Education Leaders | Top Interviews

India has been inclined to offer a 'very gentle' and 'sanitised' history, glossing over unpleasant things, but "we chose a different and honest route by exposing students to the 'black pages' of history as well", Michel Danino, chairman of the NCERT committee that has prepared the new social science textbooks, said in an interview to ThePrint.

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) recently published the Class 8 social science textbook, as per the National Curriculum Framework and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The book, Exploring Society: India and Beyond, mentions cases of "brutality" and "religious intolerance" in the Mughal and Delhi Sultanate rule. The Marathas, however, are depicted in a relatively more positive manner.

Critics have termed those changes as an "ideological move" that selectively glorifies or demonizes historical figures.

In a Tuesday interview with ThePrint, Michel Danino, however, dismissed any ideological intervention in the composition of the new textbooks.

"No political figure visited us and said, 'You must include that, or say this specific person or piece of fact'. No ideological organization of any sort approached us to tell us, 'You must add this chapter', etc.".

Danino explained that thus far in India, there had been a tendency to create a "very gentle" and "slightly sanitised" version of history, "where we avoid all unpleasantness, thinking perhaps that this is going to, you know, traumatise the student and so on".

"We tried another way. To start with, we made a genuine one—disclaimer, if you prefer calling it so, to the pupil—that history has darker pages. And we were not, some writers in the media commented that we referred to the dark ages of the medieval times; we never refer to this term," he added.

In a 'Note on some darker periods in history', the disclaimer states: "No one should be held responsible today for events of the past."

Michel Danino clarified that the textbook touched on some of the brutality in history, especially in warfare. He indicated that although there has always been warfare, there are varying kinds—some with little effect on civilians, and others with great cruelty and suffering. The committee sought to emphasize the difference because it was a reasonable historical method, he added.

Danino also added that the textbook did not concentrate only on violence and negativity. "Despite media coverage, we didn't just write that Akbar was cruel in his young age. That attitude is derived from his own admission in his memoir, Akbarnama, where he narrates his military campaigns. You can make out, he's not very proud of his life, but he is truthful about it."

There is nothing incorrect about saying this—it makes us aware of the various sides of a historical personality. We tried to show the complexity of such characters and not carry out extreme characterizations, either too good or too bad."

'Marathas broke down the Mughal Empire'

The revised Class 8 textbook portrays the Marathas, who ruled over a 17th-century kingdom in western India, as rulers who established “sovereignty”, describing their founder, Chhatrapati Shivaji, as a “strategist” and “true visionary”.

It compares Shivaji’s defeat of the Mughal nobleman Shaista Khan to a “modern-day surgical strike”, highlighting that during his retaliatory actions, Shivaji was always “careful” not to attack religious places.

Rejecting "selective glorification" charges, Michel Danino declared: "We chose the Marathas because they had a significant—and broadly undisputed—role in breaking up the Mughal Empire."

"Remember, Aurangzeb lived the final 25 years of his life in the Deccan and could not return to Delhi. Though he was fighting other regional powers as well, the Marathas soon emerged as his primary concern. When he died, the Maratha Empire covered most of India, although only for a relatively brief duration," he said.

From the political historical context, Danino further stated, the Marathas were worthy of the Indians' attention.

"Whether we have overglorified them, I am not sure. For instance, we insisted on mentioning the Maratha raids on Bengal, which were very brutal and traumatised the locals. We could have omitted that if we were only overglorifying them, but we didn't," he said.

Danino continued: "I think some of my team members also wanted to counterbalance the neglect that the Marathas have suffered in previous textbooks, where they get very brief mention only. The Marathas needed much more attention than we could give them—for example, their system of administration was extremely innovative in many respects.

Critics have argued that the textbook does not go into as much detail regarding the violence of the Marathas—the raids in Rajput states or violent conquests of Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha, ravaging local populations and compelling people to offer tributes known as 'chauth', or destruction of temples in Karnataka—as it does regarding the Mughals.

