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Symposium on SGI President Daisaku Ikeda’s 2016 peace proposal held at Chennai

July 6, 2016
Chennai

Bharat Soka Gakkai organised its first peace symposium of this year in Chennai on the 6th of July based on SGI President Daisaku Ikeda’s Peace Proposal for 2016, titled “Universal Respect for Human Dignity: The Great Path to Peace”.

The symposium was attended by over 600 guests & VIPs.

There were three speakers – Dr G.Viswanathan, Founder and Chancellor of VIT University, Dr D. Vishwanathan, Former Vice Chancellor of Anna University and Dr Lalitha Balakrishnan, Principal MOP Vaishnav College for Women, Chennai.

All the three speakers were very appreciative of SGI President Ikeda and SGI and congratulated BSG for organizing a seminar on world peace which is a big step considering the present situation in our society where people do not care even for their neighbors.

The first speaker Dr D. Viswanathan spoke on the role of education in society and the responsibility of teachers shaping the future of the students and empowering them to follow the right path in life. He also shared few learnings from his mentor Dr Abdul Kalam (former President of India) who always stressed on the role of the youth in achieving world peace.

The second speaker Dr Lalitha Balakrsihnan emphasized on creating inner peace by becoming more positive person and also by creating harmonious families which will lead to peaceful societies and peaceful world. She echoed President Ikeda’s Message of resolving conflict through dialogue and said “In any conflict, one should not react, but, respond”.
The Keynote Speaker Dr G Vishwanathan also emphasized on the role of education in shaping an individual and thereby society especially the role of youth. He mentioned he was very happy to learn that 50% of BSG membership is youth. He also supported President Ikeda’s views on Nuclear Disarmament.

The welcome address was given by BSG Chairperson Mr. Vishesh Gupta and vote of thanks by Director & Head – External Relations Ms. Rashi Ahuja.

The symposium was well covered by the media – both electronic and print. Media Coverage

Gandhi, King, Ikeda Exhibition Held at the ASN School, New Delhi

April 21-23, 2016
New Delhi

ASN School in Mayur Vihar-I, New Delhi hosted the Gandhi, King, Ikeda: Building a Legacy of Peace exhibition in association with Bharat Soka Gakkai, from 21-23 April. This is an international exhibition put together by the Morehouse College, USA.

Indian freedom fighter Mohandas K. Gandhi, American civil rights advocate Martin Luther King Jr., and Buddhist philosopher, educator and author Daisaku Ikeda — three men from three different cultures and continents, have followed a common path of profound dedication and achievement in improving the lives of all people. The exhibition conveys the ideals and principles that these giants of the 20th century, lived by and propagated.

Mr. Dinesh Kumar Bhawsar, Deputy Education Advisor, HRD, Govt. of India inaugurated the exhibition, which was also attended by the BSG Chairperson Mr. Vishesh Gupta. The event started with the two of them going through the inspiring panels featuring colourful photographs, inspiring quotes and factual information about the three personalities; beautifully explained by the school’s students. Next was a thought provoking cultural programme presented by class XI students of the school, comprising skits, songs, and quiz, on social and humanitarian issues.

The school’s Principal, Ms. Sonia Luthra in her speech said that the need of the hour is to ensure world peace and it is only possible if each individual especially the young generation feel it their responsibility and take action to spread it.

Addressing the audience, Mr. Bhawsar said that there are many friends of peace, such as courage, love, kindness, honesty, and if one inculcate these qualities then once can spread peace. Earlier he also left his comment after seeing the exhibition that “The school and BSG organised a thoughtful event to teach us and understand peace. Students of the school explained peace in a very simplified way.”

Mr. Gupta praised the school students and said the values they learn in the school will help them throughout their life. He further said that one individual can change the world for better by becoming a good human being. He also asked students to imbibe their school’s motto ‘Faith & Follow, Act & Achieve, Serve & Smile’, in their lives.

Students very enthusiastically explained the importance of panels to the visitors and some of them shared what they have learnt from it. Kaustubh Joshi from class XI said that he learnt more about Gandhi’s life and he will strive to imbibe his qualities. Divesh Khanagwal said that this is for the first time that he got to know so much about Martin Luther and he’ll try and make friends by changing himself.

More than 2700 visitors who saw the inspiring exhibition were all praise for it. Some in their comments wrote: “Beautiful idea. Wonderfully executed, children got to know the three personalities in detail, their hard life and their contributions to the mankind.” “Great efforts. Tried to make students understand about the significance of peace and harmony.” “The exhibition has been a wonderful eye opening effort, definitely for school children.” “Very informative and facts about Rosa Park and others really left positive impact on children.”

A very powerful documentary on the same theme titled Gandhi, King, Ikeda: Community Builders was also shown many times during the three-days event. On the second day, the school organised poster-making and slogan writing competitions on 22nd April on the same theme, in which the students unleashed their imagination.

“Gandhi, King, Ikeda: A Legacy Of Building Peace” Exhibition Held At Jagran Lakecity University, Bhopal

February 26-27, 2016
Jagran Lakecity University, Bhopal
The two-day long exhibition titled “Gandhi, King, Ikeda: A Legacy of Building Peace” was inaugurated on 26th February 2016 at Jagran Lakecity University, Bhopal. This exhibition was held in conjunction with an International Conference on Life Skills Education on 26th and 27th February 2016 held at the same venue. The exhibition received great reception and enthusiastic participation from one and all. The exhibition was inaugurated by Mr. Keith Falconer, Venture Capitalist, Hong Kong, along with Shri Hari Mohan Gupta, Chancellor of Jagran Lakecity University.
After viewing the exhibition, one visitor remarked, “This is a great presentation that captures the lives of three leaders of the world who are devoted to world peace”. Another visitor summed up the message saying, “This is the way we need to educate our society”.

