education transforming individuals · education transforming individuals 31 social work review,...

EDUCATION TRANSFORMING INDIVIDUALS

Indira Bhatt*Prema Mysore **

Vijay Gupta***

* Rocky Mountain Institute of Yoga and Ayurveda, Boulder, Colorado, USA** CPA, Independent Consultant and Wellness Practitioner, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

YANTRA Foundation, Banglore, India*** Ph.D., University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA Email : [email protected]

Introduction

Beginning of the 21st century marksthe pinnacle of information technology andits resulting communication revolution.They play a key role in the evolution ofhumanity giving people the power to connectand share viewpoints, ideas and knowledgeat an unprecedented speed with the wholeworld. People are becoming increasinglyaware of this emerging interconnectednesswith each other, the planet, and the entireuniverse. How they think and live, or whatthey eat and do to survive or thrive, aredirectly related to the human footprint onthe planet. Resultant global chaos needsurgent attention to bring order. By using theoverlapping academic parameters of Theory,Practice, Experience and Research, we havedesigned a roadmap in this paper. Wespecifically address strategies to fill gaps andsuggest an implementation plan in thecontext of social work education andpractice.

The organization of our paper isshown in Figure-1. Each arm extending fromthe circle in the figure corresponds to asection in our paper. There are sevensections. In Section-1 we explain

Civilizational Collapse due to watershortages and food economy that LesterBrown1 has articulated. We focus on Indiaon the issue of water shortages, and contrastit with the central role that watermanagement played in the traditional Indiansystem of agriculture. In Section-2 we turnto the role of Women in Agriculture. Thiscontext is global, but by way of illustration,we focus on Indian women as the ‘hiddenface’ of agriculture. We address importantMillennium Development Goals (MDGs) inthis section, and briefly introduce thepioneering work of Dr. Vandana Shiva, aninternational force of change, on thesustainable agriculture front.

Section-3 continues with a focus theimpact of our Food Choices on a diverse setof major issues including personal toplanetary wellness. In Section 4, weillustrate that many if not all problems ofmodern society can be traced to theLimitations of the Modern Science based onthe unproven 17th century assumption thatnature is only material and withoutconsciousness. This assumption has led toan even-growing consumerism and greatimbalance in personal lives with disastrouseffects on the planet: Global warming,

Education Transforming Individuals 31

Social Work Review, Vol. 51 No. 1, Jan. - Dec. 2015

massive water shortages, destruction of rainforests and ill effects of chemical andgenetically modified agriculture on humanhealth and serious water pollution, and thelist goes on…. In Section 5, explains theScience of Mind, which gives practices totransform and reprogram the deeplyembedded subconscious thought patterns,attitudes, and behavior. The findings in this

section consist of the latest advances inEpigenetics: the new science of self-empowerment. An implementation of theseadvances is explained within the frameworkof Simplified Kundalini Yoga (SKY).Section 6 gives agriculture and foodSustainability Programs from two AmericanUniversities that can be widely adopted asacademic models. Section 7 gives two

Figure-1 A Schematic Diagram Showing the Organization of the Paper

Indira Bhatt, Prema Mysore, Vijay K Gupta32


existing educational curricula and practicesbased in UK and USA. We propose aRoadmap to Implement for Faculty of SocialWork (FSW) housed in the MaharajaSayajirao University (MSU), Vadodara,India.

1. Civilizational Collapse

Early Sumerian civilization declinedand collapsed due to shrinking food supplies,rising salt levels in the soil—the result of aflaw in their irrigation system1. For theMayans, soil erosion exacerbated by a seriesof intense droughts apparently underminedtheir food supply and their civilization. Forother early civilizations that collapsed, it wasoften soil erosion and the resulting shrinkagein harvests that led to their decline. Doesour modern civilization face a similar fate?Lester Brown states, “ …our food shortagescould also bring down our early twenty-firstcentury global civilization. Our continuingfailure to reverse the environmental trendsthat are undermining the world foodeconomy forces me to conclude that if wecontinue with business as usual such acollapse is not only possible but likely”. Inan update to his book in 2013, he citedIndia’s “dangerous food bubble” due tounsustainable use of groundwater resourcesfor agriculture.

