New Delhi, Jun 25 (PTI) Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan on Thursday called for preserving India's cultural heritage, saying development becomes meaningful only when accompanied by cultural confidence and civilisational awareness.

The vice-president was speaking at the release of a book -- 'Sanskritir Ratna Bhandar: Bhaowaiyar Itibritto' (Bhawaiya: A Cultural Treasure and Its Historical Journey) -- at Uprashtrapati Bhavan here.

The book is authored by Lok Sabha MP Jayanta Kumar Roy and Sangita Roy, an official statement said.

Radhakrishnan congratulated the authors for their dedicated efforts in bringing the rich cultural heritage of the Koch Rajbanshi community and the Bhawaiya folk music to the mainstream.

He also appreciated the contribution of the publisher, Katha-O-Kahini, in documenting and preserving an important aspect of India's cultural legacy.

He said languages, music, customs and traditions across the country constitute a "treasure-house of collective memory" and living testimonies of India's shared heritage.

Observing that Bhawaiya emerged from the soil of North Bengal and adjoining regions, the Vice-President said the folk tradition has for generations reflected "the emotions, aspirations, struggles and wisdom of ordinary people".

He said the book systematically traces the historical evolution of Bhawaiya and offers a fresh perspective on its origin and development, while also highlighting the role of folk traditions, religious practices, agricultural customs, seasonal festivals and community life in shaping it.

The work, he added, provides valuable insights into the cultural history of North Bengal and the Koch Rajbanshi community.

Referring to India's musical traditions, Radhakrishnan said music in ancient Bharat was regarded as a means of connecting human consciousness with the cosmic order.

Citing the Sama Veda, the concept of Nada Brahma and the traditions of Bhakti and Sufism, he said music has long been seen as a pathway to the divine.

The vice-president said that despite modernisation, urbanisation and globalisation, Bhawaiya continues to survive and evolve because it remains rooted in authentic human experiences and universal emotions.

Calling upon the younger generation to participate actively in cultural preservation, he urged them to use technology to safeguard languages, customs, values and traditional knowledge systems.

"As India moves towards the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, cultural preservation must remain an integral part of national development," he said.

"Development becomes meaningful only when accompanied by cultural confidence and civilisational awareness," Radhakrishnan said.

Referring to the recent International Day of Yoga celebrations, he said India's ancient traditions continue to offer solutions to contemporary global challenges, and added that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, the world is increasingly looking towards Bharat for initiatives such as Yoga and Mission LiFE.

Underscoring India's unity in diversity, the vice-president said, "We have many languages, cultures and communities, yet we are one nation and share one civilizational spirit. Bharat is One and shall remain one forever." PTI KSH APL APL

Cultural preservation and civilisational awareness shape meaningful development, with heritage, music and traditions treated as national priorities. Cultural preservation is presented as an integral aspect of national development, with emphasis on protecting India's languages, music, customs, traditions and traditional knowledge systems as living expressions of collective memory and shared civilisational identity. The preservation of the Koch Rajbanshi community's cultural legacy and Bhawaiya folk music is highlighted as an example of documenting and bringing regional heritage into the mainstream, while younger generations are urged to use technology to safeguard cultural resources.