Annihilation of Caste is not Far Away

 

Caste is not a problem of divine or religious belief, nor is it a problem belonging to one particular religion. We are unnecessarily mixing it up with faith.

The problem begins when caste gets tied to birth. It is wrong for society to decide that the child of a tree–climber is also a tree–climber and that this is his fate. Then, based on that “fate,” he is denied opportunities, pushed aside, and the place he touched is “purified.” On what basis is this done?

The issue is not that someone uses a caste surname or speaks a little differently. The problem is whether it prevents him from seeing others as equals. Caste must disappear because it makes one human being think that another human being is born inferior or superior. This is what our leaders wanted to eliminate.

Based on genome studies, Dr. Tony Joseph (author of Early Indians) said in a seminar that the heavily birth-based caste system is less than 2000 years old. Before that, our genes show signs of mixing. In the period after about 2000 years ago, genetic mixing reduced. This is believed to be due to endogamy becoming restricted to specific groups. That means caste became tied to birth only in the last 2000 years. Social conditions of that period must have led to birth becoming linked to caste.

Between 200–300 BCE, after the Sangam era, Buddhist-linked dynasties are believed to have ruled here. These include the Gupta and Maurya periods, with emperors like Ashoka. By around the 8th century CE, these traditions weakened, and a social order based on caste likely emerged. This was also a global period when systems that denied human equality—like the slave trade—existed. This seems to support Dr. Tony Joseph’s observations about the reduction in genetic mixing.

But for hundreds of years now, caste - despite creating such inequality - has survived. Why?

One reason is administrative convenience. Caste allowed those in power to define authority and distribution of resources easily. For example, a lower-caste person was considered to have no right to land and to be obliged to work as a laborer. It was easy to declare that he depended on his “birth superior.”

Before the Mughals, local kings used the caste system for governance. The Mughal administration not only failed to end caste but adopted it, giving it Urdu names. For a centralized governing authority, caste was a convenient way to maintain a stable supply of labor and manage the workforce.

British-introduced universal education brought many people out of this structure. To create the type of workers they needed, they produced a “gumastha/babu” class. But they did not link this new class to birth. Although it caused small cracks in caste, the British too largely used caste for their administrative needs.

The real shake-up to caste came when we moved to representative democracy and when Nehru, Gandhi, Ambedkar, and others declared that we are all equal. Gandhi believed that through special care and access to resources, the so-called Harijans would become equal. Nehru dreamt that caste would naturally disappear through industrial development. Ambedkar wanted to eliminate the conditions that allow caste to exist. All three aimed at equality and coexistence.

What I understand is that hereditary elites who need laborers without fair wages, people who do not believe humans are equal, and caste-based organizations—all these groups want caste to continue. They amplify themselves everywhere and occupy space.

Perhaps, as Nehru imagined, industrialization and migration will naturally reduce the need for caste. But the time and circumstances must align. For example, we do not know the caste of migrant workers here. Even if we know, we have no idea where to place them among our caste categories. Without knowing, both we and they get freed from caste. Likewise, to work in a factory, one must acquire certain technical skills. Birth or “innate ability” is irrelevant - technical proficiency determines employment and promotion. This again removes the need for caste (although some still try to hold on temporarily).

Let us care for one another and work together to end birth-based caste and the inequality it creates. Not mere laws, protests, or reservations, but - just as Ambedkar said - we must eliminate the conditions that sustain caste. He said that because agrarian society supports caste, agriculture must become an industry. 

We must industrialize caste-ridden regions to create caste-free employment opportunities and relocate severely marginalized groups to places where caste distinctions do not operate.

We should conduct a nationwide caste census and evaluate, with an open mind, how effective the post-independence measures for caste eradication have been in creating equality. We must plan practical next steps, strengthen the natural patterns that weaken caste, and overcome resistance.

NB: originally written in Malayalam, reviewed and translated with the help of Chat GPT

Malayalam:ജാതി ഉന്മൂലനം, അകലെയല്ല

Reference via Chat GPT

Caste is not inherently religious; it is a socio-economic hierarchy. Scholars agree that caste evolved primarily as a social and occupational system, not a theological mandate.

• M.N. Srinivas, Social Change in Modern India (1966) — caste functions as a social order tied to occupation and hierarchy, not strictly religion.
• Nicholas Dirks, Castes of Mind (2002) — caste became rigid through political and administrative processes, not religious doctrine.

The key problem begins when caste becomes linked to birth. Anthropologists note that this hardening into hereditary roles is the real source of inequality.

• Louis Dumont, Homo Hierarchicus (1970) — caste becomes oppressive when linked with purity, pollution, and hereditary hierarchy.
• Susan Bayly, Caste, Society and Politics in India (1999) — caste only becomes rigid when birth starts determining occupation and social status.

Genetic evidence supports the claim: caste endogamy hardened only ~2000 years ago. Tony Joseph’s findings are part of a broader academic consensus based on population genetics.

• Narasimhan et al., Science (2019): evidence of widespread genetic mixing in India until about 100 CE, followed by sharp increase in endogamy.
• Moorjani et al., American Journal of Human Genetics (2013): major endogamy among caste groups begins roughly 1,500–2,200 years ago.

Alignment with the political transition after early historic kingdoms. Transition timeline (Mauryan → Gupta → post-Gupta fragmentation → caste hardening) is supported by historians.

• Romila Thapar, Early India (2002) — caste becomes more rigid post-Gupta due to agrarian expansion and administrative needs.
• Burton Stein, A History of India (1998) — decentralization after 600 CE fostered locally controlled caste hierarchies.

Caste persisted because it served administrative and economic convenience. The argument that caste helped rulers control labor and resources is supported by:

• D. D. Kosambi, An Introduction to the Study of Indian History (1956) — caste helped rulers maintain agrarian surplus.
• Irfan Habib, Medieval India: The Study of a Civilization (2007) — caste was useful for taxation and labour allocation.
• Nicholas Dirks (2002) — state power repeatedly reinforced caste to stabilize governance.

The Mughals and British did not dismantle caste—they institutionalized it. This is historically accurate.

• Bernard Cohn, Colonialism and Its Forms of Knowledge (1996): British “enumeration” and census practices hardened caste boundaries.
• Susan Bayly (1999): Mughal statecraft adapted to existing caste structures.
• Dirks (2002): British colonialism transformed caste into a rigid administrative category.

Industrialization and migration weaken caste. Modern labor systems erode caste boundaries.

• Andre Béteille, Caste, Class, and Power (1965) — urban and industrial environments dilute caste rigidity.
• Dipankar Gupta, Interrogating Caste (2000) — migration disrupts traditional caste functions.
• Ashutosh Varshney (various works) — modernization correlates with reduced everyday caste barriers.

Gandhi, Nehru, Ambedkar—different strategies, same goal

• Ramachandra Guha, India After Gandhi (2007).
• Christophe Jaffrelot, Dr. Ambedkar and Untouchability (2005).

For real caste eradication, socio-economic conditions must change. Ambedkar’s classic arguments:

• B.R. Ambedkar, Annihilation of Caste (1936) — caste is rooted in social and economic structures, not merely ideas.
• Gopal Guru, Dalit Politics (1995) — structural change is needed for meaningful equality.

The need for caste census & evidence-based policy

• Satish Deshpande, The Problem of Caste (2013) — caste data is essential for policy-making.
• Christophe Jaffrelot (2021) — India needs empirical evidence to assess whether inequalities are narrowing.

ജാതി ഉന്മൂലനം, അകലെയല്ല

ജാതി ദൈവ / മത വിശ്വാസത്തിൻ്റെ പ്രശ്നമല്ല, അത് ഒരു പ്രത്യേക മതത്തിൻ്റെ മാത്രം പ്രശ്നവുമല്ല. നാം വിശ്വാസവുമായി ഇതിനെ വെറുതെ കൂട്ടി കുഴക്കുകയാണ്. 

ജാതി ജന്മവുമായി ബന്ധിപ്പിക്കുന്നിടത്താണ് പ്രശ്നം തുടങ്ങുന്നത്. മരംകയറിയുടെ കുട്ടി മരം കയറിയാണ്, അതാണവൻ്റെ വിധി എന്ന് സമൂഹം വിധിക്കുന്നതാണ് തെറ്റ്.  പിന്നെ ആ വിധിയുടെ പശ്ചാത്തലത്തിൽ അയാൾക്ക് അവസരങ്ങൾ നിഷേധിക്കപ്പെടുകയും അയാൾ ഒതുക്കി നിർത്തപ്പെടുകയും, അയാൾ കയറിയ ഇടം ശുദ്ധീകരിക്കുകയും ഒക്കെ ചെയ്യുന്നത് എന്ത് അടിസ്ഥാനത്തിലാണ്?  

ഒരാൾ താളമുള്ള ഒരു ജാതിപ്പേര് ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നതോ, അല്പം നിഗളിക്കുന്നതോ ഒന്നുമല്ല പ്രശ്നം. അത് മറ്റുള്ളവരെ തുല്യരായി കാണുന്നതിൽ നിന്ന് അയാളെ തടയുന്നൊ എന്നതാണ് പ്രശ്നം. ഒരു മനുഷ്യൻ, ജന്മം കൊണ്ട് മറ്റൊരു മനുഷ്യനെക്കാൾ താഴെയാണെന്നോ മുകളിലാണെന്നോ ചിന്തിക്കാൻ ജാതി കാരണമാകുന്നു എന്നത് കൊണ്ട് അത് ഇല്ലാതാകണം എന്നാണ് നമ്മുടെ നേതാക്കൾ ആഗ്രഹിച്ചത്. 

