तुम भी दीपक

रोशन होने की चाहत में,

मत बनो परावर्तक।
नहीं अधूरे, नहीं अंधेरे में तुम।
अमोल कृति हो तुम उसकी,
तुम भी दीपक हो
उसकी बनाई दुनिया में।

नीरज कुमार झा

जीवन का मूल्य

तुम पतंगे नहीं हो,

वह रोशनी भी नहीं है।
अंतस में दीपक जलाओ,
देखोगे मानव होने की गरिमा,
जानोगे जीवन का मूल्य।

नीरज कुमार झा

On Development

In a democracy, development can only be a collective mission. An authoritarian regime, if truly determined, may coerce its people toward development, but such a path is neither possible nor desirable in a democracy. It must be understood that development is not a final destination but a framework to construct and an ecology to sustain. Its foundation lies in enabling citizens to become substantial human beings, where every individual is assured of self-worth and a life of purpose. From this assurance flows respect for others and a spirit of cooperation, which together form the true essence of a developed society. The long legacy of bondage has left people oscillating between self-loathing and arrogance, depending on their social position. To overcome this, every citizen of this great nation must strive to realise their own self-worth and help others do the same, both for their own fulfilment and to be worthy of this country.

Niraj Kumar Jha

India as Vishvaguru: Reviving Civilisation for Humanity

India has incipient civilisational values which, if brought substantially to life, can transform the world. Even in places where humanism is claimed to be at its highest, we often witness disregard for human dignity and life. India can once again be a Vishvaguru, guiding humanity to be genuinely human. The legacies of the Vedic seers, Vyasa, Valmiki, the Buddha, Mahavira and Ashoka are in the very genes of Indians, and if that spirit and ethos can be reawakened in the light of present times, the world can indeed be transformed.

This is proven by modern Indian history. In the first half of the twentieth century, when leaders such as Hitler, Mussolini, Tojo, Stalin, Truman (who ordered the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki), and Churchill (whose policies led to the Bengal famine) condemned millions to death, India gave the world Mahatma Gandhi, an apostle of truth and non-violence. Today, we must rise above the mundane and rescue an imperilled world.

Where will this begin? It must begin with reviving Indian education to its true purpose. We must build institutions at their finest, nurturing minds towards excellence in the service of humanity. The colonial system, which produces graduates haughty and insensitive, must be reoriented. Good and knowledgeable people must be encouraged to take charge of education and be allowed to work according to their own genius. Civil society must come forward. What we need are institutions with a soul, which come from people of integrity and vision at the helm.

Niraj Kumar Jha

The UN System: An Apology of Democratic Order

The UN system was designed to function only in a perfunctory democratic manner. In reality, it was built on domination and patronage by a few over the vast majority. What was required, instead, was for it to evolve into a fountainhead of ever more refined versions of democracy for humanity. A mechanical and surface-level democratic form scarcely addresses human sensibilities, aspirations, and the uniqueness of individual beings.

Democracy, as a universal value, as principles guiding governance, and as norms grounding community life, could not have progressed without the democratisation of the global order. However, this never occurred; indeed, it was never intended to happen. From the charred landscapes of World War II, what should have germinated was a genuine global constitutionalism. It did not. Instead, we were left with a mechanism that, far from being a true order, amounted to little more than an apology for one.

Today, that mechanism has fallen entirely into disuse, as barbarous geopolitical conflicts and crass coercive unilateralism overwhelm humanity. Yet, there is still no compelling voice calling for a global social contract that might bring harmony and fairness to international affairs.

Niraj Kumar Jha

हिंदी : रंजन अथवा रणनीति

हिंदी दिवस एक वार्षिक आनुष्ठानिक आयोजन है। प्रत्येक वर्ष गणमान्य जन भाषणों और लेखों के माध्यम से हिंदी के गौरवमयी अतीत, वर्तमान में उसकी विश्वभाषा के रूप में प्रतिष्ठा और उज्ज्वल भविष्य के दर्शन कराते हैं। मनभावन और लोकलुभावन वक्तव्यों की अपनी उपादेयता है, परंतु एक अन्य प्रासंगिक तथ्य यह है कि आज तेजी से सिमटती दुनिया में हिंदी को व्यावहारिक विश्वभाषा की स्थिति में लाए बिना हिंदी को लेकर हमारी उद्घोषित आकांक्षाएँ पूरी नहीं हो सकतीं।

पूर्व में भाषाई विविधताएँ दूरियों के द्वारा पोषित थीं, किंतु अब मानव-संपर्कों के अनेक आयामों में दूरी शून्य अथवा अत्यल्प हो गई है। विश्व में वह दिन दूर नहीं जब कोई एक ही भाषा पूरी मानवता की मुख्य अथवा औपचारिक भाषा होगी। अन्य भाषाएँ उस महाधारा में मिलने वाली लघुधाराएँ बनकर रह जाएँगी। प्रयास इस दिशा में होना चाहिए कि हिंदी उसी भाषा के रूप में स्थापित हो। इसके लिए सोद्देश्य, लक्ष्याभिमुख, नियोजित रणनीतिक प्रयास और निवेश की आवश्यकता होगी।

इस प्रयास से, पूर्णरूपेण फलीभूत न होने पर भी, इतना तो सुनिश्चित है कि भविष्य की विश्वभाषा कोई भी हो, कैसी भी हो, वह हिंदीभाषियों के लिए अधिक बोधगम्य होगी और उनके अनुकूल भी।

इसके साथ ही, हिंदी की वैश्विक स्वीकार्यता की संभाव्यता का आधार तभी बनेगा जब हिंदी क्षेत्र वैश्विक स्तर पर सुसंस्कृत और सम्पन्न हो; वस्तुतः वही भाषा दुनिया सीखती है, जिसके बोलने वालों का विश्वव्यापी प्रभाव हो।
जो भी हो, भावनात्मक रंजन का महत्व तो है ही।

नीरज कुमार झा

The Shrinking Western Dream

The Western world’s material edge is slipping. Its dominance was built on intellectual drive, entrepreneurial daring, and the hard lessons of conflict, which together powered innovation and global supremacy. Today, that advantage is waning, not only because manufacturing has shifted elsewhere, but also because its lead in the knowledge economy now faces intense competition from emerging powers.

Immigration, once the gateway through which ambitious outsiders rode Western surpluses, is being redefined. It is no longer about attracting the best and brightest but about filling the gaps left by demographic decline. Over time, such inflows could resemble a form of reverse colonisation, provoking resistance within Western societies. Even short of that, these migrants are unlikely to be the high-value innovators who once reinforced Western dominance.

For the wider world, this means dwindling opportunities. The West will still import labour to keep its systems running, but the stage it once offered for talented individuals to flourish is shrinking fast. The Western dream, once expansive, is now a narrowing prospect.

Niraj Kumar Jha