New Delhi: The ancient gurukul system of education has played a remarkable role in the holistic and well-rounded development of individuals, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said on Sunday. Naidu wrote this in a Facebook post, referring to his visit to Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya in Haridwar on Saturday. The university, inspired by the vision of a spiritual leader and social reformer of modern India Shriram Sharma Acharya, is a non-conventional centre of higher learning, he noted.
"With around 1500 full-time residential students and researchers, the university is adopting a gurukul-type system of community living. The institution is devoted to holistic education by combining practical knowledge (shiksha) with spiritual education (vidya) and seeks to provide a comprehensive learning experience to every student," he posted on Facebook. The Vice President said he was reminded of the remarkable role played by the ancient gurukul system in the holistic and well-rounded development of individuals.
Naidu said he was also delighted to learn that the university and Gayatri Parivar have been using music and folk songs to fight against social evils such as casteism and gender discrimination and promote nationalism among the masses. The university also has its own gaushala (cow shelter) with over 300 cows of indigenous breeds, he observed.