Eklavya: A forgotten hero.

We've have an exemplary disciple Eklavya. A forgotten hero. There's a serious problem with us Indians. We don't know our own history. We don't read our own ancient texts. How many of us know about gurukul? How many of us know about an ashram? History gives you identity. History gives you a compass. We're going through a serious identity crisis. Simply because we've severed our link with our history. We've put on blinkers -- We see only westernism or Europeanism. We've many heroes amongst us -- but we fail to recognize 'em. French is a good language. But we need to learn Sanskrit first. We've to take pride in being an Indian. A race that's shy of their own forefathers has no conscience. Particularly when their ancestors were people of indomitable courage and lofty values.

History is our pole star. It's our lightning bug. Otherwise, we're in stark -- pitch-dark. Colossal -- abysmal despair. It's mass -- national nyctophobia. An oarless boat -- in choppy waters -- heading nowhere -- and would inevitably capsize. A mass -- national retrograde amnesia.
 

We're producing parakeets. We're producing bots. We do our exams from memory. This has to change to heuristics. As Azim H. Premji says in his article in The Weight Of Wings -- 'We need a revamp -- to create free thinkers, not compulsive learners.'

We've an obstinate sheeplike psychology. Our choices are pathetically myopic. Job security is our only motivation. We might have an aptitude for computing but we choose commerce instead -- because that'd probably give us better remuneration. This perception has to change. Schools and colleges should encourage versatility, vocationalism and multifacetedness in learners -- We straitjacket 'em into good clerks -- This self-centred legacy of the British hasn't weaned off yet. -- We're seriously reluctant and fearful to get into domains that're unconventional such as robotics -- for instance.

Our ideals are not Gandhi Ji or Pandit Ji anymore. Our ideals are lecherous movie stars. We love semipornography -- NOT Gandhiism.

Eklavya taught us a very fundamental thing -- millions of years ago -- that's idealism is the kernel of humanity. If we'd instill this in our children then we've successfully educated 'em. That's why it's imperative that we learn from our history.