Essays-1999

 ESSAYS ON PERSONAL AND PUBLIC ISSUES BY KANISHKA GUPTA

(These essays were written in the first half of the year 1999)

CONTENTS:

Brief Chapter Introductions

PART 1--PERSONAL

1.     READING: There is a fundamental difference between studying and reading. Studying is reading and assimilation in a planned, systematic manner, mainly out of compulsion whether one likes the subject or not. This is an activity undertaken with a certain amount of pressure and discipline either out of social necessity or for scholarly purpose. In contrast, with reading, there is no compulsion involved. In fact, the very idea of reading under pressure sounds ridiculous. One reads what one likes, because one is interested in it or has curiosity. Here one reaches out for a newspaper, magazine or book purely in a voluntary manner. One is not time bound and can space this activity at will.

2.    THINKING: Thinking is one activity which doesn't come naturally to most of us. When confronted with a problem, most of us are overcome by our emotions. In fact, our feelings get the better of us and come in the way of true understanding and objectivity. The negative emotions like ego, pride, arrogance, greed, lust, desire, fear, hatred, jealously prevents a person from seeing a person or a situation in the true light from a detached perspective. The result is wrong assumptions, distorted reality, faulty assessment of the self, and prejudiced opinion which creates a sort of impasse or deadlock in seeing things in perspective. This inability to see things in the right perspective is at the root of our sorrows and grief.

3.     LOVE: The power of love as a means to learning and education is phenomenal. The emotion of love for another person is built up over a period of time and is not instant. Essentially, it has to do with a meeting of minds where you appreciate the qualities and share the same aims and aspirations with the other person. It has a lot to do with what the other person is trying to achieve; whether it is driven by selfless or selfish reasons and whether the intentions are genuine or suspect. Form, shape and appearance are not really significant in the long run, but may kindle interest initially. What really sustains love is that there is a mutual matching of expectations, sharing of dreams, proper understanding of each other, willingness to adapt and change and bend and give in if the situation so requires.

4.     CIRCUIT: Learning is a process, which goes beyond text books. Participation and experience in an activity are other means by which a person can enrich one's life. In this context, the cultural activity revolving around an institution or a city, offers several avenues for widening one's horizon. The performing and visual arts, seminars and lectures, fairs and exhibitions, sports and festivals are events which are mutually beneficial to both the audience and spectators on the one hand and the participants and performers on the other hand. It is not merely a case of giving joy and pleasure to those who are observing and listening but it also involves receiving appreciation and applause for a good performance. This mutual exchange and give and take of goodwill benefit both the sides.

5.     TRAVEL: Travelling has the effect of recharging jaded nerves and lifting sagging spirits. These benefits to the individual, however, are only temporary. A larger issue that appeals about travel to me is its contribution in opening up a person's mind. For those whose jobs involve a lot of travelling, perhaps the initial euphoria will die down after a few journeys across the same route. The kind of travel which I have in mind is one which is undertaken deliberately, impulsively or in a planned manner with the purpose of sightseeing, exploration or visiting. This kind of leisure travel where you invest your time, money and effort provides you the experience which is far richer and more rewarding than business travel, where a sightseeing or an excursion trip is squeezed in between two meetings leaving the mind too tired to soak in the pleasures.

6.     SPIRITUALITY: If you were to bring up the subject of spirituality with the successful metropolitan crowd, you would most likely be subjected to a queer look or a snide comment. For some of these people in their twenties and thirties whose life revolves around their home, office and the social circuit, a good paying job, car, good bank balance, fancy home gadgets epitomise the trappings of success, and when you are materially successful then what relevance do abstract concepts like God, spirituality have in their life, they ask. For them, spirituality conjures up the image of a religious saint in the temple, church, mosque or gurudwara who spends his productive time in the pursuit of apparently meaningless goals.

7.    LUST: Most problems in an individual's personal life at the micro level and in a group at the macro level are chiefly due to the preponderance of negative attitudes and emotions and an inability to check and reign them in time and place. Undoubtedly, the emotion of 'Lust' has collectively and incalculably disturbed individual and community life more than any other emotion. This is because the human mind has invariably failed to prevail over strong bodily requirements of pleasure which is all - pervading irrespective of sex and age, excepting of course as a thumb rule, children below seven years. No sooner does the child enter his eighth year does the sexual tingling urge raises its hood and dies down only with the onset of death.

 

PART — II : PUBLIC

8.     PERSON: Make no mistake about it. If you approach an upright politician with dubious intentions, then you are up against a potentially hazardous and explosive fireball. You are likely to get singed to such an extent that it will scar you for a lifetime. And then, there are only two options left. First, you will either lick your wounds and continue to wallow in misery for a long time or second, you will do some serious soul-searching, reform yourself, modify your approach to an objective and undo your misery - self inflicted to a large extent. Yes, the fact is because the politician can least afford to build animosity towards himself, the truth is that he doesn't actively go out seeking to harm others. All he does is play on your doubts, fears and guile. And you do the damage to yourself.

9.     TRAINING: In order that democracies flourish, the system must be so managed that individuals with an inclination for public service can emerge as potential leaders in public life and enter politics. Because democracy is essentially governance by public will which elects representatives, and largely not by family or hereditary right, it is all the more important that promising individuals are given the opportunity to represent different sections of the society in parliament. During the earlier days, when monarchy, oligarchy and dictatorship were in vogue, the governing class was largely drawn from a privileged group and their descendants gained the right to govern by right of birth. In this case, family descendants who realised the responsibilities and requirements of good governance and ensured high and ethical standards survived, but those given to decadence were overthrown or removed from office. In this context, for individuals who do not have a political background, training becomes a relevant issue.

10. MOTIVES: The outcome of any activity is dependent entirely on the nature of motives or intentions which guided or initiated that action. It is quite amazing how the nature of motives can shape and steer the direction of the actions initiated by an individual or a group and severely affect the course of history or the destiny of an individual, community or nation. Columbus set out to sail for India and instead discovered the Western hemisphere and the Americas; on the other hand Adolf Hitler who was driven by the urge to avenge Germany's defeat at the hands of France and Britain and the need to cleanse the German race was singularly responsible for World War II and the Holocaust. It is therefore imperative that individuals, communities and nations sincerely analyse and reflect on their motives before embarking on any course of action. Motives are what drives one and intentions include the means one seeks to achieve an outcome.

11.  LEADERSHIP: There is little sense in disputing the fact that the survival, success and prosperity of an organisation — as also a nation — depends a great deal on the quality of its leadership. This leadership can be manifested as a single individual or a group of individuals, either at the top level or at different levels of the hierarchy, either vertically or horizontally. There could be two thoughts on whether a single strong leader or a group of leaders spread thin over the hierarchy are more effective, but it is my contention that the leader who mainly has the interest of the organisation or the party in mind will develop and encourage individuals with leadership ability at different levels in the overall interest of the institution. Such a leader works on the premise that leaders come and go but it is the strengthening of the institution which ensures welfare of the larger public in the longer run.

