Former SC Judge urges teachers to equip students with knowledge of local heritage

Former Supreme Court Judge Justice Jasti Chalameswar on Thursday (December 18) stressed the importance of helping children understand and preserve the wealth of their local heritage.

Speaking at the inaugural session of a two-day workshop for teachers organised by Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH-Vijayawada), in collaboration with Heritage Education and Communication Service (HECS), Justice Chalameswar emphasised the need to know all about “our local heritage”.

“We are well-versed with national and international events, but we often lack awareness of our local history,” he said and went on to cite the example of Sri Krishnadevaraya, a prominent king of southern India, whose birth and death dates remain unrecorded.

Contrary to this, he pointed out, King Henry VIII of England, a contemporary of Krishnadevaraya, had extensively documented history. “Much of what we know about Krishnadevaraya today comes from the Portuguese records and inscriptions,” he said.

The objective of the workshop is to sensitise teachers to the need of educating students about their heritage. INTACH-Vijayawada also plans to establish Heritage Clubs in schools for the purpose.

N.K. Narasimha Rao, former Commissioner of the Academy of Rural Development in the undivided Andhra Pradesh, highlighted the need to focus on “positive history that showcases the greatness of our heritage, enabling children to learn valuable lessons from the past”.

He noted that Andhra Pradesh alone had approximately 100 different folk art forms, which can be effectively utilised to teach history and engage the present generation. He emphasised that “heritage is that knowledge of the past which is positive, and it requires society to actively transfer such positives to future generations. Teachers must internalise historical knowledge and communicate it effectively to students, thereby kindling interest in young minds,” he said.

Principal director of HECS Purnima Datt explained the uniqueness of Indian heritage, noting that the Deccan Plateau represents the oldest rock formation while the Himalayas are the youngest. She further elaborated on the diverse cultural and geographical aspects that make India’s heritage distinctive. She gave examples of the Oldest Banyan tree in the world, Timmamma Marri Manu, near Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, and the Gol Gumbaz in Bijapur, which has the second-largest dome with whispering corridors.

Teachers drawn from various schools participated in the interactive session that followed.