The long-standing debate on India’s relationship with its colonial past has been revived through the address of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the sixth Ramnath Goenka Lecture.
He urged the country to consciously step away from what he described as a post-colonial mindset, one that he believes has shaped national thinking for nearly two centuries.
PM Modi suggested a ten-year window for India to reclaim confidence in its own cultural and intellectual foundations as the 200 year mark of Macaulay’s influence approaches.
Macaulay’s Historical Imprint
In his speech, Modi referred to Thomas Babington Macaulay’s 1835 push to reshape the educational system of India. Macaulay advocated for the creation of a class of Indians schooled in English thought and language one he believed would be capable of managing the colonial state.
PM Modi said this shift alienated Indians from their legacy and eventually replaced a skill-oriented indigenous model with one premised on British interests.
What is the Loss of Cultural Confidence
Modi said the effects of that transformation were deeper than changes in curricula. According to him, Macaulay’s system weakened self-belief, making generations think that progress required imitation, not innovation.
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Traditional systems of knowledge, once central to Indian learning, had been sidelined. The result, he argued, was a lingering sense of inadequacy long after independence.
How is the Drift Away from Swadeshi Thinking
The prime minister drew upon the fact that swadeshi, espoused by Mahatma Gandhi, was beginning to fade. It was also said that the nation looked abroad increasingly for solutions related to governance, industry and ideas, often on the basis of a prior belief in the inherently superior character of imported tools.
This he argued, created a pattern where India undervalued its own capabilities while embracing external models without question.
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PM Modi: Call for a Ten-Year Reset
Modi called for the country to dedicate a decade to dismantling what he saw as residual colonial conditioning. He said India had to regain confidence in its traditions, innovations and institutions.
The rediscovery of its self-identity was necessary, he said for the creation of a future according to Indian culture and not according to colonial inheritance.a
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Disclaimer: This article reflects publicly shared statements and provides an editorial interpretation. Details may evolve as future speeches or clarifications emerge.
