‘Vajpayee enhanced India’s global stature as a soft power’

Pune, 8th November 2024: Atal Bihari Vajpayee (ABV) was one of India’s “most beloved” and “popular” Prime Ministers, who leveraged India’s cultural and democratic values to enhance the nation’s global stature as a soft power, said former Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe.

Speaking on the theme ‘India’s Soft Power and Legacy of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee’ at PIC’s fifth and concluding lecture of the Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Birth Centenary Lecture Series, he said, under Vajpayee’s leadership, India’s rich culture and democratic values of peace and harmony and its “soumya sampada (soft power)” were harnessed to position it as a soft power and an influential voice on the world stage. The lecture, held on November 8 at Sumant Moolgaokar Auditorium, ICC Trade Tower, SB Road, was chaired by Dr. Vidya Yeravdekar, Pro Chancellor of Symbiosis International University, Pune.

Highlighting Vajpayee’s “exceptional qualities” as a leader and spokesman for the third world, Dr. Sahasrabuddhe noted that the former PM’s approach to foreign policy was rooted in the principles of “good neighbourliness”, with a vision of “friendship with all, dominance over none”—a belief that reflected the Indian ideal of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family).

On Vajpayee’s commitment to secularism, Dr. Sahasrabuddhe said the former PM emphasised the importance of equal respect for all religions and viewed secularism not merely as a Constitutional obligation but as the “signature tune” of India’s civilisation. He said Vajpayee had also cautioned against the “drumbeating” about a so-called “composite culture,” emphasising that India had been secular since its known history. Vajpayee also had a clear stance against cross-border terrorism and rejected attempts to disguise such actions as jihad, he added.

Among the most enduring contributions of Vajpayee, he noted, was his promotion of Hindi abroad as a part of the broader effort to project India’s linguistic and cultural heritage. Vajpayee, he said, recognised the Indian diaspora as “ambassadors of India,” leading to the establishment of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (January 9) to celebrate their contributions to the country.

Dr. Sahasrabuddhe said Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s vision of a “cultural commonwealth”, which Vajpayee supported, was an agenda that the current dispensation can carry forward. He said Vajpayee’s famous remark that India is not a piece of land but a living entity demonstrated his patriotism and cultural nationalism. Noting that soft power is also about how the world perceives India, Dr. Sahasrabuddhe said Vajpayee’s leadership helped the world understand India’s diverse and rich heritage.

Dr. Sahasrabuddhe cited Vajpayee’s view on environment as another tool of exercising India’s soft power, highlighting Vajpayee’s belief in “confluence with nature”, rather than its “conquest”, which led to the creation of buffer zones around national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.

Delivering the closing remarks, Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar, President, PIC, commended Dr. Sahasrabuddhe for his use of the term “soumya sampada,” describing it as a “beautiful expression” that captured the essence of India’s soft power. In his opening remarks, Abhay Vaidya, Director, PIC, introduced the guest to the audience. The lecture was followed by a lively Q&A session.