12. CREDIBILITY: People who enter politics to do public service are generally guided by a set of beliefs, standards and ideals. These are standards they wish to maintain in personal and public life. They are driven by these ideals to ensure practices which have a certain amount of acceptability by the masses. They profess a certain set of beliefs which they consider necessary to bring about a positive change in the social environment. If such people maintain a consistent stand in their beliefs, standards and ideals in both their private and public life, they are likely to be accepted by the people. However, many times due to an individuals personal weakness, circumstances or basic fault in a approach, his ideals or beliefs do not survive the test in public. This incongruity between his professed ideals and the actual practice is called the credibility gap.

13. ROLE MODEL: What inspires people, specially youngsters, to work in a particular field or vocation is the, presence of role models. A role model is essentially such a person who has set excellent standards in personal behaviour or conduct – in other words ethics – and one who has discharged his duties towards a particular goal conscientiously in a chosen field. His contribution is basically positive, either by good practices or by providing better understanding of a subject or one who through his actions has brought honour to the nation. Thus many are motivated to join the army, because of the jawan through his selfless sacrifice for the country. Cricket is popular because of the presence of a Tendulkar or Kapil Dev. People want to become entrepreneurs because they see the presence of leaders like JRD Tata or Asim Premji. We thus see that the presence of leaders worthy of emulation attracts young people to a particular area.

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                    KANISHKA GUPTA

Writer, Editor, Yogi, Warrior, Scholar, Counselor, Public Benefactor, Change Harbinger:

 

As a solopreneur Consulting B2B writer & editor in the MSME sector with special focus on the banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) vertical, I develop content for marketing collaterals like brochures, newsletters, annual reports, Draft Red Herring Prospectus, Whitepapers, etc for all sectors of the economy including financial services firms based on my core strengths of taking client briefings, concept and context clarity, and value addition at a fair price. I also have a IRDA licence.

In the recent past, I have developed content like press releases, company backgrounder, brochure content, coordinating photoshoot for companies like ANZ Grindlays, Barclays; have edited  over 15 equity research reports of 200-250 pages for Deutsche Bank and have collaborated with agencies to develop content like IPO forms, DRHP, annual reports, newsletters for REC. While at Business Today and The Economic Times, have edited topics like IPOs, Mutual Funds, Bonds, Debentures, Currencies, Forex, Call Money, Technical Analysis, Options, Futures, Derivatives and Commodities under sections like investment, markets, finance for 5 years.

Since June 1992 to present, have conducted over 30 public interest writing campaigns directed at over 60 of India's top political leadership, hundreds of members of parliament of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha cutting across political lines, several socio-political organisations, to over 50 of India's leading business and industry leaders, over 40 national media owners and publishers and many of my ideas, suggestions and strategies have been implemented by both the NDA/UPA Central governments.

Since June 2006, I have been maintaining a very influential blog INDIA ACCELERATING (www.indiaaccelerating.blogspot.in) on governance and strategic affairs that is read in over 30 countries like Canada, US, Mexico, Argentina, Sweden, UK, France, Germany, Spain, Poland, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, etc and has been recommended to be shared over 366,000 on Google + and many posts have also been shared over 500,000 times on Google +.

PART — I : PERSONAL

                                                                      READING         

 

There is a fundamental difference between studying and reading. Studying is reading and assimilation in a planned, systematic manner, mainly out of compulsion whether one likes the subject or not. This is an activity undertaken with a certain amount of pressure and discipline either out of social necessity or for scholarly purpose. In contrast, with reading, there is no compulsion involved. In fact, the very idea of reading under pressure sounds ridiculous. One reads what one likes, because one is interested in it or has curiosity. Here one reaches out for a newspaper, magazine or book purely in a voluntary manner. One is not time bound and can space this activity at will.

A golden rule of reading which I read many years back is : read extensively, but read with a purpose. However, reading with a purpose doesn't come easily. In fact, you might cross one third of your life span before you can determine what you want to read. For those in their teens and twenties, current trends and peer influence are the guiding factors. Invariably, for the young mind, scholastic or career goals determine extra reading. But at this age, the mind is so scattered, that you read a bit of many things, satisfy your curiosity but emerge knowing very little. This is what I call unpurposefull reading, and is little better than a means of passing time.

The first step towards ensuring that reading becomes a productive activity is to determine your long-term personal and professional interests. You really have to get down to answering some fundamental questions regarding your preference, tastes, vocation or profession. Once the areas of interests have been clearly identified, you can then pick up the appropriate reading material. One book leads to another and you will start marveling at the way in which information unfolds. You will then find that you start reading out of your own free will and on a sustained basis.

The dangers of reading the wrong type of literature cannot but be over emphasised. There are a certain kind of books and magazines in the market meant for people with a certain level of mental maturity and discerning capacity. For this kind of literature to land up in the hands of naive and innocent youngsters can spell certain disaster. It not only messes up their imagination but also gives them a distorted understanding of issues. I also find that reading complicated philosophical theories at a young age can give one pre-conceived ides of reality. You then, assume that what the  propounder proposed is final and embark on that line of action only to realise years later that it was only one point of view among many and that it could be wrong.

Subject reading is best undertaken by first identifying books which helps one to get a understanding of the basic fundamentals. It is better to initially read books which give you an overview of the larger picture before you focus down on a particular niche area of a subject. With the overall idea in place, it is easier to appreciate or find loopholes and flaws in a writing on a particular issue. When you are sufficiently armed with facts and information and different viewpoints, it is easier to defend or argue against a particular line of thinking.

Then again, a general tendency among many is to read in a hurry without actually grasping the significance of the message. In case of fiction reading, it doesn't really make much of a difference, because the prose is light and invariably imaginative and unconnected with the ground reality. Yet, even here, it's a good idea to mark a particular appealing passage or jot down thought provoking lines. You should be able to connect these words of wisdom to real-life situation and reflect upon them and think through problems encountered in a given situation.

Recently, there has been a proliferation in the number of newspapers, magazines and books in the market. Magazines have become fortnightly and weekly, and books are no longer as affordable as they used to be a decade ago. Going for personal purchase of reading material is then a question of inclination, and economics. If your budget is tight and you need to buy on a regular basis, perhaps going for low-cost editions or second—hand sales is an option. But in the latter case, you have to spend a considerable amount of time rummaging through books because as I see it, books are not classified according to author or title in this case.

The library option is very appealing here. Most large companies maintain full-fledged libraries and it is always easier to find the best books on a given subject here. Associations and societies also maintain libraries where they stock books in their area of interest. The central and state libraries are a treasure house for Indian literature and you can get some fascinating books here. Many embassies also operate libraries as an extension of their cultural centers in capital cities, and for a nominal fee, you get access to books by authors of international repute and standing.

As far as I am concerned, most of my reading has taken place in the libraries, whether in school, college, or while working or otherwise. Initially, during my teens, it was purely out of curiosity and I ended up scanning or browsing through books on such exotic subjects as climatology, oceanography, astronomy, archaeology, entomology, cybernetics, robotics, aeronautics, abnormal psychology besides encyclopaedias. Politics has intrigued me a great deal as well and I remember going through copies of The Indian Today with great earnest when I was 14-15 years of age. The atmosphere in a library is conducive for reading for long stretches at a time.

