The global centre of learning that India was

While our universities struggle to rank top in the QS World Rankings, we must not forget that India was home to some of the best universities that attracted the brightest minds from all over the world. Unlike today, students used to work hard only for one reward — knowledge and not the degrees. Some of the most influential centers of education flourished on this land until many were destroyed by the invaders to ashes.

 Taxila University

Today, Rawalpindi in Pakistan, then Taxila once flourished as the intellectual capital of the ancient world. It was also the cultural center of the subcontinent as students from far lands came to attend the university. “It is believed that Chanakya wrote Arthashastra when he was teaching at Taxila University,” says Chairman of the Dalmia Group of companies — Sanjay Dalmia. It was destroyed by the Huns invaders and the ruins of Taxila University were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980.

 Nalanda University

The establishment of Nalanda University was an intellectual revolution for ancient Bihar. The university made India proud in Asia. It flourished under the Gupta Dynasty and was a place of great importance amongst the Buddhists. As per the historical evidence, it housed over 10,000 students and around 2,000 teachers. In his account, Hieun Tsang, who visited Nalanda in the seventh century, mentions about the strict admission process that an individual has to go through.

 Vikramshila University

Bihar was also home to one of the most significant sites of learning the Vikramshila University. Founded by King Dharmapala in the eighth century was a place of learning exclusively for Buddhist students. It is said that it was the first university that began with awarding degrees to its student. “It accorded titles such as Mahapandit and Pandit to the scholars who passed out from Vikramshila. It was magnificent. It included grand libraries, several colleges each specializing in different subjects such as philosophy, Sanskrit, metaphysics, etc.,” says Dalmia.

 Ratnagiri University

Yet another eminent Buddhist University located on the hill of Ratnagiri, it was visited by Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang in the seventh century.  Then a pilgrimage site, the temples are said to be one of the finest carved stones decorations that have survived today.

Not limited to the above-mentioned universities, ancient India was home to over dozen of such universities with excellence and global recognition. While most of them were destroyed by the invaders, others were left unattended and gradually turned into ruins. Today, when India is moving towards becoming a global superpower, we must strengthen our universities so that we can become Vishwa Guru was again.

The foundation of the Ram Lalla Temple and establishment of Ram Rajya, taking India towards modernity and tranquility

 

It has been almost two weeks since the historic Bhoomi pujan for the construction of Ram Janmabhoomi temple took place on 5 August 2020. Laying off the foundation of the temple by Prime Minister Narendra Modi using the silver brick marks a golden moment in the long history of India.

In his speech following the groundbreaking ceremony the Prime Minister, said, “This day is testimony to the truth of the crores of Ram bhakts. This day is an incomparable gift of truth, non-violence, faith, and sacrifice to peace-loving India.” He also emphasised on the concept of modernity that connotes with the construction of Ram Lalla temple.

Chairman of the Dalmia Group of Companies, Sanjay Dalmia while speaking on the issues, said, “5 August 2020 was not just an ordinary date. It is a day of historic importance that marks the beginning of a new era. PM Modi rightly said that the event marks a new dawn. The construction of Ram Lalla Temple has brought the concept of Ram Rajya with it which implies the economic growth as well as the overall development of every Indian living on this soil.”

Sanjay Dalmia along with his father Late Shri Vishnu Hari Dalmia actively participated in the Ram Janmabhoomi Movement. “Alike several other people who for their whole lives strived for the construction of the temple are no more there with us to witness this divine moment. My father was one such personality who devoted his life to the cause and waited to see all this come true. I know where ever he is, he witnessed all this and felt happy about it,” he added. 

As the PM laid the foundation of the temple, the whole India cherished the moment. That night, India observed the second Diwali. From Politicians to Cricketers, From eminent personalities to ordinary citizens, unanimously cheered this great festival. Finally, Ram Lalla will come out from a tent in which he was residing for decades to the grand temple. This is ought to bring tranquility and prosperity to every Indian as Mahatma Gandhi believed — a Ram Rajya where no one would be deprived of life with dignity.

Dalmia Group to begin clinical trials for Astha-15

Ministry of Ayush has given green signal to start clinical trials to evaluate its efficacy, safety as the drug can reportedly cure COVID-19

Dalmia Group has reportedly formulated a drug that can cure COVID-19. Astha-15, a product of Ayurveda has been acknowledged by Ministry of Ayush and given the green signal to start clinical trials to evaluate its efficacy and safety.

