Emphasising on the need for value-based education, Mauritius President Rajkeswur Purryag today said students could transform themselves into better human beings if they imbibed even 20-25 per cent of the teachings of scriptures such as Mahabharata and Ramayana.
Purryag, who is here along with his wife Anita since yesterday, said this while delivering his second address in the concluding session of the 4th Convocation of Lovely Professional University (LPU) near here.
Though his address was mostly in English, the President's one sentence in Hindi drew cheers and applause from the crowd.
"These scriptures (Mahabharata and Ramayana), which were lighthouses, have been there for centuries and are revered even now as they have changed lakhs and lakhs of lives. Their teachings reflect our daily life.
"Though no one can become like Rama (God) but if you learn just 20-25 per cent of the teachings of these scriptures, then 'aadmi se insaan ban jayenge' (from an ordinary mortal you will become good human being)," he said.
Admitting that 21st century was an era of technology, globalisation and knowledge economy, he underscored the need to impart value-based, character-specific, quality-oriented and problem-solving education for meeting global challenges.
Quoting Mahatma Gandhi and Albert Einstein, Purryag told the students that values were extremely significant and character was the primary driver of their success.
Warning the students against becoming a slave of money, he told them that money had nothing to do with happiness.
Purryag also said that education now depended on a partnership between parents, children, schools and teachers.
He regretted that most parents these days were not giving enough attention to their children as they were equally addicted to computer and television.
"Parents buy their peace in home by corrupting their children by buying them games and laptops. But they forget that the children need their attention more than money," the Mauritius President said as he stressed on the importance of inculcating a reading habit.
"In a couple of years, India will emerge as global economic powerhouse if its youths were productive and competitive," Purryag added.
He also drew attention to the problems of drug addiction, crime, societal evils and behavioural issues in the world.
