The Creative Art of Life by K M Munshi [Paperback]

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan stands for an essentially Indian education. Such an education must necessarily follow the lines of our own Culture. This Culture is not a mere matter of religion, not a particular social system, nor a philosophy by itself. It is a way of life. Through and in it alone can our destiny be realized.
When the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan began to make rapid progress, the ideals of Bharatiya Shiksha or Indian Education were formulated. In doing so, the theory and practice of creative education both in ancient and modern India as well as in the West were drawn upon. Education to be essentially Indian, must follow the lines of Indian culture. This culture is not only dance, music, and drama; not a mere matter of religious practices, social institutions, or philosophical doctrines. It is a way of life through which only we can be true to ourselves and fulfill our destiny. Education in India should be creative; while catering for the acquisition of the widest range of knowledge available in modern times, it should predominantly inculcate the fundamental values of Indian Culture. Education to be creative, has to form the outlook and character and develop a sense of essential values. The physical roots of human beings are as much in their land, as their psychological, moral, and spiritual roots are in its culture, Education to be creative has to draw its sustenance from the land and its culture; that is, in India it has to take its stand on India. Such a creative education alone can meet the cultural crisis in modern India, created by the system as developed during the British regime.
When Munshiji drafted these ideals of Bharatiya Shiksha or Indian Education, the theory and practice of Creative Education both in ancient and modern India and abroad were drawn upon. With the growing number of teachers and students in the Bhavan, it was not possible for him to come into close touch with them. He, therefore, decided to place before a wider audience, in the form of a book, what he conceived to be the true meaning and effect of the objects of the Creative Education referred to as Bharatiya Shiksha.
In our schools and colleges, we are so busy teaching everything unimportant that there is no time for teaching Indians to be Indians; for teaching history from the India's point of view; much less for acquiring a sympathetic appreciation of our culture.
Creative education must make our young men authentic representatives of India: strong, true, and free embodiments of the finest in our culture, their feet firmly planted on our past and their eyes aglow with pride in India’s mission. The teacher and the student should, therefore, become, first and foremost, India-conscious. We must provide the growing mind with a place to stand on, wherefrom it can work the Archimedean lever. If we want to raise the world, like Archimedes we must have a place to stand on. That place can only be Bharata - the Motherland.
Creative Education must make our young man really Indian, strong, true, and free - an embodiment of the finest in his Culture; an authentic representative of India, the teacher of nations, who has a message for humanity.
One who is interested in knowing the pitfalls of our present so-called modern educational system and how to improve it must read this book. Since our educational system, its method, and its focus haven’t changed much even so many years after independence, the relevance of this book even today hasn't deteriorated if not doubled.