Unity Amidst Diversity

Unity Amidst Diversity by Dr Rajendra Prashad

Short Intro.-

The first president of India, Dr Rajendra Prashad was born in Ziradei, in the Siwan district of Bihar. He was influenced by the courage, dedication, and conviction of Mahatma Gandhi. His determination toward the service of the nation inspired students like- Dr Shri Krishna Shinha, and Dr Anugrah Narayan. In October 1934, he was elected as president of the Indian National Congress during the Bombay Session.

Unity Amidst Diversity, though, is an essay but literally, it's an inaugural address to an all-India Cultural Conference in Delhi on March 15, 1951. His speech deals with the themes of non-violence, truth, self-aggrandisement, self-indulgence, self-gratification, and the mechanical world. He emphasised that the "Idea of service must be given universal acceptance".

At the commencement of the essay, Dr Prashad mentions that an unfamiliar person with India's characteristics can't consider it as a single nation rather than an aggregate of nations because here she/he will come across innumerable features. On precise observation, she/he will find that this nation does not only have all kinds of climates but the people of diverse geographical regions, have several languages, live with so much harmony that can't be put into words. He says such diversity as a necklace in which each gem enhances its beauty. Further to support his argument he says that the immortal principle is the principle of truth and ahimsa, which is vital for humanity, is rooted in our culture, is the cause of such diversity. He also mentions that our whole consciousness is suffered by this principle which occasionally incarnates itself into a humane form and makes us aware. And because of this we assimilate the people of different cultures and establish a link with love. We win the hearts of people and therefore, traces of our influences are still found all over the world.

However, Dr Prashad while placing his views on historical ethical consciousness i.e.- the idea of truth, non-violence, and renunciation, said that we cannot keep ourselves in isolation in the era of modern science so we should find a way in which harmony could be established between our indigenous culture and science. He showed his concern for people who value the competitive economic quality of ruthless self-aggrandisement over the idea of historical ethical consciousness. He points out that this aggressive egoism led to the emergence of class war, heartless politics and exploitation. Men have become a part of a machine and life is governed by the principle of "Might is Right".