ജീനോം പഠനത്തിൻ്റെ ബലത്തിൽ ഡോ: ടോണി ജോസഫ് (author of "Early Indians"), ഒരു സെമിനാറിൽ ഒരു ചോദ്യത്തിന് ഉത്തരമായി പറഞ്ഞത്, തീവ്ര ജന്മ ബന്ധിത ജാതി സംവിധാനത്തിന് 2000 വർഷത്തിൽ താഴെ മാത്രമേ പഴക്കമുള്ളൂ എന്നാണ്. അതിന് മുമ്പ് നമ്മുടെ ജീനുകൾ ഇടപഴകലുടെ ലക്ഷണങ്ങൾ കാണിച്ചിരുന്നു അത്രേ. ഏതാണ്ട് 2000 വർഷത്തിന് ശേഷം കണ്ട ജീനുകളിൽ ഇടകലരുന്ന സ്വഭാവം കുറയുന്നതായി കണ്ടു. ഇണചേരൽ  പ്രത്യേകവിഭാഗങ്ങളിലേക്ക് ചുരുങ്ങിയതാകാം ഇതിന് കാരണം എന്ന് കരുതപ്പെടുന്നു. അതായത് ജന്മവും ജാതിയുമായി ബന്ധപ്പടുത്തപ്പെട്ടത് ഏതാണ്ട് 2000 വർഷങ്ങൾക്കുള്ളിൽ മാത്രമാണ് എന്ന് നാം മനസ്സിലാക്കണം. ഏതാണ്ട് ആ കാലഘട്ടത്തിൽ ഉരുത്തിരിഞ്ഞു വന്ന സാമൂഹിക സാഹചര്യങ്ങളാവാം ജാതിയെ ജന്മവുമായി ബന്ധിപ്പിച്ചത്. 

കിസ്തുവിന് മുമ്പ് 200 മുതൽ 300 വർഷം വരെയുള്ള കാലയളവിലാണ് സംഘസംസ്കാരത്തിന് ശേഷം ബുദ്ധമതവുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെട്ട രാജവംശങ്ങൾ ഇവിടെ നില നിന്നത് എന്ന് കരുതപ്പെടുന്നു. അശോകനെപ്പോലെയുള്ളവർ നിറഞ്ഞു നിന്നിരുന്ന ഗുപ്ത, മൗര്യ കാലഘട്ടങ്ങൾ. ക്രിസ്തുവിന് ശേഷം എട്ടാം നൂറ്റാണ്ടോട് കൂടി ഈ പരമ്പരകൾ ശിഥിലമാവുകയും ജാതി വ്യവസ്ഥയിൽ അടിസ്ഥാനമായ ഒരു സമൂഹിക ക്രമം ഉരുത്തിരിയുകയും ചെയ്തിരിക്കാം. ലോകം മുഴുവൻ അടിമ വ്യാപാരം പോലെ മനുഷ്യ തുല്യത മാനിക്കാത്ത വ്യവസ്ഥകൾ നില നിന്നിരുന്ന ഒരു സമയമായിരുന്നല്ലോ അത്. ഇത് ഡോ: ടോണി ജോസഫ് പറഞ്ഞ ജനിതക മിശ്രണവുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെട്ട നിരീക്ഷണത്തിന് പൂരകമാണ് എന്ന് തോന്നുന്നു. 

എന്നാൽ, ഇത്ര അസമത്വം ഉണ്ടാക്കുന്ന ജാതി, നൂറുകണക്കിന് വർഷങ്ങളായി ഇവിടെ നിലനിൽക്കുന്നു. എന്തായിരിക്കും കാരണം?

ഭരണസൗകര്യമാവും ഇതിൻ്റെ ഒരു കാരണം. വിഭവങ്ങളുടെ മുകളിലുള്ള അധികാരവും വിതരണവും ജാതി ഉപയോഗിച്ച് എളുപ്പത്തിൽ നിർവ്വചിക്കാൻ കഴിയും. ഉദാഹരണം: ഒരു താഴ്ന്ന ജാതിക്കാരന് ഭൂമിയിൽ അവകാശം ആവശ്യമില്ല, പണി ചെയ്യാൻ ബാദ്ധ്യസ്ഥൻ ആണ് താനും. അവൻ അവൻ്റെ ജന്മിയുടെ ആശ്രിതൻ ആകുന്നു എളുപ്പത്തിൽ വിധിക്കാം. 

മുഗളൾർക്ക് മുമ്പ് ഇവിടെയുള്ള രാജാക്കൻമാർ ജാതി വ്യവസ്ഥ ഭരണത്തിൽ ഉപയോഗിച്ചിരുന്നു. നാം ശ്രദ്ധിക്കേണ്ടത്, മുഗൾ ഭരണം അത് അവസാനിപ്പിച്ചില്ല എന്ന് മാത്രമല്ല, അത് സ്വീകരിക്കുകയും ഉറുദു നാമങ്ങൾ നൽകുകയുമായിരുന്നു. അതായത് ഒരു കേന്ദ്രീകൃത ഭരണത്തിന് സങ്കീർണ്ണത കുറഞ്ഞ, സ്ഥിരതയുള്ള ഒരു തൊഴിൽ വിഭവ നിയന്ത്രണവും, പണിയാളുകളുടെ ലഭ്യതയും ഉറപ്പാക്കാൻ, ജാതി ഉപയോഗിച്ചിരുന്നു എന്ന് നാം മനസ്സിലാക്കണം.

ബ്രിട്ടീഷുകാർ നടപ്പാക്കിയ സാർവത്രിക വിദ്യാഭ്യാസം കുറേപ്പേരെ ഈ ചട്ടക്കൂടിന് വെളിയിലാക്കി. അവർക്ക് വേണ്ട തരം പണിയാളുകളെ ഉണ്ടാക്കാനായി ഗുമസ്ത / ബാബു ജാതി ഉണ്ടാക്കി! പക്ഷേ അതിനെ ജന്മവുമായി ബന്ധിപ്പിക്കാൻ അവർ തുനിഞ്ഞില്ല. ഈ പുതിയ ജാതി, ജാതി വ്യവസ്ഥക്ക് ചെറിയ പരിക്കുകൾ ഏൽപ്പിച്ചു എങ്കിലും ബ്രിട്ടീഷുകാരും ജാതി ക്രമത്തെ ഉപയോഗിക്കുക മാത്രമാണ് ഉണ്ടായത്. 

നാം തുല്യ പങ്കാളിത്ത ജനായത്ത ഭരണത്തിലേക്ക് മാറുകയും നെഹ്രുവും ഗാന്ധിയും അംബെദ്കറും ഒക്കെ നാം എല്ലാവരും തുല്യർ ആണെന്നു പ്രഖ്യാപിക്കുകയും ചെയ്തതാണ് ജാതി വ്യവസ്ഥയെ യഥാർത്ഥത്തിൽ ഉലച്ചത്. ഗാന്ധി ഹരിജനങ്ങൾ പ്രത്യേക പരിഗണ വഴിയും വിഭവ ലഭ്യത വഴിയും തുല്യരാകും എന്ന് വിശ്വസിച്ചു, നെഹ്രു വ്യാവസായിക വികസനം വഴി സ്വാഭാവികമായി ജാതികൾ നശിക്കും എന്ന് സ്വപ്നം കണ്ടു. അംബെദ്കർ ശക്തമായ ഇടപെടലുകൾ വഴി ജാതി നിലനിൽക്കുന്ന സാഹചര്യങ്ങൾ ഇല്ലാതാക്കണം എന്ന് ആഗ്രഹിച്ചു. മൂന്നു പേരും മനുഷ്യരുടെ തുല്യതയും സഹവർത്തിത്വവും ലക്ഷ്യം വച്ചു എന്ന് നാം മനസ്സിലാക്കണം. 

കൂലി കൊടുക്കാതെ ജോലി ആവശ്യമുള്ള ജന്മികളും വരേണ്യരും, മനുഷ്യർ തുല്യരാണെന്ന് കരുതാത്ത സംഘങ്ങളും മാത്രമല്ല, ജാതി അടിസ്ഥാനത്തിൽ പ്രവർത്തിക്കുന്ന സംഘടനകളും ഇപ്പോൾ ജാതി നിലനിൽക്കാൻ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നു എന്നാണ് എനിക്ക് മനസ്സിലാകുന്നത്. ഇവർ എല്ലായിടത്തും സ്വയം പെരുപ്പിച്ച് കാണിക്കുകയും ഇടം പിടിക്കുകയുമാണ്. 

ഒരു പക്ഷേ, സ്വാഭാവികമായിത്തന്നെ ജാതിയുടെ ആവശ്യകത വ്യാവസായിക വത്കരണവും പാലായനങ്ങളും മുഖേന ഇല്ലാതായേക്കും, നെഹ്രു ചിന്തിച്ചത് പോലെ. എന്നാൽ അതിന് സമയവും സാഹചര്യവും ഒത്തുവരണം. 

ഉദാഹരണത്തിന്, ഇവിടെ ജോലി ചെയ്യുന്ന അതിഥി തൊഴിലാളികളുടെ ജാതി നമുക്കറിയില്ല. അറിഞ്ഞാൽ തന്നെ നമ്മുടെ ജാതികളുടെ ഇടയിൽ അതിനെ എവിടെ തിരുകണം എന്ന് നമുക്ക് വലിയ ധാരണയില്ല. നമ്മളും അവരും ഇവിടെ നാമറിയാതെ ജാതിയിൽ നിന്ന് മോചിതരാകുന്നു. അതുപോലെ ഒരു ഫാക്ടറിയിൽ ജോലി നോക്കണമെങ്കിൽ അതിന് പറ്റിയ സങ്കേതങ്ങൾ അഭ്യസിക്കണം. ജന്മമോ കഴിവോ അല്ല, സാങ്കേതിക വിദ്യയിലുള്ള പ്രാവീണ്യമാണ് ഇവിടെ ജോലിക്കും ഉയർച്ചക്കും കാരണം. ഇവിടെയും ജാതിയുടെ ആവശ്യം ഇല്ലാതെയാക്കുന്നു (ചിലർ താത്കാലികമായി നിലനിർത്താൻ ശ്രമിക്കുന്നു എങ്കിലും). 

നമുക്ക് പരസ്പരം കരുതി, ജന്മ ബന്ധിത ജാതിയും അതിൻ്റെ പേരിലുള്ള അസമത്വവും അവസാനിപ്പിക്കാൻ ഒരുമിച്ച് ശ്രമിക്കാം. കേവല നിയമങ്ങളോ, പ്രകടനങ്ങളോ, സംവരണമോ അല്ല, അബേദ്കർ പറഞ്ഞതുപോലെ സാഹചര്യങ്ങൾ ഇല്ലാതാക്കുകയാണ് വേണ്ടത് എന്ന് തോന്നുന്നു. കർഷക സാമൂഹിക വ്യവസ്ഥ ജാതിക്ക് അനുകൂലമായത് കൊണ്ട് കൃഷി ഒരു വ്യവസായി മാറണം എന്ന് അദ്ദേഹം പറഞ്ഞിരുന്നു. 