India developed a sustainable systemof agriculture in the ancient period.Vrikshayaurveda (the science of plant life)that developed in India is attributed to sageSurpala. Sadhale2 dates it around 1,000 AD,but references to ancient agriculture predate

it to the Vedic period. A key component ofthe ancient Indian agricultural productionwas its relationship with skillful and wisewater-management practices, because entirerainfall is mostly concentrated in the fewmonsoon months. Water managementnecessitated a certain degree of cooperationand collective spirit in the Indiancountryside, and until the imposition ofcolonial rule, it precluded any widespreaddevelopment of private property in India.Regional rulers, or local representatives ofthe state were generally obliged to allocatea certain percentage of the agricultural taxeson building and managing water-storage,water-harvesting and/or water-divertingstructures which facilitated a second crop,and provided water for drinking and otherpurposes in the long dry season.

Quoting Brown from India’sdangerous food bubble1a: “India is now theworld’s third-largest grain producer afterChina and the United States. The adoptionsof higher-yielding crop varieties and thespread of irrigation have led to thisremarkable tripling of output since the early1960s. In recent years about 27 million wellshave been drilled, chasing water tablesdownward in every Indian state.Unfortunately, a growing share of the waterthat irrigates three-fifths of India’s grainharvest is coming from wells that are startingto go dry. This sets the stage for a majordisruption in food supplies for India’sgrowing population.”

What made India get off the trackfrom its ancient agriculture system and move



into a highly unsustainable watermanagement system and other practicesinvolving chemical agriculture? This is a keyquestion that needs a careful examinationand analysis in the light of ancient Indianagriculture history and the adverse impactof colonization on these practices.

2. Women in Agriculture

Connection of women and agricultureis age-old in ancient civilizations. Accordingto Swaminathan3, the well-knownagricultural scientist, “some historiansbelieve that it was women who firstdomesticated crop plants and therebyinitiated the art and science of farming.While men went out hunting in search offood, women started gathering seeds fromthe native flora and began cultivating thoseof interest from the point of view of food,feed, fodder, fiber and fuel”.

Indeed, four decades of researchdemonstrates the varied and crucialresponsibilities that women hold inagriculture and the value of theircontributions, both economic and social.Rural women produce half of the world’sfood and, in developing countries, between60 percent and 80 percent of food crops4.Women also are more likely than men tospend their income on the wellbeing of theirfamilies, including more nutritious foods,school fees for children and health care.When credit is provided directly to a woman,it can increase household consumption andchildren’s schooling. Loan repayment ratesare higher for women than for men5. Women

also are integral to alleviating hunger andmalnutrition because they are primarilyresponsible for ensuring that food for theirfamilies is reliably available, accessible andnutritionally balanced6. On an average,agriculture provides 64 percent ofemployment and represents 34 percent ofgross domestic product (GDP) in the poorestcountries7. Therefore, by focusing attentionon women in farming, several MDGs (1,3,4,7, 8) can be addressed.

If women farmers across thedeveloping world had the same access tolabor, fertilizer, extension services, and seedsas male farmers, yields would increase byas much as 20-30 percent per household, andreduce hunger for 100-150 million people8

(MDG 1). Equal access to productionresources for men and women would raisetotal agricultural output in developingcountries by 2.5–4 percent, contributing tofood security and economic growth9.

Recent estimates show that only 5percent of foreign aid that is directed to theagricultural sector focuses on genderequality4. Overall; the labor burden of ruralwomen exceeds that of men and includes ahigher proportion of unpaid householdresponsibilities related to preparing food,collecting fuel and water4. Women and girlsspend a significant amount of time carryingwater. According to Stanford researchers, adecrease of even 15 minutes in walking timeto fetch water is associated with significantreductions in child mortality (MDG 4).