Michel Danino, however, insisted that it should not be simply a matter of stating something was taken away from or added to the textbook. The committee wrote the new textbooks in a different way, dealing with a far larger chronological span, he explained, and said that the text-book designing under the National Curriculum Framework was such that books were not meant to be heavy on text, and hence the committee had to devise "compressed timelines". "We took some decisions. There are things which have been excluded, and we have not refuted that."

We have been criticized for leaving some things unsaid, but in context—which I have detailed—it was inevitable. We have attempted to be faithful to history. There are several interpretations, including nationalist history, Marxist history, and so on. Good historians realize that no interpretation is ever definitive," Danino said.

"I think we can go for what I term as honest history—on the basis of the facts available—where we try to do justice to the past, even if we necessarily have to make some choices," he further added.

Incorrect picture of colonial era?

In accordance with Michel Danino, the committee generally believed that a large number of young Indians still have a fairly rosy picture of the Colonial Era without realizing the extent of the harm it inflicted. 

The new book is more critical of the history of the Colonial Era than the previous books.

Famines, at least, are now finally widely recognized," Danino added. "Although they were virtually non-existent in previous textbooks, these were, after all, man-made famines, or at least substantially exacerbated by the brutal taxation policies of the British, and the systematic withholding of relief from the victims.

Furthermore, Michel Danino pointed out that going face to face with these historical facts was vital for national self-respect. "We felt that any self-respecting nation owes recognition and respect to the victims of past atrocities—and these were atrocities."

He also pointed out the enormous economic exploitation India faced during colonial times.

"Plunder of Indian wealth is not in question—it is one the British themselves recorded. The figures reveal the enormous quantities of wealth drained from India through several avenues: outright taxation, establishing the so-called 'India debt', and enforced levies on colonial enterprises such as railway and telegraph building, the wars in Afghanistan and against the Sikhs, and even sending troops to quell the Great Rebellion of 1857," Danino explained.

As per Michel Danino, historical accounts establish the fact that India remained a wealthy and economically thriving nation prior to British expansion.

"There was intense agricultural production, active trade, and thriving exports—from cotton and spices to finished products. All this—wiped out in an incredibly short period. In less than a century, India became a severely poor nation," he averred.

As a show of patriotism and appreciation, RM Children Academy, Bulanala, Varanasi, Principal Ravi Prakash Keshari undertook a unique Raksha Bandhan drive this year. In his initiative, school students sent rakhis made by them and heartfelt messages to Indian soldiers deployed at far-off border locations — availing the traditional but effective India Post medium.

Understanding Raksha Bandhan not only as a brother-sister festival, but as a celebration of protection and responsibility, Principal Keshari motivated students to take their feelings beyond home and into the hearts of the true protectors of the country — the Indian Armed Forces.

"Soldiers stay away from their families for years so that we can sleep in peace. If our students can make them feel remembered and loved on Raksha Bandhan, it's the least we can do as citizens," said Keshari, speaking to students during a special morning assembly.

With his help, students made rakhis from eco-friendly materials and penned letters saying how much they loved them, thanked them, and prayed for their safety. Dozens of such rakhi packages have now been sent to Army camps in border areas with the assistance of India Post, which are likely to reach in time for the festival.

The initiative was well appreciated, as it educates children about the significance of festivals besides enhancing their understanding of national service and cohesion.

"Principal sir always teaches us to relate education with practical values. This initiative made our children think out of the box," said school co-ordinator Laiba Noor.

The initiative is a poignant reminder that the might of a country is not only in its weaponry or economy, but also in the awareness and compassion of its citizens — even its children. By this gesture, Principal Ravi Prakash Keshari has created a beacon of hope of how schools can cultivate values of patriotism and national unity, one rakhi at a time.

Edinbox writer Nibedita interviewed school Principal Ravi Prakash Keshari about this touching initiative that combined patriotism with tradition.