ജാതി വിവേചനം നില നിൽക്കുന്ന ഒരു പ്രദേശം വ്യവസായ വത്കരിക്കുക വഴി ജാതി വിവേചനമില്ലാത്ത തൊഴിൽ അവസരങ്ങൾ സൃഷ്ടിക്കുക, അതീവ പാർശ്വവത്കരിക്കപ്പെട്ട വിഭാഗങ്ങളെ അവിടെ നിന്നും ജാതി വേർതിരിവില്ലാത്ത സ്ഥലങ്ങളിലേക്ക് മാറ്റി പാർപ്പിക്കുക തുടങ്ങിയ കാര്യങ്ങൾ കൂടി നാം ചെയ്യേണ്ടതുണ്ട്. 

രാജ്യവ്യാപകമായി ഒരു ജാതി സെൻസസ് നടത്തുകയും സ്വാതന്ത്ര്യാനന്തരം ജാതി / ജാതി വിവേചന ഉന്മൂലനത്തിനായി നാം കൈക്കൊണ്ട നടപടികൾ തുല്യത ഉണ്ടാക്കുന്നതിൽ എത്രത്തോളം സഹായകകരമായി എന്ന് തുറന്ന മനസ്സോടെ വിലയിരുത്തണം. പ്രായോഗികമായ തുടർ നടപടികൾ ഉണ്ടാക്കി, സ്വാഭാവികമായി ഉണ്ടാകുന്ന ജാതി ഉന്മൂലനത്തിന് ആക്കം കൂട്ടുകയും എതിർപ്പുകളെ അതിജീവിക്കുകയും വേണം.

English Version & Citations

Refer: Annihilation of Caste is not far Away

Indira Gandhi, Scientific Temper

 

Indira Gandhi consistently stood for:

• Spreading scientific temper among ordinary people. Making science accessible and socially relevant (സാധാരണക്കാരിൽ ശാസ്ത്രബോധം വളർത്തുക. ശാസ്ത്രത്തെ പ്രാപ്യവും സാമൂഹികമായി പ്രസക്തവുമാക്കുക.)
• Using science to fight superstition and backwardness (അന്ധവിശ്വാസത്തിനും പിന്നോക്കാവസ്ഥയ്ക്കും)
• Promoting science communication through education, media, and public initiatives (വിദ്യാഭ്യാസം, മാധ്യമങ്ങൾ, പൊതു സംരംഭങ്ങൾ എന്നിവയിലൂടെ ശാസ്ത്ര ആശയവിനിമയം പ്രോത്സാഹിപ്പിക്കുക)

We can review some of her words, that should prompt to stand with scientific temper, on whatever we do:

Indira’s words	Context
The power to question is the basis of all human progress. ചോദ്യം ചെയ്യാനുള്ള ശക്തിയാണ് എല്ലാ മനുഷ്യ പുരോഗതിയുടെയും അടിസ്ഥാനം.	A succinct articulation of the core idea of scientific temper — questioning as a driver of progress, reform, and creativity.
We want new directions in the wiser use of the knowledge and tools with which science has equipped us… ശാസ്ത്രം നമുക്ക് തരുന്ന അറിവിന്റെയും സാങ്കേതികവിദ്യയുടെയും ഉചിതമായ പ്രയോഗത്തിൽ നിന്നും നമുക്ക് പുതിയ ദിശാബോധം കൈവരണം.	From her famous address at the 1972 Stockholm UN Environmental Conference. She emphasized ethical use of scientific power, linking science with wisdom
True spirituality means strengthening one’s inner resources… not depending on the lack of material comfort. യഥാർത്ഥ ആത്മീയത എന്നാൽ ഒരാൾ ആന്തരികമായി ശക്തിപ്പെടുക എന്നതാണ് ... ഭൗതിക സുഖം ഉപേക്ഷിക്കുക എന്നത് മാത്രമല്ല.	Stockholm 1972. She countered the false idea that spiritual or traditional values must oppose material or scientific development.
What we wear is unimportant. What is important is how we are thinking. നമ്മൾ എന്ത് വസ്ത്രം ധരിക്കുന്നു എന്നതല്ല പ്രധാനം, നമ്മൾ എങ്ങനെ ചിന്തിക്കുന്നു എന്നതാണ് പ്രധാനം.	From a speech to women graduates (1974), She argued that modernity is intellectual, not about clothing or outward appearance.
Sometimes I am very sad that even people who do science are quite unscientific in their thinking… ചിലപ്പോഴൊക്കെ ശാസ്ത്രജ്ഞർ പോലും അശാസ്ത്രീയമായി ചിന്തിക്കുന്നത് കാണുമ്പോൾ എനിക്ക് വളരെ സങ്കടമുണ്ടാകാറുണ്ട്...	1974 speech. She criticized the contradiction where scientists work rationally in labs but hold superstitions and prejudices in personal life.
We have to have a thinking public… willing to listen, analyse, and decide whether something new is to be accepted or rejected. ശ്രദ്ധിക്കാനും, വിശകലനം ചെയ്യാനും, പുതിയ എന്തെങ്കിലും സ്വീകരിക്കണോ വേണ്ടയോ തീരുമാനിക്കാനും തയ്യാറുള്ള ജനതയാണ് നമുക്ക് വേണ്ടത്	She urged that education must build critical citizens, not passive followers—highlighting the importance of analysis over blind acceptance. 23 November 1974
However modern and beneficial a technology, it has to fit our culture and capabilities and harmoniously transform tradition into modernity. എത്ര ആധുനികവും പ്രയോജനകരവുമായ ഒരു സാങ്കേതികവിദ്യയാണെങ്കിലും, അത് നമ്മുടെ സംസ്കാരത്തെയും കഴിവുകളെയും യോജിപ്പിച്ച് പാരമ്പര്യത്തെ ആധുനികതയിലേക്ക് യോജിപ്പിച്ച് പരിവർത്തനം ചെയ്യണം.	From a lecture on food and development (1981). She explained that technology must be adapted to Indian realities, not copied blindly
The latest techniques of communication are essential… The needs of the country should determine the technology. ആശയവിനിമയത്തിന്റെ ഏറ്റവും പുതിയ സാങ്കേതിക വിദ്യകൾ അത്യാവശ്യമാണ്... രാജ്യത്തിന്റെ ആവശ്യങ്ങളാണ് സാങ്കേതികവിദ്യയെ നിർണ്ണയിക്കേണ്ടത്.	Same lecture. She argued for purposeful, needs-based technological adoption—an early statement on appropriate technology
Youth must continually strive for excellence… It will be new ideas and new creations that change the world. യുവാക്കൾ മികവിനായി നിരന്തരം പരിശ്രമിക്കണം... ലോകത്തെ മാറ്റിമറിക്കുന്നത് പുതിയ ആശയങ്ങളും പുതിയ സൃഷ്ടികളുമായിരിക്കും.	Public address focusing on nation-building. She stressed innovation by youth as the engine of future progress.
Real scientific thinking is to be on the look-out for new ideas, new methods, new inventions, all the time. പുതിയ ആശയങ്ങൾ, പുതിയ രീതികൾ, പുതിയ കണ്ടുപിടുത്തങ്ങൾ എന്നിവയ്ക്കായി എപ്പോഴും ഉറ്റുനോക്കുക എന്നതാണ് യഥാർത്ഥ ശാസ്ത്രീയ ചിന്ത.	Quoted by President of India, after her: She said this while emphasizing that scientific temper is not memorizing science—it is a habit of constant curiosity, innovation, and questioning.

Nehru "the real revolutionary": Shaheed Bhagat Singh, 1928

In the below article published in 'Kirti' in July 1928, Bhagat Singh compared the thoughts of Subhas Chandra Bose and Jawaharlal Nehru. Later, history confirmed Bhagat Singh's views.

Collectors Note:  Reader is reminded that this comparison happened in 1928, Bhagath Singh and his subjects - Subhash Chandra Bose, Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru and Sadhu Vaswani - were young leaders then. After his initial affinity to non-cooperation movement, Sadhu Vaswani remained mostly in the spiritual sphere, leading to the formation of Sadhu Vaswani Mission, which is spread across the globe. Subhash Bose moved from center right to extreme left later to form INA and Forward Block. Pandit Nehru remained in center left and continued to architect the nation as a visionary revolutionary as Bhagat Singh envisioned. It is readers responsibility to think about and reflect these legends and adopt their views responsibly.

Different Views of New Leaders

Written: Bhagat Singh, July 1928 (almost 3 years before his execution on March 23, 1931)

The failure of the Non-Cooperation Movement led to widespread disappointment and despair among the people. Hindu-Muslim conflict sapped any remaining courage. But once awakening spreads across the country, it cannot remain asleep for long. After a few days the public rises with great enthusiasm and fights back. Today, India has become alive again. India is waking up again. There doesn't appear to be any major mass movement, but the foundation is definitely being strengthened. Many new leaders with modern ideas are emerging. This time only young leaders came forward and only youth movements are going on in the country. Only young leaders are coming into the notice of patriotic people. Despite being great, big leaders are being left behind in a way. The leaders who have come forward at this time are – the revered Shri Subhash Chandra Bose of Bengal and the honorable Pandit Shri Jawaharlal Nehru. These two leaders are seen emerging in India and are especially participating in youth movements. Both are staunch supporters of India's independence. Both are intelligent and true patriots. But still there is a huge difference in their views. One is called a worshiper of India's ancient culture, while the other is called a staunch disciple of the West. One is called a soft-hearted sentimentalist and the other a confirmed revolutionary. In this article, I will present their different views before the public, so that the public can understand their differences and think about them themselves. 

But before mentioning the views of both of them, it is also important to mention another person who, like them, is a freedom lover and a special personality of the youth movements. Sadhu Vaswani may not be as well-known as the big leaders of Congress, may not have any special place in the political arena of the country, yet he has an influence on the youth, who will have to take over the reins of the country tomorrow, and the movement started by him, 'Bharat Yuva Sangh', has a special influence among the youth at present. His views are completely different. His thoughts can be summed up in one word – “Back to the Vedas.” This voice was first raised by Arya Samaj. The basis of this idea lies in the belief that God has poured all the knowledge of the world into the Vedas. There can be no further development beyond this. Therefore, the world has neither progressed nor can progress beyond the all-round progress that our India has made! Well, Vaswani and his fellow men believe in this belief. 

They say: "Till now, our politics has sometimes set examples by considering Mazzini and Voltaire as its ideals or sometimes learnt lessons from Lenin and Tolstoy. However, they should know that our ancient sages have much greater ideals than them." He believes that our country had once reached the last limit of development and today we do not need to go anywhere further but need to go back. 