In developing countries economicgrowth originating in the agricultural sector



is at least twice as effective in reducingpoverty as growth originating elsewhere. Tosolve the problems of poverty and hunger,the agriculture sector in these countries —particularly smallholder agriculture in whichwomen are the driving force — needs to bemore efficient4 (MDG 1).

The World Trade Organization hashad a negative impact on women inagriculture12. On an average, a womanspends 14 hours a day working in and outsidethe home. During harvesting season shespends about 16 hours a day. According tothe Sustainable Development Department ofthe Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO)8a:

In the Indian Himalayas a pair ofbulls works 1,064 hours, a man 1,212 hours,and a woman 3,485 hours in a year on aone-hectare farm, a figure, which illustrateswomen’s significant contribution toagricultural production.

The question arises why women’s rolein the economy is not recognized and hasbeen given such an inferior position? Indianwomen represent the ‘hidden face’ ofagriculture. In rural India, the percentage ofwomen who depend on agriculture for theirlivelihood is as high as 84%. Women alsoheavily participate in ancillary agriculturalactivities. Despite their dominance of thelabor force women in India still face extremedisadvantage in terms of pay, land rights, andrepresentation in local farmers’organizations. Furthermore their lack ofempowerment often results in negative

externalities such as lower educationalattainment for their children and poorfamilial health.

2.1 Women and Sustainable Agriculture

Dr. Vandana Shiva is an internationalforce of change on the sustainableagriculture front. She founded Navdanya inIndia13, which means “nine seeds”, and itsymbolizes protection of biological andcultural diversity. This women-centerednetwork of seed keepers and organicproducers has spread across 17 states inIndia. Navdanya has helped set up 111community seed banks across the country,trained over 5,00,000 farmers in seedsovereignty, food sovereignty andsustainable agriculture over the past twodecades, and helped setup the largest directmarketing, fair trade organic network in thecountry. Navdanya is actively involved in therejuvenation of indigenous knowledge andculture. It has created awareness on thehazards of genetic engineering, defendedpeople’s knowledge from biopiracy and foodrights in the face of globalization and climatechange. Navdanya has also set up a learningcenter, Bija Vidyapeeth - School of the Seed/ Earth University, on its biodiversityconservation and organic farm in DoonValley, Uttarakhand, North India.

3. Food Choices

Worldwide popularity of convenientjunk/fast food lacking in nutrition is anAmerican corporate, profit-driven, endeavor



that began about 50 years ago. It isresponsible for the rise of obesity, diabetes,and related serious ailments all over theworld. Rise of obesity in the US is widespread, and the consumption of prescriptiondrugs has been rising14.

The food habits in India have changeddue to the western influence and the usageof fast foods is also on the rise. Varieties ofinstant/ready-to-eat foods available incatering industries as well as at homes arebecoming a part of every day life15. Therehas been a major shift in food habits in themetropolitan cities. According to a surveyundertaken in 2011 by the AssociatedChambers of Commerce and Industry ofIndia, about 86% of households prefer tohave instant food due to steep rise in dualincome level and standard of living,convenience, and influence of westerncountries. The survey on “Ready to Eat Foodin Metropolitan Cities” is based on responsesfrom 3,000 representative households withchildren or without children, nuclear familyand bachelors mainly because manyconsumers in metros lead time-pressuredlifestyles and have less time available forformal meals. As a result demand remainshigh for products which can be eaten on thego. It is also estimated that this foodprocessing industry will show the annualgrowth of 40-60% in next five years15.

