The concept of secularism is neither new to India nor to Hinduism. It was practised by ancient Hindu rulers for thousands of years. Most rulers had highly learned saints and religious wisemen as ...

When India chose secularism as a constitutional principle, it didn’t mean the exclusion of religion from public life. Rather, ...

Secularism, like any other modern ideal ... that “books like the Buddhacarita or the Rig Veda are classics of ancient India and can hardly be considered just as religious books”.

The understanding of secularism in India has changed over time with its ... as central a role in politics as it perhaps did in the medieval era. In his book Religious Politics and Secular States ...

As India grapples with internal strife and external criticism, the debate surrounding its commitment to secularism intensifies ... as we have practiced it since ancient times.

A prominent feature common in the Indian society, whether under ancient rajas or Mughal emperors, was religious tolerance, secularism, interfaith harmony and respect for all religions. After the ...

India’s secularism was never intended to mandate the denial of faith in public life; it was the pledge of equal respect for every faith, including the absence of faith. This is an idea with ancient ...

Some Hindus also send their children to an equivalent system known as Gurukuls, residential education institutions where students learn about ancient ... dismantling India’s secular traditions.

For me, the word ‘secular’ holds no fear ... The kind of religious tolerance Gandhi personified is nothing new in India. It has ancient roots, stretching back more than 2,000 years.