Education system based on Indian values is need of the hour, says PM

An education system rooted in Indian values was the need of the hour, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday in an address to commemorate the 200th birth anniversary of Arya Samaj founder Swami Dayanand Saraswati at his birthplace in Tankara of Morbi district in Gujarat.

Modi praised the social reformer who advocated for Indian society to return to Vedic values in the nineteenth century at a time when rigidity and superstition prevailed among the people struggling under colonial rule.

"An education system based on Indian values is the need of the hour. Arya Samaj schools have been a centre for this. The country is now expanding it through the National Education Policy," Modi said via videoconferencing. "It is our responsibility to connect the society with these efforts."

Swami Dayanand was born in Gujarat and active in Haryana. The Prime Minister spoke about his connection with both regions and acknowledged the profound influence of Swami Dayananda on his life. "His teachings have shaped my perspective and his legacy remains an integral part of my journey," Modi said.