The world needs the globalization of compassion, which can originate from India. Today, globalization has not been limited to markets alone; various evils have also become globalized. Prosperity is not a bad thing, but material prosperity alone is not sufficient.

These views were expressed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kailash Satyarthi as the Chief Guest at the Dr. Shyam Singh Shashi Memorial Lecture Series 2026 held here today. He said that wars are occurring in the world due to traditional definitions and rigid frameworks. The world today is wealthier than ever before in history. Despite all this, the world is burning.

Presiding over the programme, Dr. Shyam Parande praised the personality and literary contributions of the late Dr. Shyam Singh Shashi. On this occasion, former Defence Secretary to the Government of India and former Secretary-General of the Rajya Sabha, Dr. Yogendra Narayan, stated that knowledge has immense importance. This is why the Government of India is currently organizing a global summit on Artificial Intelligence in Delhi. Referring to the efforts to make India a developed nation by 2047, he emphasized the need to decide what form a developed India should take. He clarified that development is meaningful only if it aligns with India’s intrinsic cultural and moral characteristics.

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Sandeep Marwah, Founder and Chancellor of AAFT, described Dr. Shyam Singh Shashi as a father-like figure and called his creation of more than four hundred books an unforgettable achievement. He said that Dr. Shyam Singh Shashi was a living embodiment of compassion, and anyone who met him even once carried his memory in their heart forever. Dr. Marwah added that in today’s era, two things are most important — your emotions and your ideology — as these shape your personality.

Several writers, intellectuals and family members attended the first lecture session. Among them were Sumedha Satyarthi; poet Anubhuti Chaturvedi, daughter of the renowned late litterateur Jagdish Chaturvedi; former Assistant Director of All India Radio Dr. Alok Kumar Singh; Dr. Richa Singh; Narayan Kumar and legal advisor of Delhi University, Dr. Satish Chandra Gupta. The programme was conducted by Sanskriti. On this occasion, the magazine “Sabhyata Sanskriti”, focused on the multifaceted literary personality Dr. Shyam Singh Shashi, was formally released.