Many educators and academicians viewed the exhibition and were deeply appreciative of the exhibition panels and by the passionate explanation by the volunteers. BSG members went all out to explain the deep message of ‘power of one’ as conveyed by the panels.

During the conclusion of the two-day conference, Prof. Anoop Swaroop, Vice-Chancellor of Jagran Lakecity University, spoke about the great influence of Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Daisaku Ikeda had on our world and spoke about the need for Human Revolution as advocated by Dr. Daisaku Ikeda.

“Seeds of Hope” Exhibition held in Don Bosco School, Panjim, Goa.

11-13 February 2016
Don Bosco School, Panjim, Goa
The Seeds of Hope: Visions of Sustainability, Steps towards Change, exhibition was held from 11-13th February 2016 at Don Bosco School, Panjim, Goa.

The Panel of guests at the opening ceremony consisted of the Vice Chancellor of Goa University, Dr Satish Shetye, Chief Guest Professor Edgar Ribeiro (Head of Task force for Regional plan of Goa), Dr M. Srikanth (Associate Dean International Programs and Collaborations, BITS Pilani) and Dr Subodh Kerkar (Renowned Installation artist).

The inauguration was also attended by 60 young students of Auxilium school called the “Eco group”. The panels of guests were very impressed with the efforts of the Bharat Soka Gakkai in Goa and happy to be a part of an exhibition that was raising awareness.

Professor Edgar Ribeiro said, “He states the Buddha, that not by birth but by conduct does one become a person worthy of respect. A Buddha is one who brings the power and compassion of enlightenment from within oneself and therefore is at peace with its environment.”

BSG representative, Devika Punjabi in her vote of thanks appreciated the panelists for their insights. She also thanked Don Bosco School and BSG members for their tireless efforts.
The next two and half days saw 2267 visitors viewing the exhibition. The “I WILL” Panel of the exhibition was overflowing with post-it notes making pledges to make personal contributions in making a change for the world. One of the most heart warming notes written by a student was, “First I want to clean myself, then slowly I want to clean my country and then the whole world. I want to protect the environment!” Some of the visitors, especially the teachers, who wrote in the visitor book also expressed themselves with heartfelt thoughts such as “Thank you SGI for making our children aware of their responsibilities.”

One of the visitor said, “ The Exhibition was an eye-opener and encourages us to do something for our environment. To become a front-runner and not wait for the other person to take initiative. A good effort!”

The film “A Quiet Revolution” was also screened at the exhibition. The exhibition also received extensive coverage in the local newspapers.

Barkatullah University Confers Honorary Doctorate on President Ikeda in Japan

January 22, 2016
Tokyo, Japan
On 22 January 2016, SGI President Daisaku Ikeda was conferred the Doctor of Letters (Honoris Causa) by Bhopal’s Barkatullah University. The conferral took place at the Central Tower of Soka University in Japan. The award was conferred by the Vice Chancellor of Barkatullah University, Prof. M.D. Tiwari, who had come to Japan especially for this occasion.

The conferral of the honorary doctorate, announced earlier in September 2015, comes in recognition of President Ikeda’s outstanding contri­bution to world peace and the development of education and culture.
The conferral ceremony began with a rendition of the Indian national anthem. After the citation was read out by Prof. Tiwari, the degree of Doctor of Letters (Honoris Causa) was presented to Prof. Baba, President of Soka University, who received the award on behalf of President Ikeda and also read out President Ikeda’s acceptance speech.

The citation states: The central theme in Dr. Ikeda’s philosophy is that “human revolution”—inner-motivated change—within even a single individual can positively influence all humankind. Ranging from the protection of human rights to sustainability and the empowerment of women and youth, his concerns are all underpinned by Buddhist philosophy and respect for the dignity of life.

The central tenet of Dr. Ikeda’s thought is the fundamental sanctity of life, a value which he sees as the key to lasting peace and human happiness. Indeed, Dr. Ikeda’s unstinting commitment towards humanity makes him a gift to humanity.

Addressing those present at the conferral ceremony, Prof. Tiwari said, “It was my long cherished wish to honour Dr. Ikeda’s contribution. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to be able to confer the Doctor of Letters (Honoris Causa) from Barkatullah University upon Dr. Ikeda today.”

Earlier, Prof. Tiwari and his wife went to the Tagore Square where the statue of the great Indian poet Rabindranth Tagore seemed to be watching over the students. They then moved to the Central Tower of Soka University where the conferral ceremony was held. Here they were welcomed by Soka University student representatives as well as Indians studying there. The honoured guests were overwhelmed by the warm welcome they received and happily joined an informal interaction where those students who went overseas to study in India also joined in.

Prof. Tiwari seeks to develop an education environment that is contextual and centred round the students’ needs. Concerned about those who cannot afford to go in for higher education because of economic reasons, he has raised funds and instituted over 200 scholarships, ensuring that the university treats all equally. He said, “Those who have studied in our institution will spread their wings in society and start serving those who do not have the opportunity to go in for higher education. In this way we can eradicate the inequality that is founded on economic disparities.”

Encouraging the students, Prof. Tiwari said, “Dr. Ikeda who is the founder of your institute is the person whose name should be known all over the world. I am expecting you, who have studied in Soka University, a wonderful university, to fully explore your potential and be truly successful.”

BSG participates in SACH Bharat Conference

December 23, 2015
New Delhi
Renewing its commitment to establish a value-based society, BSG chose to join the SACH Bharat Conference held in the Capital over December 22-23, 2015.