He is a poet. Poetry is visible everywhere in his thoughts. Besides, he is a great devotee of religion. He wants to perform ‘power (Shakthi)’ religion. He says, “At this time we are in dire need of strength." He does not use the word 'Shakti' to mean only India. But he believes in a special divinity through this word, an attainment of a kind of goddess. 

He says like a very sentimental poet: “For in solitude have communicated with her, our admired Bharat Mata, and my aching head had heard voices saying… ‘The day of freedom is not far off.’ …Sometimes indeed a strange feeling visits me, and I say to myself-Holly, holy is Hinduism. For still is she under the protection of her mighty Rishis and their beauty is around us, but we behold it not.”

That is, "I have heard the voice of India in solitude. My anguished heart has heard this voice many times, "The day of freedom is not far away"... Sometimes very strange thoughts come to my mind and I say, our India is pure and sacred because the ancient sages are protecting it and India has their beauty. But we cannot see them." 

This is the poet's lament that he keeps saying like a crazy excited man "Our mother is very great. She is very powerful. Who has been born to defeat her?" Thus, he simply says sentimentally: “Our national movement must become a purifying mass movement. If it is to fulfil its destiny without falling into class was one of the dangers of Bolshevism.” 

That is, we should transform our national mass movement into a movement for national reform. Only then will we be able to escape the dangers of Bolshevism, of class war. By saying this – go to the poor, go to the villages, give them free medicines – they think that our program is complete. He is a romantic poet. No special meaning can be derived from his poetry; it can only boost the enthusiasm of the heart. They have no program except the echoes of ancient civilization. They do not give anything new to the minds of the youth. He only wants to fill their heart with emotion. He has a great influence on the youth, and it is increasing. These are his conservative views in brief. His ideas have a huge impact despite not having a direct impact on the political sphere. Especially because these ideas are being propagated among the youth, who have to move forward tomorrow.

Now we come to the views of Shri Subhash Chandra Bose and Shri Jawaharlal Nehru. 

For the last two-three months they were made the chairmen of many conferences, and they presented their views before the people. The government considered Subhash Babu as a member of the coup gang and hence he was imprisoned under the Bengal Ordinance. He was released and he became the leader of extremist thought groups. He considers the ideal of India to be complete independence, and in his presidential address at the Maharashtra Conference he propagated this proposal.

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was the son of Swaraj Party leader Pandit Motilal Nehru. He has passed degree in law. He is very learned. He has visited nations like Russia. He was also a leader of the extremist group, and it was only due to the efforts of him and his colleagues that the proposal for complete independence could be accepted in the Madras Conference. He emphasized this point in his speech at the Amritsar Conference. 

Yet, there is a vast difference between the views of these two gentlemen. It was only after reading the speeches of these two presidents of the Amritsar and Maharashtra conferences that the difference in their views became clear to us. But later, in a speech in Bombay, this point became clearer to us. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru presided over the public meeting, and Subhash Chandra delivered the speech. He is a very emotional Bengali. He started his speech by saying that India has a special message for the world. It will give spiritual education to the world. Well, then he starts talking like an excited man - look at the Taj Mahal on a moonlit night and imagine the greatness of the heart from which it was made. Just think, a Bengali novelist has written that 'it is our tears that have frozen and turned into stones.' He also calls for returning back to the Vedas. In his Pune speech, he has said regarding 'nationalism' that internationalists consider nationalism to be a narrow ideology, but this is a mistake. The idea of Indian nationalism is not like that. It is not narrow. It is neither motivated by personal interest nor is it oppressive, because its root or origin is 'Satyam Shivam Sundaram', that is, 'true, beneficial and beautiful.'

This is also the same romanticism. It is pure sentimentality. Besides, he also has great faith in our ancient era. He sees the greatness of his ancient era in everything. In his opinion, the system of Panchayati Raj is not new. He says that 'Panchayati Raj and rule of the people' is very old in India. He even says that communism is not a new thing for India. Well, the thing he emphasized most in his speech that day was that India has a special message for the world.

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and others have completely opposite views. They say – "Whichever country you go to, it understands that it has a special message for the world. England becomes the contractor for teaching culture to the world. I don't see anything special about my country. Subhash Babu has great faith in those things." Jawaharlal says - "Every youth must rebel. Not only in political sphere, but in social, economic and religious spheres also. I have not much use for any man who comes and tells me that such and such thing is said in Koran. Everything unreasonable be discarded even if they find authority for it in the Vedas and Koran." 

I.e., every young person should rebel. Not only in the political field but also in the social, economic and religious fields. I do not need a person who comes and says that such and such thing is written in the Quran. Anything that is not proven correct by one's own understanding should not be accepted, no matter how good it is said in the Vedas and the Quran.

These are the thoughts of a revolutionary and Subhash's thoughts are those of a national reformer. One thinks our old things are very good and the other thinks they should be rebelled against. One is called emotional and the other is called revolutionary and rebellious! Pandit ji says at one place - "To those who still fondly cherish old ideas and are striving to bring back the conditions which prevailed in Arabia 1300 years ago or in the Vedic Age in India. I say that it is inconceivable that you can bring back the hoary past. The world of reality will not retract its steps; the world of imagination may remain stationary."

He says that to those who still want to create the conditions of the Arabia of the time of Quran, that is, 1300 years ago, or who are looking back towards the time of Vedas, I have only this to say that it cannot even be imagined that that era will return, the real world cannot return back, you can keep the imaginary world stable here for a few days. And that is why he feel the need to rebel.

Subhash Babu is in support of complete independence because he says that the British are residents of the West. We are from the East. Pandit Ji says, we should establish our rule and change the entire social system. For that, there is a need to achieve complete freedom.

Subhash Babu sympathizes with the workers and wants to improve their condition. Pandit Ji wants to change the entire system by bringing about a revolution. Subhash is emotional – he is giving a lot to the youth for their heart, but only for their heart. The second one is revolutionary which is giving a lot to the heart as well as the thought - "They should aim at Swaraj for the masses based on socialism. That was a revolutionary change which they could not bring about without revolutionary methods… Mere reform or gradual repairing of the existing machinery could not achieve the real proper Swaraj for the General Masses". In other words - our ideal should be complete independence according to socialist principles, which cannot be achieved without revolutionary methods. Mere reforms and gradual repairs to the existing machinery of government cannot bring real self-rule to the people.

This is a true reflection of their thoughts. Subhash Babu considers it necessary to pay attention to national politics only as long as the question of India's protection and development is relevant in world politics. But Panditji has come out of the narrow confines of nationalism and has come into the open world.

Now the question is that both the ideas have come before us. Which way should we lean? 

A Punjabi newspaper, while praising Subhash, had said about Pandit ji and others that such rebels die by hitting their heads against stones. It should be kept in mind that Punjab is already a very emotional state. People get excited quickly and then settle down like foam.

Subhash today is probably not giving any other mental nourishment except some food for the heart. Now the need is that the youth of Punjab should think carefully and firm up these revolutionary ideas. At this time Punjab is in dire need of mental nourishment and it can be obtained only from Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. This does not mean that one should become their blind supporter. But as far as ideas are concerned, Punjabi youth should join them at this time, so that they can know about the real meaning of revolution, the need for revolution in India, what is the place of revolution in the world, etc. Young people should thoughtfully stabilize their thoughts so that even in times of despair, disappointment, and defeat, they do not fall prey to distraction and can stand alone and face the world. Only in this way will the people be able to fulfil the goal of revolution.

Original Hindi article copied from naubhas.com in 2023

Reference: 

• https://naubhas.com/archives/976
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirti
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sadhu_Vaswani 

नये नेताओं के अलग-अलग विचार

(जुलाई, 1928 के ‘किरती’ में छपे इस लेख में भगतसिंह ने सुभाषचन्द्र बोस और जवाहरलाल नेहरू के विचारों की तुलना की है। बाद में इतिहास ने भगतसिंह के इन विचारों की पुष्टि की। – स.)

असहयोग आन्दोलन की असफलता के बाद जनता में बहुत निराशा और मायूसी फैली। हिन्दू-मुस्लिम झगड़ों ने बचा-खुचा साहस भी ख़त्म कर डाला। लेकिन देश में जब एक बार जागृति फैल जाये तब देश ज़्यादा दिन तक सोया नहीं रह सकता। कुछ ही दिनों बाद जनता बहुत जोश के साथ उठती तथा हमला बोलती है। आज हिन्दुस्तान में फिर जान आ गयी है। हिन्दुस्तान फिर जाग रहा है। देखने में तो कोई बड़ा जन-आन्दोलन नज़र नहीं आता लेकिन नींव ज़रूर मज़बूत की जा रही है। आधुनिक विचारों के अनेक नये नेता सामने आ रहे हैं। इस बार नौजवान नेता ही आगे बढ़े और देश में नौजवानों के ही आन्दोलन चल रहे हैं। नौजवान नेता ही देशभक्त लोगों की नज़रों में आ रहे हैं। बड़े-बड़े नेता बड़े होने के बावजूद एक तरह से पीछे छोड़े जा रहे हैं। इस समय जो नेता आगे आये हैं वे हैं – बंगाल के पूजनीय श्री सुभाषचन्द्र बोस और माननीय पण्डित श्री जवाहरलाल नेहरू। यही दो नेता हिन्दुस्तान में उभरते नज़र आ रहे हैं और युवाओं के आन्दोलनों में विशेष रूप से भाग ले रहे हैं। दोनों ही हिन्दुस्तान की आज़ादी के कट्टर समर्थक हैं। दोनों ही समझदार और सच्चे देशभक्त हैं। लेकिन फिर भी इनके विचारों में ज़मीन-आसमान का अन्तर है। एक को भारत की प्राचीन संस्कृति का उपासक कहा जाता है तो दूसरे को पक्का पश्चिम का शिष्य। एक को कोमल हृदय वाला भावुक कहा जाता है और दूसरे को पक्का युगान्तकारी। हम इस लेख में उनके अलग-अलग विचारों को जनता के समक्ष रखेंगे, ताकि जनता स्वयं उनके अन्तर को समझ सके और स्वयं भी विचार कर सके। लेकिन उन दोनों के विचारों का उल्लेख करने से पूर्व एक और व्यक्ति का उल्लेख करना भी ज़रूरी है जोकि इन्हीं की भाँति स्वतन्त्रता प्रेमी है और युवा-आन्दोलनों की एक विशेष शख़्सियत है। साधू वासवानी जो चाहे कांग्रेस के बड़े नेताओं की भाँति जाने-माने तो नहीं, चाहे देश के राजनीतिक क्षेत्र में उनका कोई विशेष स्थान तो नहीं, तो भी युवाओं पर, जिन्हें कि कल देश की बागडोर सँभालनी है, उनका असर है और उनके ही द्वारा शुरू हुआ आन्दोलन ‘भारत-युवा संघ’ इस समय युवाओं में विशेष प्रभाव रखता है। उनके विचार बिल्कुल अलग ढंग के हैं। उनके विचार एक ही शब्द में बताये जा सकते हैं – “वापस वेदों की ओर लौट चलो।” (बैक टु वेद्स)। यह आवाज़ सबसे पहले आर्यसमाज ने उठायी थी। इस विचार का आधार इस आस्था में है कि वेदों में परमात्मा ने संसार का सारा ज्ञान उँड़ेल दिया है। इससे आगे और अधिक विकास नहीं हो सकता। इसलिए हमारे हिन्दुस्तान ने चौतरफ़ा जो प्रगति कर ली थी उससे आगे न दुनिया बढ़ी है और न बढ़ सकती है! ख़ैर, वासवानी आदि इसी आस्था को मानते हैं। तभी एक जगह कहते हैं –

