VIJAYAWADA: Education must serve not only to impart knowledge but also to uplift society through moral values, said Advisor to AP Government on Moral Values, Brahmasri Chaganti Koteshwara Rao.
Addressing students and teachers at the State-level ‘Values Education Conference’ organised by the Education Department at Tummalapalli Kalakshetram in Vijayawada on Monday, Chaganti said that true moral education starts within the family.
“Listening to one’s mother and father, loving siblings, and respecting elders naturally leads to loving society,” he said, recalling Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s advice that family values must be the foundation of moral education.
He warned that modern families are losing compassion and understanding, and urged teachers and spiritual leaders to reinforce family bonds through their speeches and guidance.
Calling family ‘a divine gift bestowed by God’, Chaganti spoke about the mother’s unmatched role in nurturing children. “From conception to birth, a mother protects her child like the eyelid guards the eye. No wealth or authority can replace her sacrifice,” he said.
He stressed that maternal love is universal across all living beings, and without it, society itself cannot survive. Quoting Shankaracharya, he noted that even saints composed verses solely in praise of mothers.
He cited leaders like Prakasam Pantulu, APJ Abdul Kalam, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who all acknowledged the greatness of mothers. “The first virtue of this nation is to honour the mother — Maatru Devo Bhava,” he said, encouraging students to bow to their mothers before leaving for school.
He also emphasised the father’s role as a constant source of sacrifice and guidance. “The father is as great as the mother. He silently bears hardships so his children can grow,” Chaganti said, pointing to examples from Abraham Lincoln and Lata Mangeshkar.
HRD Minister Nara Lokesh praised Chaganti’s humility and dedication, noting that despite being given cabinet rank, he never used government vehicles or accepted state privileges. “His guidance is shaping textbooks on moral values for the future of our children,” Lokesh said.
Lokesh further underlined that education must be seen as a collective responsibility of government, teachers, parents, and society at large. He said the reforms being introduced—from curriculum cleansing to gender-balanced representation in textbooks—are not merely administrative changes but part of a larger mission to build responsible citizens.