BSG Chairperson Vishesh Gupta was invited to speak on ‘Minimum Governance, Maximum Self-governance’ at this conference that focussed on spirituality and work. Organised by ASSOCHAM and supported by the SREI Foundation and the Times Foundation, the conference had Indian and international speakers from all walks of life.
Mr. Gupta first talked of spirituality and recalled Shakyamuni Buddha’s description of dharma as the fundamental path by which people should live. He went on to say that in our terms it is “to rely on one’s authentic self, the self that we can believe in and be proud of at all times by”. Referring to the Middle Way, Mr Gupta said it was not just avoiding extremes but to live by “constantly interrogating one’s own actions to ensure that they accord with the path of humanity and this is spirituality—the humane way of living one’s life.” An expansion of the inner realm of life, he said, “encourages empathy for others and strengthens the desire to contribute to society; it brings forth the ‘sun ‘ of wisdom and compassion from within the depths of one’s life.” The process of human revolution, “bringing forth this inner sun, is the motive force that can enhance solidarity among people, lead to the prosperity of society, and create peace for humankind”.

Talking of self-governance Mr Gupta spoke of President Makiguchi’s description of the perfect job as one combining “beauty, benefit and good”. He stressed that ‘good’ is the most vital for self-governance. “Do you live for yourself alone, or for a greater purpose and value? It is easy to live thinking only of oneself, but to live for a great ideal requires steadfast commitment and courage… A person’s attitude to their work reflects their attitude to life and to people; it reflects their beliefs about life’s purpose…. Whether one works only to earn a salary or rather to create value for oneself and others—this is the question?” How can one achieve this inner awakening and inner motivation?

“Inner motivation implies self-control” he said, “one acts in a correct and responsible manner not because one is forced to, but spontaneously and on one’s own volition.” Adding that Dr Daisaku Ikeda calls it “Soft Power”, he went on to say that the process of soft power unleashes the inner energies of the individual. But, without the support of a philosophical foundation to strengthen and mobilise the spiritual resources of the individual, the use of soft power would become nothing more than ‘fascism with a smile’.

Soft power requires the recognition of dependant origination – it also seeks the development of harmonious relationships based respect for the sanctity of life, seeking harmony as a deeper level, and here, dialogue hold the key. Giving instances where this can be applicable in daily life, he said its starts with saying “Hello” “Good morning,” or “thank you,” brightly and cheerfully. It doesn’t matter if your greeting isn’t returned. Taking the lead in greeting others is important. Those who can respect others will be respected in turn.

Mr Gupta ended with a poem by Emerson — “Friendship”:

O friend, my bosom said,
Through thee alone the sky is arched,
Through thee the rose is red,
All things through thee take nobler form
And look beyond the earth,
The mill-round of our fate appears
A sun-path in thy worth.
Me too thy nobleness has taught
To master my despair;
The fountains of my hidden life
Are through thy friendship fair.”

Jagran Lakecity University, Bhopal confers Honorary Doctorate on President Daisaku Ikeda

November 28, 2015
New Delhi
Jagran Lakecity University (JLU), Bhopal, conferred the Honorary Doctorate Humane Letters (Humanity and Arts) to Daisaku Ikeda, Buddhist philosopher and President, Soka Gakkai International (SGI).

The award was conferred in recognition of President Ikeda’s untiring pursuit of peace and love for humanity and accepted on his behalf by Soka Gakkai President, Minoru Harada.

The citation expressed appreciation for President Ikeda’s 2015 Peace Proposal and his emphasis on dialogue across differences for the sake of mutual co-existence as well as the self-directed transformation within the individual that leads to social transformation.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Anoop Swarup, the Vice Chancellor of JLU said, “The very ethos and central tenet of Ikeda’s thought, and of Buddhism, is the fundamental sanctity of life, a value which Ikeda sees as the key to lasting peace and human happiness.”

“Today in times of great global turmoil in the wake of terrorist attacks, be it Mumbai, New York, London or Paris and our retaliatory response to it, with no end in sight, Ikeda and his thought becomes ever so relevant.”

“In Ikeda’s view, global peace relies ultimately on a self-directed transformational change within the life of the individual, rather than on societal or structural reforms alone.”

He said that only iconic personalities such as Dr Daisaku Ikeda and the path of Buddha, Gandhi and (Martin Luther Jr) King will bring lasting change in this world of ours for our future generations to cherish.

The award was announced earlier at the university’s convocation ceremony that was held in the institution’s sprawling campus in Bhopal.

President Ikeda’s unceasing dedication to the cause of peace has gained him appreciation world over. He is a rare recipient of 363 honorary doctorates so far. The current honour will be the 14th academic honour from India. Earlier prestigious institutions from India that have given awards include the University of Delhi, Vishwabharati University and Himachal Pradesh University, to name a few.

In his acceptance speech as conveyed by Mr Harada at the event, President Ikeda conveyed his deep appreciation for this honour and said that it was a great privilege to be recognised by a distinguished institution of higher learning. He said, “Educational efforts grounded in a philosophy of respect for the dignity of life can be a source of enduring inspiration to people and create unfathomable value. Jagran Lakecity University continues to vibrantly extend the influence of human spiritual awakening and spread the message of peace.

“I am moved by your motto, ‘Igniting Minds, Changing Lives,’ and the ways in which you seek to concretise it….The state of Madhya Pradesh is known for its diamonds. I believe that the lives of young people are like diamonds in the rough. As humanity wrestles with the darkness of the times, the world yearns for the light that issues from young people imbued with indestructible hope.”

