Muddenahalli Navaratri celebrations; Bridge Economic, Educational Inequalities, Dr. Mohan Alva Urges
Chikkaballapur: Bridging economic and educational inequalities is an urgent necessity for India, which has a vast youth population and an extensive educational network, said Dr. Mohan Alva, chairman of the Alva’s Education Foundation.
Speaking on the sixth day of the Navaratri celebrations at Sathya Sai Grama in Muddenahalli, Alva said India had around 1,500 universities, more than 50,000 colleges and approximately 52 crore students pursuing education. Despite these resources, he regretted that social and economic disparities remained a major concern.
He praised Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai’s efforts to reduce economic and educational inequalities, stressing that individuals should not remain indifferent to social problems and must contribute towards bridging the divides.
Alva also expressed concern over the commercialisation of healthcare and the high costs of medical treatment. He commended the hospital at Muddenahalli for providing free healthcare to the poor.
Education must include spiritual values: Sadguru
Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai, founder of the One World One Family Mission, said expanding access to education was not solely the responsibility of the government. Religious institutions, mathas and other organisations should also contribute, he said.
He stressed that education should go beyond Apara Vidya (worldly knowledge) to include Para Vidya, which introduces students to Indian values, spirituality and religious heritage.
Referring to the traditional Indian education system, Sadguru said his institution combined academic learning with spiritual and value-based education. He also praised the Alva’s Education Foundation for its contribution to culture and urged that the spiritual foundations of Indian dance, music and painting be passed on to future generations.
Saraswati Puja and Vedic rituals
As part of the celebrations, priests from Sringeri performed the Medha Dakshinamurti Yaga and Saraswati Puja on Friday.
Vidwan Vikram Bhat explained the significance of Goddess Saraswati’s blessings in developing wisdom and discernment. He also spoke about the worship of Goddess Katyayani and the role of the Medha Dakshinamurti Yaga in strengthening the pursuit of knowledge.
B.N. Narasimha Murthy, president of the Prashanthi Balamandira Trust, was present.
