Indian Concept of Social Work is Integrated, Holistic and Scientific: Mukul Kanitkar

The two days National Conference on ‘Indian Social Work: Scope and Challenges’ was inaugurated on Wednesday in Bhim Rao Ambedkar College, University of Delhi by Chief Guest Mukul Kanitkar, National Organising Secretary, Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal (BSM).

Inder Mohan Kaphy, Member, University Grants Commission (UGC), Manoj Kumar, Head, Department of Social Work, Mahatma Gandhi Antarrstriya Hindi University, Wardha, G K Arora, Principal, BR Ambedkar College and delegates from across the country were present on this occasion.

Delivering the “Key Note Address” for the conference, Mukul Kanitkar said, “The Indian concept of social work is not profession in the sense of livelihood but a service to the society. It’s integrated, holistic and scientific approach towards social change and social development aimed at welfare of all the living beings including the nature.”  

He also emphasised that the western world is today looking towards India as the western theories of social change and development have incurred huge social cost in western countries.

Their overreliance on the public funding of social security measures have become a financial burden for the government and even the richest of them – United States of America (USA) is facing economic challenges due to increased spending on social security.

The family system in India is the basic institution which takes care of several aspects of social security for which western thinkers or their Indian counterparts look towards the government machinery and public funding.

Inder Mohan Kaphy said that in the post Nehurvian age, the intellectual vacuum was occupied by the academicians advocating western model of social work which is continuing till date but needs to be changed.

He praised the effort and said such more efforts are required for Indinisation of social work in India.

Highlighting the need for such an initiative GK Arora said that India has a tradition of social work but unfortunately this traditional knowledge could not be inducted in the academic discipline of the social work.

The two days National Conference on Social Work is being organised with the financial support from Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), Delhi and MGAHV, Wardha.

The academicians of social work from across the country and over 50 research paper presenters are participating in the conference which would conclude on Thursday, March 15, 2018.