Mission  l Story Behind the Awards l Objective l Category l Process l Contact Details l Winners

STORY BEHIND THE AWARDS

The Awards represent Mr Chandra’s undying determination to restore India’s lost glory by recognising the vast untapped potential within. There is lies an interesting story behind the Chairman’s resolve to launch this initiative. What fired his imagination was an address delivered at the British Parliament on February 2, 1835, by Lord Macaulay :-

I have travelled across the length and breadth of India and I have not seen one person who is a beggar, who is a thief. Such wealth I have seen in this country, such high morals, that I do not think we would ever conquer this country, unless we break the very backbone of this nation, which is her spiritual and cultural heritage, and therefore, I propose  that we replace her old and ancient education system, her culture, for if the Indians think that all that is foreign and English is good and greater than their own, they will lose their self-esteem, their native self-culture and they will  become what we want them to be, a truly dominated nation.

There is no doubt that Lord Macaulay succeeded, for even six decades after the British quit India, mental slavery continues to prevail. We continue to worship everything that is western, while looking down upon our own rich culture. It is this sad state of affairs that set the Chairman thinking. Thus, was born the Essel Awards.