New Delhi

Vice President CP Radhakrishnan on Tuesday pushed for greater spread of India's ancient knowledge saying it should not remain confined to manuscripts and libraries alone.

He also said that we should not allow our "great texts" to disappear from the world and preserve it for future generations.

Addressing the second convocation of Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri National Sanskrit University here, the vice president said Sanskrit holds a glorious place in the world of science, literature and philosophy.

"Our ancient knowledge must not remain confined to manuscripts and libraries. It must be preserved, studied, interpreted and made available to the future generations. The National Education Policy 2020 has further strengthened this mission by placing emphasis on the Indian knowledge system," he said.

"We should not allow our great texts to disappear from the world. We have to preserve it for the future generations," he added.

Noting that Sanskrit has a strong foundation of moral values, Radhakrishnan said, "Sanskrit holds a glorious place in the world of science, literature and philosophy. That is the greatness of Sanskrit. We should preserve it and we should take it to the next generations. It is a strong foundation of moral values".

The VP asserted that while we cherish our mother tongue, we must also respect and value other languages.

"Sanskrit has enriched India's intellectual, spiritual and cultural heritage for centuries...it deserves our deepest respect. It has enriched the various arts and above all, serves as the thread that weaves together the spirit of Bharat. The Sanskrit language contains innumerable subjects that are extremely beneficial to mankind. Sanskrit holds the key to many doors.

"Even today, rare Sanskrit manuscripts are found not only in India but also in countries such as Nepal, Tibet and China. The launch of the Gyan Bharatam Mission...marks another significant step. With a foundational corpus of Rs 500 crore dedicated to manuscript preservation and documentation, it is bringing India's vast manuscript heritage to the people of India and the world," he further said.

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The vice president urged the university teachers and students to explore these manuscripts, study them critically, edit them with scholarly rigour, and make their wisdom available to the world.

"In this age of Artificial Intelligence, I also urge you to use technology to promote and preserve Sanskrit," he added.