Q: How did the concept of sending rakhis to soldiers via India Post originate?

Ravi Prakash Keshari: Raksha Bandhan is not merely about siblings. It's a festival of protection and love. This year, we wanted students to realize the true significance of "raksha" — national security. So we thought, why not knot rakhi with the actual guardians of our nation? India Post was the most convenient and trusted means of reaching even the farthest border camps.

Q: How did the students react?

Ravi Prakash Keshari: Oh, it was overwhelming! They created such lovely rakhis with handwritten messages. Some had the message, "Dear brother in uniform, thanks for guarding us." It made them feel like they were part of something and connected to the armed forces. It was the first time many thought about the soldier's life.

Q: Why do you think such gestures are important?

Ravi Prakash Keshari: We tend to chant Bharat Mata ki Jai all the time, but we must look beyond slogans. Patriotism can be developed even in a small classroom.Sending a rakhi to a soldier will appear symbolic, but it creates an enduring value — that we all have a responsibility to keep our country safe in our own ways.

Q: Do you think national prowess could be developed through such small acts?

Ravi Prakash Keshari: Totally. A great nation isn't made only in army camps or in Parliament. It's made at home, school, and on the streets. If a kid in Varanasi can learn sacrifice and service, that's the start of a stronger, wiser India.

On this Raksha Bandhan, RM Children Academy demonstrated that sometimes the tiniest threads — carried in a simple postal envelope — can create the strongest ties.

In peaceful town Thanjavur, Tamil scholar Mani Maran has undertaken a mission of great importance, one that has now caused a hubbub in the country. His passion for teaching people about the vanishing art of reading Tamil palm leaf manuscripts earned him a valuable niche of information as well as provided the world with a pioneering step by the Indian government.

How one man's enthusiasm triggered a country-wide mission

Each day, Mani Maran is surrounded by students in the backdrop of a humble setup where he imparts lessons in Tamil Suvadiyiya, translation of classical Tamil literature. He initiated his project in 2017 upon discovering that there were thousands of old books unretrieved and unread.

Mani Maran, who holds a PhD in Tamil, began with 14 students and now commands a huge community of learners. Researchers, Siddha physicians, and even farmers are eager to study temple inscriptions.

Some others among them are using their training to decipher ancient medical manuscripts, and there are others who became teachers themselves.

PM Modi Sees Mani Maran's Work, Kick-Starts Gyan Bharatam Mission

The contribution of the researcher was recognized by the nation recently when Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself thanked him personally in the 124th episode of Mann ki Baat.

"Mani Maran Ji believed that if this generation is not forced to learn Tamil manuscripts, then in the future this rich heritage can become lost forever," said the PM.

Going on after stating his mention of Mani Maran's dedication, the Prime Minister stated, "He began attending evening classes in students, working professionals, and researchers. Mani Maran Ji was instructing other people to read and comprehend Tamil Suvadiyiyal, or palm leaf manuscripts. Today, a majority of his pupils have mastered this art, and some of his pupils have even begun learning traditional systems of medicine based on these manuscripts.".

With Mani Maran's initiative, the government has now come forward with the Gyan Bharatam Mission to digitize old manuscripts and a digital library of national importance accessible to the world.

"Imbued with this very thought, the Government of India has been suggesting 'Gyan Bharatam Mission' in this budget. In this mission, ancient manuscripts will be digitized. Then a national digital repository will be formed in which students and scholars from all over the world can access Bharat's tradition of knowledge,' PM Modi added.".

No sugar, please. We hear this everywhere, be it the kitchen and restaurants or local tea kadais. Urban India, with their health in mind, is reducing its intake of sugar and opting for natural alternatives. While, sugar-free diets are being endorsed by nutritionists and social media influencers, traditional foods, especially sweets, are being made healthier through sweeteners, and companies are selling products labeled 'no refined sugar'.

