Now, the West looks towards Bharat as a nation that sets an example of what holistic education truly is, and this trend will only expand and grow in the years to come if it continues to be a national priority. In this, we all have a part to play, and we would do well to reflect on what that part is.

Education for a Nation

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