“हमारी राजनीति ने अब तक कभी तो मैजिनी और वाल्टेयर को अपना आदर्श मानकर उदाहरण स्थापित किये हैं और या कभी लेनिन और टालस्टाय से सबक सीखा। हालाँकि उन्हें ज्ञात होना चाहिए कि उनके पास उनसे कहीं बड़े आदर्श हमारे पुराने ऋषि हैं।” वे इस बात पर यक़ीन करते हैं कि हमारा देश एक बार तो विकास की अन्तिम सीमा तक जा चुका था और आज हमें आगे कहीं भी जाने की आवश्यकता नहीं, बल्कि पीछे लौटने की ज़रूरत है।

आप एक कवि हैं। कवित्व आपके विचारों में सभी जगह नज़र आता है। साथ ही यह धर्म के बहुत बड़े उपासक हैं। यह ‘शक्ति’ धर्म चलाना चाहते हैं। यह कहते हैं, “इस समय हमें शक्ति की अत्यन्त आवश्यकता है।” वह ‘शक्ति’ शब्द का अर्थ केवल भारत के लिए इस्तेमाल नहीं करते। लेकिन उनको इस शब्द से एक प्रकार की देवी का, एक विशेष ईश्वरीय प्राप्ति का विश्वास है। वे एक बहुत भावुक कवि की तरह कहते हैं:

“For in solitude have communicated with her, our admired Bharat Mata, Anad my aching head had heard voices saying… ‘The day of freedom is not far off.’ …Sometimes indeed a strange feeling visits me and I say to myself-Holly, holy is Hinduism. For still is she under the protection of her mighty Rishish and their beaury is around us, but we behold it not.”

अर्थात एकान्त में भारत की आवाज़ मैंने सुनी है। मेरे दुखी मन ने कई बार यह आवाज़ सुनी है कि ‘आज़ादी का दिन दूर नहीं’…कभी-कभी बहुत अजीब विचार मेरे मन में आते हैं और मैं कह उठता हूँ, हमारा हिन्दुस्तान पाक और पवित्र है, क्योंकि पुराने ऋषि उसकी रक्षा कर रहे हैं और उनकी ख़ूबसूरती हिन्दुस्तान के पास है। लेकिन हम उन्हें देख नहीं सकते।

यह कवि का विलाप है कि वह पागलों या दीवानों की तरह कहते रहते हैं: “हमारी माता बड़ी महान है। बहुत शक्तिशाली है। उसे परास्त करने वाला कौन पैदा हुआ है।” इस तरह वे केवल मात्र भावुकता की बातें करते हुए कह जाते हैं: “Our national movement must become a purifying mass movement. If it is to fulfil its destiny without falling into class was one of the dangers of Bolshevism.”

अर्थात हमें अपने राष्ट्रीय जन-आन्दोलन को देश-सुधार का आन्दोलन बना देना चाहिए। तभी हम वर्गयुद्ध के बोल्शेविज़्म के ख़तरों से बच सकेंगे। वह इतना कहकर ही कि ग़रीबों के पास जाओ, गाँवों की ओर जाओ, उनको दवा-दारू मुफ्त दो – समझते हैं कि हमारा कार्यक्रम पूरा हो गया। वे छायावादी कवि हैं। उनकी कविता का कोई विशेष अर्थ तो नहीं निकल सकता, मात्र दिल का उत्साह बढ़ाया जा सकता है। बस पुरातन सभ्यता के शोर के अलावा उनके पास कोई कार्यक्रम नहीं। युवाओं के दिमाग़ों को वे कुछ नया नहीं देते। केवल दिल को भावुकता से ही भरना चाहते हैं। उनका युवाओं में बहुत असर है। और भी पैदा हो रहा है। उनके दकियानूसी और संक्षिप्त-से विचार यही हैं जोकि हमने ऊपर बताये हैं। उनके विचारों का राजनीतिक क्षेत्र में सीधा असर न होने के बावजूद बहुत असर पड़ता है। विशेषकर इस कारण कि नौजवानों, युवाओं को ही कल आगे बढ़ना है और उन्हीं के बीच इन विचारों का प्रचार किया जा रहा है।

अब हम श्री सुभाषचन्द्र बोस और श्री जवाहरलाल नेहरू के विचारों पर आ रहे हैं। दो-तीन महीनों से आप बहुत-सी कॉन्‍फ्रेंसों के अध्यक्ष बनाये गये और आपने अपने-अपने विचार लोगों के सामने रखे। सुभाष बाबू को सरकार तख़्तापलट गिरोह का सदस्य समझती है और इसीलिए उन्हें बंगाल अध्यादेश के अन्तर्गत क़ैद कर रखा था। आप रिहा हुए और गर्म दल के नेता बनाये गये। आप भारत का आदर्श पूर्ण स्वराज्य मानते हैं, और महाराष्ट्र कॉन्‍फ्रेंस में अध्यक्षीय भाषण में आपने इसी प्रस्ताव का प्रचार किया।

पण्डित जवाहरलाल नेहरू स्वराज पार्टी के नेता पण्डित मोतीलाल नेहरू जी के सुपुत्र हैं। बैरिस्टरी पास हैं। आप बहुत विद्वान हैं। आप रूस आदि का दौरा कर आये हैं। आप भी गर्म दल के नेता हैं और मद्रास कॉन्‍फ्रेंस में आपके और आपके साथियों के प्रयासों से ही पूर्ण स्वराज्य का प्रस्ताव स्वीकृत हो सका था। आपने अमृतसर कॉन्‍फ्रेंस के भाषण में भी इसी बात पर ज़ोर दिया। लेकिन फिर भी इन दोनों सज्जनों के विचारों में ज़मीन-आसमान का अन्तर है। अमृतसर और महाराष्ट्र कॉन्‍फ्रेंसों के इन दोनों अध्यक्षों के भाषण पढ़कर ही हमें इनके विचारों का अन्तर स्पष्ट हुआ था। लेकिन बाद में बम्बई के एक भाषण में यह बात स्पष्ट रूप से हमारे सामने आ गयी। पण्डित जवाहरलाल नेहरू इस जनसभा की अध्यक्षता कर रहे थे और सुभाषचन्द्र ने भाषण किया। वह एक बहुत भावुक बंगाली हैं। उन्होंने भाषण आरम्भ किया कि हिन्दुस्तान का दुनिया के नाम एक विशेष सन्देश है। वह दुनिया को आध्यात्मिक शिक्षा देगा। ख़ैर, आगे वे दीवाने की तरह कहना आरम्भ कर देते हैं – चाँदनी रात में ताजमहल को देखो और जिस दिल की यह समझ का परिणाम था, उसकी महानता की कल्पना करो। सोचो एक बंगाली उपन्यासकार ने लिखा है कि हममें ‘यह हमारे आँसू ही जम-जमकर पत्थर बन गये हैं।’ वह भी वापस वेदों की ओर ही लौट चलने का आह्वान करते हैं। आपने अपने पूना वाले भाषण में ‘राष्ट्रवादिता’ के सम्बन्ध में कहा है कि अन्तरराष्ट्रीयतावादी, राष्ट्रीयतावाद को एक संकीर्ण दायरे वाली विचारधारा बताते हैं, लेकिन यह भूल है। हिन्दुस्तानी राष्ट्रीयता का विचार ऐसा नहीं है। वह न संकीर्ण है। न निजी स्वार्थ से प्रेरित है और न उत्पीड़नकारी है, क्योंकि इसकी जड़ या मूल तो यह ‘सत्यम शिवम सुन्दरम’ है, अर्थात ‘सच, कल्याणकारी और सुन्दर।’

यह भी वही छायावाद है। कोरी भावुकता है। साथ ही उन्हें भी अपने पुरातन युग पर बहुत विश्वास है। वह प्रत्येक बात में अपने पुरातन युग की महानता देखते हैं। पंचायतीराज का ढंग उनके विचार में कोई नया नहीं। ‘पंचायती राज और जनता का राज’ वे कहते हैं कि हिन्दुस्तान में बहुत पुराना है। वे तो यहाँ तक कहते हैं कि साम्यवाद भी हिन्दुस्तान के लिए नयी चीज़ नहीं। ख़ैर, उन्होंने सबसे ज़्यादा उस दिन के भाषण में ज़ोर जिस बात पर दिया था वह यह थी कि हिन्दुस्तान का दुनिया के लिए एक विशेष सन्देश है। पण्डित जवाहरलाल आदि के विचार इसके बिल्कुल विपरीत हैं। वे कहते हैं –

“जिस देश में जाओ वही समझता है कि उसका दुनिया के लिए एक विशेष सन्देश है। इंग्लैण्ड दुनिया को संस्कृति सिखाने का ठेकेदार बनता है। मैं तो कोई विशेष बात अपने देश के पास नहीं देखता। सुभाष बाबू को उन बातों पर बहुत यक़ीन है।” जवाहरलाल कहते हैं – “Everyl youth must rebel. Not only in political speher, but in social, economic and religious spheres also. I have not much use for any man who comes and tells me that such and such thing is said in Koran. Every thing unreasonable be discarded even if they find authority for it in the Vedas and Koran.” (यानी) “प्रत्येक नौजवान को विद्रोह करना चाहिए। राजनीतिक क्षेत्र में ही नहीं बल्कि सामाजिक, आर्थिक और धार्मिक क्षेत्र में भी। मुझे ऐसे व्यक्ति की कोई आवश्यकता नहीं जो आकर कहे कि फलाँ बात क़ुरान में लिखी हुई है। कोई बात जो अपनी समझदारी की परख में सही साबित न हो उसे चाहे वेद और क़ुरान में कितना ही अच्छा क्यों न कहा गया हो, नहीं माननी चाहिए।”

यह एक युगान्तकारी के विचार हैं और सुभाष के एक राजपरिवर्तनकारी के विचार हैं। एक के विचार में हमारी पुरानी चीज़ें बहुत अच्छी हैं और दूसरे के विचार में उनके विरुद्ध विद्रोह कर दिया जाना चाहिए। एक को भावुक कहा जाता है और एक को युगान्तकारी और विद्रोही! पण्डित जी एक स्थान पर कहते हैं –“To those who still fondly cherish old ideas and are striving to bring back the conditions which prevailed in Arabia 1300 years ago or in the vedic Age in India. I say, that it is inconcievable that you can bring back the hoary past. The world of reality will not retrac its steps, the world of imagiation may remain stationary.”

