Radha Madhav Dham Welcomes Dr. Subramanian Swamy to Austin

India’s Recovery – How to Balance Material Progress with Spiritual Values

AUSTIN, TX: Radha Madhav Dham hosted Dr. Subramanian Swamy for a luncheon and public address during his first trip to Austin, Texas on Wed August 26. Leaders and members of Austin Hindu community took time out of their busy Wednesday and had an invaluable opportunity to hear to Dr. Swamy share his views on the topic of “India’s Recovery” and interact with him during wonderfully organized luncheon, lecture and Q&A sessions.
A renowned authority on economics, Dr Swamy received his doctorate in 1965 from Harvard University.  Upon returning to India he taught as a full professor of Mathematical Economics at IIT in Delhi.  In addition to a long and illustrious career in politics, Dr. Swamy has been a strong advocate of Hindu spiritual values.  He is known throughout India for his tireless efforts to improve the quality of education and economic prosperity for each and every citizen.

In his presentation, Dr. Swamy covered a comprehensive range of topics, including the Indian government’s vision for economic growth, India’s place in the international business world and the importance of integrating the ancient Hindu culture with the current technologically interconnected world of the 21st century.  He called for a new Indian paradigm for current and future generations by stating with profundity, “One of the most important things for a nation, our nation of India, is to have citizens who posses a mindset which is structured for the greatness of the country.”

Dr. Swamy shared that India as a country has experienced an unparalleled history of giving shelter to people of all religions and ethnicities while remaining firmly established in the ancient Vedic-Hindu spiritual values.  India has not only survived countless foreign invasions, he says, but has integrated those influences resulting in a modern nation which is both diverse and at the same time united as a majority Hindu society.  This resilience and greatness of India can further be strengthened through knowledge that reflects the true history of India without the historical and philosophical distortions originating from the time of 18th century British colonial governance.  “Overcoming the long lasting negative psychological influences from that time in the consciousness of the young generation is imperative for India’s continued success” says Dr. Swamy.

In addition to understanding India’s true history and religion, Dr. Swamy stated that it is imperative to introduce the study of Sanskrit language nationwide – the ancient Vedic language that has found a new importance in computer science due to its perfect linguistic architecture and made it the most “computer friendly” language known.  This structure lends its usefulness in the nascent field of A.I., artificial intelligence.

In addition to propagating the correct understanding of Indian history along with the study of Sanskrit, Dr. Swamy explained that it is vital to balance material progress with spiritual values.  It is important for India’s future to develop a different attitude of prosperity from the West.  He states that conquering poverty is, without doubt, a prime objective for people throughout India yet having a one-dimensional attachment to material objects is not an authentic Indian value.  A balance properly struck will make India truly great among the developed countries of the world.  “Going forward we are focused on self-improvement, not necessarily as a spiritual person but as a citizen of the new India with a huge legacy of which everyone should be proud.”

One of the largest Hindu temples in the U.S., Radha Madhav Dham established in Austin, strives to make a difference everyday to the Hindu communities it serves through its spiritual, educational and community service initiatives.  It also supports projects in India through its massive charitable activities, to improve the quality of life for the poor and underprivileged living in rural villages of India.