In contrast to earlier education policies, the New Education Policy of India 2020 seeks to refigure the higher education ecosystem through introduction of greater flexibility and instilling a forward looking momentum to meet the challenges of neoliberal global economy. With a mission to produce robust multidisciplinary higher education institutions with technologically sound physical and digital infrastructure in or near every district of India by 2030, it sets its goal of 50 percent gross enrolment ratio by 2035. In its efforts to produce ‘good, thoughtful, well rounded and creative individuals’ instilling a strong character with ethical and constitutional values, much inspiration is drawn from India’s ancient cultural moorings. The ambitious new education policy on a subject from the concurrent list of India’s constitution awaits successful implementation by highly skilled and passionate leadership at the level of top governance and motivated and energized faculty members on the ground . The challenge comes from different cosmologies that mark the systems of governance in India at national and regional level. The present paper examines the philosophy of this policy in creating culturally informed and globally competent citizens for the 21century as ambassadors of new India. Using an ethnographic approach, various aspects of policy processes have been examined in the context of the mainstreaming of higher education vis a vis its regional aspirations and manifestations. It is argued that the major challenge before India’s higher education system revolves around a creative synthesis among various cross cutting currents of cultural essence and constitutional essentialities.