Nagin Sanghavi
90-year old educator stirs conventions
90-year old educator stirs conventions
By Laura Salinger
In June 2007, Asian Wisconzine featured Harsha Keister and the Satyam Ayurvedic Massage Centre, a wellness center on Madison’s west side that
uses Indian healing techniques. Indian for “knowledge of life,” Ayurveda is a 5000 year-old Indian system of healing that uses diet, meditation, gentle
exercise, herbal remedies, and physical therapies (such as massage) to achieve physical, spiritual, and mental health. Keister learned ayurveda while
growing up with her family in India.
Just recently, Keister was visited by her father; a 90-year-old retired history and politics professor who resides in India. Nagin Sanghavi (Keister’s
father) has lived an interesting life in India where he has challenged religious beliefs and political practices. In a recent interview with Asian Wisconzine,
Sanghavi shared his perspectives as a long-time Indian native and his hopes for the future of his country.
In 1988, Nagin Sanghavi challenged popular religious thought in India when he published a relatively unknown version of the Ramayana, a revered
religious text. Sanghavi asserts that the text he shared in a local newspaper in the western Indian state of Gujarat, was indeed the oldest and most
authenticated version of the Hindu epic. Yet, the version he published differed greatly from the more popular version widely accepted throughout the
country.
“That version contradicted what was originally known and people were very, very upset,” Sanghavi said.
In the popular version of Ramayana, Rama — the central figure who is believed to be the seventh incarnation of Vishnu — represents the ideal hero. In the
version that Sanghavi published, Rama is much more human-like and imperfect. Rama, in fact, was not the “ideal one” and this concept was severely
unpopular in Sanghavi’s community. Sanghavi and his family faced dire consequences for his daring publication.
“People burned the newspapers,” Sanghavi recalled. “My family and I faced much abuse. I was denounced. I was criticized.”
This wasn’t the first time, or the last, that Sanghavi would challenge popular thought as a scholar in India.
“I’m considered a sort of radical,” he said with a chuckle. “Conservatives almost hate me, I think.”
At 90 and having witnessed vast changes in India’s political and social climate, Sanghavi is surprisingly reluctant to talk about his country’s past and
his role as a history and politics professor at various Indian universities. Instead he wants to focus on the present and India’s future. His main concern is
the state of global relations, currently infused with war and violence within and among countries, and the future of his beloved country.
In an effort to work for peace, Sanghavi is currently helping to organize a conference on world religions that will take place in India in Jan. 2009.
“We are working on inviting the leaders from all the world religions,” he said. “A dialogue among all the religions is possible. Dialogue is the only way in
which we understand each other.”
Conference organizers have procured various religious leaders to speak at the conference including two Buddhist monks, a Catholic cardinal, a rabbi
from Israel, and leaders from the Muslim and Hindu communities. The goal is to create mutual appreciation and respect among world religions. According
to Sanghavi, this is a necessary stepping-stone towards world peace.
“Whether we like it or not, religion is still a great force for the masses,” he said. “These religions, unfortunately, think that they are best, that there is no
need to talk to each other. There is a lot of bloodshed and much of it stems from religion. The only way to change that is to sit down and talk to each other.”
Sanghavi was raised in the Hindu religion, but finds truth in the doctrines of various religions.
“I believe a little in Islam; I believe a little in Christianity; I believe a little in Buddhism; and I believe quite a bit in Hinduism.”
At the end of the day, Sanghavi believes that all of the world’s religions could learn from each other and thus, live more harmoniously. It’s a long shot, he
knows, and something he probably won’t witness in his lifetime, but it’s a viable dream still the same.
Sanghavi is also hopeful about the future of his country. He describes India as a country with old prejudices and an old societal system. Yet, he says,
India “is an old nation trying to transform itself into a modern nation.”
“India is changing very fast,” he said. “We want to change. We want to modernize; but we don’t want to modernize like America or Europe. We want to
build on our foundations.”
Those foundations are ancient, he explained, especially when compared to countries like the United States.
“India and China are the two oldest cultures in the world,” Sanghavi said. “We have existed for 5,000 years. A culture that has survived so long must
have enormous vitality. Rome is gone, Crete is gone, the Incas are gone…There must be something that keeps us alive.”
While Indian culture is old, India’s democracy is still a baby.
“Our democracy is still very young, very raw,” he said. And the country still faces many problems.
“We have lots of corruption; we have lots of violence,” he said.
Sanghavi views poverty, however, as India’s biggest problem. A 2007 NCEUS (National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganised Sector) report
found that 25 percent of Indians (236 million people) live on less than 20 rupees a day (equivalent to US$0.46). In 2004-05, India’s planning commission
estimated that 27.5 percent of Indians lived below the poverty line. Yet, progress has been made; that number is down from 51.3 percent in 1977-78.
“In 1950, 30 percent of Indian people could eat only one time a day,” Sanghavi said. “Today, we have brought that down to between seven and 10
percent.”
Another issue is the treatment of women in India. Again, Sanghavi insists that much progress has been made since the ‘50s when “women would not
dare to sit in an audience with an uncovered head.”
“But they still suffer,” he admitted. “We still have issues with safety in the family and a woman’s second position in the family and workplace.”
These are the very human issues that long-time Indian native Sanghavi views as crucial to the development of his country.
“We are struggling with our human problems first. Life is first.”
And yet, Sanghavi maintains a great amount of hope for India.
“I’m quite sure that India will be joining the first ring nations,” he said confidently. “We look forward to our future with great hope and great
confidence.”
