Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha on Saturday highlighted India’s legacy as an ancient civilization rooted in mutual respect, where diverse faiths coexist, flourish, and teach the world the wisdom of peace.
Addressing ‘Interfaith Dialogue’ organised by the National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL) and Inter-Faith Harmony Foundation of India, Sinha said, “The world recognizes that Hinduism- Sanatana Dharma, the world’s oldest living religion, never imposed itself. Instead, it embraced diversity and coexistence. Ancient India built a foundation of respect, giving Christianity, Islam, Judaism and Zoroastrianism freedom to flourish.
“In a world facing conflicts and intolerance, the core spirit of Sanatana Dharma and Indian philosophy can serve as a guiding light. Today, the world may be divided by religion, language, and race, but Indian thought has the unique power to bridge these divides,” the LG said.
The LG, as per an official press release, said that India is a living idea that declares humanity should live together as one family. He said the young generation must carry this vision forward, reminding the world that peace is possible through mutual respect.
In intellectual, spiritual, and cultural vocabulary I call this ‘Indianness’- ‘Bhartiyata’, the ethos that offered the world the vision of equal respect for all religions, the pursuit of truth, unity in diversity, the idea of the world as one family (‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’), and a shared cultural consciousness. Our ancient texts, the Vedas and Upanishads, symbols of a knowledge tradition older than five thousand years, have always taught harmonious living. They taught humanity that people of different faiths should live together while respecting one another’s beliefs. That is the eternal principle.
Thousands of years ago our sages said that truth is not confined to a single path. Truth is infinite, and there are many routes that lead to it. That is why India has always seen diversity not as division but as a blessing. This outlook is reflected in the crown jewel of India, Jammu Kashmir, where for centuries the spirit of harmony and coexistence has been part of life.
People often use the word ‘Kashmiriyat’, which actually springs from the philosophy of ‘Indianness’- ‘Bhartiyata’ and symbolizes the fundamental sentiment India has taught the world since the Vedic age, equal respect for all religions, cultures, and traditions,” the LG said.
The LG stated that when Islam came to India in the 12th and 13th centuries and many Sufi saints and Islamic scholars came here, they found unique Indian culture rooted in love, spirituality and compassion, and equality.
“Sufi saints were inspired by the vision of Vedas, Upanishads, Buddhism, and Jainism and they learnt the ideals of co-existence from Indian scriptures. Moreover, numerous repositories of Sanskrit knowledge were translated into Arabic. Our ancestors prayed, ‘Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinaḥ, Sarve Santu Niramayaḥ – may all be happy, may all be free from illness’. This prayer is not for one religion or sect but it is a prayer for the welfare of all humanity. I believe this is India’s identity.
“India and its ancient philosophy have never told anyone to abandon their faith. India has always said to the people to bring your faith with you, bring your traditions, and live with us in harmony. That is India’s distinctiveness. That is the greatness of the Indian spiritual tradition,” the LG said.
Dr. Karan Singh, former Union Minister; Prof. Nilofer Khan, Vice Chancellor, University of Kashmir; Dr. Khwaja Iftikhar Ahmed, President, Inter-Faith Harmony Foundation of India; Dr. Mohammad Shams Equbal, Director, National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language, New Delhi; Dr. Jyotsna Singh, Founder Director, Dara Shikoh Centre, Srinagar; Dr. Nasreen Shama, Director, Operations, Inter Faith Harmony Foundation of India; Fida Firdous, President, Kashmir Writers Association; Navaid ul Islam Khan; National Coordinator, Inter Faith Harmony Foundation of India, Dr. GV Sundeep Chakravarthy, SSP Srinagar; Akshay Labroo, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar; senior officials, prominent citizens and literary personalities were present.