वे कहते हैं कि जो अब भी क़ुरान के ज़माने के, अर्थात 1300 बरस पीछे के अरब की स्थितियाँ पैदा करना चाहते हैं या जो पीछे वेदों के ज़माने की ओर देख रहे हैं उनसे मेरा यही कहना है कि यह तो सोचा भी नहीं जा सकता कि वह युग वापस लौट आयेगा, वास्तविक दुनिया पीछे नहीं लौट सकती, काल्पनिक दुनिया को चाहे कुछ दिन यहीं स्थिर रखो। और इसीलिए वे विद्रोह की आवश्यकता महसूस करते हैं।

सुभाष बाबू पूर्ण स्वराज के समर्थन में हैं क्योंकि वे कहते हैं कि अंग्रेज़ पश्चिम के वासी हैं। हम पूर्व के। पण्डित जी कहते हैं, हमें अपना राज क़ायम करके सारी सामाजिक व्यवस्था बदलनी चाहिए। उसके लिए पूरी-पूरी स्वतन्त्रता प्राप्त करने की आवश्यकता है।

सुभाष बाबू मज़दूरों से सहानुभूति रखते हैं और उनकी स्थिति सुधारना चाहते हैं। पण्डित जी एक क्रान्ति करके सारी व्यवस्था ही बदल देना चाहते हैं। सुभाष भावुक हैं – दिल के लिए नौजवानों को बहुत कुछ दे रहे हैं, पर मात्र दिल के लिए। दूसरा युगान्तकारी है जोकि दिल के साथ-साथ दिमाग़ को भी बहुत कुछ दे रहा है – “They should aim at Swaraj for the masses based on socialism. That was a revolutionary chang which they could not bring about without revolutionary methods… Mere reform or gradual reparing of the existing machinery could not achieve the real proper Swaraj for the General Masses.” (अर्थात) हमारा आदर्श समाजवादी सिद्धान्तों के अनुसार पूर्ण स्वराज्य होना चाहिए, जोकि युगान्तकारी तरीक़ों के बिना प्राप्त नहीं हो सकता। केवल सुधार और मौजूदा सरकार की मशीनरी की धीमी-धीमी की गयी मरम्मत जनता के लिए वास्तविक स्वराज्य नहीं ला सकती।

यह उनके विचारों का ठीक-ठीक अक्स है। सुभाष बाबू राष्ट्रीय राजनीति की ओर उतने समय तक ही ध्यान देना आवश्यक समझते हैं जितने समय तक दुनिया की राजनीति में हिन्दुस्तान की रक्षा और विकास का सवाल है। परन्तु पण्डित जी राष्ट्रीयता के संकीर्ण दायरों से निकलकर खुले मैदान में आ गये हैं।

अब सवाल यह है कि हमारे सामने दोनों विचार आ गये हैं। हमें किस ओर झुकना चाहिए। एक पंजाबी समाचारपत्र ने सुभाष की तारीफ़ के पुल बाँधकर पण्डित जी आदि के बारे में कहा था कि ऐसे विद्रोही पत्थरों से सिर मार-मारकर मर जाते हैं। ध्यान रखना चाहिए कि पंजाब पहले ही बहुत भावुक प्रान्त है। लोग जल्द ही जोश में आ जाते हैं और जल्द ही झाग की तरह बैठ जाते हैं।

सुभाष आज शायद दिल को कुछ भोजन देने के अलावा कोई दूसरी मानसिक ख़ुराक नहीं दे रहे हैं। अब आवश्यकता इस बात की है कि पंजाब के नौजवानों को इन युगान्तकारी विचारों को ख़ूब सोच-विचारकर पक्का कर लेना चाहिए। इस समय पंजाब को मानसिक भोजन की सख़्त ज़रूरत है और यह पण्डित जवाहरलाल नेहरू से ही मिल सकता है। इसका अर्थ यह नहीं है कि उनके अन्धे पैरोकार बन जाना चाहिए। लेकिन जहाँ तक विचारों का सम्बन्ध है, वहाँ तक इस समय पंजाबी नौजवानों को उनके साथ लगना चाहिए, ताकि वे इन्‍क़लाब के वास्तविक अर्थ, हिन्दुस्तान में इन्‍क़लाब की आवश्यकता, दुनिया में इन्‍क़लाब का स्थान क्या है, आदि के बारे में जान सकें। सोच-विचार के साथ नौजवान अपने विचारों को स्थिर करें ताकि निराशा, मायूसी और पराजय के समय में भी भटकाव के शिकार न हों और अकेले खड़े होकर दुनिया से मुक़ाबले में डटे रह सकें। इसी तरह जनता इन्‍क़लाब के ध्येय को पूरा कर सकेगी।

#ForAnnaForAll, May Day 2025

May 1, 2025: This May Day was meaningful. As part of #ForAnnaForAll campaign, AIPC Kerala had inaugurated a people campaign, followed by two panel discussions. I have captured the event in my capacity for sharing the message,

Inaugural Session

Sri. Ranjith Balan

AIPC had conducted 1000+ surveys after the launch of #ForAnnaForAll campaign. We will be doing public consultation and speak up campaign to form guidelines on workplace wellness to prevent any more tragic incidents, like that of Anna Sebastian.

Shri. Praveen Chakravarty

Thanks to Anna’s parents for being very clear. Even at the height of their personal lose, the do not want such tragic incidents to happen to any more people in our country. We have been trying to bring this as a national issue for quite some time. Rahul Gandhi had promised the family that he will work for raising awareness on workplace wellness across the country. In line with his commitment, we have been organizing protests and meetings across the country and is working to bring a guideline on workplace wellness.

May 1 is observed as international Labor Day. In addition, AIPC wants to observe this day as professionals’ day as well. A day that we wish to observe for the cause of care, dignity, and security of working professionals. Kerala, as one of the most professional filled states, should lead this by example.

We do not want to see any more incidents like that of Anna Sebastian. The counter measures should be raised from Kerala. We have to set the example from one state; we believe that Kerala is the best state to lead the initiative.

After 2024 parliament elections, there is a pattern in India. Once INC or Rahul Gandhi takes up any serious actions, the union government is tended to duplicate the wisdom. The last example is that of cast census. RSS government is in power for last ten years, but they never found it worth to do a cast census across the country. Rahul Gandhi has been up in arms for a cast census for several years. After victory in Telangana, the INC government conducted a scientific cast survey in the state and started using it to improve fare distribution of access and resources.

Similar is the case of GIG workers in our country. The people who are finding their life by aligning to Zomato, Swiggy, Ola like service providers, they are called GIG workers. But we wish to call them as GIG professionals. They work hard, but they do not have any social security protection, not even accident protection coverage. They are reported to be working many hours a day, 14, 15, to 18 hours of hectic work. They do not have job security either. The Karnataka and Telangana state governments interfered by introducing GIG workers social security bills in their respective assemblies. Inspired by this, union welfare ministry has started looking in to the matter.

We welcome the moves by union government to adopt the good practices, showcased by INC governments. It highlights that the best way to get it implemented at union level is to establish something and prove that it is doable at least in one state.

Our commitment to Anna’s parents is also in this direction. We wish to improve the working conditions of professionals in our country. We want to make their lives better. We want to offer them a more dignified life. We are all assembled here to deliberate on how to reduce pressure on working professionals. As an initial step, we aim to bring laws or guidelines in this direction.

Working professionals are formally not represented by any political party. In 2026, when UDF comes to power, we want to enact a law for protecting safety and dignity of working professionals, a law at the state level. The draft guidelines we are envisaging will be useful for that objective.

I wish to repeat that we wish to observe May 1^st as professionals’ day as well. We wish to arrive at a good guideline that will betterment for the whole working professionals. We do not want see any more of us to be in the state of Anna or her parents.

At every district level, we will be conducting stake holder meetings, with young professionals and their parents. This will not be limited to IT professionals, wish to include all professionals, for example from health sector as well. We are anticipating a three month effort at district level and based on this we wish to come up with draft guidelines on this topic. The draft guidelines will be subjected to wide public consultations, including national leaders and state leaders. Thus, we will be taking up this in a meaningful way to the government. This is going to be an open and transparent process and going to end in this one-day event. By bringing draft guidelines and publication, we wish Kerala to lead this initiative. On successful establishment, we are sure that RSS will try to imitate us. Since country is going to be benefitted, we will be happy on that.

Smt. Deepa Dasmunshi

In this international Labor Day, while we are with the #ForAnnaForAll campaign, I wish that peace be upon Anna, wherever she is now.

Many surveys on Kerala shows that 60 percentage of our population will be 60+ years old. While 15-20 percentage of us are in 40-60-year age group, youth is only around 20-25 percentage among us. Many youngsters go out of Kerala for better opportunities. They want better dignity; they are not ready to bear work pressure or workplace harassments. We need to build an understanding, compassionate, and healthy work environment to retain them. They are also after good career opportunities, and they want to support people at home. They dream for better work culture and living standards. As mentioned here, we will be conducting interactive sessions in every district to collect feedback on how we can improve the situation.

Rahul Gandhi is consistently raising his voice for social justice for all people – Nyay for everyone. While his first yathra was for spreading love, his second yathra was for social justice. He has been demanding for cast census for several years. We were not demanding it just for reservation but was for empowerment of the majority of people who are socially back word. Union government finally agreed to his demand.

