Prof Dr Vidya Hattangadi Maratha Mandir S Babasaheb Gawde Institute Becoming a vishwaguru again is a sentiment of the present government’s ambition and there is nothing wrong about it. to rub it off or to believe that india is incapable of pursuing this aspiration is an injustice to our past, present and future too. With poverty and a large population unable to gain political power struggling in dire conditions, the prospect of becoming a “vishwaguru” seems a distant dream.
Prof Dr Vidya Hattangadi Maratha Mandir S Babasaheb Gawde Institute In india’s case, the crown is self declared: the mantle of vishwaguru, a teacher to the world. while prime minister narendra modi has boldly projected this global guru image in every multilateral summit and global forum, the realities at home and abroad tell a more tangled tale. Increasingly, india is being framed not as a vishwaguru, but as a “ vishwamitra ”, a “friend of the world”. this pivot from an educational guide to a collaborative partner shows a significant recalibration in how india sees its global role and how it wishes to be seen. Ambitions for india to enact the role of vishwaguru or ‘world teacher’ are a conspicuous feature of foreign policy discourse under contemporary hindu nationalist rule in india. India’s longstanding aspiration for a permanent seat on the un security council remains unfulfilled. despite being the world’s largest democracy and a top contributor to un peacekeeping, it has not been able to marshal enough global support to reform institutions built in the post wwii era.
Dr Vidya Hattangadi Dr Vidya Hattangadi Ambitions for india to enact the role of vishwaguru or ‘world teacher’ are a conspicuous feature of foreign policy discourse under contemporary hindu nationalist rule in india. India’s longstanding aspiration for a permanent seat on the un security council remains unfulfilled. despite being the world’s largest democracy and a top contributor to un peacekeeping, it has not been able to marshal enough global support to reform institutions built in the post wwii era. As the world grapples with wars, environmental destruction, climate change and a growing disconnect from our true selves, india, as a vishwaguru offers the light that can dispel the darkness of. After being elected in 2014 in a landslide victory, our honourable prime minister narendra modi, along with a myriad of domestic goals, set about to improve india’s image across the world, including our immediate neighbourhood. This lecture critically examines the popular narrative of india as a “vishwaguru” through the lens of economic data, r&d investment, global power hierarchy and political economy. India’s dream of becoming a vishwaguru is a noble aspiration, but it cannot be realized without addressing the deep rooted issues of corruption and favoritism in its academic institutions.
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