If World Has To Progress, Then Indian Way Is The Way Forward: MoS Meenakashi Lekhi

New Delhi [India]: Union Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs and Culture Meenakashi Lekhi has said if the world has to progress, humanity has to survive, then the Indian way is the way forward and that way is ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’.

“If the world has to progress and humanity has to survive then the Indian way is the way forward and that way is ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,” MoS Lekhi said during an exhibition ‘Banking on World Heritage’ at Darshanam Gallery of Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, according to an official release. The exhibition inaugurated by Lekhi on Friday, showcases banknotes of G-20 Member Nations depicting UNESCO-listed World Heritage Sites. The exhibition is curated by Rukmini Dahanukar, an independent scholar and founder of ‘Money Talks’.

The exhibition is organized under the chairmanship of India as part of the ongoing G 20 Summit celebrations and will run till July 9.

The inauguration was also attended by Member Secretary, IGNCA, Dr Sachchidanand Joshi, Director (Administration), Priyanka Mishra, Archivist Sanjay Jha and officials from some countries and other dignitaries were also present.

A panel discussion was organized after the inaugural program.

MoS Lekhi after the exhibition’s inauguration said: “Every day of my life I feel it’s worth living because I learn something new each and every day. Exposure to something like a currency note is very different and I had fun collecting it and this perspective to currency note is very different and new”, as per the release.

She further added that through currency notes, we learn about the history of the given country and it speaks volumes.

Lekhi said the exhibition has been organized in the spirit of ‘Vasudaiva Kutumbakam’. She further reiterated that the G20 countries have 70 per cent of the declared heritage of the world and the exhibition brings out the collective effort of these countries to preserve and conserve heritage and to connect the current generation to the greatness of their past.

Dr Sachchidanand Joshi while speaking at the exhibition’s inauguration, said that this exhibition is the reality of what at first seemed undoable and unimaginable and that the exhibition was envisioned with a perspective to bring forth the cultural heritage of the member nations of G20.

He further remarked that banknotes and coins are invaluable sources for reconstructing our global history. He concluded by saying that IGNCA is proud to present this first-of-its-kind exhibition for all.

Sudhakar Raza said in the discussion that this exhibition is probably the first of its kind in the world. He said that the images that we see on the notes are decided after a long process and deliberations. He also said that the series of 2016 notes coming to India is completely manufactured in the country, according to the official release.

The exhibition’s curator, Rukmini Dahanukar, said that this concept is an amalgamation of art design, history heritage and culture. The beauty of banknotes is that every banknote showcases its cultural value besides the economic value it has.

She further added that the design of banknotes is wonderful and the values on the notes are written in 17 Indian languages. At the end of the panel discussion, Dr Achal Pandya, HoD, Conservation Division, IGNCA expressed his gratitude to the speakers and the audience. The discussion was moderated by Sadhna Srivastava.