Foreword
The world watched as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a historic address at the United Nations General Assembly recently. Speaking forthrightly, PM Modi called for reformed multilateralism at the global body, to make it better equipped to deal with the realities of today’s world. He also questioned for how long would India, which has been contributing immensely towards strengthening the UN, be kept out of the organisation’s decision-making process.
In this issue of India Perspectives, we also delve into how India’s diplomatic policies have always been guided by the vision of fostering and strengthening partnerships across the world and in all sectors of development, aspects that are reflected in the ideals and programmes of the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC), which represents an important arm of its soft power diplomacy.
We touch upon various aspects of Prime Minister Modi’s vision of building an ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ or self-reliant India, which is being powered by innovations in indigenous sectors. In agriculture, from experiments with bamboo, which has been a part of our agrarian tradition and is now being increasingly used to manufacture everyday utility objects, to farmers boosting their produce and income by cultivating native cash crops with high commercial demand, achieving self-sufficiency is the new focus.
Another robust initiative of PM Modi, ‘Make in India’, is helping the revival of India’s tribal textiles. We talk about how with government support, textiles traditionally created by the country’s tribal communities are back in demand. With the ‘Fit India Movement’ completing one year in 2020, we look at how this novel initiative is being seen as a measure to stay fit and boost immunity.
India has been surging ahead in the field of technology, ushering in not just a digital revolution, but also aiding wildlife conservationists and naturalists to preserve the country’s rich and diverse flora and fauna. In this issue, read how innovations like molecular genetic tools are being used in the field of conservation biology.
We also explore India’s scientific achievements through one of its most prestigious institutions, the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), that has put the country on the global map of advanced research and development in the field of nuclear science.
Finally, we pay tribute to virtuoso vocalist and Padma Vibhushan recipient Pandit Jasraj, whose contribution to Indian classical music is incomparable and whose recent demise has left a void in the musical world.