Echoing these thoughts, Mr Vishesh Gupta, Chairperson, Bharat Soka Gakkai (the Indian affiliate of the SGI) said, “Fixing his gaze on the distant future, President Ikeda is always focusing on taking action in the present moment. President Ikeda says: ‘Life is short. The most valuable thing we can devote our lives to is fostering people who will build a new age for the sake of tomorrow.’

“And, in exact accord with this belief, both Soka Gakkai and Jagran Lakecity University are engaging in fostering the new generation who will shoulder the responsibility for the future of humanity.”

In the vote of thanks, educator Ms. Vandana Jain said that President Ikeda believes that education is one of the most sacred and valuable tasks and he urges us to always ask: For what purpose should one cultivate wisdom? The true purpose of education he believes is to serve the people, remove suffering and protect humanity. So, as we leave today, let us respond to Mr. Ikeda’s expectations by reaffirming to bring in a new age of value creating education for the sake of peace and human happiness!

BSG Education Division Seminar on ‘Education for Nurturing Humanity’ at Jamia Millia Islamia

August 11, 2015
Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi
At the invitation of the Department of Education of Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi, BSG’s Education Division organised a symposium on Soka Education titled Education for Nurturing Humanity for their faculty, postgraduate and undergraduate students and research scholars on 11 August 2015.

The presentations and experiences shared by the six panelists, all graduates from Soka University America (SUA), were compelling evidence of how their time at the university forged their personalities, gave them a deeper understanding of their mission to work for humanity, and strengthened their bond with their mentor, President Ikeda.

After warmly welcoming the participants, Prof. Shoeb Abdullah, head of the Institutes of Advanced Studies in Education (IASEs) at Jamia Millia Islamia, drew on the commonalities between the philosophy of education bequeathed by the first three presidents of the Soka Gakkai, and the principles taught at Jamia’s Department of Teacher Training and Non-formal Education.

The speakers from BSG were Priyanka Sabarwal, Shivangi Khattar, Aishani Khurana, Hideko Piplani, Alankrita Chhikara and Daman Chhikara. They spoke on the varied topics on the goals of education as ‘The Happiness [and Empowerment] of the Learner’, ‘Dialogue’, ‘Human Relations’, ‘Building Character through Reading’, ‘Global Citizenship’ and on ‘Moving from a Self-Centred to an Altruistic Mode of Living’.

Seeds of Change exhibition at JBM Global School receives an enthusiastic response

15-18 April 2015
JBM Global School, Noida-Expressway
The three-day long ‘Seeds of Change’ exhibition held at JBM Global School, Noida-Expressway, on 15th, 16th and 18th May 2015, received a great reception and enthusiastic participation from one and all.

Speaking on the occasion, the administrative head of JBM Global School, Dr. (Mrs.) Seema Bhandari said, “The thought behind the panels is mystically very much in sync with our school’ endeavor of Greenofest that was conceptualized in 2008, and moves around sustainability and preservation of the Mother Nature.” She also emphasized on the fact that even if 10 percent of the children could change their heart and develop a clear understanding towards the theme of this exhibition then, “I will be very happy because that way, they will be taking home something for life.”

A senior citizen Mr. Jay Prakash admitted that “we have got tired of trying to reiterate the importance of interconnectedness. But this exhibition is simply and effectively driving home the point again. I am very happy to see this.” A student of the school felt very strongly about a need for preservation and said that he now feels more assured that “the action of one person can actually make a difference.” Mirroring his thought another student remarked that he will definitely try and do “my bit”. He agreed to one of the volunteer’s suggestion of looking after birds in his environment by creating small watering holes for them in his vicinity.

The students took active part in explaining each of the panels and went all out to explain the deep message of human interconnectedness and need for preservation.

The final day was marked by the presence of District Magistrate of Greater Noida, Mr. Nagendra Prasad Singh who appreciated this effort being made by Bharat Soka Gakkai and wished that the youth would be able to move towards “such positive thoughts.”

Seeds of Hope exhibition held in Mayoor School, Noida

22-23 April 2015
Mayoor School, Noida
BSG and Mayoor School, Greater Noida Express Way, Sector 126, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, jointly organised a two-day Seeds of Hope (SOH) exhibition from 22 to 23 April 2015.

The principal of the school, Ms. Sarita Madhok said she’s very glad that her school organised this exhibition. The exhibition was scheduled to open so that it can coincide with the Earth Day, as it’s the tradition with Environment club of the school to conduct environment related activities to celebrate it.

She added that it’s difficult to catch the attention of the young adolescents to think and act on such topics of grave importance, and hopes that the students will definitely learn from this exhibition.

The students themselves were explaining various panels of the exhibition and many shared that it was a turning point in changing their thinking about what an individual can do to contribute to the environment and related issues.

The head of the BSG’s education division, Dr. Ashok Arora, said on the occasion, that youth are the soil from where the ideas of change germinate. In his address to the school children, he emphasised that how youth should strive to be the harbinger of positive change and it needs only one person to achieve it.

Madurai Institute of Social Sciences confers Honorary Professorship on President Ikeda

April 18, 2015
Madurai Institute of Social Sciences, Madurai
The Madurai Institute of Social Sciences (MISS) awarded the title of Honorary Professor in Social Sciences to SGI President Daisaku Ikeda, founder of Soka University, “for his outstanding and valuable contribution for the cause of world peace”, on 18 April 2015.

Prolonged applause and loud cheers followed the announcement of the award at the ceremony held in the Dharmalakshmi Auditorium cum Stadium on the MISS campus. Dr. Akash Ouchi, BSG’s honorary deputy chairperson, Ms. Bharati Ramachandran, BSG’s director and all-India deputy WD chief, and Mr. S. Seshadri, BSG’s general area chief of Tamil Nadu-Kerala General Area, accepted the award on behalf of Dr. Ikeda from Dr. (Capt) D.V.P. Raja, founder and chairman of MISS.

The conferral ceremony was held in conjunction with the 46th College Day celebrations and inauguration of the Centre for Thiruvalluvar Studies.

Also in attendance were Dr. M. Kannan, principal of MISS; Dr. G. Pankajam, former vice chancellor of the Gandhigram Rural Institute; Dr. M. Lakshmanan, well-known microbiologist and former vice chancellor of Madurai Kamaraj University; Mr. N. Manimozhiyan, principal general secretary, Ulaga Thirukkural Peravai; faculty, staff and 600 students of MISS; and BSG members from Chennai, Salem, Coimbatore, Bengaluru and Madurai. After Dr. Raja read out the citation, the hall was again filled with great jubilation and warm applause.

The Madurai Institute of Social Sciences, established in 1969, is a multi faculty research centre affiliated to Madurai Kamaraj University and the first college in South India to offer courses related to professional social work and human resources management.

In his acceptance message, Dr. Ikeda said, “Nothing would please me more than to share this great honour with my beloved and noble friends of Bharat Soka Gakkai and my fellow members of the Soka Gakkai International in 192 countries and territories, the men and women who are striving to advance peace, culture and education as civic-minded citizens and good neighbours. I will cherish this academic honour for the rest of my life.”

‘Seeds of Hope’ Exhibition held in ASN School, New Delhi

9-11 April 2015
ASN Senior Secondary School, New Delhi
Bharat Soka Gakkai and ASN Senior Secondary School, Mayur Vihar-1 Extension, New Delhi together organised a three-day Seeds of Hope (SOH) exhibition from 9 to 11 April 2015.

Mr. Rajender Singh (Winner of Stockholm Water prize 2015 and Ramon Magsaysay 2001 awardee) inaugurated the exhibition and took the audience (including school children) through a visual presentation recording his team’s work in various villages of Rajasthan on water harvesting and conservation over 30 years. He said, “It takes only one individual to stand up and make a difference,” and advised the children that “once you have made a vow to bring about a change, work on it to the end.”

During the exhibition, the award winning film on individuals working in their local communities for the cause of environment – A Quiet Revolution, was shown several times.

Many inter-school activities were organised for children such as poetry writing, slogan cum poster making, painting competitions, based on the theme ‘Seeds of Hope- initiating positive change to protect environment’.

Ms. Sonia Luthra, principal, ASN said, “We hosted Seeds of Change exhibition in 2009 with the BSG and it was a good learning experience. This time we approached them for another such activity and we were shown a couple of panels of SOH. I was so inspired by it and Dr. Ikeda’s thoughts that I immediately wanted our school to host it. ASN is already a part of many environment and community welfare programmes and SOH is a very educative and awareness-creating experience that would help our children.”

Over 3300 people viewed the exhibition over the three days.

Ramachandran-Ikeda Award Conferred on Raha Naba Kumar in New Delhi

March 12, 2015
Gandhi Peace Foundation, New Delhi
THE RAMACHANDRAN-IKEDA Award for 2014 was conferred on Mr. Raha Naba Kumar, director of the Gandhi Ashram Trust, Noakhali, Bangladesh, on 12 March 2015 at a lively award ceremony at the Gandhi Peace Foundation in New Delhi. Mr. Naba Kumar is the seventh recipient of this award, which consists of Rs. 50,000 cash and a citation in recognition of his significant contributions in the areas of nonviolence, human rights, education, peace and social service.

Presenting the award, the chief guest, Mr. Ashok Sajjanhar, former ambassador and currently secretary of the National Foundation for Communal Harmony, quoted a popular Urdu sher by Majrooh Sultanpuri to emphasise that the courage of one individual can change the course of history: “Main akelaa hi chalaa tha jaanib-e-manzil, magar / log saath aate gaye aur kaarvan bantaa gayaa.”

Accepting the award, Mr. Naba Kumar said, “I am a practitioner, I work in the field, I’m not very interested in theory. I have seen the spirit of youth at work in different areas, different places.” Mr. Naba Kumar’s wife, Tandra, received sustained applause for standing by her husband when he decided to leave his well-paid job and work with the Trust.

Youth Division members of the BSG Choir roused the whole hall to sing the SGI song ‘Shoulder to Shoulder’ along with them. Speakers at the event included Prof. Sankar Kumar Sanyal, chairman of the all-India Harijan Sevak Sangh; Dr. N. Radhakrishnan, chairman, Indian Council of Gandhian Studies, New Delhi; and Mr. N. Vasudevan, director of the Indian Council for Gandhian Studies.

Dr. Akash K. Ouchi, BSG honorary deputy chairperson, said the award was constituted to foster youth in the spirit of mentor and disciple and enable them to become capable leaders in the future. “We all need someone by whom we are inspired. Dr. Ramachandran was inspired by Gandhiji, and Ikeda Sensei by his mentor, Toda Sensei.”

In closing, Mr. Vishesh Gupta, BSG chairperson, said: “There is a lot in common between Dr. Ikeda and Gandhiji in their ideology, their aspirations for mankind and their struggles for peace. One thing that stands out is their love, hope and expectations from the youth.”

In his vote of thanks, Dr. Radhakrishnan said, “There have been umpteen awards in the name of Gandhi but this award is special for Raha who has admired from a distance the educational ideas and the value creating culture fostered by Dr. Ikeda.”