According to research done by Worldwatch Institute’s Nourishing the Planetproject16, global meat production andconsumption have increased rapidly inrecent decades, with harmful effects on the

environment and public health as well as onthe economy. Worldwide meat productionhas tripled over the last four decades andincreased 20 percent in just the last 10 years.Meanwhile, industrial countries areconsuming growing amounts of meat, nearlydouble the quantity in developing countries.Much of the vigorous growth in meatproduction is due to the rise of industrialanimal agriculture, or factory farming, whichpollute the environment through the heavyuse of inputs such as pesticides, herbicides,and fertilizers used for feed production.Large-scale meat production also has seriousimplications for the world’s climate. Animalwaste releases methane and nitrous oxide,greenhouse gases that are 25 and 300 timesmore potent than carbon dioxide,respectively. In India, a country longassociated with vegetarianism, and whereslaughtering cows is forbidden, theoverall meat consumption has grown by 14percent from 2010 to 2012. Arable land isscarce, and it is directly impacting the rateof decline in available growing land becausethe animals are gobbling up thisirreplaceable resource due to meat diet ofhumans.

The prevalence of obesity is risingglobally and in India. Chopra et al.17

published a survey article with a focus onoverweight, obesity and related diseases inAsian Indian women. This review highlightsthe Asian Indian body composition withregards to obesity and provides a collatedperspective of gender-specific prevalence ofthe co-morbidities. Recent data show thatwomen have a higher prevalence of



overweight and obesity as compared withmen in India and that obesity is increasingin the youth. Importantly, prevalence ofabdominal obesity has been consistentlyhigher in women than in men. South India(rural Andhra Pradesh, 2006) reports thelowest prevalence (6.0%) of type-2 diabetesmellitus in women, where as the highest(14.0%) is reported in the urban areas.Although the clustering of cardiovasculardisease risk factors was generally high, itincreased further in post-menopausalwomen. There are a number of factors thatpredispose Indian women to obesity;sedentary behavior, imbalanced diets,sequential and additive postpartum weightgain and further decrease in physical activityduring this period and cultural issues. Inview of these data, preventive measuresshould be specifically targeted to Indianwomen.

Researchers and health professionalshave long been aware of the consequencesassociated with eating fast food, but untilnow, no one realized how quickly thedamage begins. A new study, published inthe Canadian Journal of Cardiology,indicates that damage to the arteries occursalmost immediately after just one — that’sright, one — junk food-type meal. Based onthe science, moderation with junk fooddoesn’t really exist. What is even moreshocking is the fact that corporate marketingof junk food is especially targetingchildren18. So what is nutrition, and why dowe care?

Food is really little more than amedian for soil-based nutrients. Drawing

from the earth, nutrients inherent to fertilesoil transform into plant matter. Nowbiologically usable by animal and humanalike, this nutrient-infused plant hastransformed compounds from the soil intodigestible sustenance for its consumer19.Plants grown in nutrient-rich soil serve as avessel by which nutrition is transferred towhomever, or whatever, eats them. Thisbeing the case, it is also true that very fewnutrients exist in plants that have been grownin over-farmed soil. Those crops are simplyvoid of nutrients that have been extractedby numerous plants grown on the same lotof land previously, each one of lowernutritional value than the one before.

The benefits of basing your diet onnutrient-rich, plant-based whole foods willdramatically reduce your risk of disease, turnoff your hunger signal and cravings, boostyour overall health and allow you to mentallyand physically outperform those who are onjunk/fast foods. It will help preserve theenvironment, and ensure that there’ssufficient arable land in which to grownutrient-rich food. Will increased demandfor meat lead to more competition amongfarmers and food companies for valuablenatural resources such as water and land and,rather than solving India’s food problems,will further exacerbate it? This is one of mostpressing issue that India and the world facebecause it is directly tied to civilizationalcollapse explained in Section-1.

