India's Crisis: Missing Alternatives

The Election results in the largest State of the Country, Uttar Pradesh, throws up issues that may be a harbinger of things to come in the future of our Country. Congress Party has been relegated to the last position, next only to Independents. Congress unlikely to win in any State in these days as long as Rahul, Sonia and the Dynasty rule is at the helm, they have been consistently either cornering or silencing or shunting out all merited and capable leaders in the Party as they would be a challenge to their hegemony. The voters have now dismantled BSP/Mayavati's long rule probably because of her over ambition, self aggrandizement style and neglect after coming to power of those section of people and issues that made her win election. On BJP there, less said the better as the people have seen it all the kind of mayhem they did when they were ruling. Mulayam Singh's SP, although their rule earlier was not that good and yet is chosen now perhaps hoping that a fairly long absence from the Rule there would have made the party learn some lesson and changed for the better. Yet  the Party's icon, its President, the suave and the sober Akhilesh Yadav, a good postgraduate in environmental engineering( B. E from JCE, Mysore and M.S. from University of Sydney, Australia ) would also be equally good in sociopolitical engineering for the good of the people at large remains to be seen as that Party too has fielded and won many goons in the Elections who would be waiting for their pound of flesh to fatten their(not the people's) belly. In any case, people had no options, and that is the issue here. The people of India has been showing in every General Election an extraordinary wisdom in throwing out the rulers who are not working for the good of people at large. Yet, their exercise of wisdom will be highly tested in the days to come what with every option/alternative available is worse than the other.

Friends/Students Greeting on the day of taking over charge as VC, BU in 2002!

EDUCATION FOR SELF DEVELOPMENT - ppt

®                  EDUCATION AND
SELF DEVELOPMENT

®                  Higher Education
(Tertiary / College / University Education)

Enrolment Ratio

USA	80.90%
Canada	87.30%
Australia	79.80%
Finland	74.10%
UK	52.30%
France	51.00%
Norway	62.00%
Belgium	56.30%
New Zealand	62.60%
China	15.00%
India	7.00%

®                  Higher Education

UNIVERSITIES / POPULATION

	Population (in Crores)	Universities
USA	27.60	2466 (631 PU, 1835 PrU, 1081 PJC, 621 PrJC)
Japan	12.70	726 (87 NU, 86 PU, 553 PrU)
Germany	8.20	350
UK	5.98	125
Indonesia	21.70	1770 (57 PU, 1200 PrU)
Philipines	7.90	1495 (377 PU, 1118 PrU)
China	130.60	2000
India	110.00	342 (18 CU, 211 SU, 95 DU, 13 UNI, 5 SLU)

ISSUES / PROBLEMS

•       Quality and relevance

•       Access and equity

•       Infrastructure and large number

•       Bureaucratic control (power without expertise)

•       Use of professional managers. We are in 50^th place out of 53 countries studied

•       45^th position in competitiveness (1^st is USA, 3^rd Taiwan, 4^th Singapore & 33^rd China)*

                 *Global Competitiveness Report, 2004

OUR STRENGTH

•       Rich heritage

•       Were world leaders in

•       Science and Technology: Aryabhatta, Brahmagupta, Bhaskara, Varahamira, Ramanujam, Raman, Bose. Counting: 10⁵³ (Greek 106, West to 10¹² tera)

•       Education: Nalanda, Takshashila

•       Health: Rural Health

•       Business: Trade

•       Best brains in the world

•       Best institutions of higher learning

•       We can do it

•       Get over colonial hang-ups: Chains and shackles (rules & regulations, procedures & precedents), bureaucracy.

