Wake Up Call For Citizens

This is my first column which appeared in Millennium Post newspaper on August 2, 2013

Wake up call for Citizens

India is destined for greatness. But where will this greatness come from? Is it only the government of a country that can lead it to greatness? Is it only the political leaders that can forge the destiny of a nation? No. The true greatness of any nation lies in its people.

There is potential for greatness in every citizen of the land. For the true owners of our nation are its citizens. Government is only the custodian of the nation and is there exclusively to serve the people of the country. This is what a true democracy should be like. However, for a true democracy to thrive, the citizens have to play a larger role and fulfil their duties towards the nation.

The most famous line from US President John F Kennedy’s inaugural address is, ‘Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.’ What is this but a call for citizens to rise to the occasion and do their duty?  What we in India many times tend to forget is that while the Constitution of India gives us several fundamental and other rights, it also has prescribed a set of Fundamental Duties in Article 51(A). 

The purpose here is not to list these out as a simple Google search can reveal them in more detail to anyone interested. However, what is important is for us to understand the concept of citizen’s ownership. If you go to any of the world’s great countries and look at the progress and development made in these places, you will see that it is not just the role of government, but also the role of citizen. It is from the citizenry that political leaders emerge and they cannot be divorced from people. In a true democracy, the leaders that the people get are the leaders that they deserve. If we simply sit in our drawing rooms and debate about the quality of leadership this country has, we will achieve nothing. We have to take an active role in creating a new type of leadership in the country. 

As mentioned earlier, it is the citizens who are the owners of the nation, but they need to act like owners. Here ownership means to play their part in building the nation. It is the citizens of any nation that are the true nation builders.  Leaders are not only political. There are leaders in the fields of business, education, social service, science and technology, literature, arts, music, sports, entertainment, etc. They are all doing their duty to the nation by using their talent to not only bring glory to the nation, but also to highlight important issues that are important to tackle in order to make the country into a better place. 

How can this be achieved? It can be done in a variety of ways. Just strive to live each and every day with the intention of using your talent and resources to help improve the nation in any way. 
For the concept of duties to become strong, educating the youth of the country is of paramount importance. Here education is not only formal education in schools and colleges. Education means focusing on youth at home and in the workplace as well. In formal education, civics and moral science should be taught with the same fervour and importance as maths, science, economics and English. A sound foundation of good citizenship and ethics is crucial for the better future of the country. 
Parents need to teach their children the importance of obeying laws and being patriotic. Being patriotic is not only about respecting the national anthem and flag, it is also about living your life for the betterment of your world and in particular your country. Children need to learn and be encouraged to express their talents and skills and consider themselves as a national asset. Every citizen is an asset that needs to be developed. 

Our citizens could be the one discovering the cure for AIDS, finding cheaper and cleaner ways to produce energy efficiently, discovering ways to solve the problem of water and food, inventing new technologies in various fields, creating new industry that can provide employment to millions, and so on. This is why it is important to inculcate the spirit of creative thinking and entrepreneurship keeping in mind  the development of the nation at the foundation of any endeavour.

All this will happen when people start to think about their country first. Instead of envying other countries, they should strive to make India prosperous. Things you do for your country do not have to be big, small things can lead to bigger chain reaction. 

Whether you start a small business, write an article, teach a child, shop at local stores with local goods, not pollute, participate in cleanliness drives, create a work of art, volunteer for some social cause etc, you are performing your duty as a citizen. You are contributing to the consciousness of community development and this will begin the process of change. Considering that most young people spend most of their time at school or work, it is also important for teachers and employers to inculcate a sense of patriotism and duty into the hearts and minds of young people.

For it is the youth who is the future of the country. Some day, the older generation will be gone and it is today’s young generation that will be tomorrow’s leaders in various fields. Do not be discouraged by the present state of affairs in the country. Don’t let anybody say that things cannot change. They can. Do your bit starting today. Plant the seed of greatness now and some day it will blossom into a tree of national pride.

