An Interactive Session with a group of educational leaders visiting from CN Vidyavihar Group of Institutions, Ahmedabad was organised by the BhāratShakti team on t24th July, at Sri Aurobindo Society, Pondicherry. The session was conceived of as a preliminary orientation on the Educational Vision of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, with a special focus on discussing the challenges involved in translating the ideal vision in mainstream educational institutions.

Six educational leaders holding the positions of Directors and Principals led by Mr. Yogesh Thanki participated in this session with Dr. Beloo Mehra and Mr. Narendra Murty. A small exhibition highlighting a few salient points about National Education in the light of Sri Aurobindo’s vision was also prepared by the BhāratShakti team and put on display at the session venue.

A special issue on Education for India’s Resurgence that Dr. Mehra had curated for Sri Aurobindo’s Action (SAA) was also distributed to all the participants, along with some learning cards highlighting three principles of true teaching as given by Sri Aurobindo. Themes explored in the curated SAA journal became the anchor for most of the discussions that ensued.

The following key topics were discussed:

1. Some key challenges in our educational system where learning by rote is encouraged and original thinking is discouraged.
2. Significance of original thinking for students’ individual and society’s collective development
3. Students as well as teachers are too much burdened by the pressure of completing the curriculum leaving no room for an all-round integral development of the personality.
4. There’s hardly any scope to instil cultural values going outside the curriculum.
5. The need for the psychic development for the overall flowering of the personality.
6. Some key aspects the Integral Educational vision of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother.
7. It was also emphasised that for the true development of the students, the teachers themselves have to undergo a process of transformation and make an example of their own lives to inspire the students

The whole session took place in a spirit of exchange of ideas and challenges that lay ahead. The session was followed by some tea and snacks.

See the full gallery of photos.