EDUCATION AND SUCCESS IN LIFE (USA studies)

•       Reports of James Coleman (1966) and Daniel Moynihan (1965) on equality and achievement

•       Socioeconomic level is more related to achievement rather than education

•       Genes and IQ have relatively little effect on economic success

•       School quality have little effect on achievement or on economic success

•       Educational reform cannot bring economic or social equality

•       Blacks and whites with equal test scores have very unequal occupational statuses and income

•       Only political and economic changes bring greater equality (not through education)

•       Success depends on varieties of luck and on the job competence (more of personality than technical skills) that are moderately related to family background, schooling or scores on tests

®  TOTAL PERSON:

        Head (intellect)

        Heart (Mind)

        Hand (Body)

        Higher (Soul)

®  IMAGE OF GODDESS OF  LEARNING

®  IMPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATION

        Mono – Multi faculty universities

        Basic – Applied science

        Theory – Practical

        Holistic – Piecemeal

        Integrated - Divisive

        Pearls of Ancient Wisdom

Mundaka Upanishad

•       Saunaka asks Angiras: Through what being known does all this become known?

•       Reply: Dve vidye veditavye iti ha sma yad brahmavido vadanti, para caivapara ca (1.1.4)

•       Two kinds of knowledge are to be known, as indeed, the knowers of Brahman declare – The Higher (spiritual) as well as The Lower (material / science)

•       Tatrapara rg-vedo yajurvedah sama-vedo tharva-vedah siksa kalpo vyakaranam niruktam cando jyothisam-iti. Para yaya tad aksaram adhigamyate

•       Of these, the lower is the Rg veda, the Yajurveda, the Samaveda, the Athurveda. Phonetics, ritual, grammar,  etymology, metrics & astrology and the higher is that by which undecaying is apprehended.

®  Pearls of Ancient Wisdom            …continued

Isha Upanishad

•       Andham tamah pravishanti yo’vidyam upasate tato bhuya iva tamo ya u vidyayam ratah -9- 

•       Into blinding darkness enter those who worship science (aparavidya=avidya) only and those who delight in spirituality (paravidya) only enter into greater darkness

•       Anayd eva-ahuh vidyaya, anyad-ahuh avidyaya iti susruma dhiranam ye nas dad vicacaksire -10-

•       Spirituality has its own distinct purpose. Science also has its own, a different purpose. Thus we have heard from the brave explorers (of both realms) who explained all this to us.

•       Vidyam ca avidyam ca yah tad veda ubhayam saha avidyaya mrtyum tirtva, vidyaya-amritam-asnute -11-

•       One who masters both science and spirituality together, conquers death through science and tastes immortality through spirituality

•       Pearls of Ancient Wisdom            …continued

Bhagavad Gita

•       Bhumir apo nalo vayuh kham mano buddhir eva ca ahankara itiyam me bhinna praktitir astadha 7.4

•       Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and ego – all together these eight constitute my separate material nature

•       Apareyam itas tu anyam prkrrtim viddhi me param jiva-bhutam maha-baho yayedam dharyate jagat 7.5

•       Besides these, O’ mighty armed, there is another higher (spiritual) nature of mine which holds the whole universe

•       Etad-yonini bhutani sarvan ity upadha raya aham krtsnasya jagatah prabhavah pralayas tatha 7.6

•       All created beings have their source in these two natures. Of all that is material and all that is spiritual in this world, know for certain I am both the origin and the dissolution

•       Mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya mayi sarvam idam protram sutre mani gana iva 7.7

•       There is no truth superior to me, O’ conqueror of wealth everything rests on me as pearls are strung on a thread

Rationale:

•       All beings have visible (apara) and invisible (para) nature

•       Invisible is subtler, stronger, all pervasive, rich and nurturing

•       Have access to invisible also before embarking on any activity

Be in tune with:

•       Yoga-sthah kuru karmani (B.g 2.48) – perform your action in the state of union

•       Yogah karmasu kausalam (B.g.2.50) – Yoga is skill in action

•       Yogah cittavritti nirodha (Y.s.1.2) – Yoga is silencing mental activities

•       Tada drashtuh svarupe avasthanam (Y.s.1.3) – Then the seer is established in his nature

Accessing the invisible part of reality:

•       Yoga: Yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, prathyahara, dharana, dhyana, samadhiyah, ashtavangani

