A scholarly statesman to watch !

Eminent parliamentarian Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi receiving Padma Vibhushan from President Pranab Mukherjee

Power Politics Bureau

As President Pranab Mukherjee looks all set to retire, speculation is rife as to who would be his successor in the Rashtrapati Bhawan . Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party patriarch L. K .
Advani apart, one of the most probable names doing the rounds in this race is Dr Murli Manohar Joshi .
It is believed that the Dr Joshi is the choice of Rashtriya Swayam Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat. The RSS has a considerable ideological influence on the present Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance Government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been a product of the RSS. He is likely to appreciate the presidential choice of Bhagwat.
Besides, Dr Joshi deserves to be in this highest office on his own merit. President Mukherjee conferred on him the prestigious Padma Bibhushan Award last month. An internationally acclaimed scientist, teacher, politician and activist , Dr Joshi has rendered enormous contribution to the development of India.
Under the previous NDA Government led by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Dr Joshi was a Union Minister in charge of three crucial ministries--- Human Resource Development (HRD), Science and technology (S&T) and Ocean Development. He was responsible for inserting Art. 21 A in the Indian Constitution . This Article provides "free and compulsory education" to all children between 6 to 14 years as a fundamental right. It has resulted in a sharp increase in the enrolment of the children, particularly girls, belonging to the deprived sections of society and helped reduce the gender gap in education .
He also took measures for the expansion of higher and technical quality education. Indian Institutes of Information Technology, IIIT and IIIT(M) were established and the intake of engineering and IT courses increased almost threefold. In Science and Technology new institutions like Brain Research Centre came up.
Dr Joshi's international interaction resulted in the formation of Indo-US-Science Foundation. He launched schemes for linking computer training with the studies of Sanskrit and Urdu . A Central Scheme for Madrasa modernization was launched by providing Science and Maths teachers to the Madrasas. Dr. Joshi has chaired a large number of International Conferences and has been invited to address various international fora. He chaired Commonwealth Science Council Ministerial Gathering, South Africa, 2002; UNESCO Conference on 'Education for All', in India Nepal, China and Nigeria; UNESCOsponsored International Conference on 'Dialogue Among Civilizations', Delhi, 2003; Third World Academy Conference, New Delhi; Climate Change Conference, New Delhi; International Conference on Mapping, Bangkok and London.
Dr. Joshi addressed 'Second Parliament of Science, Religion and Philosophy' at the World Philosophers Meet on Science, Spirituality and Development, Geneva, 1998. He delivered 'Eighth Bose-Einstein Lecture on Science, Technology and Environment' in 1998, 'Sustainable Consumption' as an alternate model, Bonn University, Germany, St. Petersburg, 2000, and Brazil Academy of

Science, Rio-de-Janerio, 2001; International Conference on "Sanskrit in Asia : Unity in Diversity", Bangkok (Thailand), June, 2005; International Conference on "Dialogue of Cultures and Civilizations in the Global World", St. Petersburg, May, 2007; "Dialogue of Cultures and Partnership of Civilizations: Making of Global Culture", St. Petersburg, May 2010; International Seminar on 'Science and Religion,' Washington, 1993; and European Research Council at Brussels in 2002.
The awards and honours Dr Joshi received include : 'Jawaharlal Nehru Award in Science' by Indian Science Association, 1999 and 'Life Time Award' by the Indian Science Congress, 2004; 'Nicolay Rerikh Medal' by International Academy of Ecology, Man and Nature Protection Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia; 'National Citizens Award' India, 2001.
Dr Joshi received the 'Outstanding Parliamentarian' Award in 2009. He has always been committed to the values of composite culture and democracy. He participated in the J.P. movement for Samagra Kranti and was detained under M.I.S.A. during Emergency (June 1975-- March 1977. As President of B.J.P., he undertook Ekta Yatra from Kanyakumari to Srinagar to highlight the Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in Kashmir and hoisted National Flag at Lal Chowk, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir on the Republic Day, 1992.
Looking back, the Indian presidency is a unique political institution. It is a great symbol of our Republic. Dr Joshi is cast in the scholarly mould of some of our finest Presidents like Dr S Radhakrishnan and Dr Zakir Hussein. He is a value-based scholarly statesman. He can be seen as a symbol of new India in the totality of its composite culture. Hopefully , Prime Minister Modi, who is currently riding high as the most popular leader in India, would endorse Dr Joshi as the ruling party's choice to adorn the office of the country's next President .



