$1 million for Vedic education program at U of Massachusetts

[suchandra 1]

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

 

$1 million for Vedic education program at U of Massachusetts

 

 

good to put a stake in the ground before enterprising white christists swipe more of this precious heritage (see story of eastern european below). message from rajiv malhotra.

 

---------- Forwarded message ----------

 

 

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

August 17, 2008

 

$1 Million Endowment at UMass Dartmouth to Leverage Super Accelerated

Learning Techniques from Vedic Traditions for 21st Century Education

 

On Friday, August 15, as Indian students and community celebrated

India's independence day UMass Dartmouth announced that the Three Rs

Foundation has pledged $1 million to support the university's Center

for Indic Studies to initiate an innovative educational pedagogy

rooted in India's Vedic traditions. The donation will support the

Center's mission to connect the university, region and Commonwealth to

India's growing economy and world influence.

 

The announcement made with a celebration of India Independence Day

and featured presentations by students from India, and a guest speech

from Dr. Subramanian Swamy, visiting Harvard Professor and President

of Janata Party in India. "Our university, our students, and our

region are enriched by experiencing diverse cultures,'' Chancellor

MacCormack said. "The history, art, music and religion of India hold

important lessons for all of us as we strive to be better citizens of

our own community and the world. On behalf of UMass Dartmouth, I thank

the Three Rs Foundation for its exemplary generosity." Pandit

Ramadheen Ramsamooj, Director of Three Rs Foundation, said, "We are

excited to be part of this educational initiative that will allow

UMass Dartmouth students to learn about India at a time when the

information super highway and global economy are creating important

East-West connections. Among our highest priorities is to develop

innovative teaching strategies, rooted in Indian culture." The Three

Rs Foundation is the lead sponsor of the Super Accelerated Learning

Theory (SALT), a school model that emphasizes whole brain education.

Preceding the announcement, the Board of Governors of the Center for

Indic Studies unanimously approved the Memorandum of Understanding

with Three Rs Foundation.

 

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Center, Mr. Rajiv

Malhotra, said that the accelerated learning movements across USA

regard Georgi Lozanov, a Bulgarian educator and neuroscientist, as

their founding father. What is seldom considered is that Lozanov had

studied traditional Vedic learning systems in India in the 1960s under

UNESCO programs, to figure out how Vedic pandits were able to memorize

and impeccably recite tens of thousands of verses. Malhotra said,

"Today, the Three R's Foundation is reviving that learning system

from its source, and creating a program which could be a breakthrough

even beyond Lozanov's. This deserves all our encouragement and

support."

 

Mr. Braham Agarwal from Orlando, Fl, the General Secretary of Indic

Governing Board agreed saying, "this is a good beginning for the

Center." The Center for Indic Studies is planning several major

academic and scholarly initiatives in the coming years. In its Board

of Governors meeting, Dr. William Hogan suggested including graduate

education as part of the Three Rs Foundation's agenda in Indic

Studies. He agreed with the Board Chairman's suggestion to

distinguish Indic Studies from South Asian Studies, the latter being

adopted by many US universities for general area study that handicaps

them from getting into deeper understanding of Indic traditions and

values.

 

"An endowment of this size to bridge ancient civilization of India to

the most modern civilization of United States through education is a

most powerful statement to society,'' said Dr. Bal Ram Singh, director

of the Center of Indic Studies. "I am thrilled at this opportunity and

look forward to facilitating the engagement of my colleagues in this

educational mission."

 

With more than one billion people, India represents over 15 percent

of the world's population. Only China has a larger population. India's

median age is 25, one of the youngest among large economies. India and

the United States are the two largest democracies in the world. With

an average GDP growth of 7 percent over the last decade, India is one

of the fastest growing economies in the world. It is leveraging its

large number of well-educated and English-speaking people to become a

major exporter of software services and software workers. According

the U.S. Census Bureau India also now ranks 4th in Massachusetts as a

nation of origin of foreign born residents in 2006 with 40,000

residents of Massachusetts. In 2000, India ranked 9th, and in 1990 did

not rank in the top 10. India is the top country of origin for

international students on the UMass Dartmouth campus. This fall there

will be approximately 150 students from India on the campus.

 

The Center for Indic Studies was established in 2001 to disseminate

understanding of issues relating to the arts, philosophy, culture,

societal values, and customs of India. For more information, visit

http://www.umassd.edu/indic

. UMass Dartmouth is located in North Dartmouth on the South Coast of

Massachusetts. Established in 1895 and located on its current site

since 1964, the university offers more than 60 undergraduate,

master's, and doctoral degree programs to 9,000 students. Its $21

million per year research enterprise is widely recognized for its

contributions to marine science, engineering, biotechnology, public

policy, education, business and management, nursing and social

science. The campus is also highly respected for its community

engagements, including a downtown arts campus in nearby New Bedford,

advanced technology center in Fall River and student community service

initiatives. For more information, visit www.umassd.edu

<http://www.umassd.edu/>

.

 

Indian students join the Endowment agreement signing ceremony.

Sitting on the chair (left to right) are Chancellor Jean MacCormack,

Pandit Ramsamooj, and Dr. Subramanian Swamy. Standing just behind them

are Dr. William Hogan, Dean of Arts and Sciences, Rajiv Malhotra,

President of Infinity Foundation and Chairman, Indic Center Board of

Governors, Bal Ram Singh, and Braham Agarwal, General Secretary, Board

of Governors.

 

Media coverage:

http://www.indolink.com/displayArticleS.php?id=082108063408

http://www.lokvani.com/lokvani/article.php?article_id=5106

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080816/NEWS/808160345

http://www.heraldnews.com/education/x1822517277/Indic-studies-program-receives-1M-gift

UMass Dartmouth website:

http://www.umassd.edu/communications/articles/printversion.cfm?a_key=2182