Can ancient Indian wisdom heal the modern parenting crisis? This richly practical panel discussion answers with a resounding yes.
Dr. Ankur, a parenting expert whose own four-year-old son is homeschooled, screen-free, and fluent in Sanskrit shloks, identifies screens and premature schooling — as early as age 2.5 — as the twin disasters behind India’s mental health epidemic, where 40–50% of people now face psychological disorders. He challenges helicopter parenting and champions the Vedic principle of “productive struggle,” arguing that shielding children from difficulty is itself the problem. Vaidya Ria Raiji, an Ayurvedic practitioner from Kashi and author of a book on Garbh Sanskar, argues that prenatal education belongs to the entire family. She warns that family arguments during pregnancy directly imprint the unborn child, prescribes daily Ramayan reading as the simplest first act of Garbh Sanskar, and exposes how Indian wisdom is dismissed as “orthodox” when expressed in Hindi yet celebrated when reframed in English — a quiet colonization of the Indian mind. The session closes with a devotional recitation for the Balkaal of Ram and Krishna, leaving every person in the room visibly transformed in two minutes — and with one instruction: make this your daily habit at home.
About the Speaker:
Dr. Harsh Purohit is a Professor of Personal Finance at the largest residential university for women’s education in India, Banasthali Vidyapith, and the Dean-FMS. Prof. Purohit has authored over 65 articles in reputed journals, and over 70 students have been awarded a PhD in his supervision. He is the Co-Investigator of the NITI Aayog’s prestigious Atal Incubation Center at the University and has recently conceptualized the framework of ‘Bharatiya Model of Financial and Digital Literacy’ and ‘Work-Life Natural Fusion’.
Dr. Ankur Joshi is an Assistant Professor at FMS-WISDOM, Banasthali Vidyapith, whose academic work brings together management, public policy, education, and Bharatiya knowledge traditions. He completed the Fellow Programme in Public Policy and Governance from MDI Gurugram. His doctoral research examined the Gurukul education system through a postcolonial perspective, exploring how its principles and practices can offer meaningful insights for contemporary education. His research interests include indigenous research, management education, Bharatiya approaches to knowledge, and the integration of traditional knowledge systems with modern institutions.
Vaidya Riya Rai Dwivedi is an Ayurvedic physician, Parayani Nadi Vaidya, and the founder of Sanidhyam Ayurveda, a holistic wellness initiative dedicated to integrating the timeless wisdom of classical Ayurveda with the needs of modern lifestyles. With a strong focus on preventive and promotive healthcare, she specializes in Nadi Pariksha–based consultations, women’s health, Garbhasanskar counseling, and lifestyle disorder management. With over 6+ years of clinical experience, Vaidya Riya Rai Dwivedi has consulted and guided more than 1000 patients across different age groups and health conditions, helping individuals restore balance through personalized Ayurvedic diagnosis and lifestyle-based healing.