Our current campaign is not just for young generation. It is for SC/ST, women, young and all segments that are facing difficulty in workplace. We do not want loopholes in the system that allows current situation. We understand the grief and pain of Anna’s parents and we wish to say that Anna is with us and will lead this campaign to prevent more Anna like incidents.

Shri. Ramesh Chennithala

Praveen had made a new structure for AIPC, and its in more capable situation to take social commitments. Rahul Gandhi is very particular of involvement of professionals in nation building and hence have high expectation on AIPC. We have started Prof Con in Kerala, and the professional grouping pave way to the formation of AIPC at the national level.

#ForAnnaForAll is a much relevant campaign in today’s world. Globalization and liberalization have changed our priorities. Attracting investment is the order of the day, all governments are promoting private participation.

Around 83 percentage of Indians are employable, but around 60 percentage of them are unemployed. The situation in Kerala is more serious, our young people are going abroad, due to lack of decent jobs here.

During his governments, on each US visit, Dr. Manmohan Sing urged the US Indians to come back to India and generate opportunities here. Now, in our country, availability of jobs is in all time decline. We need to seriously introspect our situation. Rahul Gandhi is very keen on problems of our youngsters, and he had raised in many forums.

The unemployment may be categorized as unemployment among educated people and unemployment among uneducated people. In both of them unemployment is in alarming high levels. Railways were known to be the largest employment provider in our country, but their recruitments are in standstill for many years. At joint secretary level permanent recruitments are on unofficial ban for most of the union government departments. On the other hand, contract jobs are on the rise, permanent jobs are being reduced. Even in our armed forces, Agniveer like contract schemes are being promoted.

The second major aspect is right balance at the workplace. The companies are being run for their making profit, it is a reality. The employer has the responsibility to provide a healthy workplace for its employees. It is one of the prime duties of the employer to ensure a fair atmosphere at workplace. The distribution of work is very important; employees should not be overloaded with responsibilities. People should not feel exhausted.

Today, on this international Labor Day, I wish to demand private employers, that they have to take care of their employees. People like NRN of Infosys has urged for 12 hours work per day, the chairman of L&T went one more step ahead to demand 18 hours workday without weekends. Such vulnerable views have no social holdings. Such arrogant attitude must change.

In fact, there should be adequate laws and legislature to oversee such unhealthy demands, it should not be left for the freedom of employer. More collective thoughts have to happen in this direction.

Around 80 to 85 percentage of Indian population is of SC/ST, OBCs and other marginalized sections. But in the professional field, their relative representation is considerably low. As a nation, we have the responsibility to ensure proper representation and access to them in all fronts. These sections are marginalized and ignored or taken for granted for centuries. They have difficulties in accessing opportunities. Timely caste census is the first step to collect data to plan for action. Our beloved leader Rahul Gandhi has been consistently vocal for this, for years.

80 to 90 percent of good opportunities in our country is still owned by elite segments who are in better positions to grab them. State governments cannot go for census. But INC ruled Telangana and Karnataka governments have gone for scientific and transparent caste surveys in timebound manner and bound act on them realistically to ensure social justice.

Union government had introduced women empowerment bill in parliament, but unfortunately, they are going to be implemented in 2030. This is not the way things have to be done. Justice to be bought in time bound manner. The caste census, off late announced by RSS government, has to transparent, inclusive and time bound. This is not a political demand. It is for the future of our country and for wellbeing of all of us.

Anna’s Parents

They have launched a workplace wellness related website launched by AIPC and started a signature campaign to bring joy and justice in every workplace, as part of #ForAnnaForAll campaign of AIPC.

They have mentioned that Anna was a bright student, right from her school days. She was her college topper also. Anna passed her CA exam in her first attempt itself. She was always passionate to mentor fellow students to bring them to mark. She used to involve with orphanages and help orphan students to prepare for exams and used to prepare study notes for them. She was a much socially committed and involved child. They shared that she was a very confident individual who was always ready for hard work.

Ernest & Young is a multi-national entity, and Anna was much excited to work with them. She was working in their audit department, and at the time of her demise she was working on audit of some of the Bajaj institutions. Many of her seniors expressed that her work and findings were outstanding and ahead of her age. She was passionate and used to fully involved in work. During financial deadlines, like that of SEBI ones, she was subject to high pressure for immediate delivery. Even at midnight she used to get formal and informal assignments. E&Y have good employee care system worldwide, but the standards they follow in India is much vulnerable. The undue pressure and her openness to take up and deliver quality work led to her sad end. Her mind was ambitions and confident, but her body could not stand by it.

They emphasized the height of their loss, as Anna was a much involved loving child. They insisted their wish that no other child in our country and no other parent among us should be subject to this type of unfortunate events. They pleaded for truth in AIPC campaign #ForAnnaForAll and wish it should make a meaningful impact on us.

Shri. M. Liju

Liju was touched by the details and wishes shared by Anna’s parents. His words were short and precise.

Anna is understood to be a bold individual. She was not a socially isolated youngster. Instead, she was one who was having an active social life and commitment. We are deeply saddened by loss of such a person.

The AIPC is slogan demanding joy and justice in every workplace is very apt for the context. It is the ideal situation; we want to achieve. But we are far away from it, right now. We have to work and involve in hard way to achieve it.

We are taking up the case of Anna in this Labor Day. On this day, we have established the 8-8-8 hours pattern of working and personal hours for balanced life. The demand for changing this and to promote 12 hours or 18 hours of work is not acceptable. The sad advice of persons like Narayanamoorthy of Infosys are unfortunate. I view them as burn out desires of exhausted individuals. We should not take such burn out desires as our advice, we should ignore and resist such overhauls.

The need of the hour is to establish better workplaces and working atmosphere. We need to give more importance to this in policy making.

Panel Discussion 1: Office Wellness: A Muti-Sector Dialogue

Vinitha Joseph (HR Consultant)

The panel discussion was anchored by Vinitha. After first round of opinions, she has invited attention of the panel to life skills, generation gap and isolation levels and its impact on wellness. She was also airing need of awareness, wellness and agility.

Dr. B Ashok (Vice Chancellor, Kerala Agriculture University)

We should not think that workplace issues are only in private sector. There are workplace harassment issues in government sector as well. Some of them are systemic even and we are struggling to make a difference. To give a feel of it, I will mention two scenarios related to maternity alone.

The first case is about getting maternity benefits for the delivery of the third child, most of the finance departments have reluctance in granting it, even though the new maternity benefit act allows it. The old rules have barriers in it, only the Punjab and the West Bengal governments have extended the benefits under courts intervention.

The second case is about granting maternity leave for an employee who is leave without pay or leave for education. Many of our departments have reservations in voluntarily granting maternity leave in this context. People have to raise the issue via court or have to reach out to higher authorities to get it granted. It took me 13 months to get it granted for a lady employee.

These indications shows that the system is not fully designed to be employee or people friendly. We have to discuss about workplace wellness and employee friendliness across government and private sectors.

The lengthy work hours is another serious issue that needs our attention. India has an average 56 hours in a work week. In the US and UK, it is 30 hours per week and they are pushing for 4 day working week. In Asian countries like UAE, Afghanistan and all the average is much higher and it goes up to 60 hours per week. When we are saying 56 hours is our average work hours per week, we should understand that at weaker sections it goes up to 80 hours per week!

10 hours, 4 days per week or 8 hours, 5 days a week will be 40 work hours per week. This could be an ideal condition for us. But one of the realistic expectations would be to target 45 work hours per week. When we are saying 40 work hours per week, it is not including commutation break lunch break etc. If we include those also, it will be 60 hours per week.

When we are limiting work hours to international standards, we will be getting additional time to spend with family and society. We are advocating parents of adolescent kids to spend more time from them. Like that, restricting work hours will be beneficial for the overall betterment.

2 days work per week is too much for us to aim now. 40 hours per week, 8 hours per day itself is a good target. The handling of maternity and other people issues should be dealt with compassion. Artificial Intelligence, is going to bring an impact, which we need to be ready to face.

Addressing mental health issues openly, would be a great step to go forward. People used to complicate things and most of the time the subordinates will be victims of such issues.

Anoop Ambika (CEO, Kerala Startup Mission)

When I checked with graduates 4 years back, the first salary expectation was 30000 to 40000 per month. When I checked 4 months back, the expectation is 1 lakh per month. There is a rise in expectation, it is due to the consumer driven needs. Every one need good cars, branded goods etc. As the needs are more, so is the need for money as well. This material push is making people to work hard. The demand and greed, tend to compromise on need to balance.

There is also a considerable academia industry gap. Youngsters are forced to work more to fill the gap, they have to put additional effort to do the work.

There are problems of inclusiveness through out industry. There is still parity issues in pay based on gender for example. Girls used to complain that boys of same age group and exposure gets better pays compared to them.

Another aspect, we have to attend is the focus of work. Are we effective in work, for the entire work hours we are slogging. Much time attributed to work, is unproductive. This is also, an area to be improved, the focus on tasks will help to deliver it effectively, and may reduce pressure.

In the industry, the most valuable are generally the most paid ones. Most of the private companies works based on next 18 months cash flow. If the best employee applies for a maternity leave, at least for the startups, it is an existential issue.

The art of saying NO is missing with many of us. We need to develop the skill to resist unhealthy advances. Being said that new generation people are reluctant to take up filler work, that are meaningless.

Recently, Bill Gates of Microsoft advocated for 2 days a work week. This should be viewed in the context of artificial intelligence. Most of the work may be automated in the near future and people may become jobless. Keeping people engaged may be a task for future governments.

There is a wide lack of awareness of labor laws. The labor law literacy needs to be included in the curriculum, to increase the awareness. In similar way, we need to include financial literacy also in curriculum, which could give a good picture for people to invest or manage the wealth they are making. This will be constructive to the society.

Sreekumar V (Secretary, GTECH)

The information technology industry works on deadlines. Be it time and material contract or be it fixed time contract, deadlines are something we have to adhere to. In this industry specifically, in addition to doing the work, we are spending time to understand the work as well. Employees may have extended work hours, but it is not a consistent pattern. Towards deadline, we may have extended hours spent on work, other times generally, we enjoy relaxed hours of work.

The work from home pattern as well as hybrid work patterns are getting un productive. People are mixing up both in personal tasks as well as professional tasks, as a result the productivity of employees are getting affected. In these arrangements, the work pressure is getting high as there is no cap for work hours.

