Ahmedabad, 16 May 2013

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated the state-of-the-art ‘Pragyanpuram’ educational-cum-research complex here, set up by Knowledge Consortium of Gujarat (KCG). He also inaugurated the statewide long-distance classroom web portal through satellite communication system.

Gujarat Government’s Educational Department had established KCG at Gandhinagar in 2008, with lofty aim of bringing about educational reforms, befitting the 21st Century. Having received an overwhelming support and positive response from wide cross-section of the society, including academics and prominent citizens, the next step was setting up Pragyanpuram, a unique centre of higher studies built at a cost of Rs.32-crore on a 7-acre campus.

Speaking on the occasion, he recalled India dominated in the field of education for 1,800 long years out of the man’s history of 2,600 years. He said India had world famous universities at Nalanda (Bihar), Takshashila (undivided Punjab) and Vallabhi near ancient port Lothal (Gujarat). India’s glorious past got a setback during colonial rule due to a number of obstacles in the country’s mach to progress. It hit our educational system and research, too.

Unfortunately, he said, we did precious little to regain this glory during the last 60 years after Independence. Pragyanpuram is an effort to recover the backlog with a lofty aim of bringing about educational reforms in India, and restore India’s 1,800 years supremacy in the field of education.

Mr. Modi said there is need to spread the latest knowledge about application of technology, but not to replace man with robot, instill compassion among mankind. However, our biggest problem is reestablishing the identity of man as a human being and not as an ‘arthic prani’, not as a commodity.

Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasma listed the steps taken to improve quality of education in Gujarat since 2001 for a bright 21st Century, to build a divine and majestic Gujarat.

Others present on the occasion included Roads & Building Minister Anandiben Patel, Minister of State for Education Vasuben Trivedi, Principal Education Secretary Tiwary, Technical Education Commissioner Jayanti Ravi, senior Secretaries, educationists and academics, among others.