NATIONAL PLEDGE

            We all are aware that the school text books carry a pledge.  In many schools this pledge is read out daily as a routine, year after year.  There is a very interesting history behind it.

            The ‘Development of Education in India’ committee tries to introduce innovative ideas into our education system.  The 31^st meeting of this committee was held on 11-12 October 1964 under the aegis of the then Minister for education,  M C Chagla, in Bangalore.   Point 18 on page 140 of the ‘Development of Education in India - A historical survey of education before and after Independence’ recommends the introduction of a National Pledge.  The meeting unanimously recommended the introduction of such a pledge at school and college level to create patriotism amongst the students.

            The meeting recommended the adoption of the pledge written by Pydimarri Venkata Subba Rao “India is my country. All Indians are my brothers and sisters….”  A government order was issued declaring it a national pledge effective from 26 January 1965 and for its inclusion in school text books..

            Pydimarri Venkata Subba Rao, District Revenue Officer in Visakhapatnam wrote it in 1962.  His admirers celebrated the golden jubilee of the pledge on 26 January 2012.  In a recent article in a Marathi daily, Maharashtra Times, Narendra Lanjewar suggested that this pledge must be associated with the name of Pydimarri Venkata Subba Rao in the same way the names of Ravindranath Tagore and Bankimchandra Chatterjee are associated with our national anthem and the national song respectively. It will be a great honour for him and will help the generations to come to remember him.

sent by

D VR Rao (Nani)

Pune