•       Buddha-dhyana:

•       Kayanu paschana – Observe the body

•       Vedananu paschana – Observe the sensation

•       Chittanu paschana – Observe the mind

•       Dammanu paschana – Observe the Order

Model for living:

•       Fight (western) vs Flow (eastern)

•       Self gratification of needs vs serving others (paropakarah punyaya papaya parapedanam-Vyasa)

•       Always connected to the whole

•       Yovy bhooma tatsukham nalpe sukhamasti (Rg veda) – The large-hearted (big) is happy, not the petty

•       Unfoldment of all that one can become (creative) happens when one engages / mingle / related to the whole / other – family, organization, community, region, nation, world, universe…

•       Ayam nijah paro veti ganana laghu chetasam udaracharitanatu vasudhaiva kutumbakam (Hitopedesha) – Those who think ‘he is mine’ , ‘he is not’ are petty minded, those who are large-hearted regard the world as one family

®

Alternative Culture: Psychological and Educational Perspective - ppt.

—ಪರ್ಯಾಯ  ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿ

—ಮಾನಸಿಕ ಮತ್ತು ಶೈಕ್ಷಣಿಕ ನೆಲೆಗಳು.

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—೧.ಪರ್ಯಾಯ ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿಃ   ಪೀಠಿಕೆ

—ಆಚಾರ – ವಿಚಾರ

—ಧರ್ಮ – ವಿಜ್ಞಾನ – ರಾಜಕೀಯ ಪ್ರಭಾವ

—ಪಾಶ್ಚಾತ್ಯ – ಪೌರ್ವಾತ್ಯ ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿ

—ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿ - ಪ್ರಚಲಿತ, ಉಪ, ಬಹು, ಪರ್ಯಾಯ ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿ

—ಮನೋವಿಜ್ಞಾನ, ಶೈಕ್ಷಣಿಕ ನೆಲೆಗಳು

—೨.ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿಃ  ಲಕ್ಷಣಗಳು

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—ಮಾನವ  ನಿರ್ಮಿತ

—ಅನುಭವ – ವಿಚಾರ ನೆಲೆ

—ಸ್ಥಿರತೆ – ಚಲನಶೀಲತೆ

—ಅಧಿಕಾರಶಾಹಿ – ಪ್ರಮಾಣ ಗ್ರಂಥ, ಗುರು, ಮಠ, ರಾಜ

—ಭಿನ್ನ ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿ – ಮೌಲ್ಯಗಳ ವ್ಯತ್ಯಯ(ರುತ್ ಬೆನೆಡಿಕ್ಟ್, ಮಾರ್ಗರೆಟ್ ಮೀಡ್ ಬಿನ್ನ ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿ ಅಧ್ಯಯನ) 

—ವಿಶ್ವವ್ಯಾಪಿ ಏಕ ಮಾನವೀಯ ಮೌಲ್ಯಗಳ ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿ?

—೩.ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿಃ  ಅಗತ್ಯ - ಉಗಮ

                        ಮನೋವಿಜ್ಞಾನ

—ಬಯಕೆಗಳ  ಪೂರೈಕೆ

—ಸಾಮಾಜಿಕ ನಿಯಂತ್ರಣ

—ಅನುಭವ – ಶೋಧ

—ವೇದ ವಿಚಾರ (ಸತ್ಯ ಗ್ರಹಿಕೆ ಸ್ಥಿತಿ, ನೆಲೆ)

—೪.ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿಃ  ಶಿಕ್ಷಣ

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—ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆ, ಪಠ್ಯ ಕೇಂದ್ರಿತ

—ವಿಚಾರ ಪಠಣ, ಅನುಭವ ಗೌಣ, ವತ್ತಾಯದ ಹೇರಿಕೆ

—ಅನುಕರಣೆ, ಕ್ರಿಯಾಶೀಲ ವಿಹೀನ

—ಅನ್ಯ ಮಾರ್ಗಗಳ ಅನುಸರಣೆ

—ವೇದ ವಿಚಾರ (ಕಲಿಕೆ, ಪರ – ಅಪರ ವಿದ್ಯೆ)

