PM'S OPENING REMARKS AT A MEETING WITH INDOLOGISTS
The following is the text
of the Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s opening remarks
at a meeting with Indologists/Friends of India at Munich, Germany
on May 30, 2003:
"I am happy to meet this distinguished
gathering. You represent the modern inheritors of the great Germanic
tradition of scholarship, especially in the field of Indology,
and philanthropy. This is the last of my engagements during my
memorable four-day visit to your country. We are indeed touched
by your affection and goodwill for India.
We in India admire your country
for many reasons. Among them is the deep and specialized knowledge
of India that German scholars have amassed generation after generation.
I would even say that the field of Indology would be much the
poorer without the pioneering efforts of German scholars. It is
they who introduced Sanskrit, the Vedas, the Ayurved, and our
epics to the western world. For this, modern India owes you and
your forbears a debt of gratitude.
Over the past few centuries,
the best of Indian and German minds have resonated with one another
to produce an enduring harmony. Max Mueller and Herman Hesse are
well known in India; and so also are modern scholars such as Professor
Rothermund, who is with us today.
I think Gurudev Rabindranath
Tagore summarised this aptly when he said, "Germany has done more
than any other country in the world for opening up and broadening
the channel of intellectual and spiritual communication of the
West with India."
So deeply did Tagore admire
your country and your greatest poet, Goethe, that he not only
learnt German, but also gained enough mastery over it to read
Goethe’s Faust in the original. In the words of Taraknath
Sen, an Indian scholar on German literature, "Both Goethe and
Tagore worshipped at the shrine of the Universal Man, whom they
evoke and celebrate in their writings."
The interaction between Tagore
and the late Count Hermann Keyserling, whom the poet admired as
the "philosopher of culture", is one of the cherished chapters
in the cultural relations between our two countries. Inspired
by Gurudev’s Shantiniketan, Keyserling established the ‘School
of Wisdom’ in Darmstadt. Meeting in the period between the two
World Wars, the two believed that mankind is united by a spiritual
unity, of which different cultures and civilizations are distinctive
notes in a musical symphony.
Speaking of music, I am reminded
of the famous conversation between Tagore and Einstein, a dialogue
that focused on the commonality between music, nature and God.
I am told that the website on this conversation receives one of
the highest hits on the Internet by intellectuals around the world.
Our interaction has not been
limited to history, literature, philosophy and culture. For us,
German technology has nearly the same attractive quality as German
art and poetry. Historically, interaction between our men of science
has also been of the highest order. For instance, the Bose-Einstein
Statistics have continued applicability in the present day. You
have helped us establish the Thumba Rocket Launching Centre and
the Indian Institute of Technology in Chennai. And now, we have
worked together to launch your satellites on our indigenous PSLV
rockets. We desire to have stronger partnership with Germany in
research and development in frontier areas.
Distinguished Scholars,
Each one of you, in your own
way, has been an Ambassador of India in this great nation of yours.
Our scholars on Germany are performing the same role. You have
an important role to play in representing both the ancient civilization
that you know so well, and the modern India that is rapidly emerging
on the world scene. It is a role you are best suited to play,
as a bridge between our two countries.
The basic message that I have
brought with me on my visit to Germany is that India is looking
to broaden and deepen its engagement with our valued friend in
Europe. I do not refer to only trade and investment, but to every
field of human endeavour. It is especially necessary to continually
strengthen the edifice of interaction in art, culture, literature,
philosophy and diverse areas of scholarship.
Pursuit of material prosperity
is no doubt essential. But in the challenging times that we live
in, it is far more important that countries around the world promote
peace and friendship through mutual understanding and goodwill.
Ultimately, material prosperity is but a means to attain the end
of cultural fulfillment of Man, enabling him to develop all his
gifts and experience the intrinsic Unity in Diversity in Mankind.
And all of you are engaged
in this lofty endeavour.
Friends,
I am told that Indological
studies have been facing some new challenges in recent times.
I would like to hear your considered views on how to overcome
these challenges. There is a proposal that we set up a rotating
Chair for Indology in certain prestigious universities in India
and Germany.
I have also received a suggestion
that we institute an annual Tagore-Einstein Memorial Lecture,
to be held alternately in India and Germany. This suggestion envisages
inviting the best minds, from around the world, in art, culture,
philosophy, science and promotion of peace under this initiative.
If you have any further suggestions, I would welcome them.
I would like to listen to
you now, and to learn from you what India and Germany can do together.
Dhanyavaad.
Danke.
Thank you".