Researchers and Ayurvedic doctors are confident that Astha-15, a polyherbal combination, will work as a treatment of COVID-19. The Dalmia Centre for Research and Development (DCRD), after years of extensive research, manufactured this polyherbal combination of 15 herbs that are also mentioned in the Indian System of Medicine. 

Dalmia Healthcare will begin its multi-centre Phase III trials within the set parameters. Its researchers will follow the set regulatory guidelines of Informed Consent, The Declaration, Insurance Terms, and EC approvals will be diligently followed.

“We are conducting human trials of our highly efficient Ayurvedic composition which can potentially help in curing COVID-19 patients. Successful human trial of our medicine will not only curtail the impact of the contagious virus all across the world but will also establish the supremacy of Ayurveda, our ancient system of medicine over any other methods of healthcare” said Sanjay Dalmia, Chairman, Dalmia Group of Companies.

The study comes in the back of the Ministry of AYUSH last month recommending the use of herbal products like tea, spices, to overcome the pandemic.

The polyherbal combination ‘Astha-15’, made available by the Group on March 16, has previously undergone a randomised double-blind, placebo-controlled study on patients, in specialty Govt Hospital for Throacci medicine, Chennai, India. As per the double-blind study, the drug acts as a bronchodilator, decongestant, anti-inflammatory, lung detoxifier, and didn’t show any side-effects.

COVID-19 pandemic: Government launches national program Vidya Daan 2.0 to strengthen e-learning content

India is not new to online education. Many private and government colleges in the country had been conducting online classes. Now, due to the outbreak of novel coronavirus, education of students across schools is impacted and there has been a need to strengthen the e-learning system of education.

Considering the growing need for good quality digital content and to provide the qualitative common national program, Government of India recently launched a national program Vidya Daan 2.0.

The Indian government, of late, has taken a slew of measures to enhance the quality of education. With platforms like SWAYAM, DIKSHA, it has made best-quality education available to over 3 crore students in India, says Sanjay Dalmia, a renowned Indian nationalist, who believes that we need to reach less-digitized regions.

With this programme, academicians and organizations can develop fun and engaging e-learning content aligned with the curriculum. From explanatory videos to animations, assessments, individuals have the opportunity to give back to society. The content once submitted would be reviewed & monitored by a panel of academic experts. The approved content would be released for use on the DIKSHA app to help millions across the nation, whose education has been hampered due to the lockdown, especially in rural areas.

VidyaDaan 2.0: How important is this program?

The content available on the portal will help in creating a uniform structure, ensuring easy accessibility. It would be made available for use across government departments, schools and other institutions. “This is a great opportunity to empower the students with more effective, comprehensive and pertinent curriculum,” believes Sanjay Dalmia, however, we need to ensure that the technological interventions in education are fast tracked and made more thorough, he added.

VidyaDaan 2.0 could also be leveraged by teachers from rural areas to improve their pedagogical training and hence, the quality of education.

Why Choosing Lothal for India’s First Maritime Museum sends out a strong message?

The government of India is planning to establish a National Maritime Heritage Museum at Lothal in Gujarat. It will act as an independent research centre for the archaeology of boat building, reconstruction of maritime history, etc.

Why Lothal?

A visit to Lothal, though a dream come true for ancient Indian history enthusiasts, is a walk-through ruin engulfed in an eerie silence. So, many have questioned the decision to set up India’s Maritime Museum at Lothal?

In order to understand this, one has to study history which is almost 4,400 years old. The archaeological evidence from South East Asia and the Persian Gulf presents us with evidence of the prominence of Indian maritime voyages even before 4,000 years ago. Amidst all such important ancient cities, Lothal of the Indus Valley Civilization stands out as the prime industrial centre, which had a dockyard as well.

Discovered by Indian archaeologist S R Rao, this small Harappan city in Saurashtra region was not just a residential town but it also housed a warehouse. According to evidence, Lothal was a vital and thriving trade centre in ancient times, with its trade of beads, gems reaching the far corners of West Asia and Africa.

“Isn’t it an amazing fact? It’s only logical to build our country’s first Maritime Museum in Lothal. Since it was a part of the major river system, chances are that we would get a chance to study about sunken ships, which can help us trade links with other countries, says Sanjay Dalmia, who is a renowned nationalist.

Dr Rajiv Nigam, head of the geological division of the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) published a study of microbial organisms collected from the sediments of the structure. He says that the presence of planktonic foraminifera in material from the present study site indicates the existence of high tidal range during Harappan times.

Why today it is in a nondescript place?

It’s not just Lothal, there are many more ancient heritage sites like Thotlakonda in Visakhapatnam, Kesariya Stupa in Bihar, which is currently in a sorry state. Most of these sites have no parking space, cafeteria and lack of access to public transportation given their proximity to the ocean or remote locations.