In the haste to get rid of table sugar, we tend to forget that all sweet substitutes are derived from the same thing — sugarcane. They vary only in processing, not in fundamental composition. So the question is: if we want healthier options, why haven't we experimented beyond sugarcane?

For Aishwarya and Kannan, Palm Era Foods founders from Thoothukudi, the solution was the palm tree, an old but declining source of sweetener, indigenous to Tamil Nadu. Kannan, an engineering graduate turned entrepreneur, is from a clan of palm tree climbers. While taking a holiday in 2021 from Chennai to his native village Valliyoor in Tirunelveli district, he saw 30 palm trees cut down at one time since the owner couldn't control the crop spoiled by wild boars eating discarded palm fruits, which could not be picked seasonally. This experience ignited Kannan's mission. “I started talking to palm tree climbers and found the main reason they were leaving this job was the lack of proper income. Adulteration and quality loss were other issues. There was no standardisation or industrialisation like that of sugarcane products,” explains Kannan. Recognising this gap, he set out to change the narrative.

Sweet beginnings

Palm trees are a pesticide- and irrigation-free crop that produces eight times the income of sugarcane per hectare and lasts for 150 years. "Sugarcane and paddy use the largest amount of water in Tamil Nadu," he says. "We cannot substitute paddy, but palm trees are an excellent substitute for sugarcane in the long run."

Kannan then approached palm tree climbers to buy palm fruit from them, with a plan to use it to produce karupatti (palm jaggery). It was through this that they established their company, Palm Era.

But manufacturing was not without its problems. Palm jaggery is prone to melting and also easily infests fungus, which makes it hard to store. To seek solutions to this issue, he collaborated with university researchers and came up with a powdered variety that improved shelf life and was as convenient as white sugar. "Customers no longer have to break the jaggery or boil it. They can simply use it in spoonfuls like sugar," he states.

Harvesting palm sap is seasonal, between April and August, sending climbers to seek alternate employment the other nine months of the year. Women traditionally boiled the sap into jaggery themselves and sold it, which put a cap on production. But with Palm Era's processing model assisting them, the volumes harvested have doubled, and the climber network has also grown with a rise in remuneration and decreased workload. Kannan emphasizes, "The country's economy grows only when villages grow."

To provide employment beyond sap harvesting, Palm Era collaborates with women's self-help groups to process palm sprouts, which yield round-the-year income for village women and their staff during the off-season.

Presently, Palm Era has 20 employees, out of whom 17 are women, in Tamil Nadu, and employs machinery for production, where tradition meets modern standards.

But it hasn't been smooth sailing. The startup company initially faced financial difficulties. Kannan used his own IT revenues and left his job only in May this year. He even sought investors, but they doubted the marketability of the product. In March this year, the brand appeared in Startup Singam, a startup reality show dealing with startups and MSME investments and expansion. "Startup Singam provided us with a boost, both sales-wise as well as visibility-wise," Kannan states. The company garnered an immediate investment of `1 crore from the investors. "Acceptance was very poor, but subsequently, with the growing awareness and publicity, acceptance began increasing," he states.

The journey ahead

Their product line currently comprises probiotic jaggery variants for women and children, supplement powder, palm sprouts powder, digestive bites, and palm macaroons. All their products, they say, are preservative-free and have a clean label.

Although there is limited research in the medical field, Kannan is convinced that bringing palm products from an early age can regulate blood sugar and other lifestyle disorders. "If you implement palm sugar in the children's regimen, their blood sugar level will not fluctuate," he says.

Kannan wants to expand the brand further. The next step is to go to Krishnagiri, source pathaneer, boil it, and ship it to Thoothukudi for production of products. "We want to benefit palm climbers as well as offer good products to customers — it's a balance," he explains.

Kannan also dreams of palm trees being a universal cash crop. "It is Tamil Nadu's state tree.If palm climbing becomes profitable, more people will take it up, and the trees will be conserved. This is my mission," he concludes.

