Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (Relevance of India's Ancient Thinking to Contemporary Strategic Reality)

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About the Book The adoption of 21st June as International Day of Yoga by the United Nations General Assembly in 2014, in response to an India-led resolution with a record high number of co-sponsors, was a landmark event. In this backdrop, it is all the more important to mobilize our ancient resources of ideas and bring them to practical and strategic use in building an Indian narrative in every domain. With this aim in mind, in January 2019, Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) organized a two-day national seminar on Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam: Relevance of India's Ancient Thinking to Contemporary Strategic Reality in collaboration with the Indian Council of Philosophical Research (ICPR) and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). The proceedings of the seminar are being presented in the form of this edited volume, which contains contributions from eminent scholars, diplomats and strategic thinkers on different aspects of India's civilizational contribution and their relevance in international politics, diplomacy and projection of India's soft power. It will be of interest to readers in philosophy, history, political thought, international relations, diplomacy and India's strategic culture.

About the Author Dr. Arvind Gupta, IFS, is presently the Director of Vivekananda International Foundation, New Delhi. He was the Deputy National Security Advisor and Secretary, National Security Council Secretariat in the Government of India from 2014 to 2017.

Dr. Arpita Mitra is Research Fellow at Vivekananda International Foundation. She has a doctorate in History from Jawaharlal Nehru University and specializes in Indian intellectual history.

Foreword Eminent experts, thinkers, philosophers, academics and diplomats gathered at a two-day seminar held at the VIF in January 2019 to explore the richness of ancient Indian thinking and its contemporary relevance. The main objective of the seminar was to explore how ancient Indian thinking rooted in cosmic unity and oneness, dharma and duty, can generate and provide ideas and concepts for dealing with modern-day problems and to develop an Indian narrative on global issues. This is needed if India has to find a place in the comity of nations.

The seminar was inspired by the numerous speeches given by the Prime Minister in the last few years at important international fora where he outlined Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam as a theme for international cooperation and peace. The recognition of June 21 as the International Day of Yoga, and the recognition of Rig Veda as mankind's heritage are huge steps forward in bringing a much-needed focus and global attention on what Indian thought has to offer to the modern turbulent world, torn by conflict and tensions.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages