Curtain Raiser: NHRC and IGNCA collaborate to organize a National Conference on ‘Human Rights in Indian Culture and Philosophy’ in New Delhi on 30th June-1st July, 2022

New Delhi, 27th June, 2022

The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, India in collaboration with the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, IGNCA, is organizing two-day National Conference on ‘Human Rights in Indian Culture and Philosophy’ in New Delhi on 30th June and 1st July, 2022. One of the imperatives of this Conference is to fulfill major lacunae in the study of human rights.

The Union Home Minister, Mr Amit Shah will inaugurate the Conference, as the Chief Guest, at Plenary Hall, Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. He will also present the NHRC human rights short film competition- 2021 awards.

The Union Minister of External Affairs, Mr. S. Jaishankar will be the Chief Guest of the Valedictory session at PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry Auditorium, New Delhi.

NHRC Chairperson, Mr. Justice Arun Mishra, IGNCA Board of Trustee President, Mr. Ram Bahadur Rai, NHRC Members, Mr. Justice M.M. Kumar, Dr. D.M. Mulay & Mr. Rajiv Jain and Secretary General, Mr. D.K. Singh, senior officers, legal experts, jurists, academicians and scholars will be present among others.

The Conference is expected to be highly significant in understanding of human rights, which formed an integral and defining essence of Indian socio-cultural milieu since time immemorial.

The leading academicians, scholars, legal experts, jurists, practitioners, and researchers have been invited to explore and discuss the various issues like evolution of human rights in Indian philosophic-historical tradition, its social contexts, manifestation in art and literature, framework of rule and finally living by the Indian Constitution.

स॒मा॒नी व॒ आकू॑तिः समा॒ना हृद॑यानि वः ।
स॒मा॒नम॑स्तु वो॒ मनो॒ यथा॑ व॒: सुस॒हास॑ति ॥
Ṛgveda 10.191.4

United be your purpose, harmonious be your heart, collected be your mind, so that all may with togetherness, wholeness.

The cultural traits and the philosophical thoughts in the Indian subcontinent have always hailed a wide spectrum of views and insights on human rights through both writings and practice. For ages, the Indian culture has emphasized the innate nature of human well-being rooted in spiritual, political, and dignified social, cultural and mental freedom.

As the temperament of the society has always remained knowledge-centric or spiritual-oriented, the human rights and cultural values have been conceptualized or imagined in a holistic framework of concrete, yet universal abstract multi-dimensional human existence.

‘Human Right’ per se, as pronounced in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, although became popular around the 20thCE but the journey of its inherent meaning is an age-old phenomenon, which may be traced out in the rubric of Indian culture and philosophy. The word for ‘right’ in Indian culture is adhikāra. Exploring the early Indian literature we do not come across the word adhikāra; but in the overarching framework of Kings and their responsibilities ascertained by the dharma reflect its modern connotations.

India is a country in which Dharma has always been an underlying force and it is interpreted in its original and wider connotation implying an ideal way-of- life based on universal principles, social perspectives and humanistic concern. Dharma although signifies obligations towards society but rights can be deduced from obligations.

One of the most ancient texts of the world, the Vedas vividly resonate some of the basic tenets of human rights. The Atharvaveda mentions that all people have equal rights and the wheel of the chariot of life responses on the shoulders of all. The concept of vasudhaiva kuṭumbakam is the epitome of Indian culture.

Upaniṣhads emphasize that there is nothing more pious than equity. The concept of dharma resonates with the modern doctrine of logical/moral correlativity. The ideals of dharma, karma and nīti have spatio-temporal significance, and these are totally in harmony with Human rights understood in the contemporary period. Various tenets of human rights, issues and framework are encapsulated in the texts on Indian culture and philosophy.

Exhibits including photos, relevant to the theme of the Conference, are also being displayed on the occasion.

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