—೫.ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿಃ  ಆಧಾರ/ಪರ್ಯಾಯ ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿ

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—ವಿಚಾರ, ಅನುಭವಗಳಿಗೆ ಹೊರತಾದ ಅಂತರಂಗ ಸ್ಪರ್ಷ

—ಜಗತ್ತು-ಜೀವಿಗಳ ಸಂಪರ್ಕ ಕೊಂಡಿ

—ವಾಸ್ತವದ ನಿರಂತರ ಜ್ವಲಂತ ಗೋಚರ

—ಪ್ರೀತಿ, ಸಮಾನತೆ, ಪರಸ್ಪರತೆ, ಸಹಕಾರ ಅನುಭವ ನೆಲೆ

—ಸ್ವಾನುಭವದ ಸ್ವಂತಿಕೆ, ಸೇವಾಭಾವದ ಸಮೂಹ ಪ್ರಜ್ಞೆ

—ಇವುಗಳ ಮೇಲೆ ಉದಯಿಸುವ ‘ಪರ್ಯಾಯ’ ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿ.

ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ ಪರಿಷತ್ತು ಕಂಚುಗಲ್ಲು ಬಂಡೆಮಠ ದಲ್ಲಿ ಏರ್ಪಡಿಸಿದ ಮೂರುದಿನದ ಚಿಂತನ ಶಿಬಿರದಲ್ಲಿ ಮಾಡಿದ ಉಪನ್ಯಾಸ.

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Dr. H. N. Murthy: Mentor Extraordinary - Tribute Continued.

There is a gnawing silence whenever I think of Dr. H. N. Murthy ever since his death on 22 August 2011 and the tribute I wrote a day after his death has not unraveled enough the meaning of such 'gasping emptiness' I faced with.

I found through him that one can be open to all system and schools of knowledge without being merely 'eclectical' as deep within every discovery of genuine truth there is a common thread connecting all forms,  knowing which makes us more insightful and effective. Once ( may be in the year 1967 )  we were discussing I. P. Pavlov's work. Pavlov had borrowed Hippocrates typology - Choleric, Melancholic and Phlegmatic - to explain his observation of dogs behavior which H. J. Eysenck later borrowed to explain his typology on Personality: Extraversion-Introversion. Both hypothesized on the brain process involved in such Types: Excitatory and Inhibhitory properties of the brain, more specifically, the generation, maintenance and dissipation of those properties in the brain and their relation to Types: excitatory properties generates easily, lasts longer and dissipates slowly in Introverts/Melancholics whereas in Extraverts/Phlegmatic the inhibitory properties in the brain are generated quickly, lasts longer and dissipated slowly. At once Dr. Murthy grew deep into himself, with his eyes in brilliant shine as is the case with him in all such situation, and tells me that it is a very profound observation, the generation-maintenance-dissolution is the rajas-satva-tamas / srushti-stiti-laya / brahma-vishnu-maheshvara in us. It was astounding to me. When I went home later, I rushed to pick up the book of Pavlov, which has already relegated to the back row of my book rack after the Examinations, and read it in one go, the whole work looked differently after Dr. Murthy's remark. In fact my foray into nature and control of arousal in different types and conditions of people (for my doctoral work) drew inspiration from such insights of Dr. Murthy. He always drew such meaning, a breath of fresh air, in the works of almost every shades of great psychologist, be it of a Dynamic, Phenomenological, Behavioral, Cognitive, Biological or Factorial mold including  the ancient Indian Thought.

Dr. Murthy was also a person of great stature.  The mirth and the laughter, the glee and the affectionate mischief on his face, was all pervasive and infectious that it at once put people at ease and to be oneself. He goaded people to go deep into themselves,be hugely broad in outlook and translate all of them into action.  He was ever ready to help people out in such direction. He always looked to the positive side of the people, found some greatness in every being he came across and never missed telling them about it, everyone would come out inspired by him feeling all the same proud and important. Dr. Murthy's strength is more in his personal relationship, glow and glitter he possessed and shared to everyone who came in contact with him and the inspiration provided to be wholesome in their personality than in the outward signs of academic achievement in the sense of papers and publications, presentation and conferences.

