Hinduism and Development

The author carries out a brief investigation of Hinduism’s resourcefulness to face the challenges of ‘develop-­ ment’, on the one hand, and how the Hindu ethos is capable of taking a critical stand vis-a-vis the march of development t hat is a global phenomenon. The human process of planning, delib-­ e r a t i o n and making decisions need to be guided by a prioritization of values. The supreme value and concern is all that pertains to the nature, dignity and destiny of the human person. Full and all round development of the human person is a non-negotiable priority, and there is almost universal consen­- sus on this. The human person is a body-spirit integral reality. Close on the heels of human development is the need for all that pertains to other needs of the person in society, the person in community, the person in the ‘modem city\ Hinduism had made a remarkable contribution to the development of a great civili­- zation. At the same time at a particular point in time certain degree of closure of mind and its exploration intervened that began to affect adversely the human person. Caste system was one major consequence. It impeded the pace of human develop-­ ment. The current society, along with the State, is engaged in pursuing development. The light of the fast growing human sci­- ences could be focused on socio-cultural mores to help them be­ come creative tools for the development of the country