India's growth trajectory must prioritize healing over harm, emphasized RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Tuesday. Speaking at the Bharatiya Vigyan Sammelan 2025, Bhagwat articulated that while India's rise on the global stage is inevitable, its development should be rooted in a sense of responsibility, offering a humane model to the world rather than merely focusing on material advancement or dominance.
Bhagwat critiqued modern development paradigms, particularly those originating in the West, for delivering material prosperity alongside significant social and ecological distress. He observed that many societies are now re-evaluating growth models that prioritize consumption over equilibrium. He stressed that the primary objective of development should be "sukh" (well-being), and that the path to progress hinges on our understanding of happiness itself. "All development is for happiness. Human beings want happiness; everyone in creation wants happiness," he stated.
Questioning purely utilitarian approaches to knowledge, Bhagwat highlighted the intrinsic human desire to understand the world, stating, "Why do we want to know how far the sun is? Because human beings have a thirst to know, and on the basis of that knowledge they want to make their lives happy". He also critiqued the dominant global perspective of the last two millennia, which he said has largely reduced happiness to material satisfaction, drawing a parallel to animal instincts focused on food, sleep, fear, and survival, which he deemed inadequate benchmarks for human progress.
Contrasting this with India's civilizational outlook, Bhagwat explained that Indian thought acknowledges both material needs and inner well-being. He stated that while food, clothing, housing, health, and education are essential and suffering must be alleviated, India's approach should also encompass spiritual wisdom. He said that India's significance as a 'vishwaguru' stems from its spiritual wisdom, not just economic growth.
Bhagwat also touched upon the importance of "dharma," clarifying that it is not merely religion but the underlying law governing creation, and any imbalance in it leads to destruction. He noted that there is no conflict between science and dharma or spirituality, as both ultimately seek the same truth through different methodologies. He urged people to overcome both old and new blind faiths, emphasizing critical thinking and moving beyond superstitions.
Furthermore, Bhagwat emphasized the need for knowledge to reach everyone, advocating for learning in one's mother tongue to maximize impact. He echoed Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's sentiment that development should not create separate classes within society.
In September 2025, Bhagwat credited India's progress to its traditional philosophy of balancing knowledge, action, and devotion. He also reminded that India once led the world for nearly 3,000 years with peace, technological advancement and harmony with nature. He voiced concern over the weakening of cultural values among the younger generation.
Bhagwat's address underscores a vision for India's growth that prioritizes holistic well-being, cultural preservation, and global responsibility, steering away from purely materialistic pursuits.