Where and how you read is also critical to what you retain and grasp. If you want to save on time, reading in bus stops, railway stations or in between journeys can help do so. But the commotion and constant jerks encountered can seriously break your concentration. Unless of course you want to read something light to pass time. Posture has another role to play. There is a general tendency to read at home while lying down on a bed. In this case, however, there is a distinct possibility of the mind wandering about and your falling asleep, unless of course you want to read as a means of inducing sleep. I have found that sitting on a straight back chair and a desk as a support is ideal to ensure alertness and focus. Armchair reading is more suitable for flipping through or browsing coffee table books.

It goes without saying that finding a quiet place is essential for quality and quantity reading. Left undisturbed, you can read more in a given time and assimilate and enjoy to a larger extent. It also helps you to reflect and ponder over a thoughtful point. Contrast this with reading at home, with the TV blaring, daughter or son prancing and shouting around, wife generally trotting around the house and screaming hoarse, constant disturbances from unexpected people, electricity problems and you know it is difficult to do any meaningful reading. However, once you have the house to yourself for a few hours, the silence and quietness does wonders.

Reading meaninglessly could well be a frivolous activity. Surely there is more to life than just passing time. But read purposefully M a planned and systematic manner on a subject of interest and you will be amazed at how quickly you will make progress in a given field. Retaining the essentials and applying the principles to real life situations is what translates reading to practical knowledge. Besides, there is no better way to stir the imagination or challenge your thinking faculties than reading. Besides, it offers easy access to the wisdom and experience of the best minds on a subject. Reading is a developmental activity which may not directly contribute to generation of wealth, but it develops your mind and helps you to do your job better.

 

THINKING

Thinking is one activity which doesn't come naturally to most of us. When confronted with a problem, most of us are overcome by our emotions. In fact, our feelings get the better of us and come in the way of true understanding and objectivity. The negative emotions like ego, pride, arrogance, greed, lust, desire, fear, hatred, jealously prevents a person from seeing a person or a situation in the true light from a detached perspective. The result is wrong assumptions, distorted reality, faulty assessment of the self, and prejudiced opinion which creates a sort of impasse or deadlock in seeing things in perspective. This inability to see things in the right perspective is at the root of our sorrows and grief.

We often mistake worrying and brooding with thinking. The difference between thinking and worrying is that while thinking is constructive, worrying is not. Worrying is associated more with the consequences, backlash of an action, a dreadful fear of the unknown and the future and an inability of the mind to prevail over circumstances. Worrying actually paralyses the mind, it creates a sense of utter hopelessness and prevents us from undertaking action. Brooding is the continuous reflection over a problem in despair, where you repeatedly go over what happened, blaming one and all except yourself for the soup you have got yourself into, without once asking why.

It is the willingness to undertake the hard mental effort required to answer questions like why, how, what, where, when, which, who with regard to a particular problem which constitute steps towards thinking. The key lies in not taking things at face value but going beyond the apparent and striking at the root cause. Once you can identify what caused a particular action, it become easier to understand the response or the effect. To do this, you need to see things in the wider perspective, linking seemingly unconnected insignificant events, the words and behaviour of people known or unknown to each other. You need to have a burning desire to find answers to the riddle and solve the puzzle in hand.

Thinking cannot be undertaken by the lazy or slothful. You need to shake off your mental lethargy and not let a situation or event to pass by, shrugging it off as mundane. Thinking requires considerable mental alertness, curiosity and daring. Unless you are endowed with considerable intellectual abilities where in a flash you can get to the solution, it requires considerable patience and time. And you can invest that time and effort only if you are genuinely committed to finding the right answers to a problem. The single-minded determination and endurance for enquiry comes only if the problem is dear to your heart. This ability to discern a particularly interesting problem which requires a solution through thinking, is what differentiates a thinker from a non-thinker.

As in all other activities, for thinking to be truly productive, it requires considerable amount of discipline and order. You have to control your thinking and not be controlled by it. A disorderly and indisciplined mind will soon digress from the real issues at stake and will start dwelling on unnecessary or non-essential points. And when you divert from the real problem at hand, you start attributing wrong motives and doubtful intentions on the part of others. This leads to suspicion and mistrust, leading to fear, hatred and anger, with the cycle continuing till you end up considerably harming yourself and the other person.

How soon you arrive at a solution depends on how focussed and concentrated you are on solving the puzzle. When you focus with single-minded attention, you are able to see clearly the essential issues at stake and can then start framing the crucial and key questions. With the questions clearly defined, you can then rearrange them in order of importance and then start answering them methodically and diligently one by one. Here it is important not to skip to the next question, till you have answered the first question to your complete satisfaction. Again, the answers must be crisp and concise, capturing the essence and should not be vague and diffused. You will then marvel how one answer leads to another till the solution to the problem appears well in sight.

           The quality of one's thinking is directly proportional to the quality and size of one's goals. Having a clear idea of what you want to do, what you want to become and where you want to go is what gets your mind ticking and thinking in that direction. When your objectives and goals are clearly articulated, you can then initiate steps to bridging the knowledge gap, undertaking behavioural and attitudinal changes, development of required skills and moving across a spectrum of people. Goals help you to answer questions like what is required of a particular person and how do you go about doing a job. In fact, it helps you to visualise the methods and means required to achieve a desired result. Goal-setting helps you to develop on what qualities are required of a person, what is he expected to do, what steps you should take to reach there.

Developing the power of observation is critical to honing the thinking faculty. Innumerable things are happening around as all the time, many of which are relevant and significant. Even with eyes wide open, you could be blind to activity around you simply because you have either switched off your mind or are disinterested. Its important to train your eyes to see what is happening around and why it is happening. Acutely observing the expressions, gestures, mannerisms, behaviour, posture, gait, actions of people can reveal a great deal about their internal state of mind and what they think of themselves.

       One crucial activity which is grossly underestimated is that of listening. Careful listening to seemingly innocuous remarks by people can offer valuable insights into ourselves and others through a process of analysis and inference. Most of us are preoccupied by getting across our point of view or simply holding court to get attention. Getting to know the other persons point of view and seeing things from his perspective as well helps your thinking to become balanced and meaningful. Thinking can be greatly abetted by listening when you consider the context in which words are spoken, the timing of a message, the tone of the speaker and the underlying or hidden meaning behind a sentence.

        A wrong line of thinking, better known as negative thinking can prove extremely disastrous for the self and others and is at the root of all personal and social evils. In essence, negative thinking implies wrongly and inaccurately assessing reality, charging others with inimical motives and intentions which very often leads to irresponsible and anti-social behaviour, faulty judgement and violent acts. In fact, many physical and mental aberrations like blood pressure, headaches, asthma, paralysis, gastro-intestinal ulcers, hysteria, neurosis, psychosis, hypertension are a result of the preponderance of negative thinking and negative emotions. If left unchecked, a continuous line of negative thinking can severely cripple a person psychologically. Medication can only offer temporary relief, but the cure to psychological illness lies in ensuring a right line of thinking which helps one arrive at correct understanding.

