Governor presents paper on ‘Building Peace: The Bahudha Approach’ at ISEAS, Singapore

GANGTOK, 16 Jan: On special invitation from the Institute of South East Asian Studies (ISEAS), the Governor of Sikkim, Balmiki Prasad Singh, presented a paper titled ‘Building Peace: The Bahudha Approach’ before a handsome gathering on 10 January, 2012 at ISEAS, Singapore, informs a press release issued by the PRO to the Governor.

On his maiden visit to the Institute, Mr Singh was warmly received by the Director of ISEAS and the Ambassador of Singapore to Jordan, K Kesavapany and his staff. He introduced Mr Singh to the gathering and spoke briefly about his academic credentials.

The thesis of Mr Singh’s address was based on peaceful resolution of conflicts by means of the Bahudha approach, the release informs. Through this harmonious approach, Mr Singh presents an alternative view to Samuel P. Huntington’s theory of the Clash of Civilizations.

The Bahudha approach is both a celebration of diversity and an attitude of mind that respects another person’s point of view. It also promotes a feeling that the world would be a dull and over-uniform place if there was only one religion, one God, one language, one folklore and one folk tale.

The inculcation of attitude of mind inspired by the Bahudha approach would mean that one hears others in a manner that is akin to our behaviour with family members or with our neighbours. It helps us appreciate and even adopt good practices and value systems of others without diminishing our own.

The lecture was divided into two segments: paper reading and paper discussion of 45-minute duration each. The paper discussion was extremely well participated by the academicians, research scholars and students from the Institute and outside, the release mentions.

At the institute’s library the Governor garlanded the bust of Rabindra Nath Tagore. He gifted the Institute a Sikkimese thanka and a copy each of the books “Bahudha- in the post 9/11 World” and “India’s Culture”- authored by him- and also a copy of “Sikkim’s Raj Bhavan”, the release adds.