In June 2007, Asian Wisconzine featured Harsha Keister and the Satyam Ayurvedic Massage Centre, a wellness center on Madison’s west side that
uses Indian healing techniques. Indian for “knowledge of life,” Ayurveda is a 5000 year-old Indian system of healing that uses diet, meditation, gentle
exercise, herbal remedies, and physical therapies (such as massage) to achieve physical, spiritual, and mental health. Keister learned ayurveda while
growing up with her family in India.
Just recently, Keister was visited by her father; a 90-year-old retired history and politics professor who resides in India. Nagin Sanghavi (Keister’s
father) has lived an interesting life in India where he has challenged religious beliefs and political practices. In a recent interview with Asian Wisconzine,
Sanghavi shared his perspectives as a long-time Indian native and his hopes for the future of his country.
In 1988, Nagin Sanghavi challenged popular religious thought in India when he published a relatively unknown version of the Ramayana, a revered
religious text. Sanghavi asserts that the text he shared in a local newspaper in the western Indian state of Gujarat, was indeed the oldest and most
authenticated version of the Hindu epic. Yet, the version he published differed greatly from the more popular version widely accepted throughout the
country.
“That version contradicted what was originally known and people were very, very upset,” Sanghavi said.
In the popular version of Ramayana, Rama — the central figure who is believed to be the seventh incarnation of Vishnu — represents the ideal hero. In the
version that Sanghavi published, Rama is much more human-like and imperfect. Rama, in fact, was not the “ideal one” and this concept was severely
unpopular in Sanghavi’s community. Sanghavi and his family faced dire consequences for his daring publication.
“People burned the newspapers,” Sanghavi recalled. “My family and I faced much abuse. I was denounced. I was criticized.”
This wasn’t the first time, or the last, that Sanghavi would challenge popular thought as a scholar in India.
“I’m considered a sort of radical,” he said with a chuckle. “Conservatives almost hate me, I think.”
At 90 and having witnessed vast changes in India’s political and social climate, Sanghavi is surprisingly reluctant to talk about his country’s past and
his role as a history and politics professor at various Indian universities. Instead he wants to focus on the present and India’s future. His main concern is
the state of global relations, currently infused with war and violence within and among countries, and the future of his beloved country.
In an effort to work for peace, Sanghavi is currently helping to organize a conference on world religions that will take place in India in Jan. 2009.
“We are working on inviting the leaders from all the world religions,” he said. “A dialogue among all the religions is possible. Dialogue is the only way in
which we understand each other.”
Conference organizers have procured various religious leaders to speak at the conference including two Buddhist monks, a Catholic cardinal, a rabbi
from Israel, and leaders from the Muslim and Hindu communities. The goal is to create mutual appreciation and respect among world religions. According
to Sanghavi, this is a necessary stepping-stone towards world peace.
“Whether we like it or not, religion is still a great force for the masses,” he said. “These religions, unfortunately, think that they are best, that there is no
need to talk to each other. There is a lot of bloodshed and much of it stems from religion. The only way to change that is to sit down and talk to each other.”
Sanghavi was raised in the Hindu religion, but finds truth in the doctrines of various religions.
“I believe a little in Islam; I believe a little in Christianity; I believe a little in Buddhism; and I believe quite a bit in Hinduism.”
At the end of the day, Sanghavi believes that all of the world’s religions could learn from each other and thus, live more harmoniously. It’s a long shot, he
knows, and something he probably won’t witness in his lifetime, but it’s a viable dream still the same.
Sanghavi is also hopeful about the future of his country. He describes India as a country with old prejudices and an old societal system. Yet, he says,
India “is an old nation trying to transform itself into a modern nation.”
“India is changing very fast,” he said. “We want to change. We want to modernize; but we don’t want to modernize like America or Europe. We want to
build on our foundations.”
Those foundations are ancient, he explained, especially when compared to countries like the United States.
“India and China are the two oldest cultures in the world,” Sanghavi said. “We have existed for 5,000 years. A culture that has survived so long must
have enormous vitality. Rome is gone, Crete is gone, the Incas are gone…There must be something that keeps us alive.”
While Indian culture is old, India’s democracy is still a baby.
“Our democracy is still very young, very raw,” he said. And the country still faces many problems.
“We have lots of corruption; we have lots of violence,” he said.
Sanghavi views poverty, however, as India’s biggest problem. A 2007 NCEUS (National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganised Sector) report
found that 25 percent of Indians (236 million people) live on less than 20 rupees a day (equivalent to US$0.46). In 2004-05, India’s planning commission
estimated that 27.5 percent of Indians lived below the poverty line. Yet, progress has been made; that number is down from 51.3 percent in 1977-78.
“In 1950, 30 percent of Indian people could eat only one time a day,” Sanghavi said. “Today, we have brought that down to between seven and 10
percent.”
Another issue is the treatment of women in India. Again, Sanghavi insists that much progress has been made since the ‘50s when “women would not
dare to sit in an audience with an uncovered head.”
“But they still suffer,” he admitted. “We still have issues with safety in the family and a woman’s second position in the family and workplace.”
These are the very human issues that long-time Indian native Sanghavi views as crucial to the development of his country.
“We are struggling with our human problems first. Life is first.”
And yet, Sanghavi maintains a great amount of hope for India.
“I’m quite sure that India will be joining the first ring nations,” he said confidently. “We look forward to our future with great hope and great
confidence.”