“Building a Culture of Peace for the Children of the World” Exhibition at Blue Bells School, New Delhi

February 20-21, 2015
Blue Bells School, New Delhi
On 20th and 21st of February 2015, Bharat Soka Gakkai brought the ‘Building a Culture of Peace for the Children of the World’ exhibition to Bluebells School International. The two day long exhibition was a culmination of the desire of a teacher who wished to inculcate the importance of peace in her community beginning with her students.

The exhibition, which was attended by a number of students and parents, was inaugurated by chief guest Dr. Madhumita Chakraborty, PHD and assistant professor of English at Zakir Hussain College. The first day saw many students from classes 6 to 10 in attendance, who actively participated with the volunteers as they covered the spread 30 thought intriguing panels. The exhibition began with the lighting of a lamp, followed by a welcome address by two young students who introduced Dr. Daisaku Ikeda and his contributions to peace and education. The girls also shared self-composed poems on the importance of a peaceful world free from violence and intolerance.

This was followed by an address by Dr. Chakraboty wherein she shared her impressions of the exhibition. In her address, Dr. Chakraborty touched upon various important issues such as the fact that peace starts at home, and that the existence of a peaceful world would require a change in the attitudes of the people who have become too accustomed to violence and blood-shed as natural facts of life. Dr. Chakraborty further stressed that it is action that is important, emphasising that it is our responsibility to shape the world we wish to live in. She concluded her speech by urging students who attended the exhibition to think of how they could contribute to peace in practical ways, and become enablers to a better world. In her words, “The kind of society that we need, the kind of society that we desire, and aspire to, has to be made up of the individuals we wish to be.”

Further, the exhibition was made more lively by the presence of the young students who shared their inputs on how to create a peaceful world. They shared how change should start with oneself, and the need to foster a culture of tolerance, respect and sharing through dialogue and mediation. Some of them shared how they were inspired by the examples of leaders on the world stage who were fighting for peace. “If they can do it, then I can do it too” was what students took back with them.

Parents attended the second day of the exhibition and were very appreciative that it was being held in school. Some of them even talked about how their children had told them about the exhibition the previous day. They expressed the desire to have more such exhibitions, as well as classes for their children on action points to take forward. The parents seemed very impressed with the panels on ‘Religion and Peace’ as well as ‘Shared Visions for Peace’. They took many pictures of the panels with the intent to share it with others. The parents also touched upon their responsibility in shaping their children’s outlook and behavior and in promoting the values of peace, respect and harmony. The exhibition also sparked an interest in Soka Gakkai International, and many also inquired about the philosophy.

The exhibition proved to be a starting point in getting individuals of the community to think about the concept of peace in a very practical and non-abstract way. Students as well as parents and teachers left the exhibition with a renewed wanting to be active contributors to building a culture of peace, which is what the exhibition sought to do.

“Seeds of Hope” Exhibition at Jammu

8-13 February 2015
Kala Kendra, Jammu
The Seeds of Hope: Visions of Sustainability, steps towards change Exhibition was inaugurated on 7th February, 4 pm at Kala Kendra, Jammu by First Lady Mrs. Usha Vohra, wife of Hon’ble Governor of Jammu and Kashmir N. N Vohra. Prof. R.D. Sharma , Vice Chancellor, University of Jammu was the Guest of Honor. The inaugural function was attended by dignitaries including chairman WWF Jammu, Mr. CM Seth (who was also the guest speaker), Mr. Soujanya Sharma, Director Information J&K, and Principals of various schools.

Prof. Sharma lauded President Ikeda’s work and actions towards peace, especially his work in the area of education. He also applauded the efforts of BSG and SGI for taking such initiatives for betterment of society.

The six-day exhibition, which had panels in both English and Hindi, had a footfall of 8,653, including nearly 4,300 students from 56 schools and colleges, and eminent persons, including Mr. Vijay Bakaya, former Chief Secretary; Prof. Meenakshi Kilam of Jammu University; Mr. Mehbood Beg, former Member of Parliament; and Ms. Sarla Kohli, social activist. They praised this BSG initiative which has come in the wake of the suffering of the people after the torrential rains and disastrous floods in September last year and the long period of unrest and violence.

The film ‘A Quiet Revolution’ was also screened during the exhibition and was appreciated by all.

“Seeds of Hope” Exhibition at Meerut

17-20 January 2015
Vidya Knowledge Park, Meerut
The Seeds of Hope: Visions of Sustainability, Steps towards Change exhibition was inaugurated in a joyful atmosphere on 17 January 2015 at the Vidya Knowledge Park on Baghpat Road in Meerut in the presence of several educators and public figures.

The mayor of Meerut, Mr. Harikant Ahluwalia, was accompanied by his wife Mrs. Anupama Ahluwalia. Future division members welcomed them with saplings and a copy of A Forum for Peace, a collection of SGI President Ikeda’s annual peace proposals. Also present at the event were the deans and faculty members of the Vidya Knowledge Park, including the dean of Student Affairs, Mr. Rohit Khokhar, and the dean of the Institute of Fashion Technology, Dr. Reema Varshney.

The welcome address was delivered by Dr. Purnima Gupta, BSG representative in Meerut. The BSG’s FD and YD members performed a vibrant dance to the song ‘Dawn of India’. The SGI film A Quiet Revolution was screened after the inaugural ceremony.

Impressed by the exhibition, the mayor said that youth are capable of accomplishing anything, but utilise barely a quarter of their unlimited abilities—all they need is firm resolve. While 90 percent of the citizens think only of the needs of their families, they should be awakened to issues in the world beyond their homes. That is why exhibitions such as Seeds of Hope should be shown to the masses. He hoped that the BSG would work towards educating children living in slums children and offered all necessary support in that endeavour. This is how the “seeds of hope” are sown.

