On Guru Poornima Day, July 16, IVPT held an international conference on the pathbreaking method of education hailing from the modern-day Guru, His Holiness Jagadguru Swami Isa.

The Hon. Minister for Tourism and Devaswom, Shri. Kadakampally Surendran, inaugurated the conference. Dr. A. Sukumaran Nair, former V.C. of Mahatma Gandhi University, was the Chief Guest and recipient of the IVPT’s Vidya Award. Prof. N. Radhakrishnan, President of the Indian Council for Gandhian Studies, gave the Keynote. Dr. S. Sreedevi, Former Principal, Govt Training College, Dr. C.P. Sreekantan Nair, Academic Director, PTM College and Dr. Alok Kumar Gupta, Regional Director, National Institute of Open Schools, Govt of India gave Felicitations.

In his inaugural address the Minister congratulated Swami Isa’s innovative method and his commitment to rooting out social ills through total education.

“The philosophy of Education for Total Consciousness shifts the focus of education back to its noble goals, away from the modern trend of educational institutions becoming enterprises and degree factories,” he said. “It gives integrity, creativity and knowledge back to teachers. It gives students the joy in learning, self-confidence, and wisdom. I congratulate the Isa Viswa Prajnana Trust on holding this conference, and welcome the international delegates to Kerala.”

The Minister lit the inaugural lamp, and each delegate in the hall was given a small lamp and the light was passed to all, symbolizing the light of knowledge.

Jagadguru Swami Isa gave the invocation address. He noted that "Everyone knows the endless problems plaguing modern education--eveywhere in the world. A large number of educational experiments have been carried out, and are still going on. But no one has addressed the root cause. Only Total Education, which links objective and subjective knowledge, can solve this."

The forenoon session saw presentations on the Challenges Facing Teachers, Students and Parents. The Afternoon session focused on how the Education for Total Consciousness method addresses those challenges, and included a presentation on its comparison to Western educational methods, and an Education for Total Consciousness demonstration class. 

Dr. S. Sreedevi, Dr. C.P. Sreekantan Nair, Dr. Christophe Dumas, Head of Solar-Thermal Dept, CEA, France, Prof. R.L. Bindu, Head of Dept. of Education, University of Kerala, Mrs. Caroline Dumas, Teacher from France, Mrs. Franziska Guderle, Social Pedagogue from Germany, Mrs. Stephanie Pfeiffer, Diploma in Montessori, Germany, and Dr. Divya C. Senan, Professor, Dept of Education, University of Kerala and Mrs. Roshini, Teacher at Isa Viswa Vidyalayam made presentations. The session was moderated by Dr. V. Reghu, Former Professor, Dean & Controller of Examinations, RGNIYD, Chennai.

The “Education for Total Consciousness” method has been developed and practiced by His Holiness Jagadguru Swami Isa for more than 21 years. Since 2000, the Trust has been holding national and international seminars and parliaments on “Education for Total Consciousness” and also training teachers in the format. The Global Energy Parliament has unanimously declared this unique method, year after year, to be the best approach to creating deep changes in society working at the root level itself.

Foreign Delegates with the Minister

Minister Kadakampally Surendran and Dr. A. Sukumaran Nair light the Inaugural Lamp

Dignitaries on the dias at the Inaugural Function

Dr. A. Sukumaran Nair's Acceptance Speech for the Vidya Award

His Holiness Jagadguru Swami Isa

Prof. N. Radhakrishnan, President of the Indian Council for Gandhian Studies, gave the Keynote Address

Dr. S. Sreedevi, Former Principal, Govt Training College

Dr. C.P. Sreekantan Nair, Academic Director of PTM College, Thiruvananthapuram

Caroline Dumas, special needs teacher from Beaumont, France

Stephanie Pfeiffer, Montessori Teacher from Dresden, Germany

Dr. V. Reghu, Former Professor, Dean & Controller of Examinations, RGNIYD, Chennai

Dr. R. Bindu, Head of the Dept. of Education, University of Kerala

Dr. Divya C. Senan, Professor of Education, University of Kerala

Mrs. Roshini, ETC Teacher at Isa Viswa Vidyalayam

Students of Isa Viswa Vidyalayam demonstrating a class project

Dr. M.R. Thampan, IVPT Secretary, gives the Welcome Address at the Valedictory Function