LUCKNOW: The Adani Group committed more than $10 million to the Bharat Knowledge Graph initiative to make India’s civilisational knowledge more accessible and promote interdisciplinary research, Priti Adani, chairperson of the Adani Foundation, said in Varanasi on Monday.
Addressing the inaugural session of the three-day World Symposium on Ancient Wisdom for Modern Challenges, she said the initiative was not limited to digitising texts and scriptures but sought to connect India’s knowledge traditions with education, healthcare, sustainability, governance and human development.
She said India’s traditions need not remain confined to the past, as they continue to offer meaningful guidance for the present and future. “Across the world, we see different philosophies, traditions, and systems of thought. At a time of uncertainty and confusion, these traditions can offer responsibility, clarity, and purpose,” she said.
She said India’s ancient wisdom remained deeply relevant to modern life, citing yoga as a powerful example of a tradition that had gained global recognition for promoting balance between the mind and body.
She added that India’s traditional knowledge systems also offer valuable insights into climate resilience, food security, health, education, and community well-being.
Ancient wisdom, she said, became valuable not merely because it was old, but because of its meaning and application in today’s world.
Highlighting the human dimension of progress, Adani said a hospital's true value lay in whether it served those who needed care most, while a school's true value lay in whether it enabled a first-generation learner to transform a family's future.
“For us, service means more than giving from a distance. Seva means listening, staying connected, and empowering people with dignity,” she said.
She also said the Adani Group had pledged more than $6 million towards community development in India. “When my husband and I began this journey as a family, we pledged more than $6 million towards community development in India. The country continues to face critical challenges, including poverty, literacy gaps, and access to basic services. Through large-scale infrastructure and social impact projects, we remain committed to contributing to India’s vision of becoming a developed nation by 2047,” she said.
She said the Adani Group was also working to support India’s energy transition. In Khavda, Gujarat, the group had developed the world’s largest renewable energy park, contributing to clean energy generation at an unprecedented scale. “We believe sustainability cannot simply remain a chapter in an annual report. It must become a way of thinking, building, and serving. Ancient wisdom, modern innovation, and compassionate action must come together to create a future that is not only developed, but also inclusive, sustainable, and deeply human,” she said.
Thanking the organisers for hosting the global dialogue in the sacred city of Kashi, Adani said Varanasi held a special place in India’s spiritual and intellectual heritage. She said the city is where humanity’s oldest questions remain relevant for the future. At its heart, she said, stood the spiritual energy of Kashi Vishwanath, which has drawn saints, seekers, and spiritual leaders for centuries.