An educated woman is the key to a prosperous India

Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’

(The writer is Human Resource Development Minister, Government of India)

It is my great fortune that I am a member of one of the largest education systems in the world and, since I am a part of that family, I get the opportunity to attend convocation ceremonies of several educational institutions. I see a clear trend where our daughters are delivering the best performances and results in every field. Be it in degrees or the number of gold medalists, our daughters constitute 60 per cent of that list. In many cases, this figure might also go up to 70-75 per cent. I see this as a very positive sign. The developed and advanced countries in the world have reached their heights of glory by giving proper respect to the women in their countries.

The whole world is going to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8. Underlining the importance of women in nation-building and development processes, and viewing men and women as equal, Swami Vivekananda had said, “The country that does not respect its women is a country that will never prosper.” As per our nation’s history, the Vedas have clearly stated that all organisms have the same soul; by that logic, there should not be any discrimination between women and men. I have always believed that the entire life of a man is dependent on, and revolves around, a woman. The success of every man is dependent on a woman.

Anyway, if you look at it, when a baby comes into this world, till its adolescence, it is mostly connected to its mother and sees her as the first guru. This is the reason why women’s education is extremely important in this country. In order to make our society cultured and traditional it is not just useful, but also mandatory to educate women.

For the creation of a decent, advanced and superior society, it is essential for its people to be educated, and women are not just an important cog in the wheel, but also an integral pre-requisite.

The way each and every cell comes together to create the human body, in the same manner, every small unit of each family comes together to build the society. The source of energy for every individual, and the centre-point of every family, is a woman. If a woman is educated, then two families are educated, and when every family is educated, the whole country is educated. This is the very reason why the great philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau had said, “Give me a hundred ideal mothers, and I will give you an ideal nation.”

Our Indian culture inspires us to respect women highly. Our traditions teach us ‘Yatrnaaryastupoojyanteramantetatrdevata’, which means ‘God resides where women are worshipped’. A woman is in her purest form when she is a mother on this Earth. Mother means ‘Creator’. A mother has been considered to be superior to even God, and the creator of God has also been a woman. Whether it is Lord Ram, Ganesha or Kartikeya, Lord Krishna, or Guru Nanak DevJi, there is always the need to have mothers like Kaushalya, Parvati, Yashodha, and Tripta. Many-a-time I think, when several challenges arise before us in the form of questions, it is important for the new generation to introspect on where they lack traditionally and culturally, that we have such perversions.

If we are to talk about the Vedic Ages, then students such as Ghosha, Lopamudra, Sulabha, Maitreyi, and Gargihave made a huge mark in spiritual and intellectual excellence. We have taken the utmost care while drafting the new education policy so that girls get proper education.

Children are usually most connected to their mothers. A mother’s culture, behaviour and education play a huge role in how they affect the children’s minds. Only an educated mother can plant the seed of culture and tradition in the gentle and tender minds of children which, going ahead, is very important for society and the nation.

Only an educated and progressive woman can understand the circumstances of a household and every person in the family, based on their requirements, and take care of them in the right way and carry a family forward. The contribution of women is of utmost importance in order to pull the cart of life forward. It is critical for women to be educated in order to participate in an empowered manner. If a woman is not educated, then she will be unsuccessful in driving her life in a fast-paced world. If she is educated, not only will her family life be heavenly, but she could also be a guiding force for the society and the country’s path to progress. In Indian society, an educated mother is considered to be superior to even a guru because she can make her children better than the best.

In India, whenever there has been discrimination between women and men, we have had to pay a heavy price for it. In reality, if we look at it seriously, we will realize that one of the primary reasons behind India’s problems has been the lack of education for women. As a result, a country which was, once upon a time, a guide for the rest of the world, is today struggling to reclaim its lost pride and glory. The Indian Government is very determined to ensure the welfare of our daughters. Many schemes have been implemented for women’s empowerment, such as Beti Bachao Beti PadhaoYojana, Women Helpline Scheme, Ujjwala Yojana, Support to Training and Employment Programme for Women (STEP) Scheme, and one-stop Mahila Shakti Kendra Scheme. By giving representation to women in Panchayati Raj schemes, the government has tried to take a brave step towards the development and empowerment of women. Women’s education is the step forward towards our country’s success and growth. Women’s education is not just important, but also essential for the socio-economic welfare of every family, society, and our country. Women’s education is one such capable tool that has the potential to transform the world. To script a new chapter for a ‘New India’, it is essential that every daughter of this country gets access to education and studies with such gusto that she can compete on the global stage in the best possible way. The Government of India is fully prepared to campaign for our daughters to make them self-reliant, self-confident and successful. There is no doubt that, in the creation of a ‘New India’, and for its socio-economic development, women’s education can play an able catalyst. (PIB)