       The ability to think on your feet requires presence of mind and solid contact with the reality. It requires a correct assessment of available options, ability to see things from different angles and viewpoints, being creative though not necessarily conventional and being able to modify and adapt resources and ideas to arrive at solutions which work. Having a bird's eye view as well as the ant's eye for detail on issues is what helps you to arrive at the right conclusion.

What kind of an environment is conducive to creative thinking? I suspect that rigid organisational structures, the need to confirm with conventions, bureaucratic and hierarchical set-ups stifle and strangulate the thinking process. You can think freely only when you are not limited by conventions or norms and when you are not inhibited by the environment. To arrive at original ideas, it is better to think freely in privacy and then air your thoughts rather than indulge in group brainstorming where the loudest, most aggressive and the most powerful is able to supplant his line of thinking on others. Again, it is always judicious to carefully decide as to whom you confide your thoughts in. It requires a person of immense maturity, confidence and intelligence to appreciate and understand original and creative thoughts. 

                                                                     LOVE                                                   

 

The power of love as a means to learning and education is phenomenal. The emotion of love for another person is built up over a period of time and is not instant. Essentially, it has to do with a meeting of minds where you appreciate the qualities and share the same aims and aspirations with the other person. It has a lot to do with what the other person is trying to achieve; whether it is driven by selfless or selfish reasons and whether the intentions are genuine or suspect. Form, shape and appearance are not really significant in the long run, but may kindle interest initially. What really sustains love is that there is a mutual matching of expectations, sharing of dreams, proper understanding of each other, willingness to adapt and change and bend and give in if the situation so requires.

 But is love conditional or unconditional? There is mounting evidence to show that love is not unconditional. To expect the other person to accept you for whatever you are, with all your failings and shortcomings, your dishonesty and inconsistencies, with your idiosyncrasies and eccentricities is being far too naive. Paramount to love is the consistent pursuit of mutually agreed goals and honouring of commitments. The consistent pursuit of mutually acceptable goals, principles and criteria strengthen the bonds of love, and any digression creates friction and tension. If no corrective steps are taken in time, the bonds of love snap and the two parties go their different ways.

 There are some who consider lust as a sustaining factor, but perhaps this faith in lust is misplaced. Lust is instant, where you are taken in by the other persons physical charms and is driven by a strong urge for physical union. Here, one misunderstands the body for the person, with no regard for the personality, spirit or soul. A person driven by lust is motivated by the baser emotions which can severely cloud judgement and the thought process. If lust is the initiating factor in a relationship, sooner or later the relationship crumbles because it is devoid of understanding, which is the foundation for a long lasting relationship.

 The dawn of understanding is invariably preceded by heartbreak. And heartbreak results in agony and suffering. This agony is due to the individuals inability to comprehend his actions, reactions, motives, desires and intentions. Suffering results when the entire focus is on the reflection and the longing – read physical – for the other person. Here, you actually give in to sentiments and feelings and completely shut your mind to the causes and reasons for the rejection. This results in a distorted reality due to anger, hatred and fear. If the immediate need of the person is to fill in the void, it can lead to a series of meaningless and abusive relationships. Left to oneself here, a person can experience the certain onset of psychological and physical breakdown and can end up taking recourse to alcohol, drugs.

It is the spirit of enquiry which actually results in learning and growth. It goes without saying that you have to be ruthlessly honest about yourself and be genuinely driven by a strong urge to understand the reasons for the loss or rejection. You should be able to see things not just from your point of view but from the other person's point of view and should be able to see not just your personal shortcomings and failings but the failings in the situation from a larger perspective. How did the situation come about, why did you act or react in a particular way, what were you driven by, what were your motives and intentions are key question which need to be answered by the person honestly.

The answer to these questions leads to greater awareness and knowledge of the self. It is then possible to take corrective steps and actions. When awareness and understanding come, the suffering diminishes and fades. You then realise why something happened and how did it happen. It helps you to see yourself objectively and accept yourself for what you were, what you did without feelings of shame and guilt. You are then driven to enquire into the qualities, behaviour and attitudes that are required to develop and sustain love.

 To know that someone, somewhere is concerned and cares about you can be a powerful motivator for learning & growth. It can help you to focus your mind on what you actually set out to do or what you want to do in the long run. It can help you to zoom in on the possibilities, the opportunities, the potentials and prospects. Then the place, people, situation, limitations or the lack of resources do not daunt a person and one can look forward to the future with hope and faith. The self image becomes sharper and positive and you feel in control of yourself. It helps you to get organised and consider the brighter side of things. Armed with self-knowledge, with objectives clear, a person is transformed into a human dynamo and is geared to purposeful activity.

 How can parents express their love for children. Demonstrating love through hugging, touching, cuddling and kissing are physical expressions which if undertaken in a right and gentle way can greatly help a child to like oneself and feel secure. Words of appreciation, a smile, and expressive eyes can greatly boost a child's self esteem. It helps build confidence, openness, and reassurance in a child. But it is important that these expressions of love start early in a child's life and should be sustained up to a critical age. Physical and psychological expressions of love if held back or undertaken sporadically after a critical age can actually alienate a child, make her/him uncomfortable and can severely hamper the person's ability to enter into meaningful relationships at a later stage in life.

 The love of siblings for each other can also speed up the process of psychological growth, learning and maturity. The greatest contribution of one sibling to another is the companionship, sharing, protection which one offers to the other. When the younger one looks for advise, guidance; when the equal offers companionship and cooperation; or when the elder offers reassurance, counsel and help, the many facets of love come into play. This strengthens the bonds of togetherness in a family.

 In the school or in the job, the teacher's or the boss's love for the student or subordinate can greatly improve learning or performance. Here what one means by love is the understanding, consideration, encouragement, and appreciation. However, in this situation, when lust takes over, as does happen, it can severely disturb the environment and can cause serious social and office problems. When motivated by love, the student works hard to match the expectations of the teacher, puts in that extra effort, becomes more serious and sincere, concentrates and applies the mind. In practice however, while it may not be possible for a teacher or boss to shower love on all students or employees, it is the cultivation of certain positive attitudes and mannerisms of the teacher or the boss which convey the sense of love to the students or employees.

 Human beings despite all their positive attributes and intentions are fallible and banking entirely on the love of one unconditionally is not entirely prudent. Essential to confidence is the ability to love oneself and have faith in the love of God. But you cannot love yourself in the true sense unless you know yourself and unless you feel comfortable about your strengths and weakness. God also will not love you if you seek him for the wrong reasons or refuse to take responsibility for your actions.

A tragedy of modern times is that because a person does not feel loved by others he feels depressed or neglected. But only those receive love who give love. Taking interest in, giving, helping, serving others are ways in which a person can express his love for others. Taking steps to loving others is the first step in receiving love. You can love others when you see the goodness which is latently present in every individual and when you realise that all life is the manifestation of the supreme being. By loving others in addition to yourself, you love God and he in turns showers his love on you. Love is not limited to human beings, you can also be motivated by love for an ideal, purpose or mission. And when you are motivated by love, you bring out the best in yourself.

