Adi Vidya Foundation, a non-profit public charitable knowledge trust, on April 28 launched India’s first spiritual science curriculum. The programme aims to introduce structured learning focused on self-awareness, emotional resilience, values-based thinking, and inner well-being, marking an important step towards embedding holistic education and spiritual quotient within mainstream schooling.
The launch coincided with the first National Conference on Spirituality in schools in New Delhi. Supported by The Millennium Schools Group, leading spiritual figures and mental health professional and leaders, the one-day conference brought together policymakers, education leaders, school principals, mental health and wellness professionals, and important spiritual leaders.
The discussions focused on nurturing the education system beyond academic outcomes, towards a holistic approach that encompasses emotional well-being, ethical grounding, and self-awareness. The conference addressed spirituality not in religious terms, but as a framework for inner development that aligned with globally recognised principles of meaningful learning and long-term well-being.
The event commenced with a formal inaugural session featuring keynote speakers, senior government officials, and representatives from leading educational institutions. Distinguished speakers included Gauranga Prabhu Das ji, Pundrik Goswami Ji Maharaj, Renuka Goswami Ji, Swamini Pramanandi Ji (Amma Ji), Dr R Balasubramaniam, Himanshu Gupta IAS, Praveen Chaturvedi, Rahul Dewan, Veditha Reddy IAS, Acharya Giriratna Mishra Ji.
This was followed by a series of panel discussions centred on key themes such as integrating spirituality and Indian Knowledge Systems into curricula, addressing student mental health, fostering institutional cultures that support spiritual development, and creating policy frameworks to scale such initiatives nationally.
Commenting on the initiative, Shantanu Prakash, Founder of Adi Vidya Foundation, said, “We have built an education system that focuses on everything except what matters most. We track marks, ranks and percentages, but we have no framework for how students feel, how they handle failure, or whether they have a sense of purpose beyond the next examination. Our aim is to bring the focus on SQ (Spiritual Quotient) on an equal footing with IQ and EQ. This conference is not about adding another subject to the timetable. It is about asking whether our schools are truly preparing students for life. The time to have this conversation, seriously and at a national scale, is now.”
