Studying Indian Culture and Values
“I really feel blessed by winning the first prize in the gold medal exam and receiving the award from Chancellor Amma herself,” stated N. R. Archana of the 2007 MBBS batch who won the first prize in the gold medal exam on Indian Culture and Values conducted at the health sciences campus.
She shares her experiences and thoughts with the readers.
The gold medal exam on India and its culture has enabled us students to have a glimpse of the vast ocean of greatness of our country. Truly, the glory of India and its culture is incomparable.
We are greatly blessed to study at Amrita where we are exposed to India’s rich cultural heritage.
Amma has always said that the main purpose of education is to impart a culture to the heart. We are proud to say that our institution strives in that direction.
Gold Medal Exam was surely a step towards the goal. It has encouraged us students to read and know about the culture of our country. We indeed are fortunate to know how our glorious past has influenced our present.
In this context I wish to quote the words of Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, who has once said:
From the beginning of her history, India has adored and idealized not soldiers and statesman, not men of science and leaders of industry, not even poets and philosophers, who influence the world by their deeds or by their words, but those rarer and most chastened spirits whose greatness lies in what they are and not in what they do, men who have stamped infinity on the thought and life of the country, men who have added to the invisible force of goodness in the world.
To a world given over to the pursuits of power and pleasure, wealth and glory, these honored spirits declare the reality of the unseen world and the call of spiritual life.
Their self-possession and self-command, their strange deep wisdom, their exquisite courtesy, their humility and gentleness of soul, their abounding humanity proclaim that the destiny of man is to know himself and thereby further the universal life of which he is an integrated element.
It has really been a great experience for all of us to join and win awards in this prestigious exam. For me, it has been an honor winning the gold medal and I sincerely acknowledge the efforts of my teachers and parents who have helped me to accomplish this esteemed award.