The pensive silence felt in me after his death is not because of the grief over the loss of the dear one, it is not even because I hardly seen him after my departure from NIMHANS in 1973. Perhaps, it is because of what governs basically all our sense of loss and guilt: not being lived all our possibilities. Dr. Murthy is the reminder of that for us. Dr H N Murthy was the embodiment of wholesome personality. He attained it in his silence and contemplation - nidhidhyasana - and lived it fully ( materialized/realized/practiced ) in his relationship with pupils and people who came in contact.    

A Tribute to a Mentor: Dr. H. N. Murthy

Dr. H. N. Murthy, former Professor and Head of the Department of Clinical Psychology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences ( NIMHANS ), Bangalore, passed away on 22 August 2011.

The three professors who influenced me greatly during my eight plus years of stay in NIMHANS were Professors S. K Ramachandra Rao, a teacher par excellence, Dr. R. M. Varma, a great neurosurgeon and a genuine person(was Director, NIMHANS too) and Dr. H. N. Murthy, a mentor extraordinary. We all became fond of each other  as we moved along in time.

When I entered NIMHANS in January 1965 to do my M.Phil in Clinical Psychology Dr Murthy had just joined  as Pool Officer having  returned from Europe after successfully completing his doctoral degree in one of the most difficult topic in Psychology, Causality, that too in Experimental psychology. Soon he became Professor and Head of the department. He was my Guide to my M.Phil thesis as well as to my PhD thesis which I did soon after my M.Phil. Thanks to him, I took up for my research difficult topic in Experimental Clinical Psychology - relating physiological process to mental states. He along with Dr. Varma were responsible in navigating through my research and clinical work as well as selecting me after my studies there to the post of regular lecturer. Yet, it was Dr. Murthy again who perhaps saw restrictions in my career growth in NIMHANS of that time, in 1973, provided an opportunity to progress in a vastly broader arena and helped me move to Ahmedabad, leaving a "permanent" job at NIMHANS.


Dr. H. N. Murthy was a man of great character with unrelenting resolve and firm determination in his pursuit. He remained a bachelor, had deep philosophical interest, ever eager to see or make fresh interpretation of our ancient scriptures in tune with modern scientific discoveries, which we had umpteen number of occasions to discuss forgetting time and space, in and outside the classroom. We were drawn so close together, hours of debate on vexing topic done with such cordial, intimate and intense manner as equal friends than teacher-student relationship would enjoin. He would take me, a student, driving in his Fiat Car to Brigade road to eat crispy bonda. My whole family loved and revered him. I do not know how many times he enjoyed talking to people how much he relished the tasty kobbari mitai, prepared by my wife and mother in law during  a krishnashtami day! He was a very talented photographer, an amateur free lancer though, what with other professional work crowding him. The photos he took of my daughter in my house during her first birth anniversary, face up in glee, lip pursed, squatting, palm pressed to the ground is a classic that we all savored time and again looking at it although now losing her and all of my family would be an intensely moving, almost unbearable, experience to look at the photo and yet it adores in my collection prominently as a stamp of Dr. Murthy affection to us.

Time and profession took me far away from him subsequently, I hardly met him ever since. He lived and loved secluded life, devoting himself to studies and interaction with a very few revered and loved ones, never expected anything from any body and would prefer others too that way. A true teacher, a true guru, is the one who shuns dependency, he always empowers and sets pupil free and takes pride in their independence. Dr. H. N. Murthy was one such teacher. I felt a gasping emptiness in my heart when I heard his death. How I missed such great persons in my life, one by one, and yet I live nurtured by their empowerment and love within me. May God Bless his Soul!

shridhar swami.DAT