Group Discussion on NEP 2020 and Bharatendu’s Vision at Kota Government Public Library

Kota, A thought-provoking symposium was organized today at the Government Divisional Public Library, Kota, in collaboration with Kavya Madhuban Sanstha, on the occasion of Bharatendu Harishchandra Jayanti. The theme of the discussion was “National Education Policy 2020 and Bharatendu Harishchandra’s Vision: The Confluence of Indian Language, Culture, and Socially Useful Education.”

The chief guest of the event was Dr. Atul Chaturvedi, with Dr. Usha Jha presiding. Distinguished guests included Dr. Vivek Mishra and Dr. Vedhehi Gautam, while Sharad Upadhyay attended as Guest of Honour. The keynote address was delivered by Bhagwati Prasad Gautam, with the subject introduced by Dr. Deepak Kumar Srivastava. The session was moderated by Shashi Jain.

In the inaugural session, Dr. Deepak Kumar Srivastava, President of the Divisional Library, emphasized the relevance of the mother tongue in the present era. He remarked, “For Bharatendu Harishchandra, education was rooted in character building, preservation of language and culture, and dissemination of socially useful knowledge, which he combined with modernity and Western science to usher in a renaissance. The same ideals are reflected in the National Education Policy 2020.”

Speakers discussed Bharatendu’s significant contribution to Hindi literature. Dr. Vivek Mishra stated that the emphasis on mother tongue in the NEP resonates with Bharatendu’s belief—“Nij bhasha unnati ahe, sab unnati ko mool.” He also spoke about Bharatendu’s role in establishing Khadi Boli and his contribution to journalism. Sharad Upadhyay reflected that Bharatendu’s play “Andher Nagari Chaupat Raja” remains relevant even today, as similar conditions persist without much reform.

Dr. Vedhehi Gautam called Bharatendu the pioneer of original Hindi plays, while keynote speaker Bhagwati Prasad highlighted the diversity and stylistic uniqueness of his writings. Chief guest Dr. Atul Chaturvedi observed that despite his short life of 35 years, Bharatendu authored four journals and 175 books, a remarkable achievement. He underlined Bharatendu’s inclination towards Khadi Boli and Jan Chhand, noting his immense contribution to literature.

Presiding over the program, Dr. Usha Jha described Bharatendu as a pathbreaking literary figure, stating that his name is associated with the first magazine and the first play in Hindi literature, and he played a vital role in public awakening.

The program was attended by Dr. Ganesh Tare, Chandra Prakash Meghwal, Ashok Hawa, Sushma Agrawal, and Pragya Gautam.