New Delhi

Gautam Adani stresses India’s civilisational roots as vital guide for the future amid AI’s transformative influence on culture and society

Adani Urges India To Embrace Civilisational Roots

New Delhi

Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group, on Friday urged India to draw strength from its civilisational roots as the country faces the transformative era of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Speaking at the Global Indology Conclave 2025 in New Delhi, he said India’s progress reflects its enduring identity, built on resilience, learning, and renewal.

Adani warned that modern challenges do not come through armies or flags but through subtle control over human attention, habits, and imagination. “This quiet civilisational force has arrived in its most powerful form—Artificial Intelligence,” he said. He described AI as both transformative and risky, capable of reshaping human understanding of culture and memory. “AI is becoming the world’s new teacher, guiding our past and holding our civilisational memory. This is where the danger lies,” Adani added, noting that it threatens the core of India’s culture.

He linked India’s fast growth to its cultural and philosophical heritage. “Our civilisation that refuses to break is also the one that learns to build. Over the past decade, Bharat has become the fourth-largest economy. When a civilisation knows itself, its economy knows its path,” he said.

Reflecting on his upbringing, Adani recalled stories from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, narrated by his mother, which shaped his sense of duty, devotion, and Dharma. He highlighted the importance of Indology, the study of India’s philosophies, arts, sciences, and governance, as a guide to the future.

Adani also mentioned India’s intellectual losses, including the destruction of Nalanda and Vikramshila universities and colonial disregard for local knowledge. “When the roots of culture fade, the land turns barren, but values endure, and darkness can never prevail,” he said, emphasizing the need to restore civilisational confidence to guide India’s path forward.