4. Limitations of Modern Science

Abraham Lincoln said in 1864 duringthe American Civil War, “As a result of the



war, corporations have been enthroned andan era of corruption in high places willfollow”. What followed is a direct testimonyto the visionary prediction that Lincolnmade. Western multinational corporationscalled the ‘Empire’ run the world20. Thecorporate empire was built on the moderntechnology and the singular profit motive.Modern science, and consequently moderntechnology, is based on the unproven 17th

century assumption that nature is onlymaterial and without consciousness21.Understanding consciousness and how itfunctions in humans as well in othermanifestations of nature remain largelyelusive to the modern science. Many awarescientists, activists and environmentalists areusing modern technology to assess andcontinuously report the state of the planet16.The food and water shortages, health andhealth care crises, extensive deforestation,environmental disasters, growing disparitybetween rich and poor, and exploitation ofthe weak and vulnerable, specially womenis evident. Brown1 describes the widespreadefforts that are being made to reverse manyof these trends through developing solutions.Although these efforts are commendable, abalanced approach that also transforms thehuman consciousness is urgently needed toexpedite the progress. We elaborate on thisstatement in Section 5. In this section, ourfocus is to briefly explain how corporatesector is creating major disruptions to theenvironment and human health throughmodern technologies that they operate andcontrol. We restrict our focus to agricultureand food safety in what follows.

The chemical and biotechnological

corporations have taken control of globalagriculture. For example, ‘green revolution’in Indian agriculture in the 1960s introducedpesticides and other chemicals in it.Although it greatly increased the crop yieldsin the short run, the effects of chemicalpesticides and fertilizers on human healthhave been rather grim22. The unfortunateBhopal gas explosion of a pesticide plant in1984 inspired Vandana Shiva to give up hercareer in Physics to become an activist andan organic farmer. The cultivation of thegenetically modified crops has drawnworldwide attention including India due toits adverse effects on the environmental andthe human health. We suggest Jeffrey Smith,who established the Institute for ResponsibleTechnology23, for his excellent contributionsand information on these topics.

Dr. Shiv Chopra, a Canadianmicrobiologist and an activist of Indianorigin, has widely written giving insightfuldetails about the corruption in thegovernment concerning food safety24. Timeand again, he voiced opposition to thegovernment’s attempt to allow dangerousdrugs, agricultural practices, andcarcinogenic pesticides to enter the foodsupply, and upheld the policies of the Foodand Drug Act and its regulations.Multinational corporations that make drugsand chemicals for agricultural and foodinputs influence and manipulate thegovernment regulatory agencies in-charge offood and drug safety and get approvals. Mostimportantly, this book contains a blueprintfor the establishment of food safety andsecurity throughout the world.



5. The Science of Mind

Inquiry into mind, its origin and howit functions have a long tradition inpsychology, neurosciences, philosophy,religion, as well as the ancient science ofyoga. Yogiraj Vethathiri (1911-2006), acontemporary philosopher, who developedthe Simplified Kundalini Yoga (SKY)system25, gave a deep philosophical andscientific understanding of mind26. We takesome highlights from his works to explainwhat mind is, and its relevance toEpigenetics: The New Science of Self-empowerment27. Building on this scientificfoundation, we explain how the deeplyembedded subconscious thought patternsand attitudes towards women could betackled, which require a monumental shiftin the human psyche.

The fundamental concept of life forceis necessary to understand mind. It is alsoknown by other names in the literature, suchas Kundalini energy in the yoga literature25,Qi in Chinese holistic healing28, andBioelectricity in Acupressure29. Vethathiri25,26

defined life force current in a living systemas a group of very minute ‘life-forceparticles’ circulating throughout the physicalbody of a living system. Circulation of thelife-force particles may be formallycompared to the ‘flow of electrons’ in a wirethat explains why life force is calledbioelectricity. Life-force particles generateBio-electromagnetic (BioEM) field just likethe flow of electricity in a physical objectgenerates electromagnetic (EM) field. Ourstatement supports the hypothesis of a close

connection between life force and BioEM.Indeed, Waechter27 based on an extensiveand an independent review of the literaturehypothesized that Qi or the life-force, iseither the same or closely related to themodern concept of BioEM energy.Vethathiri25 postulated that BioEM energyis transformed for carrying out involuntaryfunctions like breathing, digesting food etc.,as well as voluntary functions involving allthe five senses, and mind. These insightsimply that BioEM is directly related to mind,which is needed in our explanation givenbelow that brain frequencies correspond tomind frequencies.

