India’s ancient teachings can help address present-day problems such as inequality, human suffering and sustainability, Dr Priti Adani, Chairperson of the Adani Foundation, said at the opening of the World Symposium on “Ancient Wisdom for Modern Challenges” in Varanasi on Monday.

Speaking at the inaugural session, Dr Adani called for greater efforts to preserve India’s civilisational knowledge and put it to practical use. She said old teachings must be studied in the light of the problems people face today.

“Ancient wisdom does not become valuable simply because it is ancient. It becomes valuable when we discover its relevance to contemporary problems,” she said.

“Knowledge gives us the power to change the world. Wisdom assures us that we change it for the better.”

The three-day symposium, scheduled from 2 to 4 November, brings together scholars, experts and leaders to discuss how ideas from different civilisations can help address modern concerns.

Dr Adani referred to the teachings of Greek philosopher Aristotle, Lord Buddha and Chinese philosopher Confucius. Their ideas covered human well-being, suffering, moral duty and social harmony. She linked these teachings with India’s principle of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, which means the world is one family.

The discussion comes at a time when countries face concerns over poverty, climate change, conflict and the effects of rapid technological growth. The symposium’s central question is how ancient ideas can help people make better choices today.

Dr Adani also spoke about her three decades of work in community development. She said progress should be judged by how it changes people’s lives and described seva, or selfless service, as listening to communities and helping them shape their own futures.

The Adani Foundation, established in 1996 as the Adani Group’s social development arm, works across 7,000 villages in 22 states. It reports having reached 13 million lives through its work.

She also referred to the Bharat Knowledge Graph, supported by a $10 million commitment from the Adani Group. The project aims to make India’s civilisational knowledge available for research across different fields and supports 14 doctoral scholars.

The use of digital tools to study old texts and traditions formed another part of the discussion.

Shri Vivek Aggarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Government of India, said artificial intelligence could help researchers study ancient scriptures and make their contents easier to access.

“Artificial intelligence can help decipher ancient scriptures, deepen our understanding of their wisdom and make India’s civilisational knowledge more accessible and relevant to future generations,” he said.

The use of AI in studying old texts raises questions about how researchers can check translations, preserve meaning and avoid errors when working with complex historical material.

Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs, President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and Director of the Centre for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, examined the changing balance of global economic power in his address, “The Return of a Multipolar World”.

He said India’s share of global output had risen from 5.2% in 2000 to 8.5% in 2026. His projections put the figure at 13.1% by 2050 and 15.1% by 2100.

Sachs also pointed to a shift in economic weight towards Asia and Africa. According to his projections, the combined share of the United States, Canada and Europe in global output could fall to 13.7% by 2100.

These figures formed part of his discussion of a world in which economic power is spread across more countries and regions. The projections are long-term estimates and depend on how economies grow over coming decades.

During a later interaction, Sachs described the Adani Group as one of the major drivers of change and progress in India. He referred to its role in infrastructure expansion and economic growth, while also acknowledging the work of the Adani Foundation in sustainable development.

Sachs also spoke about the duties that come with running a family business. He said companies carrying a family name have a heritage to protect and should consider what they give back to society. His remarks placed business responsibility alongside the wider discussion on India’s economic growth.

The opening session began with an address by Dr Nirupam Bajpai, Senior Research Scholar at Columbia University’s Centre for Sustainable Development. He conveyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s best wishes for the symposium and spoke about Varanasi’s long history as a centre for ideas and spiritual traditions.

Varanasi, one of India’s oldest continuously inhabited cities, has served as a centre of learning and religious life for centuries. Its links with Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism make it a fitting setting for discussions involving different schools of thought.

The symposium is part of an international series that began in Greece, with meetings in Athens in 2022 and Stagira in 2023. Further gatherings took place in Qufu and Beijing, China, in 2024.

The Varanasi meeting brings the discussion to India, where the speakers have called for ancient knowledge to be studied alongside modern science, technology and public policy.

The test for such discussions will be whether the ideas presented can help improve people’s lives, guide public decisions and support responsible growth.

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