In an era dominated by ever-evolving technology and endless distractions, remaining grounded in values while shaping future generations is a rare quality. Dr. Nagnath Bhagirathi Vasant Bhusnar, a professor in the Electronics Department at Nowrosjee Wadia College, Pune, has quietly but powerfully influenced the lives of hundreds of young minds. He is a testament to a career built on discipline, empathy, and vision.

From humble beginnings in a small village to completing his MSc from Fergusson College in 2008, clearing NET in 2016, and earning a PhD in 2024, Dr. Bhusnar has been part of Nowrosjee Wadia College since 2008. His journey exemplifies inner transformation alongside academic achievement, fueled by his mother’s resilience and his commitment to mentoring future generations.

In this interview, Dr. Bhusnar shares insights from his journey, his perspectives on education, and advice for today’s students navigating a complex world.

Q: What inspired your journey into electronics and education?

It all began with my mother. Her dedication to my education, even when we had very little, made me value learning early on. I chose electronics because I saw lasting potential in it,unlike many things, hardware doesn't become obsolete as quickly. We're still using the basic transistor technology developed in 1958. 

Q: Were there any key moments or people who influenced your career path?

I’d say it circles back to my mother again. She didn’t just support me,she believed in me. That belief shaped everything. There weren’t specific mentors early on, but her encouragement was enough to keep me focused.

Q: How did you grow into a leadership role within your department,and why did you choose teaching?

As a FYBSc student in 2003, I was extremely shy. Coming from a village, I had a deep inferiority complex. I rarely spoke in class. That silence made me invisible,and it taught me a valuable lesson that your voice matters. Once I found the confidence to speak, I realized people started listening. That’s when I knew I had something to share. I chose teaching not just to inform, but to guide,to help students like me find their voice.

Q: How do you keep students engaged in a world full of distractions and burnout?

By reminding them that learning isn't passive. I encourage interaction, hands-on tasks, and group work. We break away from textbook pages and lectures often. The trick is not fighting digital tools,but making students use them creatively, not mindlessly.

Q: In a technical field like electronics, how do you see the balance between discipline and creativity?

I believe it’s disciplined creativity. About 60% discipline and 40% creativity. You need structure to understand theory and hardware,but without creativity, you’ll never apply those principles innovatively. It’s like music,you need scales before improvisation.

Q: How is Nowrosjee Wadia College contributing to innovation in Electronics?

At Nowrosjee Wadia College, especially in the junior college bifocal Electronics department, we have taken a hands-on approach. Students start working on real-world projects using Arduino and ESP32 boards as early as Class XI. They are involved in creating automation solutions in fields like agriculture, medical, and environmental sectors, promoting precise farming, smart health systems, and more. These projects help students learn practical skills and also contribute to society in meaningful ways. This is our step towards imparting industry-relevant knowledge from an early stage.

Q: Is your department integrating technologies like AI, IoT, or robotics?

We’re working with robotics extensively,our students build real-time automation models and embedded systems projects. AI is in the syllabus, but practical exposure is still limited. That’s one area we’re pushing to grow.

Q: What’s your take on AI in education and decision-making?

AI is a powerful tool, but we must understand that it’s still just a structured system,an algorithm designed by humans. It works based on data and patterns, not emotions or values. In education, AI can be very useful for making learning more accessible, personalizing content, and even helping teachers manage time. But when it comes to decision-making,especially those involving ethics, creativity, or empathy,it cannot replace human judgement. AI can support us by giving us information quickly or showing trends, but the final decision must be made by a thinking, feeling human being.

Q: Is the current education system meeting industry needs?

Not entirely. Industry today demands skills like machine learning, IoT, real-time problem solving. Our syllabus updates slowly. We need to introduce tools like Arduino and Raspberry Pi at the early levels itself,other countries are ahead of us on this.

Q: What do recruiters actually look for in electronics graduates?

Basic electronics skills, strong decision-making ability, and hardware knowledge. I visited Minilec (an industrial automation company in Mulshi), where the Director told me many interns lack fundamentals and struggle with English communication because they overly rely on programming.

