Give Peace A Chance

Peace is the way out of injustice, wrongdoings, violence, and inequity. It is the golden ticket to the ideal world. Every person in this world plays a unique role in promoting peace and goodwill among their community or surroundings.The earlier generations did not realize this and ended up on battlefields each time there was a conflict. Fortunately, today's generation has rightly comprehended this and now has a firm grip on the concept and importance of peace. It is because of the sustenance of peace and harmony that humans today are living with autonomy.

One of the most common disruptors of peace is religious differences. For centuries, religion and cultures have been prime reasons for wars and battles. It is one of the most sensitive topics and leads to global-scale conflict. It requires patience, knowledge, and a broad mindset to accept a few things to maintain peace.For this reason, many social workers and peace initiators work actively to eradicate this trivial issue completely. One of them is an Indian advocate of peace, Rajat Malhotra. He is one of the founding members of Centre for Peace and Spirituality (CPS) International and believes in creating harmony among people of all faiths. He is a motivational speaker, research scholar and aims to completely cleanse their hearts of the negative thoughts that the opposite parties have for each other.

An example of religious conflict is the historical subcontinent partition. The conflict was between the Hindus and the Muslims. The two religions had a major contrast, and it had become difficult for the people to share the same land. This lead to the formation of two nations, i.e., India and Pakistan. Although the two nations are now content and separated, the conflict has created a grey area. It has instilled doubts in the hearts of the people against those practicing the other religion. Living in the 21st century, it has become extremely necessary for people to cleanse their minds and broaden their perspectives. Due to this reason, Rajat Malhotra, an active moral (duties) personality, is continuously making efforts to minimize the variance in the opinions of the people.

Reforming Thought Processes

Delhi is known as the union territory of India. People belonging to different religions and cultures live in the city with utmost grace and harmony. From food to festivals, everything is celebrated without hesitation and fear. Born and brought up in Delhi, Rajat was fond and proud of the city's diversity. He has a close and family-like relationship with many people who practiced a different religion. But since every coin has two sides to it. There are extremists who do not tolerate or like such interfaith harmony. As a well-educated and broad-minded individual, Rajat could not comprehend the reason for the hate these people have. The increasing incidents, killings, and disrespect motivated Rajat to invest his efforts in putting an end to it.  

Malhotra completed his Master's degree in Art in Islamic History in 2013. The reason why he studied this subject, in particular, was his vision to educate the masses regarding Islam. He believed that interfaith harmony and peace could only be achieved through dialogue and discussion. Rajat Malhotra completed his Ph.D. in "A Study of the Arabian Society After the Advent of Islam With Specific Reference to the Life of Prophet Muhammad" in 2019. He is also the International Global Coordinator of the Centre for Peace and Spirituality (CPS).

Malhotra actively participated in many interfaith ceremonies and events that helped people understand that there was no point of hate for the Muslims in particular. At various events, Rajat gave speeches and presentations that explained that Islam is a religion of peace and negated all the rumors and negativity that had build around it in the previous years. In his objective to portray Islam's positive image at the programs New Delhi, he said, "Do not judge Islam based on the actions of Muslims. Evaluate the actions of Muslims using Islamic tenets."

Rajat accompanied his mentor Maulana Wahiduddin Khan and has traveled all over India, and has made many international trips to conduct interfaith programs and promote religious harmony. As a motivational speaker, Rajat's topic covers diversity, Islamic history, unity, brotherhood, and compassion. He has profound knowledge of Islam and perceives it from an entirely different point of view. For him, the Quran is for the entire humankind. He claims that he found the answer to many questions in it. Rajat encourages his young audience to read the Quran and enlighten their thoughts with the treasurable knowledge it contains.

Rajat has also appeared on various television channels such as Zee Salam and ETV for his unique initiative to promote brotherhood between the two sects. His excellent knowledge and grip on Islamic concepts set him apart from the rest. He says, "Wherever we live, we should live like a family. So when we consider the whole world as a family, we may have differences in culture and traditions, but that doesn't mean you have to fight with one another."