VP Venkaiah Naidu pushes for lifestyle changes in post-COVID world at Nalanda University

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu urged for a serious rethink of lifestyles and ideas in order to restore world peace and harmony. In today's society, we need to think of methods to relieve tension and make people's lives more comfortable and enjoyable, he stated. He said the Dharma-Dhamma traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism, as well as other religious persuasions, have distinctly holistic and inclusive responses to the challenges of the emerging post-COVID world order, as he opened the 6th Dharma Dhamma International Conference on Dharma Dhamma Traditions in Building the Post-COVID World Order at Nalanda.

The VP stated that if one studies, learns, and applies the teachings of Hinduism and Buddhism, one can achieve peace in both his inner and outward worlds. The conference, according to Naidu, gives an opportunity to assess the extent to which Dharma and Dhamma teachings and practices can be used to address the issues that we confront in the world. Peaceful coexistence, cooperation, mutual care and sharing, nonviolence, friendliness, compassion, peace, truth, honesty, selflessness, and sacrifice have all been emphasised in dharmic ethical teachings. Our priests have repeatedly expressed them, he added.

VP Naidu urges lifestyle changes for post-COVID-19 world at Nalanda Univerity conference

The VP stated that the concept of Dharma-Dhamma, in its various manifestations, such as truth and nonviolence, peace and harmony, humaneness and spiritual linkages, universal fraternity, and peaceful coexistence, served as a moral compass that guided people throughout history in the Indian subcontinent. Naidu expressed the hope that the Conference will provide new insights and lessons for making the post-COVID world a better place for humanity. A world where competition yields to compassion, wealth yields to health, consumerism yields to spirituality, and supremacy and dominance yield to peaceful coexistence, is what he was referring to. 

VP: Nalanda University to once again act as a "bridge and foundation" 

The Vice President praised the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Sunaina Singh, for her efforts to reinvent and reinforce the academic spirit of the historically known Nalanda University, saying that the focus should be on helping it reclaim its former glory. Nalanda University, he said, must once again act as a "bridge and foundation" for connecting India with the rest of the globe through the power of knowledge.

“This great cradle of learning must provide a transformational academic experience for every student in a spirit of creative collaboration”, he added.

VP Naidu highlighted the importance of sustainability 

The Vice President also warned about the dangers of climate change and underlined the importance of adopting a sustainable and natural-environment-friendly lifestyle. He urged people to learn from our ancient, environmentally beneficial methods, emphasising that "we must return to our roots." He also praised Nalanda University for its efforts to create the world's largest self-sufficient Net-Zero campus. On the occasion, Phagu Chauhan, Governor of Bihar, Nitish Kumar, Chief Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Minister of Transport, Sri Lankan Government, Prof. Sunaina Singh, Vice-Chancellor, Nalanda University, Lalita Kumar Mangalam, Director, India Foundation, Dhruv Katoch, Director, India Foundation, and other dignitaries were present.

(IMAGE: Twitter - Vice President of India)