The vote of thanks was delivered by Ms. Shama Bhargava.

Nearly 200 guests, including pupils from two schools, visited the exhibition on the first day. The children and their teachers enjoyed and appreciated the exhibition and the activity corner created for them.

Samarth Rajvanshi of 7th grade declared, “People throw plastic water bottles out of their car windows on highways. We can start with one step. There should be dustbins even on the roads.”

Eighth grade class teacher Anjali Bhat said she “loved” the exhibition, particularly the words of Mahatma Gandhi on the ‘You Can’ panel: You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.” She said, “I’ll try to implement the suggestions from the exhibition in my life, and the children will then automatically implement them their lives. That will have an impact on the children.”

The exhibition was on display till 20 January.

Seeds of Hope’ Exhibition Inspires Students at JMC, New Delhi

8-9 January 2015
Jesus & Mary College, New Delhi
BSG and the Green Society of Jesus & Mary College in New Delhi JMC jointly organised a two-day exhibition of Seeds of Hope on the JMC campus on 8 January 2015. The JMC principal, Sister (Dr.) Marina John, inaugurated the exhibition by lighting the auspicious diya and said, “I am extremely happy to participate in this noble undertaking through our Green Society collaborating with SGI.”

The head of the BSG’s education division, Dr. Ashok Arora, said, “The most important section of this exhibition is on ‘What can I do?’ and ‘What will I do?’ that shows individuals who have made a difference. There are concrete ideas of what one person can do.”

The associate professor of JMC’s economics and commerce department, Dr. Mani A. Nandhi, convener of the Green Society, said: “What each one of us does reflects on our society. When I interacted with some of those in the BSG and got to know about this exhibition, I was very keen because what our students need is information with substantive support. All the panels present information with background support and case studies which students can understand. This is the kind of awareness building we want, what kind of damage we are doing to the environment without being aware of it. The next Green Society initiative is to make students clean up the campus and another one on the radiation effects of cell phones.”

Viewers at the exhibition were moved by the 30-minue documentary film A Quiet Revolution screened after the inauguration ceremony. The central theme of the film is that one individual has the power and the responsibility to change the world.

After viewing the exhibition, the student in-charge of the Green Society, Ms. Stella George, a third-year Economics (Hon.) student, “I actually opened my notebook and started writing down the quotes from the panels, they are beautiful. I hope all of us spread this idea, that this planet is ours and so we must take care of it, to our families and in our neighbourhood. I am motivated by the exhibition. If we do even a little, one person can make a difference.”

Responding to the ‘You Can’ section panel which suggests, “Look at your own life: Think before you buy—do I really need this?”, second-year BA Economics (Hon.) student Akanksha Bansal decided on the spot: “I will think twice before I buy anything. I will try not to waste things.”

“Seeds of Hope” Exhibition at Ranchi

14-20 December 2014
Ranchi
BSG Ranchi hosted the Exhibition: Seeds of Hope: Visions of sustainability, steps toward change, from 14th to 20th December at the Recreation Club at Gandhinagar, C.C.L., Ranchi.

The exhibition was exhibition was inaugurated by Dr. L.N Bhagat, the Vice Chancellor of Ranchi University. Dr. Bhagat said that the holding of exhibition is a commendable step towards promoting protection and conservation of nature in the area and this can play a pivotal role in uniting the people and the community at large. Guest of Honor Mr Bulu Imam, a renowned environmentalist and nature-activist added that change can only be caused by an honest effort at the individual level. The inauguration was attended by about 600 people.

Also present was Dr NP Singh, the Chairman of SN Sinha Institute of Business Management. Dr. Singh stressed on the great efforts of SGI President Daisaku Ikeda to promote peace, culture and education in the world. He expressed his deep appreciation for President Ikeda’s efforts and remarkable contribution in creating a new wave of selfless, capable people working for world peace.

BSG members offered seeds of Amaltas, Gulmohar, Neem etc to each visitor and also, saplings to various schools of the city, which were provided by the Birsa Agricultural University and Environment department of C.C.L. The Vice chancellors of Utkal University, Odisha, VC of Birsa Agricultural University, Bureaucrats, Police Officers and high officials of CCL and several environmentalists visited the exhibition and appreciated the efforts of BSG.

Also worth special mention are the visits by Deepshikha, an organization supporting autistic children, and Cheshire Home, a home for physically challenged children. The exhibition touched their hearts and they felt great pleasure to watch the film “A Quiet Revolution”.

The exhibition was attended by over 9000 people from all walks of life.

GKI Exhibition Inspires Students of Montfort School, Ashok Vihar, Delhi

December 5-6, 2014
Montfort School, New Delhi
On being impressed by the conduct of the Bharat Soka Gakkai (BSG) volunteers–their smiling demeanour, their warmth and their discipline held at the peace symposium held in Delhi in September this year. The principal of the school invited BSG members to organize the ‘Gandhi King Ikeda: A Legacy of Building Peace’ Exhibition together with Montfort School, Ashok Vihar on 5th and 6th December, 2014 in the school premises. This was the third exhibition organized by BSG in Montfort School. Earlier ‘ Seeds of Change’ and ‘Building A Culture of Peace’ had been shown.

About 1200 students from class VI to XI thronged the exhibition on the first day and viewed the 18 panels with keen interest. The exhibition was thrown open to the parents and teachers on the second day. They were also greatly inspired by the vision and the efforts of these three eminent men, especially the completely non-violent means by which they achieved their goals.