Q: What advice would you give to a student who feels “lost” or behind their peers?

Don’t expect others to solve it for you. Sit with yourself. Reflect honestly. What excites you? What frustrates you? Avoid choosing based on what your friends are doing. That never ends well. Your path is yours to shape.

Dr.Bhusnar is not just a teacher,he’s a mentor who believes in nurturing confidence, not just competence. From using his voice for the first time to helping others find theirs, his story is a reminder that leadership begins with listening, learning, and showing up,consistently.

By Aditi Sawarkar

A Bengaluru 35-year-old IT web designer left the internet buzzing with his rags-to-riches story. His faceless blog, which he posted on Indian Flex community at Reddit, has been a viral hit due to the emotional context and motivational content. The man explained how he had begun with a humble Rs 5,000 a month and, defying all expectations, with sheer will power and determination, had an annual compensation package of Rs 46 lakh as a working IT professional.

He was born in destitution and poverty. His parents were farm laborers and belonged to poor working-class families. His early childhood days were very heavy. His parents abandoned him and his elder brother in their home district village at a tender age of seven and moved to Bengaluru in pursuit of a better vocation.

At home, the mother herself took up a series of jobs to maintain the family upkeep. In other homes, she was a domestic worker by day and a sewing machine worker in a garment factory in the evening. Her existence was an endless cycle of labor, but never faltered from her resolve to alter the fate of her children. She was the family's motivation and emotional support, a symbol of strength and untiring love.

Despite all of that, the grandmother was the primary care-giver for the village. She tutored the two little lads on meager resources and instilled in them coarse discipline and useless patience. She took them to be educated until government schools at her own care, never allowing their socioeconomic status to get between them and their ambition.

Education Against the Odds

The boy had already enrolled in a polytechnic state-owned college after passing the 10th standard. It was not his priority list of an education institution, but it was a good prospect for offering him free hostel facility, which was disturbing the family to a great extent because of their financial status. He who was forever so keen on grabbing an opportunity worked hard and stood in the top rank holders. It was really a turning point of his life, which actually provided him with the actual worth of discipline, regularity, and determination.

He proceeded to earn a degree in B.Tech engineering, an achievement credited to the motivation he received at witnessing his older brother earn a superior job opportunity at the Power Grid Corporation of India. The financial assistance, as well as advice, provided by the brother weighed considerably on him to study. A profound sense of obligation for the brother's generosity still exists in him.

A Career Built in Perseverance

When he fainted, he got a job of being a junior web designer in an organization for a paltry sum of Rs 5,000 a month. Despite all his paltry wages, though, his interest in coding and web designing never wavered. He worked night and day solely with the objective of learning, self-critiquing incessantly and grabbing every opportunity that came his way.

It had taken over a decade of struggling hard in the IT industry to achieve this—battled for it, a corporate career ascent. His resolve paid off, and now he earns ₹46 lakh annually—money that is not only as good as the greenbacks but even a story of grit, resilience, and perseverance-driven hard work. In addition to being professionally well-off, his life personally also picked up—now he owns five acres of land, a house that they built, and an automobile. A Tribute to Sacrifice and Family

Looking back at his life, the web designer credits every success to the trust his family has in him. His mother's sacrifices are what he thinks is the pillar upon which his whole success story has been woven. Her work ethic, his grandmother's safe haven, and his brother's pillar of strength molded him into the individual he is today.

Reddit's Heartwarming Response

Reddit community reacted with worldwide wonder and appreciation. They all loved the modesty, courage, and gratefulness of the gentleman in falling for his family. The people were exchanging the motivational part of the story, discussing the values of thankfulness, flexibility, and never on this earth to give up. While some individuals were racing in terms of the worth of the pay check, most of them were relieved that the account was not monetary but commitment.

And most of all, his experience is a beautiful witness to the power of love, care, and resolve of family to bring about abrupt change.