The author is a businessman and freelance journalist

Read this on Millennium Post site....

President John F. Kennedy - 50 years since the beginning of Camelot

President John Fitzgerald Kennedy delivers
his inaugural address on January 20, 1961 - 50 years ago today

      50 years ago today, John F. Kennedy was sworn in as the 35th president of the United States. His inaugural address is best remembered for him saying, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." Kennedy was the president who inspired youth from America and all over the world to enter public service and do their bit for their country. But apart from that favorite quotation of JFK, there are some other great things he said in that historic speech. Some excerpts:

"We observe today not a victory of party, but a celebration of freedom—symbolizing an end, as well as a beginning—signifying renewal, as well as change. For I have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forebears prescribed nearly a century and three quarters ago."

"Man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe—the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God."

"In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility—I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it—and the glow from that fire can truly light the world."

And one of my personal favorites -

“let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God’s work must truly be our own.”

So it is that 50 years have passed since these immortal words were spoken, but yet they are so relevant in our own times. We are still facing similar threats in the form of terrorism, global challenges in the form of global warming, economy and others. There is a new power structure emerging in the world with the growing significance of Asia. The world has changed a lot from 1961, but the opportunities remain the same.

One of the things that has often struck me about President Kennedy's inaugural address is that while it is amply clear that we have the power to abolish all forms of human life in the shape of nuclear and other bombs, I wonder about the "all forms of human poverty" part. What do we actually know about this. What do we have in our mortal hands to abolish "all forms of human poverty." I think this aspect needs a separate blog post later on.

But for now, we remember you today Mr. President and wish that you lived longer, but thank you for the inspiration that you have sowed in the hearts and minds of millions of people born during the last half of the 20th century, tempered by terrorism and wars, disciplined by a promising yet fragile peace.

Unite against Mother India's problems, stop attacks against Christians

The recent attacks on churches and Christians in Karnataka and Orissa and other scattered parts of the country are a disgrace to the secular fabric of India and an insult to the vision of our founding fathers of India being a secular republic.

It is also clear that non-Congress governments, whether they are led by the BJP or BJD, are not only insensitive towards the rights of minorities but are also, it seems in the case of Karnataka in particular, very dismissive towards their accountability in bringing the guilty persons to justice.

It is very clear and does not take any kind of rocket science to conclude that these attacks are being perpetrated by the Bajrang Dal and other Sangh Parivar factions.

It is appalling that despite the Christian community in India being in the forefront in serving the nation in the form of providing quality education, healthcare and social services, it is being targeted on the label of “converting” the masses. When a poor child is fed, a sick person injured or an illiterate child educated, they are already “converted” from being a victim of apathy to a useful member of society. The spark of love and care that is showered on them is enough to convert them into becoming a useful citizen of this country. They do not have to become a Christian for that.

There are millions of Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs in this country who have been converted by a Christian institution. Not converted into practicing any kind of religious dogma ~ which really doesn’t matter anyway ~ but by being converted into a useful member of society.

So let us Indians not tread down the gory path of communalism. Let us unite and solve the real problems Mother India faces ~ poverty, corruption, lack of infrastructure, pollution, illiteracy and unemployment.

Published in the Statesman as a letter to the editor. Click here to visit site.

PM vs. Left Front

Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh gave a good reply to the communists that they can go ahead and withdraw support if they so wish. Hurray! The Prime Minister has shown great courage in doing so and I'm sure that millions of us Indians will respect him more for finally standing up to these communist Left Front types like Prakash Karat. These communists while choosing to 'support' the government from 'outside' have virtually opposed just about everything that Dr. Singh's government has done or tried to do. One wonders what exactly is the 'support' that they are lending. The Left Front has acted more like the true opposition than the BJP-led NDA has since 2004.

It is great that Dr. Singh has taken this step. Now the ball is in the court of Karat and company. Will they really act and pull down the government for entering into the nuclear deal with the US or are they just trying to rouse trouble?