The electrical nature of brain is wellknown to the modern science27. It issupported through an Electroencephalogram(EEG), an instrument that records theelectromagnetic activity of the brain throughattaching electrodes to a person’s head.Therefore, EEG measurements areinterpreted as the frequencies thatcorrespond to different states of brain. Thereare four ranges of frequencies that pertainto the activity of the human brain as a wave30:Beta (12-35 cycles per second (Hz), Alpha(8-12 Hz), Theta (8-4 Hz) and Delta (4-0.5Hz). How do these frequencies correspondto that of human mind? Mind is not materialand therefore is not the same as the brain.How are the two connected? It is a bigchallenge to the modern science.

To understand how mind and brain areconnected, we consider the ‘life-forceparticles’ that circulate throughout thephysical body of a living system including



the brain. Therefore, we assert that theBioEM field that is produced by the lifeforce particles is common to both mind andbrain. According to Dhamodharan31, “it isimpossible to separate the waves of the mindand the brain”. Indeed, EEG frequencies arecommonly used to interpret states of mind.For example, Beta wave frequencycorresponds to day-to-day activity liketalking, reading, playing etc. Alphacorresponds to a state of calmness that oneexperiences in meditation, taking a walkthrough wilderness etc. Theta correspondsto deep meditation and relaxation. In Deltafrequency, a person loses body and materialconsciousness and experiences what Indiansages described as non-dual nature of reality.In summary, as one reduces mentalfrequency, one transitions from materialconsciousness towards pure consciousness.

The latest advances in epigeneticsshow that the subconscious mind is arepository of ‘stimulus-response’information that is derived from learnedexperiences and from instincts. Thisinformation in children is acquired till theage of 6 when they are in Delta and Thetafrequencies. After that they begin to functionin Alpha and then in Beta that is the domainof the conscious mind. Therefore, toreprogram the stored information in thesubconscious mind that is not conducive forhuman behavior, it is necessary to bring themind to Theta and Delta frequencies, andthen reprogram the stored informationthrough affirmations.

Lipton and Bhaerman30 list a dozenbelief-change modalities, and any one of

them can be used to reprogram the storedinformation in the subconscious mind. Tothis list we add the SKY system that is mostsuitable for the modern age. It includes twostages of meditation that are directly relevantto reprogramming the subconscious mind:Thuriya and Thuriyateetha25. On the basisof EEG measurements on himself,Dhamodharan31 observed Theta frequency inThuriya and Delta frequency inThuriyateetha. Once a practitioner goes intothese states during meditation, affirmationsneed to be given for reprogramming thesubconscious mind. It is a two-step process.

6. Sustainability Models

There is a great need for people of theworld to get off corporate convenience foodand start producing clean food. This wouldinvolve initiating grass-root farming projectsincluding student farms in the universitysettings. The Sustainability AgricultureInstitute (ASI) at the University of Californiaat Davis32 in 2011 established a newundergraduate major in ‘sustainableagriculture and food systems’. ASI providesa hub that links initiatives and education insustainable agriculture and food systemsacross all divisions of the college ofagriculture and environmental sciences,across the university of California, andacross the State of California.

Various disciplinary academicdepartments and programs at the universitycan play a role in the farm project, as figure-2 shows.



