True icon is Vikramaditya, not Alexander: Ujjain's Vikram University

Vikram University, established in 1957 in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, has decided to popularise victories of King Vikramaditya's military conquests to highlight him as the true icon of the country's youth rather than Alexander. This is taken up as part of the restoration of the pride of the nation and its rich heritage, says Vikram University's Vice Chancellor Akhilesh Kumar Pandey.

Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh) : Dr Akhilesh Kumar Pandey, Vice Chancellor of Vikram University, Ujjain, has announced a decision during the university's Executive Council meeting that aims at inspiring the country's youth while, at the same time, triggering a wider debate among different sections of the public. The Vice-Chancellor said that we have been hearing since childhood that Alexander aka Sikandar is the one who has won many wars but from now on their university will teach the students that it is Vikramaditya who was a victorious warrior king.

The Vice-Chancellor said that the pride of our heritage has not been Alexander but Emperor Vikramaditya and this should be highlighted among today's youth. The Vice Chancellor believes that this will give us freedom from the mentality of slavery and will inspire the present-day youth to higher achievements in life. Vikram University is named after Emperor Vikramaditya.

During the meeting of the Executive Council, the Vice-Chancellor instructed all the professors to teach this retold story, although a written order has not yet been issued regarding this. He further said that this decision has been taken during the meeting of the Executive Council on Wednesday, regarding which permission will also be taken from the government.

The Vice-Chancellor said that Swami Vivekananda while addressing the youth had once said that by the year 2050, India would become a world guru. Five resolutions were taken for how it would be built, in which the two most important were pride in one's heritage and freedom from slavery. Which our Prime Minister has also mentioned, he said.

As part of this drive for the restoration of pride, Vikram University will henceforth retell the war stories, portraying Vikramaditya as the winner of the wars instead of projecting Alexander. The university is committed to popularising a new notion that Vikramaditya is the true ideal for our youth but not Alexander who came from foreign soil. Following this, even the popular myths and sayings should also be retold to highlight Vikramaditya's achievement rather than glorifying that of Sikander.