Washington: RSS Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale on April 17, said that superstitions arise when education systems, through their curriculum, fail to communicate a civilisation’s scientific and technological advancements.
Participating in an interactive session organised by the Global Science Innovation Forum in San Francisco, Dattatreya Hosabale emphasised the need to revive and communicate the scientific inquiries of the past through the education system.
“In our tradition, scientific inquiry and spirituality are not separate; they are deeply interconnected,” he said. Hosabale added that while there was a period globally when religion and science were viewed as being in conflict, in the Indian civilisational tradition, the same individuals and groups often engaged in both scientific exploration and spiritual practice.
“That intellectual tradition has long been part of our civilisational wisdom,” Dattatreya Hosabale said, adding that governance should also reflect the same foundation. Hosabale noted that the ancient system was both ethical and scientific, addressing concerns of security, livelihood, and the practical aspects of everyday life.
“If we want to expand opportunities and empowerment for humanity and citizens, these elements must be channelled through education. When education stagnates even as technology advances, societies risk becoming more unequal. As sections of society fall behind in education or scientific progress, inequality deepens. Economic growth, education, and quality of life are all interconnected,” said Dattatreya Hosabale.
“That is why governments today must treat this with utmost seriousness. On one hand, we need to address inequalities, prejudices, and superstitions within society. On the other, we must continue advancing science and technology. If education fails to convey this clearly, the scientific inquiries of the past may be mistaken for superstition,” he added.
Hosabale noted that a key challenge for the education system is enabling people to clearly distinguish genuine scientific inquiry from superstition. “Our society has faced this challenge for a long time, but there have also been sustained efforts to clearly demonstrate how the scientific inquiries of the past were integrated into education and curricula for centuries. That knowledge system now needs to be revived, with the Indic knowledge system at the forefront,” said Dattatreya Hosabale.
The GSIF THRIVE-2026 summit, held at the Stanford Faculty Club, is a global convention where scientific innovation intersects with ancient wisdom in pursuit of a better world. The summit opened on Thursday evening with an interactive session featuring Vinod Khosla and is expected to see participation from thought leaders, including former US National Security Adviser H. R. McMaster.
