New Delhi: Against the backdrop of a call from RSS to celebrate the millennium anniversary of the Rajendra Chola I, the great king of the chola empire, HRD Ministry has asked schools and colleges to organise programmes on the campuses so that children of the "new generation" are inspired by the rich legacy of ancient India.
In a communication, the Ministry has asked the institutes to organise programmes "so that the children of new generation are inspired by the legacy of the rich history of the country they belong to".
The Kendriya Vidyalayas have, in fact, relayed to all the zones to organise programmes during the co-curricular activity period and in assembly, a circular said.
Crowned in 1014 CE, King Rajendra I extended his rule not only from the banks of river Ganga to the whole of Southern India but also up to Sri Lanka, Lakshadweep, Maldives, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
Trade, commerce, art, culture, architecture and sculpture flourished under his reign in this entire region.
"Remembering such glorious period of our history will be inspirational to the people in the work for national resurgence.
"All the people of Bharat including Swyamasevaks are called upon to remind Bharat and the world about the achievement of the Chola king Rajendra for providing benign rule with all round progress in such a vast area and to ensure their support as well as participation in all the events related to this incidence," RSS general secretary?Suresh (Bhayya) Joshi?had said in a statement earlier.
The development comes at a time when the HRD Ministry is being accused of saffronisation of education, a charge denied by Minister Smriti Irani.
Rajendra is also credited with establishing a university for Vedic studies at Ennayiram in Tamil Nadu.
