NCERT class 8 textbook to include Atal Bihari Vajpayee's poem from 2019

Students of Class 8th following NCERT textbooks can gear up to read Former Prime Minister and BJP Founding Member Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s poem ‘Kadam Milakar Chalna Hoga’ from the upcoming session i.e. academic year 2019-20.

Students of Class 8th following NCERT textbooks can gear up to read Former Prime Minister and BJP Founding Member Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s poem ‘Kadam Milakar Chalna Hoga’ from the upcoming session i.e. academic year 2019-20. (Getty images)

New Delhi: Students of Class 8^th following NCERT textbooks can gear up to read Former Prime Minister and BJP Founding Member Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s poem ‘Kadam Milakar Chalna Hoga’ from the upcoming session i.e. academic year 2019-20. The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has included Mr. Vajpayee’s poem as part of the Bhartiya Janata Party led central government’s effort to eternalizing the former PM’s contribution to Hindi Literature and his vision of India. The current NCERT Class 8^th Hindi textbook – ‘Vasant’ comprises a collection of short stories, poems, reportage and essays by prominent Indian Hindi poets, essayists and academicians as well as Kabir’s Sakhiyaan. AB Vajpayee’s ‘Kadam Milakar Chalna Hoga’ is the poet Prime Minister’s plea to the countrymen to calibrate their steps, taking in stride the adversities and joys of life. Before you read the poem in your textbook, let us walk you through it here: ‘बाधाएं आती हैं आएं घिरें प्रलय की घोर घटाएं, पांवों के नीचे अंगारे, सिर पर बरसें यदि ज्वालाएं, निज हाथों से हंसते-हंसते, आग लगाकर जलना होगा। कदम मिलाकर चलना होगा। हास्य-रुदन में, तूफानों में, अमर असंख्यक बलिदानों में, उद्यानों में, वीरानों में, अपमानों में, सम्मानों में, उन्नत मस्तक, उभरा सीना, पीड़ाओं में पलना होगा! कदम मिलाकर चलना होगा। उजियारे में, अंधकार में, कल कछार में, बीच धार में, घोर घृणा में, पूत प्यार में, क्षणिक जीत में, दीर्घ हार में, जीवन के शत-शत आकर्षक, अरमानों को दलना होगा। कदम मिलाकर चलना होगा। सम्मुख फैला अमर ध्‍येय पथ, प्रगति चिरन्तन कैसा इति अथ, सुस्मित हर्षित कैसा श्रम श्लथ, असफल, सफल समान मनोरथ, सब कुछ देकर कुछ न मांगते, पावस बनकर ढलना होगा। कदम मिलाकर चलना होगा। कुश कांटों से सज्जित जीवन, प्रखर प्यार से वञ्चित यौवन, नीरवता से मुखरित मधुवन, पर-ह‍ति अर्पित अपना तन-मन, जीवन को शत-शत आहुति में, जलना होगा, गलना होगा। कदम मिलाकर चलना होगा।‘ It is yet to be confirmed by the NCERT, whether the inclusion of Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s poem has replaced a poem or two, or it’s in addition to the current syllabi. The new textbook is expected to hit the shacks by March 2019, next month.