Interrogating Macaular's Children

Sri Khandavalli Satya Deva Prasad completed his formal education in commerce and banking. Worked for a nationalised bank for nearly 30 years and voluntarily retired to pursue chosen interests Self-educated in various aspects of Bharatiya knowledge system including areas such as philosophy and history of Indian science and technology. His main interest lies in the advocacy of Indian way and view of life in the modern world. *He has written six books and many articles and papers in Telugu and in English. He has delivered lectures on India's scientific heritage to high school and college students for couple of decades. Has also addressed various intellectuals including IAS officers on varied range of topics.

British Administrative historians in pursuance of their agenda of colonisation attempted to subvert Indian history and degraded its civilisation values. A well thought-out agenda had been implemented in order to show that India was land of obscuraticism where people do not know anything except the rope trick. The early response to the administrative histories came from the Nationalist historians. Their response to this vilification of nation's heritage has also been pathetic for they sought shelter in mythologies which in a way endorsed the opinion by the colonial historians led by likes of JS Mill. On the other hand, Western scholars who were fascinated by Indic scholarship, somehow got into philosophical debate rather than highlighting the scientific base the nation had. This is not to suggest that people Max Muller or Emerson shared the colonial agenda. But they highlighted the spiritual aspects rather than the scientific and rational aspects embedded in the ancient texts. As a cumulative result, the image of India as a land of mysticism has taken deep roots. The Discover India mission of the people of eminence actually concealed more than revealing for reason best known to them. However, sustained efforts of Nationalists slowly started yielding results. The recent work of Shashi Tharoor "An Area of Darkness: The British Empire in India" is one example. It is in this context, the present work of Sri Khandavalli Satya Deva Prasad 'Interrogating the Macaulay's children" assumes significance. The compilation of the excerpts from different sources, with an objective to foreground the facts that have been wilfully obfuscated as part of colonial agenda, is ommendable. It is unfortunate that concerted effort have not ura, been made to challenge TB Macaulay's vituperative utterances. The man had the audacity to say that Indian was a land of the ignorant and all the knowledge in Sanskrit is nothing. He described India as an area of backwardness and he shared the white man's burden, oblivious of the fact that this was the land the where the chant Tamasoma Jyothirgmaya reverberates everywhere. Sri Satya Deva Prasad's compilation not merely interrogate but actually rebuts TB Macaulay point by point and word by word. The selection appears eclectic but one can easily find a pattern. Be it highlighting the medicinal and surgical proficiency, be it the efficacy in trade and Commerce, be it how the Rishis have taught none other than Pythagoras himself. The selection "India: The Cradle of Mankind and The Fount of Wisdom" and "Social Structure and Life in Vedic Times answer most of the questions. The range of the topics that Sri Prasad has covered is amazing. His scholarship and commitment to the cause is evident in the efforts that he has made. He has not tried to hide anything that differs from his convictions. There are areas which are slightly grey in the ancient texts - issues like homosexuality, but he has not tried to gloss over them - On the other hand, his study reveals that there are areas which are slightly problematic. For Instance, in the segment on Commerce he talks about caste system which had been there with Hindus but was never a deterrent against travel (The Conquerors, Warriors, and Statesman of India). The Book is titled "Interrogating Macaulay's Children". It offers insights to all children and is a revelation to all adults. It will certainly entertain both. More pertinently, it corrects historical distortions. I congratulate and compliment Sri Satya Deva Prasad for bringing out such a revealing compilation.

The following is a collection of quotations of well known persons from various walks of life. These quotes are culled from various sources, mostly foreign, from the very ancient to the most recent times. The quotes refute, sentence by sentence, the charges levelled by Macaulay against Hindu knowledge system and Sanskrit language in his famous Minute. Macaulay passed these remarks in an attempt to remove the indigenous education system and replace it with the English curriculum. These quotations prove that from very ancient times Hindu education system helped the Hindus to stay on top in science, technology, trade, commerce, social harmony and unity. This compilation is meant to remind Indians that there is lot of colonial propaganda still lurking in the present day educational curriculum taught in our schools and colleges. It is actually a hangover of the colonial rule which harmed us instead of improving our capabilities. Present education system is not a natural outcome of the native genius, but fraudulently foisted upon the unsuspecting Hindus. Most of our present day problems and misunderstandings are the direct outcome of our so called modern education system which is loaded with colonial propaganda against Indian knowledge system, and the culture that generated it over millennia. The compilation also serves to inform those who feel the negative impact of Macaulay education but do not know the positive side of our indigenous system. The aim of this compilation is not to argue for a go-back to the olden days which is not practicable not is it a plea against English language as such. It is an appeal to get informed about the nefarious designs of the introducer of English education in our country, and work hard to remove its deleterious effects and place it on a firm indigenous footing.

**Contents and Sample Pages**