7. Roadmap to Implementation

We have selected two very uniqueacademic programs from UK and USA toguide us in designing a roadmap to animplementation plan that covers differentissues described in above sections. First isthe Schumacher College that, through aninnovative approach to learning, with expertsfrom around the world, has helped thousandsof organizations and individuals to

understand and find solutions for the mostpressing ecological and social concerns ofmodern life34. We draw attention to the shortcourses that are offered at the college. Threetopics are taken for illustration: (i) EatingEcologically - Healthy, Local andSustainable Food. This course explores thenutritional benefits of consuming a widerange of plant foods and how a diverse andhealthy diet can be produced locally,organically and sustainably using

Figure-2 A Schematic Depiction of the University of New Mexico’s Flagship Student Farm



permaculture principles. (ii) SchumacherCertificate in Ecological Leadership andFacilitation – Transformative Change in aVolatile World. An eight-month learningprogram that explores a new model ofleadership and facilitation, especiallydesigned to meet the challenges andadventures of an increasingly volatile andcomplex future. (iii) Economics ofHappiness: The new science of happiness.The limitations of gross domestic product(GDP) as a measure of societal wellbeingare now widely recognized. Drawing heavilyon recent insights in fields as diverse aspsychology, biology and anthropology, thiscourse will explore some of the moreinteresting alternative measures of wellbeingthat have emerged in recent years, includingthe Happy Planet Index.

Naropa University is a Buddhist-inspired, student-centered liberal artsuniversity in Boulder, Colorado. Arecognized leader in contemplativeeducation, Naropa’s undergraduate andgraduate programs emphasize professionaland personal growth, intellectualdevelopment, and contemplative practice35.

A national conference on “Integratingyoga in Modern Education” is beingorganized in Vadodara, March 21-23, 201436.FSW-MSU is a co-sponsoring organization.We have taken a schematic diagram from theconference web site to illustrate how theconceptual ideas that the two universities,Schumacher College and the NaropaUniversity emulate, can be joined togetherto structure a paradigm shift in education.



ReferencesBrown, L. (2009). Plan B.4. Earth Policy Institute, Washington D.C., USA 1a http://www.earth-

policy.org/plan_b_updates/Chopra S M, Misra A, Gulati S, Gupta R. (2013). Overweight, obesity and related non-communicable

diseases in Asian Indian girls and women. Eur J Clin Nutr. Jul; 67(7):688-96. doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2013.70.

Dhamodhran, M. K. (2004). Can the mind be measured? Anbuneri Pub., Dindigul, India.Food and Agriculture Organization. (2011). The State of Food and Agriculture: Women in Agriculture,

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For the purpose of illustration, wepresent a conceptual roadmap for an ‘on-going’ seminar course—entitledTransformation for the Modern Age—thatcan be offered in any university and collegein India including MSU. A holisticframework includes four components:Theory, Practice, Experience and Research.The course would involve local faculty, guestspeakers, documentaries, book reviewsfollowed by discussions and instruction inmeditation, introspection, physicalexercises, plant-based healthy diet, and restthat is pertinent to personalitytransformation. Reforming the existingeducation system would transform theconsciousness of both men and women, andmotivate women to take leadership role increatively addressing contemporarychallenges. This course is designed tointroduce students to global challenges andto approaches for implementing solutions.Once this pilot project is successful, it canbe taken to other Indian colleges and alsointroduced internationally.

In conclusion, we quote MahatmaGandhi: “The difference between what wedo and what we are capable of doing wouldsuffice to solve most of the world’sproblems.”

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to several colleaguesin India and the USA for their cooperationin this project. Dr. Ramanathj Pandey,Oriental Institute, MSU, Vadodara, and theConference Coordinator of ISIS 204,introduced the first author, a graduate ofFSW, to Dean Parmar, FSW, whichgenerated an invitation to this conference.We are grateful to Dr. Jagdish Kohli for hisoutstanding help with the graphics in the lastsection of this paper. Ms. Jill Owen kindlygave input on references and PatriciaEichorn gave professional editing help.Seager’s book37 is a valuable resource forinvaluable data on the women of the world.



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