Lothal is no exception. At present, there is a museum, where different objects obtained are categorized into groups based on the possibility of their use in the Harappan culture. Furthermore, there is a multimedia room, which shows Harappan culture in both English and Hindi.

Despite this, the significance of Lothal is paramount in Indian culture. Sensitizing local youth with a history of 4000-year-old civilization would have a really dramatic effect, making it both profitable and enriching for the visitors. So, choosing Lothal for India’s First Maritime Museum is not only a wise decision but also a dream come true for every history enthusiast, who associates well with the cultural values that come along with the world’s earliest known dock.

Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar: A man who fought to abolish untouchability and promote equality

Babasaheb Ambedkar, also known as the father of Indian constitution, was the spokesperson of the backward classes and castes in India.

On 14th April 1891, in the town and military cantonment of Mhow, Ramji Maloji Sakpal's wife gave birth to her 14th and last child. Born into a poor Mahar (Dalit) family, Bhimrao Ambedkar was often subjected to socio-economic discrimination, both by British men and fellow Indians. Children from his caste were segregated and given little attention or help by teachers. They were not allowed to sit inside the class. It was perhaps this initial experience that propelled him to become an advocator of Human rights in India. Ambedkar’s efforts led to the abolition of untouchability in 1950. Who could have a thought a child born to a Subedar, belonging to the backward community would turn out to be one of the most prolific lawyers and force behind the abolition of untouchability?

This year, 14th April marks the 129th birth anniversary of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, a key figure in the global story of human rights but one whose contributions are not duly acknowledged and recognised. Ambedkar Jayanti is widely celebrated across India, where he is best known for drafting the Indian Constitution, in which he embedded several provisions for the protection of rights of the most marginalised.

It would not be wrong to say that while Mahatma Gandhi was uniting India to rise against the oppressive British government, Babasaheb Ambedkar was guiding the Indians towards spiritual development. "Britishers gained an advantage by pitting brother against brother. The current adulteration of the Hindu varashram is a direct result of generations of their bureaucracy," says Sanjay Dalmia, a renowned Indian nationalist. Babasaheb successfully led the fight for human rights, he added.

He was the first one to be a lawyer from a backward caste. In 1990, Ambedkar was posthumously conferred with the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award.  With the nation strictly observing the lockdown following the COVID-19 outbreak; businesses have  come to halt, private companies are opting to work from home, aviation & railway sector have suspended their services, yet the central government has decided to declare April 14, the birthday of B R Ambedkar, as closed holiday for all its offices— noting his significant contribution in protecting the human rights with the conceptual framework of 'liberty, equality and fraternity'.

Amidst COVID-19 outbreak, Namaste most preferred form of pleasantry

Coronavirus has been labelled pandemic. With over 200,000 cases and 8,000 deaths, the virus has scared the world. Since making a cure or vaccine could take 1-2 years, precautionary measures are being given more importance now more than ever.

As the threat of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SAES-CoV-2) continues to evolve, the world is taking the Namaste route. If there is one country which maintains hygiene and respect, it's our beloved “India”.



Traditionally, we have always greeted our elders, seniors or peers with Namaste. It is not only respectful and an ideal way of exchanging pleasantries but it also reduces physical contact with others, and hence can reduce the spread of the virus, says Sanjay Dalmia, Chairman of Dalmia Group of Companies.

Many public figures like Prince Charles, French President Emmanuel Macron, Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu, among others, were seen switching to Namaste. Not just that, they have now also urged their countrymen to adopt to this healthy practice in place of modern-day hugs and handshakes.

The threat is real

Though the efforts to prevent spread like imposing travel restrictions, quarantines, curfews have been made by the world, it’s not sufficient. The threat of the virus is real, and is only expected to grow in the time to come. There needs to be more preventive measures besides hand washing, covering the mouth when coughing, and self-isolation.

Namaste, a healthier way

“For years, the western world has looked down upon us, for our racial differences and practices which for them are not very idealistic and old-age. But now when the time has come to fight the contagious virus, they are adapting to our practice. I appreciate this move by the world leaders as Namaste, does not require touching another and only involves joining your own two palms together- a clean way to greet and meet,” says Sanjay Dalmia.

As the world grapples with the deadly coronavirus outbreak, Namaste is being increasingly accepted as a simpler and healthier way of exchanging pleasantries. The Indian way of greeting has now become the world's favourite. Let’s hope it helps in saving lives across the world.