CIRCUIT

 

Learning is a process, which goes beyond text books. Participation and experience in an activity are other means by which a person can enrich one's life. In this context, the cultural activity revolving around an institution or a city, offers several avenues for widening one's horizon. The performing and visual arts, seminars and lectures, fairs and exhibitions, sports and festivals are events which are mutually beneficial to both the audience and spectators on the one hand and the participants and performers on the other hand. It is not merely a case of giving joy and pleasure to those who are observing and listening but it also involves receiving appreciation and applause for a good performance. This mutual exchange and give and take of goodwill benefit both the sides.

 An artist or painter is one who captures the images and pictures in his mind on a canvas. Through deft strokes of his brush, the combination and choice of colours and the myriad shapes and forms of his subject, he is able to bring out different moods and expressions. Going to an art gallery is a personally satisfying experience. As you move from one painting to another you are able to experience the artist's interpretation of the world through his own eyes. Cartoons and caricatures bring out the usual in an unusually humourous manner and helps a person look at the lighter side of a situation. To be able to laugh at yourself and see the bizarre in yourself from a distance is a great lesson in self discovery.

 Sculptors, potters and porcelain artists experiment with matter and mould and give shape to a variety of expressions. Apart from stone and metal which are the traditional materials used, I have also seen some fascinating sculptures in glass, wood, and plastic. A sculptor is able to freeze an action or form permanently. Very often a sculpture involves intricate work and attention to minute details but the end result captures the essence of a personality or an activity. Exquisitely crafted potteryware and porcelain with bright and attractive colours are a visual treat and helps one to appreciate the dexterity with which nimble fingers worked laboriously over hours of painstaking effort. Sculpture is three-dimensional, gives a sense of space and time and the form helps create a appreciation of aesthetics in the eyes of the beholder. 

To experience the rhythmic and coordinated movements, perfect coordination of body and limbs, statuesque poses, expressive eyes and faces is the essence of dance. This is truly a great manifestation of balance and control brought about by exemplary artistic finesse on the part of the dancers. A truly great performance can have the audience's attention transfixed on the dancers. In the Indian dance forms like bharatuatyam, odissi, kuchipudi, manipuri, kathak there is more emphasis on the movement of the upper torso, arms and facial expressions. In contrast, western dance has more to do with co-ordinated movements of the legs. Dance is a true coordination of mind and body. With modem lighting arrangements and stage props, the special effects are simply amazing and greatly enhance the interest in the performance. 

It is true that some people are endowed with a good voice, but to be able to sing well requires great dedication and practice. It requires hours of practice over many years to be able to play a musical instrument well. It is indeed a pleasure to hear a singer who sings with gay abandon and puts all his heart into a performance. A great musician gets lost in the world of sound and music which he creates with great joy and concentration. To appreciate music is to be able to enjoy one of the greatest experience in this world. You can also choose the music which suits your temperament, taste and mood. Listening to music can greatly boost productivity and provide therapeutic assistance. 

To see the enactment of a story on stage or screen is the contribution of theatre and films. The world is a stage and every person has to perform his role. There are differences in performing on stage and in real life because in the former the conditions and environment are controlled. I have found that truly great actors are those who can get under the skin of their character and play the role from that person's perspective. Because a theatre is a live performance there is a greater bonding between the actors and the audience. To see a play is to experience at close quarter the action which took place at a distant time and place with unknown people. 

An exhibition is a display of products and services of a particular industry or association in a planned and systematic manner and is an excellent means to update one's awareness of the latest trends in a given field. With the growth in the economy, exhibitions by different professional associations and companies are held with increased frequency. On a visit to an exhibition, the focus should be on understanding the trends and direction in which a given industry is moving, a study of the latest products and services on offer, enquiries on the features and advantages which a product offers and interaction with people in charge of the exhibit area. This is one place where you can get to know under one roof and with little expenditure of time and money about the developments and advances in a given field. 

Trade and social fairs provide a platform where buyers and sellers interact, showcase their wares, offer discounts and bargains and provide entertainment. A fair is a great place for a family outing, where you can simply go through the stalls, examine the products on display at leisure and decide on the kind of purchase you want to make. Very often cultural and entertainment events are held along side. Large fairs in major cities have a sizeable international presence of companies and countries. It is a great place to familiarise yourself with the people and products which would otherwise not be available locally. Rural fairs have a completely different ambience of their own. Here you get to appreciate rural life, customs, people from different states. 

College and school festivals are a forum for students to express their talents, skills and abilities. The sense of participation, competition and the camaraderie that you build with other students create a feeling of confidence and self assurance. It also helps build in the students qualities of initiative, organisation, planning, and leadership. Religious festivals on the other hands reaffirm the values and codes of conduct that are essential for a healthy society. This is a time when you relive the celebration of an event in history or mythology. It is a time to remember the life and teachings of the great souls who descended on the earth to serve humanity. 

Seminars bring together experts and knowledgeable people on a subject from different institutions and organisations. The discussions, reflection and the exchange of ideas and information, the presentation of papers are a great source for getting to know different views and opinions on a topic. Open house seminars allow you to interact and mix around with people engaged in an area of interest which appeals to you. Here you can ask questions and get responses from different people. The slide presentations and the talk shows that invariably accompany a seminar convey in a crisp and concise manner the findings of the speaker. The atmosphere in a seminar is more learning oriented. Open house seminars are held from time to time in various metros and a genuinely interested person could always find his way into one without much difficulty. 

Lectures and book readings are also events which offer a person to listen to the discourses of eminent people in their respective fields. Often these are people who may not be easily accessible and to hear them talk can be a good learning experience. All you need to do is scan through the daily newspaper in the engagement column and identify the area which interests you. A lecture is often followed by a question and answer session. This is an excellent time where you can get answers to questions from an expert which you could not have done so otherwise. Book readings allow you to listen to selected passages of authors which are of particular relevance and interest. The discussion on the author and his writings give you an indication of whether his work would interest you. 

Finally, I consider participation in sports a great way of learning about team spirit, self-control, sacrifice. In team sports particularly, it is more important to tap the strengths of individual players for the good of the team and to avoid being too individualistic which might adversely affect team morale. In the sporting arena too, you learn to play by the rules, honour the referee's judgement and for breaking the rules or playing rough, you get disqualified or are penalised. These are lessons learnt which help you in real life in the long run.

TRAVEL

 

Travelling has the effect of recharging jaded nerves and lifting sagging spirits. These benefits to the individual, however, are only temporary. A larger issue that appeals about travel to me is its contribution in opening up a person's mind. For those whose jobs involve a lot of travelling, perhaps the initial euphoria will die down after a few journeys across the same route. The kind of travel which I have in mind is one which is undertaken deliberately, impulsively or in a planned manner with the purpose of sightseeing, exploration or visiting. This kind of leisure travel where you invest your time, money and effort provides you the experience which is far richer and more rewarding than business travel, where a sightseeing or an excursion trip is squeezed in between two meetings leaving the mind too tired to soak in the pleasures. 