Regardless of the challenges in the industry, talent is in demand in the IT industry. Human resources departments are struggling to manage attrition. Due to this demand, it is inevitable for employers to focus on workplace wellness.

Human resources departments are now being converted to people connect departments. They are focusing on employee engagement programs. The capabilities and expectations of youngsters are quite high, companies are trying to cop up with it.

While issuing contracts, the US and European companies are now reviewing the workplace wellness programs of the vendors, along with other documentation. The workplace standards for happiness and wellness are now important to grab better IT contracts.

Shilpa Gopakumar (IT HR Professional)

I have struggled a lot in my earlier employments. But I am happy with current employer. Due to parental pressure, I happened to become an engineering graduate. In the career phase I switched to human resources management field. Employers are doing lots of things to take care of well being of employees in the IT sector.

Like NAASCOM, it may be better to develop some workers council to generally take up issues encountered by employees. A counselor on board, similar to doctor on board may be very helpful for addressing mental health issues of employees. A good staff council may be a good initiative to keep people first.

As employee, we should realize that we are replaceable in the current employment context. Hence, we should learn to keep us first.

Anoop Prakash (National Sales Head, Chola MS General Insurance)

Employee wellness is not limited to one aspect. The mental wellbeing, the financial wellbeing as well as good health may be components of wellness. We often limit our discussion to selected components only. We have to consider all angles of wellbeing.

I have also faced many challenged in the beginning of my career. My current employer has several programs for employee wellness. There are pressure mounting scenarios, but there are supporting mechanisms as well.

The skills to say effective NO is a quality to be developed. The freshers are mostly reluctant to say NO. Most of them are passionate to work to establish. But the passion is exploited many a times.

Panel Discussion 2: Defining Workplace Wellness

Veena S (Social Activist)

The panel discussion was anchored by Veena

K S Sabarinathan (Ex. MLA, Ex. Tata Sons Employee)

We should first understand the stress potential of our society. Most of the organizational structures we are dealing with demand over work to prove ourselves in the initial phase, at least. The stress and anxiety of an employee is not different from the physical stress of a daily wage employee. Direct and indirect involvement of government and institutions are much required to manage the stress potential. Human rights panel also may be involved.

The junior most employees are generally at the receiving end, they will be the last mile employee of the organized sector, who will be just new entrants with decent wages. They are essentially at the bottom line of the taking order; in order to prove themselves they may be vulnerable to take additional work. If we observe, Anna also falls into this category.

The generation gap is also a problem. Parents do not understand the new age pressure scenarios youngsters are going through. Parents have to put effort to learn and understand the atmosphere and realities.

AIPC may advocate for workers councils. APIC can also raise the cause of GIG workers, their conditions have to be taken care in a socialistic way. As a bottom line, the basic work life wellness is ensuring minimum security at workplace.

Dr. Sreejith N Kumar (Former President, IMA, Kerala)

Beyond policies, we should understand that the society will be happy, when all of us are happy. So, we may start by making ourselves happy.

How do we identify whether a work is good for me? Probably if I am happy to share something about it, the work may be interesting for me. If we identify our passion, we may be more comfortable around it. If we are fascinated in doing something, continue doing it. If we do not like the work, try to move away from it as soon as possible. IKIGAI principles may be useful to keep us happy.

The food we eat is very important for our wellness. While selecting food, think a little about anthropology of our food, where we are coming from has to decide our food. A good combination of food will be a lot of vegetables and proteins. Avoid grains to the maximum. If possible, avoid food; fasting is a good way to keep us healthy. Vegetables, even with pesticide is better than grains with non veg.

Moving like a human being is another important stuff. Walking or doing exercise is an effective proven stress buster. Practice to have 1000 steps a day or do proper exercise. It will get rid of fatty lever and will be helping us to be relaxed.

Reserve 5 to 8 hours for sleep. Do not use sleep time to work. Brain needs rest, else will be stressed and counterproductive.

Try to speak out, share your feelings with others. Sharing makes ourselves relaxed. Do not hesitate to reach out to counselors, it’s a good way to share things and relax ourselves.

Dr. Anand Marthanda (Director, Ananthapuri Hospitals)

Office wellness is firstly related to mental health. At the end of the day, are we happy after work hours? It matters. The financial and physical aspects also contribute to wellness.

Whether we are passionate to do the work, whether we have the right aptitude to do the work, that also is important. The healthy relationship with seniors is also another aspect that may affect office wellness.

Deepa N (IT Professional)

It is important to have a space to open up. The space should not be judgmental, we should be able to express as we are. It may start from our families. If we give space inside families to open up, we will have less reluctance to open up in workplace as well.

Awareness of mental health and availability of mental health helpline will also help us to manage workplace wellness. We should be open to accept mental health issues, to deal them effectively. Like the mandatory POSCH training, mandatory mental health training is also may be required at workplaces.

Ability to listen and ability to deal situations with empathy could also help to manage wellness issues effectively. We should be sharing, understanding and caring.

Rejimon Kuttappan (Social Activist and Independent Journalist)

Rejimon was studying the forced labor and bonded labor issues across India. The truth of India’s true labor force is very serious, they are more important than the flimsy solutions being discussed.

The blue/white collar workers, or the workers in the organized sector are an absolute minority, compared to the vast population of unorganized workmen in our country. They are more involved in daily wages and bonded labor. They are neither permanent employee, not contract employees.

Indian society’s understanding of "workplace wellness" is shallow, and that’s by design. Most workers -especially in unorganized sectors, which employ over 80% of the workforce don’t have the luxury of pondering abstract concepts like wellness. They’re fighting for basic rights: fair wages, safe conditions, and job security. The term is largely confined to urban, white-collar spaces, where it’s peddled as yoga sessions or mental health apps, ignoring the grinding reality of long hours, low pay, and precarious contracts. Even in these "progressive" workplaces, wellness is a corporate checkbox, not a genuine concern. The average worker knows exploitation better than they know this jargon, and they’re not fooled by it.

The "socio-cultural fabric" is a fancy way of dodging caste, class, gender, and religious discrimination, which are baked into India’s workplaces. Dalits face exclusion, women battle harassment, and minorities navigate bias daily. Wellness programs won’t fix this—they’re bandages on a broken system.

While focusing on trees, we are forgetting the woods. The discussion of work-related wellness will be meaningless, only if we are focusing on the issues of handful of professionals. It will be meaningful, only if we are taking up the cause of the unorganized and bonded workmen effectively. Rahul Gandhi, has been interacting with these marginalized sections nation wide and he stand convinced for the upliftment of them. We are talking about wholistic wellness of employees working in AC rooms. They are also not realizing that they are also in air-conditioned sweat shops!

As Dr. Ashok mentioned in the previous session, when we are saying that we are having an average 45 work hours per week, it also states that there are marginalized sections who are working 80 hours a week. Among the 52.4 crore workers in India, only 10 percentage is organized, they only have unions to bargain for their rights. The 42.8 crore workers are out of any such discussions.

I have been to large warehouses of online retails giants in Uttar Pradesh and other northern states. The female daily workers are working there for 12 to 14 hours without break. They are not even allowed to take breaks to change their sanitary pads during their periods. They are not even allowed to take rest for 10 minutes even in their menstrual periods, and they are paid less, less than 10000 rupees per month. That is the hard reality in our workplaces.

Around 2.3 crores workers are in GIG economy now, the number may only increase. Who are these people? They are our unemployed youth, who are not able to grab a permanent job, not even a contract job! They have been called partners by the aggregators. What type of partners? the loss is being shared to them not profit. They are intentionally called partners and not employees to get them out of the purview of labor laws. There is no job security, it is hire and fire situation in the ground.

All the major laws are regulations related to employees – be it labor laws, PF, ESI, DA – all were formulated before independence, when Dr. B R Ambedkar was the labor minister. That time the British India was literally run by the industries and money lords. But he was willful to form rules, for example to fix the work hours to 8 hours per day. In 1942, Dr. Ambedkar could reduce daily work hours from 14 to 8 hours. Now, in 2025 our system is listening to greed cries to increase daily work hours from 8 to 14 or 16! The aggression is only to increase profit, for a handful. We should be focusing on wellbeing of the larger set.

There are rules and regulations on definition of profit, how profit share has to be distributed among employees via bonus and other means. But the pay hikes and bonuses are granted as if they are paid by the mercy of the employer or higher officials.

In short, workplace wellness in India is a mirage unless it’s grounded in justice, not jargon. Workers don’t need mindfulness apps; they need power, dignity, and rights. Channel Ambedkar’s vision: demand fair wages, humane hours, and ironclad rights.  Join the unionist movement—without it, exploitation will deepen. The choice is stark: unite for justice or be crushed by greed.  

The need of the hour is to unionize the unorganized sector and the GIG workers to give them collective bargaining power. Unless they have bargaining power, no fundamental change will happen to the situation. The wellness or workplace wellness is directly linked to the bargaining power.

Warning: Please note that above words are not directly in the tone and sense of the personalities participated in the event. I have re-presented them, as I have understood or perceived from the speeches and panel discussions. To simplify the style of writing, I have presented in active voice and request the reader to take note of this approach and avoid directly attributing the views without cross validating with them.

My suggestions

Obedience vs Assertiveness

We are growing our children by preaching obedience. The ability to question and the ability to say no is low due to this practice. It is not just saying the ability to say no. We also have to train our kids to assert their right to demand for time.

Work is not Passion

What is work? Work is the service an employer sells to his employer under predefined conditions of time and effort. We should be very clear about that. Work is not the end of life. We should not mix life with passion. Passion is something we wish to engage, which is not paid work. If we insist to have 8-8-8-hour guidelines enforced, we will have time to find time for passion.

There should be regulations to define work and expectation in employment contracts in public and private sectors. The work should be defined, and any additional scope should be chargeable and should be accounted. Now, employment contracts are vaguely defined and is the root of all exploitations.

Need of Resource Pools

The large corporate houses have enough surplus fund to scale up employee strength or manage excess employees for projects in pipeline. But the midsized employers and startups have issues in scaling up and down. This also may be a reason for squeezing available employees to avoid unmanageable scaling.

GTECH, NASCOM like forums or Employment Exchanges like government forums may be leveraged to maintain a bench of skilled workforce. This will provide small organizations in resource scaling on demand. The employees may be kept in the rolls of such mechanisms so that they may not loose job abruptly. Already Capgemini like private firms is working in this pattern for larger players. Governments may act here to promote such services for lower players so that uncertainty introduced pressure may be managed.