Earlier, nearly 80 students of Montfort School volunteered to participate in the training which enabled them to guide and explain the content of the panels to their fellow students, teachers and parents. About 50 BSG volunteers were also there to support them. The Principal of Montfort School, Bro. Monachan, inaugurated the exhibition. The Principal in his address welcomed the exhibition and expressed the hope that the students would imbibe the message of the exhibition and contribute to peace in the society. It was heartening to see the young volunteers, full of enthusiasm and joy, explain passionately and confidently, the beliefs and achievements of the three great leaders.

After viewing the panels, the students moved on to answer a one-page questionnaire to pen down their understanding of the lives and achievements of Gandhi, King and Ikeda and their own resolve to implement the message of the exhibition in their own lives. One of the questions expected them to list what they would do to bring about peace in their family, society and the world.

Almost all of them said that they would first change themselves in order to bring peace in their family, society and the world. To quote a student, “This exhibition has taught me a lot. To change the world, we should first try to change ourselves. That would surely make a difference.” Many students and teachers had not heard of Dr. Daisaku Ikeda before. The exhibition succeeded in introducing Mr. Ikeda’s monumental work in the areas of peace, culture and education and his humanistic beliefs.

The students were greatly inspired by the message of the exhibition that even one individual, if he or she decides to stand up, can make a difference. This was evident from their response to the questionnaire and their interaction with the BSG volunteers. Parents too appreciated the message of the exhibition and admired the effort of the organization in creating peace in this conflict and violence-ridden society. One parent wrote in the visitors’ book, “It’s a very good effort. Please arrange a weekly class for all students as the children becoming more and more aggressive these days.” The seeds of peace were sown in the hearts of almost 600 parents and 200 teachers. Some parents also showed keen interest to know more about BSG and wanted to know how they could be the part of it.

The exhibition was followed by a talk on ‘Soka Education – A system for cultivation human values’ delivered by Dr. Poonam Khattar of the BSG. Dr. Khattar shared the key points of Soka Education through a power point presentation. The presentation highlighted SGI President Daisaku Ikeda’s ideas on education and discussed the basic principles of value-creating education promoted by the two presidents of Soka Gakkai—Tsunesaburo Makiguchi and Josei Toda. Some of the ideas shared during the presentation included respect for the sanctity of life, faith in the richness of human potential, and that education’s real aim is the happiness of the individual and the realization of peace. She highlighted the point that teachers and students have to become partners in the process of learning. The essence of education is character formation, teaching young people how to live in society and encouraging them to think independently.

Representing BSG Ms. Roli Gupta concluded the seminar with a vote of thanks and appreciated the school Principal and the school counsellor Ms. Renu Singhla for their initiative and support in organizing the exhibition. Ms. Gupta also presented two books to the school library on behalf of BSG, “A Forum For Peace” and “Soka Education”.

Education is the key for empowerment

November 27, 2014
Chennai
The ‘Peace Proposal Symposium held on 27th November 2014 at F50 hall of the Madras University was witnessed by around 300 people who expressed it as ‘an extremely rare event’.

Dr. A Padmanabhan IAS (Retd), Former Governor of Mizoram and Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu and President Emeritus, World Poetry Society Intercontinental presided over the function. Dr Gowri Ramnarayan, a renowned playwright, theatre director and music composer and Professor, Dr. R. Thandavan, VC, University of Madras were invited as speakers on the occasion.

Mr Vishesh Gupta, Chairperson, Bharat Soka Gakkai welcomed the gathering and highlighted the key areas of Ikeda’s 2014 peace proposal. Hon. Dy Chairperson of BSG, SGI representative to India Dr Akash K Ouchi expressed his thoughts on the occasion. He said that Ikeda’s peace proposals are relevant not just for governments and activists but also for the ordinary people.

Dr A. Padmanabhan appreciated the efforts of Daisaku Ikeda for his consistent efforts to promote peace and his vision of sustainable global society. He said that no one has ever talked so fervently about the need for elevation of human dignity for attaining universal peace. Though there may have been others who might have had similar values, there was none other that Ikeda who has been so consistent year after year in his focus on attaining universal peace.

Dr Gowri Ramnarayan said, ‘Reading President Daisaku Ikeda having dialogue with farsighted achievers in diverse fields is to join his stimulating, thought-provoking sangham with world leaders and public intellectuals. In these talks Mr Ikeda’s own comments, questions and reactions are marked by a deep understanding of the human condition today, and the possibility of transformation, before tomorrow. It is easy to see that he is motivated by compassion (karuna), for all the people of the world, a quality we associate with true vidya (knowledge) and genuine gnana (wisdom). I am particularly struck by how easily he encapsulates the highest truths in the simplest language. This is what makes his Peace Proposal 2014 relevant and convincing’.

Professor, Dr. R. Thandavan, said that he was particular impressed with the theme of the symposium as he found peace a rare commodity today. It was a rare combination of humour and seriousness when he pointed out that peace was missing in the university.

Coming to the peace proposal, Thandavan, pointed out that he would like to focus on Ikeda’s mission for establishing education for global citizenship. He said that he was in complete agreement with Ikeda’s conviction that ‘education can develop the capacity to create value, underpinned by indomitable hope and the spirit of learning from the collective wisdom of humankind.” Dr Thandavan also referred to Dr. Ikeda’s discussion with Dr. Arnold Toynbee and Dr. Nelson Mandela on this issue and pointed out that Dr. Ikeda believed that ‘Education is the key source for empowerment. He expressed his commitment to creating an educational system on the lines of Dr. Ikeda’s dream at the University of Madras.
Ms Naveena Reddi, Head-External Relations and Honorary Dy. Chairperson of BSG concluded with a vote of thanks.