		EDITOR'S MAIL MATTERS OF PUBLIC POLICY MARCH OF AYODHYA INDIAN PRESIDENCY REALPOLITIK FOR CREDIBLE OPPOSITION A GAME CHANGER DEFENCE MODERNISATION STATE OF EDUCATION DELHI MCD POLLS FRANKLY SPEAKING SACRILEGE IN PUNJAB KASHMIR WATCH CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN POLL-YEAR HIMACHAL KERALA UNDER LDF CHANDIGARH DIARY U.S. FOREIGN POLICY AMERICAN DIARY JADAV ISSUE INDO-BANGLADESH TIES CIVIL AVIATION HITS & MISSES TEST CRICKET SPORTS BOOK BAZAAR SIGNS OF THE TIMES MIGRATION & WOMEN'S RIGHTS YOGA IN DAILY LIFE-XIII ART OF LIVING Issue:May' 2017 Subscribe Now	INDIAN PRESIDENCY A scholarly statesman to watch ! Eminent parliamentarian Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi receiving Padma Vibhushan from President Pranab Mukherjee Power Politics Bureau As President Pranab Mukherjee looks all set to retire, speculation is rife as to who would be his successor in the Rashtrapati Bhawan . Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party patriarch L. K . Advani apart, one of the most probable names doing the rounds in this race is Dr Murli Manohar Joshi . It is believed that the Dr Joshi is the choice of Rashtriya Swayam Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat. The RSS has a considerable ideological influence on the present Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance Government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been a product of the RSS. He is likely to appreciate the presidential choice of Bhagwat. Besides, Dr Joshi deserves to be in this highest office on his own merit. President Mukherjee conferred on him the prestigious Padma Bibhushan Award last month. An internationally acclaimed scientist, teacher, politician and activist , Dr Joshi has rendered enormous contribution to the development of India. Under the previous NDA Government led by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Dr Joshi was a Union Minister in charge of three crucial ministries--- Human Resource Development (HRD), Science and technology (S&T) and Ocean Development. He was responsible for inserting Art. 21 A in the Indian Constitution . This Article provides "free and compulsory education" to all children between 6 to 14 years as a fundamental right. It has resulted in a sharp increase in the enrolment of the children, particularly girls, belonging to the deprived sections of society and helped reduce the gender gap in education . He also took measures for the expansion of higher and technical quality education. Indian Institutes of Information Technology, IIIT and IIIT(M) were established and the intake of engineering and IT courses increased almost threefold. In Science and Technology new institutions like Brain Research Centre came up. Dr Joshi's international interaction resulted in the formation of Indo-US-Science Foundation. He launched schemes for linking computer training with the studies of Sanskrit and Urdu . A Central Scheme for Madrasa modernization was launched by providing Science and Maths teachers to the Madrasas. Dr. Joshi has chaired a large number of International Conferences and has been invited to address various international fora. He chaired Commonwealth Science Council Ministerial Gathering, South Africa, 2002; UNESCO Conference on 'Education for All', in India Nepal, China and Nigeria; UNESCOsponsored International Conference on 'Dialogue Among Civilizations', Delhi, 2003; Third World Academy Conference, New Delhi; Climate Change Conference, New Delhi; International Conference on Mapping, Bangkok and London. Dr. Joshi addressed 'Second Parliament of Science, Religion and Philosophy' at the World Philosophers Meet on Science, Spirituality and Development, Geneva, 1998. He delivered 'Eighth Bose-Einstein Lecture on Science, Technology and Environment' in 1998, 'Sustainable Consumption' as an alternate model, Bonn University, Germany, St. Petersburg, 2000, and Brazil Academy of Science, Rio-de-Janerio, 2001; International Conference on "Sanskrit in Asia : Unity in Diversity", Bangkok (Thailand), June, 2005; International Conference on "Dialogue of Cultures and Civilizations in the Global World", St. Petersburg, May, 2007; "Dialogue of Cultures and Partnership of Civilizations: Making of Global Culture", St. Petersburg, May 2010; International Seminar on 'Science and Religion,' Washington, 1993; and European Research Council at Brussels in 2002. The awards and honours Dr Joshi received include : 'Jawaharlal Nehru Award in Science' by Indian Science Association, 1999 and 'Life Time Award' by the Indian Science Congress, 2004; 'Nicolay Rerikh Medal' by International Academy of Ecology, Man and Nature Protection Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia; 'National Citizens Award' India, 2001. Dr Joshi received the 'Outstanding Parliamentarian' Award in 2009. He has always been committed to the values of composite culture and democracy. He participated in the J.P. movement for Samagra Kranti and was detained under M.I.S.A. during Emergency (June 1975-- March 1977. As President of B.J.P., he undertook Ekta Yatra from Kanyakumari to Srinagar to highlight the Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in Kashmir and hoisted National Flag at Lal Chowk, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir on the Republic Day, 1992. Looking back, the Indian presidency is a unique political institution. It is a great symbol of our Republic. Dr Joshi is cast in the scholarly mould of some of our finest Presidents like Dr S Radhakrishnan and Dr Zakir Hussein. He is a value-based scholarly statesman. He can be seen as a symbol of new India in the totality of its composite culture. Hopefully , Prime Minister Modi, who is currently riding high as the most popular leader in India, would endorse Dr Joshi as the ruling party's choice to adorn the office of the country's next President .