Among the different forms in which one chooses to travel, perhaps I consider travelling alone or singly is what offers the maximum rewards, thrills, dangers and risks. You actually have to be able to manage yourself extremely well if you want to come back in one piece and survive the trials and tribulations which a unknown and thus a potentially hazardous journey can throw up. The golden rule to ward off trouble makers is not to stand out as a person new to the place. In this situation, you must conduct yourself through your behaviour as one who is familiar with the place and not stick out as a complete stranger. You have to project yourself as one who knows what he wants and where he wants to go. In a new place, if you are perceived as unsure, innocent or gullible then the chances of your getting fooled or swindled are much more. 

Making acquaintances or friends with those whom you come in contact with can be rewarding if you are careful and can be fraught with risks if you are careless. Many a wolf hides his true self in the facade of a lamb. Those who are taken in by a stranger's outwardly charm and savvy, find only too late to their horror that they have been duped or taken for a ride. Generally, the rule is that you can fairly accurately size up a person by minutely observing his mannerisms, asking a few incisive questions about him and listening carefully to his responses. The genuine person's conduct will be consistent and the doubtful one's will be inconsistent. That should alert you. 

Ensuring that you remain fit and healthy throughout the journey and are able to circumvent life-threatening situations is an area which requires alertness, care and vigilance. It goes without saying that when you encounter climatic changes you should take adequate precautions. This is particularly so when you are moving from a warmer climate to a cooler one and you should be quick to put on your protective clothing adequately and in time. The change in temperatures can be sudden in the most unexpected of places and can take you by surprise. In 1985, during our college excursion, as we crossed the plains into the sanctuary area of Jim Corbett National Park, the temperature fell by at least 4-5°C during the two hour journey to our wooden lodges. Being the winter month of November and the time being late evening, quite a few of us ended up with a cold and running nose. 

If you are travelling in the monsoon months, it would be advisable to carry a foldable umbrella or a raincoat. This little extra effort can go a long way in ensuring you keep yourself dry. In July 1992, during my visit to the, Bhutanese capital of Thimphu, as I trudged along the main street to a distant monastry, sudden rains lashed the area and but for my raincoat, I would have got drenched. Ensuring you drink safe water is another important thing. The short-cut method is to buy mineral water bottles, but make sure the brand is respectable. If you need to fill in your own water, make sure you do it from a clean place in running tap water, and to be on the safer side, drop in it a water purifying tablet. 

What kind of food you should eat can be determined by a combination of sight and taste. The feel-good look of the food on offer, the cleanliness of the surrounding, the general colour and presentation of the food, the hygiene of the waiter and the cook, the absence or presence of excessive cooking oil are general indicators. Once you have taken a bite and you find the food is too hot or full of chillies and heavily spiced, or simply stale or just doesn't taste right it is always better to return the food. It is the unwise man who eats unpalatable food merely because he has paid the money as the wrong type of food can severely upset your stomach and cause major gastro-intestinal problems. 

A pilgrimage is an extremely rewarding experience and brings a person closer in the quest to experience the almighty. Regrettably, while affluent foreigners throng our pilgrim centers, the same cannot be said about the elite from our cities. Varanasi is considered as the oldest living city in the world. The bathing and the funeral ghats overlooking the mansions dotting the embankment built by erstwhile princely rulers exemplify man's journey from life to death. To get a feel of Hindu culture's ancient tradition and to witness the deep devotion and faith of the pilgrims thronging the bank's of the Ganges is a revelation on the impact of belief in God. But what exactly is faith in God. It is the inspiration which a person gets to tread the path of right thinking and correct understanding. 

Experiencing nature and wilderness, the flora and fauna in wildlife parks and sanctuaries is a much more exhilarating experience than one offered in the planned parks and zoos in the city. The sight of lush green meadows stretching for miles, a river winding its way through dense forest, rocky cliffs overlooking deep ravines, a desolate and abandoned fort housing relics of palaces and temples bring the confluence of nature and history to the mind with a deep sense of awe and wonder. And what better way to appreciate the animal kingdom than visiting a wildlife park where you can see animals in their natural setting, being themselves and moving around undisturbed. On a visit to the Ranthambhor Fort and national park in 1989, a sadhu chided my wanderlust inclinations and said that excessive travelling is an indication of an active and restless mind. 

A visit to a historical centre helps you go back in time and relive history through the monumental heritage like forts, palaces etc. It is fascinating imagining the kind of life which people lived in a bygone era. To see and reflect on objects of art housed in palaces and museums is to get an understanding of the life and times of an age long past in history. Jaipur is a place I have visited fairly often. Just moving around in a rickshaw in the walled city or taking a conducted tour or just walking down the main thoroughfare is a wonderful experience in itself. 

To see the endless ocean stretch for miles ahead, the sky turn crimson yellow during a sunset, breakers approaching a seashore and palm and coconut trees gently swaying against the breeze is the experience earned by visiting a beach. At the l3ambolim beach in Goa, you can however see the ill effects of pollution as the waste-both oil and garbage-from ships anchored across the Mormugoa harbour litter and spoil the beach. Way back in 1978, along with three other friends we had taken a fisherman's boat and rowed it deep into the sea, a kilometer or two from the shore. Unmindful, as the thunder clouds gathered overhead and the wind lashed across creating fairly high waves with our little boat rocking about, we were all gripped by fear, but it was the camaraderie and the survival instinct that helped us as we rowed our way back safely to the shore. 

Overland, I have mainly travelled in rickety state-owned buses for journeys up to 200 - 300 km. Apart from the affordable prices, what really appeals is the commotion, excitement and experience, though of course one has to sacrifice on the comforts. The dash for the window seat elbowing your way through the thronging multitude, the dust and grime, the overbearing smell of stale sweat of fellow passengers and lighted bidis, the alley crowded with luggage, the rush of adrenaline as the bus-avoids a hurtling truck from the opposite side and the close experience of the landscape let you feel the pulse of the place as no other mode of transport can do. 

Travel is one activity which truly helps you to assimilate yourself with unfamiliar people and places. With interaction with fellow passengers and those whom I met during my journeys, I have found that people everywhere and from everywhere - Britain, Japan, Kuwait, America, France, Germany, Australia - are essentially the same with similar concerns, joys, and fears. Their outlook does differ, this being primarily due to the external environment which influences and shapes their attitude and behaviour. Travel does help you to overcome your fears and prejudices. And best of all, it helps you realise your oneness in the world and society. 

                                                                       SPIRITUALITY       

 

If you were to bring up the subject of spirituality with the successful metropolitan crowd, you would most likely be subjected to a queer look or a snide comment. For some of these people in their twenties and thirties whose life revolves around their home, office and the social circuit, a good paying job, car, good bank balance, fancy home gadgets epitomise the trappings of success, and when you are materially successful then what relevance do abstract concepts like God, spirituality have in their life, they ask. For them, spirituality conjures up the image of a religious saint in the temple, church, mosque or gurudwara who spends his productive time in the pursuit of apparently meaningless goals. 

