Dikhyaa Mohanty 
Delegates from eight democratic nations who are now in India on an exposure tour to learn about the parliamentary form of government praised the nation’s democratic culture on Saturday, saying it set an example for the rest of the globe. When speaking at a seminar on “Democracy and Governance” held at Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA), Portuguese MP Miguel Costa Matos remarked, “India is not only the oldest, but the greatest of democracies in the world, and it is about freedom, tolerance, and equality of gender.”
As part of the “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav” celebration to mark India’s 75 years of independence, the delegates’ visit has been organized by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and Gen Next Democracy Network to give them a thorough understanding of India’s democratic traditions, cultural heritage, and developmental initiatives. Matos praised India for putting a strong emphasis on the idea of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,” which he defined as “one earth, one family, and one future.” The epidemic, he added, had brought the nations closer. “Today, the need is to fight climate change, live like one family, and face the future together,” he said.
The chief speaker, Justice Anil Kumar Choudhury, a judge on the High Court of Jharkhand, referred to India as the largest and oldest democracy in the world, noting that the democratic system there has been in place since the Middle Ages. “Even throughout the Indus Valley Civilization, the welfare state and democratic principles were widely accepted. The panchayat system was 5,000 years old, according to excavations at ancient Harappan sites, he claimed, adding that Thanjavur in Tamilnadu’s stone carvings also provided evidence of its historical presence.
Justice Choudhury said the Kalinga had collective leadership at the time when Mauryan Emperor Ashoka attacked the empire in the Kalinga War of 261 BC, which is said to have been fought close to Bhubaneswar city. In India, all sexes now have an equal right to vote, but women in Europe had to fight for their right to vote, the speaker claimed.
