Jaipur, June 17 (SocialNews.XYZ) Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Wednesday said that a society which does not acquaint its future generations with its history, stories of valour and cultural heritage gradually loses its self-confidence.
Such a society, he remarked, eventually begins to produce "cockroaches" among its generations.
Addressing the Maharana Pratap Jayanti celebration organised by the Maharana Pratap Foundation at Birla Auditorium, Shekhawat said the occasion was not merely an opportunity to remember a great warrior, but to pay tribute to the spirit of self-respect, freedom, cultural identity and resistance that protected India from the darkness of subjugation.
The Union Minister said Maharana Pratap's struggle was not confined to Mewar alone. Rather, it was a battle to safeguard self-respect, freedom and cultural identity against an expansionist imperial mindset.
He noted that not only warriors but also ordinary citizens, tribal communities and even loyal companions such as Chetak played vital roles in this struggle.
Shekhawat observed that, for decades, Indian history had been presented from a one-sided perspective. As a result, several chapters highlighting India's resistance and bravery were pushed to the margins.
Referring to the battles of Haldighati and Dewair, he said Maharana Pratap's courage and later achievements had not received the recognition they deserved.
He asserted that India's history is not a history of defeat but one of continuous resistance, resurgence and national pride.
Great personalities such as Bappa Rawal, Maharana Sanga, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Bajirao Peshwa and Guru Gobind Singh sacrificed everything to preserve India's cultural consciousness and civilisational values.
"History is not merely a collection of dates, wars and events. It is the collective memory of a nation," Shekhawat said, adding that when a society's memories weaken, its self-confidence also diminishes.
Therefore, revisiting and rewriting history on the basis of research and facts has become the need of the hour.
Speaking about the younger generation, he said that, in the age of artificial intelligence and digital technology, the information available online would shape the knowledge base of future generations.
It is, therefore, essential to make authentic, research-based historical content available in digital formats.
Concluding his address, Shekhawat recalled how grandparents once connected children with history and cultural values through folk tales and traditional stories.
He warned that if a society fails to pass on its stories of glory to future generations, does not instil pride in its heritage and allows its history to be forgotten, then "cockroaches begin to emerge" within those generations.
Earlier, Maharana Pratap Foundation Convener Prem Singh Banvas welcomed the Union Minister.
Several dignitaries and community representatives, including MLA Balmukund Acharya and former MP Ramcharan Bohra, were present on the occasion.
Source: IANS
Gopi Adusumilli is a Programmer. He is the editor of SocialNews.XYZ and President of AGK Fire Inc.
He enjoys designing websites, developing mobile applications and publishing news articles on current events from various authenticated news sources.
When it comes to writing he likes to write about current world politics and Indian Movies. His future plans include developing SocialNews.XYZ into a News website that has no bias or judgment towards any.
He can be reached at gopi@socialnews.xyz
This website uses cookies.