However, if you do withdraw from the sensual world into a jungle cave or the Himalayan mountains to practice spirituality, you could probably avoid being affected by the consequences of blind materialism plaguing our metro cities and your search for a simple life could well be within reach. The other part of the issue is that if a person chooses to live in a city, he needs to undertake productive work to sustain his requirements and meet family responsibilities. But more than ever before, it is in the cities that people need to bring in the concept of spirituality in their lives. For, it is an appreciation of spirituality that helps a person answer some fundamental questions about himself and achieve a balance in his life. 

Spirituality to me means to have respect for the basic good values enshrined in the various religious scriptures and the positive qualities depicted in the lives of virtuous men and women. It helps you to understand that the core teachings of all religions focus on good values: Christianity for love, sacrifice; Islam for equality and justice; Hinduism for tolerance and simplicity; Jainism for nonviolence; Sikhism for hard work and so on. Spirituality helps you to know and understand yourself which in turn enables you to develop compassion for others. It can help you to focus on the essentials: What is your purpose in life? What do you want to contribute? What is your true self? It helps you to understand that the world is but an extended family and that a person needs to look beyond his self-interest to doing service for the welfare of others. 

The culture in our metropolitan cities is one characterised by the blind pursuit of material comforts. The person who has a palatial house, a financially successful business, a premium car and household appliances, membership of prestigious clubs and can take a holiday in exotic locations is considered a role model and the herd follows him and tries to ape his lifestyle. As a result, what suffers is the individual's personal life, a rejection of the good values which are overpowered by feelings of competition, jealousy, envy, anger and hatred. And this is an unending quest. No matter how much you earn you want more. But materialism is a misunderstood western concept where charity, philanthropy and service are equally important. Spirituality helps you to focus on the basics: that you can travel equally comfortably in a chartered bus as in a Mercedes car. 

It is for this reason that a common grouse of successful people is that despite their money, position and power they are unhappy, dissatisfied and discontented. Recreation means wild might parties, social drinking, snooker and bowling games, and expensive shopping. But this pleasure is only temporary for the novelty wears off after a few weeks or months and the hunt begins for more avenues for satisfaction. This over indulgence leads to extreme swings in emotional states, which results in psychological and physical deterioration. It also makes a person extremely self centered and he becomes vulnerable to abuse. Spirituality helps one to realise that satisfaction and happiness are not found outside in the material world, but inside within the self. 

The immediate requirement of most people is to satisfy their personal needs and that of their immediate family. In the city, the life of an individual revolves around his family. He is least interested in what happens next door and the explanation is that he minds his business. The result is that he doesn't know who his next door neighbour is. It is this excessive focus on the self which exaggerates the sense of alienation, isolation & loneliness. Spirituality helps you to realise that a person must rise beyond his self interest to taking interest in and serving the neighbourhood, community, and country. It tells you the joys of giving and serving are infinitely larger than receiving. 

Perhaps the greatest tragedy of humankind is the unusually large and bloody wars fought in the name of religion. History tells us that mighty armies have moved across continents, unleashing bloodshed and wanton suffering on those professing another faith. The desire of one religion to subjugate another is the result of the false understanding of its followers who consider their faith as final, ultimate and all-binding. They miss the basic point that all religions have a common message for people, which is, to pursue goodness. But you can have respect for and tolerance for another religion only if you have an open mind which is willing to go beyond personal bias and prejudice. To realise that there could be others who also advocated good values and qualities is to take that extremely difficult step of shaking off your pre-conceived notions. Spirituality helps one to achieve this. 

Unfortunately, religion has often been used to divide and create animosity between two groups of people. The overemphasis on the differences creates unnecessary tension and friction between two or more religious communities. It is for this reason that Paramahansa Yogananda said that God created spirituality but the devil created religion. The line dividing the practice of religion as a noble deed to one where it becomes oppressive and damaging is indeed very thin. One should not lose sight of the fact that all religions pursue the same ultimate goal although by modified routes and means. When you start focussing on the common points and the essentially positive messages of different religions, you have taken the steps towards creating social harmony and bonding. 

Few of us try to go beyond the apparent causes of our restlessness, anxiety, depression, and anguish. It is either because we don't have something, or that the other person has something more than us or it could be the loss of a loved one. We continue to remain in situations which are detrimental to our well being. The practice is to rush to the doctor who will advise you to pop a pill. But the relief is not permanent. The cure to these problems lie in changing your faulty perceptions, thinking and emotions. Spirituality helps you to tread the path of right thinking and correct understanding, and together with meditation, it brings a radical difference in your life. 

Most of the problems and evils of individuals and societies is due to the neglect and decadence in values and morals. Because you want to earn more money, you will break rules, double cross your friend, work against your conscience and indulge in unfair practices. You end up gathering a lot of wealth but your soul becomes crippled in the process. Many people do believe that the pursuit of virtue and values only impoverishes a person. Their belief is that it is more prestigious to be seen driving a fancy car than walking on foot. But wealth earned through unfair means doesn't last long. You end up having little respect for the money and indulge in misusing it. Societies which build their economic enterprise at the cost of social values and virtues do so at the gravest risk of encouraging corruption and malpractices, which ultimately results in the collapse of the economic enterprise. 

The issue of ethical behaviour is also open to debate. Does having a ethical public image but indulging in immoral private practice acceptable? Can a person whose private behaviour is unethical lay claim to preaching morality to others in public? Undoubtedly the efforts to reduce the mismatch between a person's private and public practices are quite formidable. The universe works on the orderly conduct of the celestial bodies. Imagine the chaos that would result if they moved around in a disorderly way. It is for this reason that proper human conduct is essential to maintaining order and stability in society. Spirituality helps you to appreciate good values and ethics. 

Our schools and colleges overload students with all kinds of subjects and fancy ideas and goals. The kind of education in top schools is geared to enabling an individual land a plum job with a fat salary and liberal perks. Being well off, he then becomes indifferent to the problems of his underprivileged fellow countrymen. It also leads to practice of unhealthy lifestyles. Putting a premium on values and ethics helps an individual conduct himself in a good way which enables social harmony. And that is why the teaching of moral & spiritual science is desirable in schools.                                                                   

LUST

 

Most problems in an individual's personal life at the micro level and in a group at the macro level are chiefly due to the preponderance of negative attitudes and emotions and an inability to check and reign them in time and place. Undoubtedly, the emotion of 'Lust' has collectively and incalculably disturbed individual and community life more than any other emotion. This is because the human mind has invariably failed to prevail over strong bodily requirements of pleasure which is all - pervading irrespective of sex and age, excepting of course as a thumb rule, children below seven years. No sooner does the child enter his eighth year does the sexual tingling urge raises its hood and dies down only with the onset of death. 

