Delegates from 40 countries to take part in 3-day event starting from Nov 21
Come November 21 and 1,500 delegates — with nearly half of them from 40 countries — will descend on the National Capital for the three-day World Hindu Congress (WHC), that will among others work out the “strategic positioning” of the Hindu society on the world stage.
Organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), the WHC will, however, not be essentially marked with the presence of saffron-clad sadhus or those carrying Trishuls, reminiscent of the Kumbh Mela or a typical conclave of the saffron outfit. It will rather seek to present the “modern face” of Hindus and work out ways to increase India’s contribution to the world GDP besides hold extensive deliberations on education, media, politics, economy and other “secular subjects”.
RSS chief Mohan Rao Bhagwat will inaugurate the WHC and senior Sangh leaders like Suresh Joshi ‘Bhaiyaji’, Datta ji Hosabale and Krishna Gopal will address the various sessions. Nobel laureate Dalai lama and Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Smriti Irani, Nirmala Sitharaman, economist Bibek Debroy, former ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair and CBSE chairman Vineet Joshi will also attend and address the gathering.
“Aimed at Hindu rise and resurgence,” as the organisers put it, “the WHC’s thrust will be on giving a distinct global identity to the majority community”. If the delegates will be given a copy of Prabudham, a book on the lives of Hindu leaders, then the food served at the event — to be held at the State-run Ashoka Hotel — understandably, will be strictly vegetarian.
“The main idea behind the WHC 2014 is to provide a global platform for Hindu society to deliberate and formulate solutions to the myriad challenges being faced by Hindus worldwide and to devise workable and tangible solutions that can be implemented,” say VHP leaders. Over 200 speakers including several Union Ministers, educationists, economists, IITians, bankers and other professionals will participate in the about 45 interactive sessions at the hotel over the three days.
Almost all the foreign-based RSS outfits will be represented in the WHC. RSS has its branches in Middle-east, Bangladesh, Africa, USA and Europe.
The session, ‘Role of women in Hindu resurgence’, will see addresses from Union Ministers Irani and Seetharaman, besides environmental activist Vandana Shiva, former IPS officer Kiran Bedi and women activist Madhu Kishwar. The HRD Minister will speak on ‘Encouraging leadership among Hindu women’ while the Commerce Minister will articulate herself on ‘Women in politics: Bharat & World.’
The session devoted to the Education with the theme ‘Creating & Networking Educational Resources for Civilisational Re-emergence’ will be addressed by Chairman, Board of Governors, IIT Delhi Vijay Bhatkar, Smriti Irani, Kapil Kapoor, V-C MG International Hindi University, Wardha and other scholars.
With Indian economy being a special focus area, speakers like Dalai lama, Mohan Bhagwat, Gadkari, Seetharaman, Gautam Sen of london School of Economics & Politics, Chairman london Chamber of Commerce & Industry Subhash Thakrar besides Debroy among others will articulate their views.