Still the Mind and See the Light

The following article of mine was published in the Speaking Tree column of The Times of India on October 19, 2006

(link to the article, text below)

Still the Mind and See the Light-Editorial-OPINION-The Times of India



Stillness of mind is necessary for us to realise who we really are. "Be still and know that I am God", says Psalm 46:10, a clear advice in the Bible by the Lord to meditate.

When a stone is dropped into a pond of water, it creates ripples, which prevent a person from seeing his own reflection in the pond. It is only when the ripples subside and the water is still that you can see your own reflection. Our consciousness is like the pond; if thoughts enter into our mind, they create ripples in our consciousness and these ripples prevent us from seeing our own self in the pond of our consciousness. Stubborn thoughts need to be stopped if true knowledge of Self is to be gained.

This must happen smoothly. A thought is like a fire, which is fuelled by attention. By not paying attention to a stubborn thought, it can be made to pass through the mind unattended. Do not try to wrestle with your unwanted thoughts. Wrestling with them is giving attention to them. A person can only truly concentrate on one thing at a time.

Focusing on our own breath is a good way to divert attention away from stray thoughts. Breathe in deeply through your nose and while breathing in, pay attention to your breath. Hold the breath inside you for just a few seconds, maybe five or six seconds, and exhale slowly paying attention to your breath as you exhale. This technique will relax you as well as help in stilling the mind. After repeating this exercise about 10 times, say the word, 'Om', 'Amen' or 'Amin' — depending on your choice, they basically all refer to the creative word of God — three times. Now focus your attention to the point between the eyebrows about one inch above the eyebrow level. This is the centre of Christ Consciousness, which is called the Kutastha Centre by Paramahansa Yogananda.

In the Bible this place is mentioned by Christ when he says in Matthew 6:22: "The light of the body is the eye: If therefore thy eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light". The idea is to concentrate on this point without thinking or allowing thoughts to enter the mind.

True meditation is the complete stillness of mind. Though thinking about God is a good thing and can be helpful in raising the levels of positive energy around you, while meditating try not to think of anything — not even God. Remember what the Bible says, "Be still and know that I am God".

Knowing something does not come by thinking about it, but by realising and experiencing it. When the mind is stilled completely and concentration and attention is at the Kutastha Centre, then gradually, the veil separating your own awareness from cosmic awareness is pierced. A feeling of complete relaxation and tranquillity is soon followed by joyous bliss that is all-pervading. When the eye is single — the single eye of intuition or the Kutastha Centre becomes the focus of attention — then the body shall be full of light. When the attention is focused like a magnifying glass at the Kutastha Centre, the eye of intuition will see the divine light of God and the body shall be bathed by the Divine and Glorious light.

It is a wonderful feeling to still the mind and see your own true blissful self in the reflection of your own pond of consciousness. Seek God within you now.

Mahajan

The death of Pramod Mahajan after a 12 day long battle with wounds suffered by bullet wounds is a sad moment in our nation's history. It is also a sad thing that his death comes at the hands of his own younger brother. This act of fraticide will go down in history as one of India's darker moments. Brother has killed brother for unknown reasons and India has suffered the loss of one of its most promising leaders. Our heartfelt prayers and condolences go out to the family of Pramod Mahajan and we pray for peace to the departed soul.

Reservations

The proposed reservations in IITs and IIMs being done by the Indian HRD ministry is like going back into the days of V.P. Singh and the Mandal commission back in 1990 when I was just in first year college. It is very discouraging to millions of young and qualified students who are not in the reserved category.

If one recalls watching 'India's Rajiv' by Simi Garewal you will recall the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi calling the Mandalisation of Indian politics as very "unfortunate". It is indeed a shame that the UPA government headed by the Congress party is doing virtually the same thing now as it opposed back in 1990.

I applaud the Indian science and technology minister Kapil Sibal for being vocal in his opposition to these proposed reservations even if he has broken his party's protocol. Politics in India need vocal leaders and not mute sycophants.