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The following is the text of the Speech made by Shri K. Natwar Singh, External Affairs Minister at Seoul while accepting honorary doctorate degree:
"Let me first express my deepest gratitude to Chancellor Dr. Young –Seek Choue and President Kim for choosing to confer this honorary doctorate degree on me. I do not know if I deserved this, but I am deeply touched by your gracious gesture.
I am fully aware that the honour you have conferred on me today is not for my personal achievement; it is in fact a testimony of the love and affection of the Korean people for India and a mark of our deep friendship.
I am distressed, though, to learn of the indisposition of Chancellor Choue. I wish him a speedy recovery. He is an old friend of India. I would be remiss of me if in my remarks I do not mention his pre-eminent standing as an educationist. His contributions to humanity and to the cause of education are manifest in the emergence of your famous Kyung Hee University, which for more than fifty years has been recognized as a center of excellence round the globe. The founding philosophy – "Creation of a civilized world" and " Democratization of school, ideas and living" – are the core values, which recognize the freedom of the human spirit as a pre-requisite for quality education.
I am not known for my modesty, but when the decision of the conferment of the doctorate degree by this temple of learning was conveyed to me, I was both pleased and surprised. I have in my time made a modest contribution in the field of diplomacy and international relations. Your recognizing this made me feel humble and proud.
When I entered the foreign service of free India, more than fifty years ago, I did not and could not have foreseen that I would be fortunate enough to be a ringside witness and sometimes participant in momentous events both at home and abroad. Jawaharlal Nehru was Prime Minister and Foreign Minister for seventeen years. He was my idol and inspiration. I am only too conscious that I am standing on the shoulders of a great and good man, a giant, an outstanding humanist and a statesman of exceptional vision. He laid the foundations of the Indian nation state – secular, democratic and pluralistic. He was a great liberating force and the most prominent disciple of Mahatma Gandhi. India’s epic freedom struggle under the leadership of Gandhi was not dedicated to a dogma but to a purpose – what was that purpose – to free India by non-violent means.
The last fifty years are a remarkable journey of the global community in quest of peace and prosperity against all odds. During these tumultuous years, India has achieved a remarkable transformation from a young nation full of idealism to a confident democracy with significant economic strength, which is still striving to live up to the lofty ideals of the founding fathers of our Republic. Your recognition of my services today brings back a flood of memories.
It reminds me of the resurgence of a new world when the process of a de-colonization swept large parts of Asia and Africa fifty years ago. As the world became increasingly embroiled in the super power tussle for supremacy, India, under Jawaharlal Nehru imbued with the vision of a new and equitable world order, took the mantle of non-alignment which brought a new perspective to international relations cast in the mould of block rivalry of the Cold War. Panchsheel, of the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence, provided another alternative dedicated to peace and development of all in the post-colonial world.
The disappearance of the USSR was an event of seismic diplomatic proportions. The world has yet to come to terms with this reality. An alternative point of view has also disappeared along with the Soviet Union.
India’s role in unfolding of events during the Korean independence in early 1950s has been an important chapter in our diplomatic history. It marked India’s debut on the international scene as a young nation with a quest for third world solidarity and a vision of non-alignment. The recognition of our contributions by Korea and the international community represented a vindication of the strength of the idea of non-alignment.
Today, strengthening relations with Korea is a high priority of our Government. Though the diplomatic ties between our two countries are only thirty years old, we have steadily built a strong foundation of friendship sustained by our shared values of democracy and human freedom and our recognition of each other’s standing in the community of nations. The landmark visit of President Roh to India two months ago has taken this process many steps forward.
Today, there is a new India just as there is a new Korea. As two dynamic and fast growing economies with strong complementarities, there are unimaginable prospects in our cooperation and partnership. It is with this vision that during the visit of President Roh, both sides took an important decision to establish the "Long-term Cooperative Partnership for Peace and Prosperity", which embodies our shared desire to put our relationship in a future-oriented strategic perspective and raise our ties of much higher level in the new century through closer political and economic engagement.
The depth and width of our evolving partnership are not just bound within a bilateral context. As two important players in the political and economic order of the Asian region and world at large, there is an equally important regional and global dimension to our relationship. Close cooperation between India and Korea stands to be an important factor of stability in the politically and the culturally diverse and rapidly transforming Asia. Our partnership is vital in combating many of the common threats faced by the humanity today – terrorism, nuclear proliferation and poverty, to name a few.
So much for our bilateral relations. May I now place before you a few random thoughts on the predicaments the world faces . The nineteenth century strenuously believed that progress was inherent in history. Alas! The 20th century proved that progress was NOT inherent in history. Two world wars and the invention of nuclear weapons is not a sign of progress. Neither is human cloning.
We are all aware that the revolution in science and technology is opening new vistas. New frontiers are being crossed. There is no dearth of information. Knowledge is increasing. Wisdom perhaps is not. And for someone like me, whose nature is rooted in solitude, the world appears a very noisy place. Obsession with speed, thoughtless worship of hedonism leaves me both aghast and amazed.
The revolution in science and technology and the revolution in human consciousness must converge. If they do not, then, the 21st century is in for a bumpy ride.
A word or two about what has to some extent moulded my life apart from the lives and work of Gandhi and Nehru. Ancient India’s value system made a deep impression on me. I may not have lived upto it, but as an ideal it greatly appealed to me.
India’s value system lays great stress on art, literature, music and scholarship. Our ancient sages attached the highest importance to Vidya (learning), Tapa (religious austerities), Dana (charity or munificence), Gyana (intuitive knowledge or wisdom), Sheela (character), Guna (virtue) and Dharma (principled code of conduct). Not a negligible recipe for leading a good and truthful life. I commend these to you.
Your University represents the Republic of Letters. It has combined tradition with innovation, intellectual flexibility with moral firmness.
In conclusion, let me recall the poem – Lamp of the East – that the great Indian Poet and Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore wrote in 1929:
"In the golden age of Asia
Korea was one of its lamp bearers,
And that lamp is waiting
To be lighted once again
For the illumination of the East."
Tagore’s vision of Korea’s resurgence spectacularly came true as Korea transformed itself from a war-ravaged country into an economic power in little over a generation.
Once again I thank you for the honour you have bestowed on me. "
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