Page 131 - Swatantrata to Atmanirbharta : Lokmanya Tilak’s legacy

of education such as making education more accessible by
expanding into rural areas and using the vernacular languages.
Even so, many years after independence, access to education
is still a privilege. Technology should be able to bridge the
geographical and language barrier.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect highlighted by Tilak in
having a national education system was how it can be used
to produce better citizens. It is important to understand rights
and privileges in a free and rising India. This strengthens the
democracy and the cause of self-rule. He wanted this to be a part
of the education system as the youth are the future of the country.
Today so many universities and institutions have become fertile
grounds for agitators and disruptors. This cacophonous group
neither serves the cause of education nor nation building. There
is no counter narrative for a constructive and positive model for
young and impressionable minds. Young, smart, and talented
minds must be channelised towards being contributors for a
vibrant country instead of being bogged down by cynicism and
apathy. An educated and aware youth is an educated and aware
electorate. After all, in a democracy you get the leadership
you elect. Today’s educated youth should not have to choose
between being a dissenter or conformist. He can be a positive
and active contributor to a creating a true democracy.

5. National Identity
Tilak’s mass mobilization program had strong undertones of
nationalism, a nation fighting a common cause tied together by
common language, heritage, culture, and geography. He sought
to build momentum around his causes of Swaraj and Swadeshi
through the spirit of nationalism and national identity. This is
the reason he is called the father of Indian renaissance. To that
end he had started the public celebrations of Shivjayanti and
Ganesh Utsav to obliterate caste and community divisions and
bring people together on a common platform. He wrote on the
Vedas and Gita which provided moral and spiritual support for
the idea of national identity. This brought people together on
a common religious and cultural platform. Freedom struggle
was a just cause but to garner support for the cause and to gain
critical mass, these platforms were powerful rallying points
129 Swatantrata to Atmanirbharata