“Western development is good, but cultural decline must be prevented” – Singh

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

Western development is a positive thing, but it should not come at the cost of cultural decline. To preserve culture, promoting a reading habit is essential. India lags behind many countries in the practice of reading books. Ideally, a person should read at least one book per week. Today, people are constantly rushing but remain disconnected from their goals. Hence, spirituality is the core essence of every religion, said retired lieutenant general Ajaykumar Singh, a member of India’s National Security Advisory Board.

On Wednesday, Dnyanyadnya Foundation inaugurated the Padma Award Felicitation Ceremony at Sant Eknath Rangmandir. Various programs were organized on the occasion. The ceremony began in the presence of Padma Shri Bharatanatyam dancer Padma Subramanyam, Padma Shri Kalyan Singh Rawat, Brigadier Virendra Singh of the 97 Artillery Brigade, homeopathy expert Dr Vilas Dangre, entrepreneur Milind Kelkar, and director Mangala Kende. The foundation honors Padma awardees who have contributed tirelessly to the nation, society, and other fields. Speaking at the event, Singh urged participation in India’s vision to become a fully developed nation by 2047. The guests were introduced by Ajay Deshpande of the foundation, while Captain Ajay Rote gave the opening remarks. Milind Kelkar also shared his reflections at the event.