Diversity, Equity & Inclusion are bedrock for sustenance and existence of any community, society, or nation. When we consider a country as diverse as ours, these principles become sacrosanct and irreplaceable. Pluralism is not mere choice of thinking, it needs to be ingrained as a fundamental value. Our culture and history has pronounced and upheld egalitarianism. Similarly inclusion becomes extremely essential to retain and thrive the fabric of community, nation and society on whole.
She (India) was like some ancient palimpsest on which layer upon layer of thought and reverie had been inscribed , and yet no succeeding layer had completely hidden or erased what had been written previously.
― Jawaharlal Nehru, The Discovery of India
There cannot be a place more important than an educational institute to start discourse on values of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The young pallbearers of future need to understand and appreciate these; which would serve as a starting path towards holistic education.
Diversity is the representation of all our varied identities and differences (race, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, tribe, caste, socio-economic status, thinking and communication styles, etc.), collectively and as individuals. At VIT we seek to proactively engage, understand, and draw on a variety of perspectives. We believe that the path towards realizing a better place for our society, our nation, and the entire humanity on whole can be found by affirming our similarities, as well as by finding value in our differences.
Equity seeks to ensure fair treatment, equality of opportunity, and fairness in access to information and resources for all. We believe this is only possible in an environment built on respect and dignity.
Inclusion builds a culture of belonging by actively inviting the contribution and participation of all people. At VIT we believe every person’s voice adds value, and we strive to create balance in the face of power differences. We believe that no one person can or should be called upon to represent an entire community or belief.