Author: Sri. Rajiv Malhotra.
The Hindu re-awakening movement must improve its game in the intellectual Kurukshetra. Unfortunately, we suffer from a deficiency of competent scholars and institutional mechanisms. Hindus are often being represented by substandard voices. Emotional bombast and political patronage are depleting prana and overshadowing vigour and originality. The paucity of internationally competitive fresh Hindu research has many causes. The chief one is the belief that “everything has already been written”. Such persons hide their laziness behind one-liner wisdom and cronyism, instead of pursuing merit and professionalism.
A typical example of this syndrome happened just a few days back. Two of my books (‘Breaking India’ and ‘Being Different’) were attacked by some middle-ranking Hindu leaders on a bizarre allegation: that fifty years ago some prominent Hindus had already written books that were “exactly same” as mine, thereby making all my work redundant and counterproductive. The critics failed to notice that ‘Breaking India’ focuses on exposing many present-day individuals and organisations that did not even exist fifty years ago. And the insights explained in ‘Being Different’ are fresh compared to the supposedly “same” books written in a bygone era. The critics were satisfied with superficial similarities without any interest (or ability) to look deeper. Such turf protection is a form of tribalism driven by personal insecurity and ambition. The best way to respect our past great thinkers is not by worshipping their old books, but by continuing their parampara with fresh research outputs in response to today’s Kurukshetra. The clash of civilisations is becoming ever more complex, and the playing field has certainly not been frozen for the past fifty years. Our tradition was built on very high standards of intellectual excellence. But today there is a cacophony of voices of individuals who barely read serious material – forget about original writing. I have also heard some senior Hindu leaders flippantly dismiss the need for fresh research and intellectualism. It amazes me that retrograde voices can climb up in some Hindu organisations.
Hindus must invest in serious investigative work. This includes the revival of the tradition of purva-paksha methods for debating opponents in a respectful manner. We must re-educate the so-called “educated class”, with the use of game-changing discourse. We must encourage self-critiques rather than wasting time at the “feel good” gatherings of “like-minded people”. Resource allocations and appointments should be merit based and not driven by loyalty to leaders. Anyone appointed to lead a “think tank” should have already excelled in thinking, which means having a track record of high impact publications. The new government is conspicuous by its absence in the theatre of civilisation discourse. The is no strategic coherence across its Byzantine maze of departments. Fortunately, the Indian Left is also in disarray. The new technology subverts their monopoly over Hinduphobic knowledge production and distribution. There is a growing display of Hindu emotional activity in social and mass media, as well as the emergence of many conclaves featuring some Hindu voices. This powerful emotion needs to be harnessed and redirected to create an intellectual ecosystem that is globally competitive.
Rajiv Malhotra is an Indian American researcher, author, speaker, thinker and public intellectual on contemporary issues as they relate to civilization, cross-cultural encounters, spirituality, and science. He studied Physics at St. Stephens College in Delhi and did his post-graduate education in Physics, View More
This article can also be found at https://rajivmalhotra.com/library/articles/where-are-the-pandavas-who-can-provide-hindu-leadership/’
Rajiv ji,
I’ve been following your Twitter profile (my ID is tomar_sk) for sometime, and on this very topic, I’ve replied that Pandavas are there, but you need to guide them. May I request your guidance please?
There is tons of guidance provided by Rajiv Bhai on YouTube on how Hindus can re-establish Dharma in Bharat and spread light in this Vishwa.
respected sir
Our minds are still struck in the colonial era ie lickers nepotism etc etc. A authoritative personality never allows his or her subordinate to come out off his shadow and imprint his thoughts that are to be carried, A healthy debate always bore a good result but if fixed it reflects the mindset of authority and things goes….I thought that when BJP in power our education system will change and lot more,but after 6yrs feels that they are flip side of the same coin, and above all the system is run by babus and am on firm belief that they are like cockroaches(will never change and are adaptive insects). Resulting of last 75 years of education system is showing that pandwas don’t apply their mind but are labelling names on old stuff or want credits for others good work.
I am surprised why the BJP is not endorsing the guidelines of Shri Rajiv Malhotra. Eventhough Mr. Subramanian Swami, Mohan Bhagwat, Ram Dev and many more are in congruence with Rajiv ji, but seems to be interested in their own organizations. I have also found many such organizations using Rajiv ji ideas without acknowledging him.
I am surprised by the comments that are made here.
Intellectual Kshatriya by definition demands patience as a required quality. A change cannot happen over night (or even 6 – 7 years). Requirements like immediate changes to education system (which has its roots for over 70 years) cannot happen over one term of any leadership.
I can see the work Rajivji is doing is at least getting a note among some eminent leaders at this juncture. I belive what Rajivji is trying to accomplish is not a change, but a revolution of a system – trust me it will happen, but definitely not over night. No successful revolution can ever boast the speed at which things were completed.
Have patience and keep pushing!!