*Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Shri Vasudev Devnani's book "Sanatan Sanskriti ki Atal Drishti " " launched by Vice President Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan*

*A poignant moment to launch a book based on Atal Ji at the feet of Mother India – Vice President Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan*

*Atal Ji's life, illuminated by Sanatan culture, is an inspiration for the nation – Shri Devnani*

*Sanatan, Hindu, and Indian culture are different names for the same consciousness – Union Minister Shri Nitin Gadkari*

Gopendra Nath Bhatt 

New Delhi/Jaipur, December 23. The book “Sanatan Sanskriti ki Atal Drishti " written by Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani, was grandly launched on Tuesday at the Vice President's Enclave in New Delhi in a dignified ceremony.  Present on the occasion were the Honorable Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of State for Agriculture Shri Bhagirath Choudhary, All India Prachar Pramukh of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Sunil Ambekar, Chairman of the National Book Trust Milind Marathe, Vice President's Secretary Amit Khare, and many other dignitaries.

Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan said that today's India is emerging as the most powerful and promising nation in the world. Launching a book like "Atal's Vision of Sanatan Culture" at the feet of Mother India is a deeply emotional and proud moment for him. He said that this work, based on the life and thoughts of Bharat Ratna former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, has come at the right time, as the country is moving towards celebrating Atal Ji's birth centenary.

He said that this book, written by Shri Vasudev Devnani, is a highly insightful document on Atal Ji's life, character, and nationalist vision. He said that the Vice President stated that in 1998, India demonstrated its strategic capabilities to the world by conducting successful nuclear tests in Pokhran, Rajasthan. The foundation laid during Atal Ji's tenure in the fields of infrastructure, metro rail, national highways, and nuclear power is the strong bedrock of today's developed India. Atal Ji's life was dedicated to the ideal of "Nation first, party second, and self last." In fact, there was no place for 'self' in his life. Through epoch-making decisions like "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, Jai Vigyan," he enabled India to stand confidently on the global stage.

The author of the book and Speaker of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly, Shri Vasudev Devnani, while addressing the launch ceremony, said that this book is a humble attempt to understand the life, thoughts, and work of Bharat Ratna former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the light of the eternal values ​​of Sanatan culture. He said that Atal Ji's entire life was an unparalleled example of the values ​​of the Sangh, the spirit of nation-first, parliamentary decorum, and good governance.

Mr. Devnani said that Atal Ji's journey from a humble campaigner to Prime Minister is proof that the values ​​of Sanatan culture can elevate an individual to the highest echelons of national service. His poems, his powerful speeches in Parliament, his defense of democracy during the Emergency, his historic speech in Hindi at the United Nations General Assembly, and decisions like the nuclear tests are symbols of India's self-confident spirit. He explained that this book, comprising 12 chapters and 146 pages, presents in detail the various dimensions of Atal Ji's personality: his ideological affinity with the RSS, his faith in parliamentary traditions, his foreign policy, his cultural consciousness, and his contributions to nation-building.

Referring to his experiences in the field of education, Mr. Devnani said that as Education Minister, he strived to strengthen the Indian perspective in the curriculum. Emphasizing the need for a change in perspective in historical writing, he said that it was in this spirit that Maharana Pratap was given prominence over Akbar the Great in textbooks, because Maharana Pratap symbolizes Indian self-respect, sacrifice, and national duty. He drew this ideological courage from the values ​​instilled in him by the RSS.

Mr. Devnani expressed his gratitude to all the guests, dignitaries present, and Prabhat Prakashan, and said that this book is not only a tribute to Atal Ji but also an inspiring legacy of nationalism, culture, and democratic values ​​for future generations.

Addressing the program, Union Minister Shri Nitin Gadkari said that it is necessary to dispel the misconceptions that have been spread about Sanatan culture, Hindu culture, and Indian culture in recent decades. He said that these terms are not contradictory, but rather represent the same concept.  Referring to Swami Vivekananda's Chicago speech, Shri Gadkari said that the core message of Indian culture is religious harmony and the welfare of the world. Citing the example of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he said that Indian culture has never been narrow-minded, communal, or casteist, but has always advocated justice, equality, and equal treatment for all. He also emphasized the importance of understanding the true meaning of the word "secularism" as religious harmony.

Shri Gadkari said that the effort made by Shri Vasudev Devnani through this book to present a positive and authentic perspective, centering on the life and thoughts of Atal Ji, is highly commendable.

The ceremony was conducted by Mr. Prabhat Kumar, Director of Prabhat Prakashan. Mr. Piyush Kumar, also a Director of Prabhat Prakashan, presented mementos to the Vice President and all the dignitaries on the dais.