Lust, therefore, manifests itself in a human being and overrides his basic self control with the germination of lascivious and obscene . and desires in an individual. The individual is introduced to .'lust' mainly due to the external environment. This pruriency begins when a child's senior peers tell him about the pleasures of masturbation, or later in high school when he is introduced to pornographic literature or videos, or when he sees scantily dressed women in films and sees the older boys ogling at the women; or when he sights a nude woman in private or in a public place and his indulgence is encouraged subtly by the known or not so known external human environment. This stimulus is enough to trigger in a young adult lewd desires, and if he gives in to his urges, then he will satisfy them unlawfully of he cannot do so lawfully. 

The build up of this emotional and psychic energy derived from sexual urges and stimulation from both the individual's internal and external environment creates a strong sexual drive, called libido, which then must find an outlet if a person has to maintain his balance and sanity. Unless the individual burns himself in trying to satisfy his libido in an unacceptable manner, the libido becomes almost impossible to pacify unless socially acceptable means are available. There are individuals who are able to tame this libido and divert it into constructive channels, but this is possible only if he has a strong will or has access to experienced counseling. 

So what is the fallout of a strong sexual desire or concupiscence and how do you tame it ? The downside is quite ugly and can be traced to most forms of social misbehavior. Voyeurism, exhibitionism, incest, sodomy, and rape are the fallout in increasing order of malpractices. You cannot condone voyeurism as mush as you cannot condone rape, although the degree of socially deviant behaviour in both the cases varies. Other forms are passing lewd comments, giving lecherous looks, brushing or close contact intentionally in a public place, sexual harassment at work and wearing skimpy or provocative dresses. If a woman chooses the latter means to draw male attention, she will invariably get it and in some cases this can lead to serious problems. The solution to this problem lies in knowing what is acceptable and unacceptable individually and socially and knowing when to draw the fine line between harmless teasing and downright trespassing. 

This problem is accentuated more by the propensity of some individuals to give in to carnality or the need to satisfy crude bodily pleasures and appetites, largely sexual. Examples : A masseur can certainly tone up the body but if it's a female masseur for a male then it's a different matter altogether. Seeing a dance is a different issue than seeing a cabaret or floor show where the climax is a deviant sexual act. Being nude in a beach is different than wearing provocative clothes in a public place. In the earlier case it is an internal need but in the latter it is to get sexual gratification from external sources. Similarly, heterosexual contact is desirable and acceptable under certain circumstances but certainly homosexuality, lesbianism or animal sexuality come under the category of kinky sex. Homosexuality and lesbianism occur when one of the partners essentially has a strong urge to play the role of the opposite sex in giving or receiving sexual stimulation or gratification and the other partner has an urge to submit or dominate sexually in an easily workable relationship. Homosexuality or lesbianism essentially occur when two people are unable to get into a meaningful heterosexual relationship. 

Licentiousness or disregarding sexual restraint and salaciousness or unbridled appeal for sexual desire is what constitute the problem of lewdness. This is often evident in expressions, behaviour, conduct, actions and speech in those afflicted with this disease and wealth and position have no connection with this whatsoever. Often lewd behaviour antagonizes and distances the target object when erringly the person initiated this move to establish closer contact. A person not only loses a possible friends but can create a hostile person out of a stranger from his lewd behaviour. Where sexuality is unrestrained and uncontrolled, it can often create socially embarrassing and awkward situations. 

Showering unnecessary attention on the opposite sex beyond acceptable limits and over indulgence in sexual activity constitute debauchery and lechery. This fixation of the mind with the body of a man or woman can at times take extreme forms of masochistic and sadistic behaviour. A lech is a person who makes no bones about his often unhealthy interest and admiration for the opposite sex's body. While he may not overtly indulge in sexually offensive physical behaviour but his eye expressions and verbal comments can often give an indication of what's going in his mind. A lech may be inhibited in initiating harmful physical behaviour but he more than makes it up by his daydreaming and wishful thinking and imagination of the target object. Often, as a result, he is unable to build up a healthy relationship with the opposite sex. 

While men in general show a greater propensity towards lustful behaviour, some women are often given in to randy behaviour often evident in their loose morals, coarse behaviour and raunchy language, Women in this case lack sexual restraint because despite their innate fastidiousness their lives are devoid of a healthy relationship with the opposite sex which includes elements of love, emotional and sexual fulfilment. A dissolute woman can often be seen picking up men half her age, or those considerably older than her as they succumb to her charms more easily. For these women, deep cleavages, deep slit skirts, skimpy and tight blouses or a provocative walk are means in which they convey their intentions. 

Wantonness is another trait which often after leads to discord within and between couples and individuals. It is often said that the grass is greener on the other side but no where is it more true than in the case of one's spouse. No matter, how good one's spouse is, sometime or the other a man or a woman has been attracted to a person of the opposite sex who may or may not be attached. This excessive or envious desire for a person of the opposite sex who belongs to another can often derange a person into committing acts which causes discomfort and problems for both the initiator and the initiated. 

Covetousness or the inordinate wish for someone who belongs to another has perhaps caused more grief to people than any other lustful desire. The fact of the matter is that you cannot force someone to fall in love with you through temptations of money or under duress. If the victim in such a case succumbs to the pressure, then it is not love but mere compliance. Take another case. If a woman finds a man attractive, who is perhaps a mechanic, and will profess her love only if the mechanic becomes a R & D chief, then it is not the person whom she finds lovable but she is interested in the payoff that will result if he becomes a R & D chief. Or perhaps is it her social status which forbids her from loving a mechanic ? In any case, it is the ability of the victim to distinguish genuine love from calculated interest which will ensure his survival. Covetousness has often led men to kill each other, women to break up homes and in the past,. it has led kings to wage war against another. 

When a person craves physically for the opposite sex then he becomes a slave to his desire and loses all sense of self control. This can result in physical abuse of women often resulting in rape with severe consequences for the victim and the aggressor. Often people who crave for a member of the opposite sex have unfulfilling personal relationships in their, lives and have not been exposed adequately to members of the opposite sex. Thus, the first step towards aligning a possible object of attraction is to first tread the acceptable though difficult path of friendship and if the two sides show sufficient signs of understanding and caring, then it may or may not culminate in love depending on the personal equations of the concerned parties. 

As we have seen 'lust' is essentially a negative emotion and the attraction of two members of the opposite sex if kindled by this emotion is essentially temporary, and the interest wanes should the 'lust' be fulfilled. One must necessarily distinguish between the genuine physical chemistry that binds two people from the animal like instinct and urges that cause a sense of fixation with the opposite sex. Whether Freud was correct in saying that when two members of the opposite sex meet they base their mutual interest in each other on the basis of sexual appeal can be debated but one can conclude that proper understanding for the opposite sex often outlasts sexual appeal and is a more strong foundation for a long and lasting relationship. 

PART — II : PUBLIC     

                                                                  PERSON

 Make no mistake about it. If you approach an upright politician with dubious intentions, then you are up against a potentially hazardous and explosive fireball. You are likely to get singed to such an extent that it will scar you for a lifetime. And then, there are only two options left. First, you will either lick your wounds and continue to wallow in misery for a long time or second, you will do some serious soul-searching, reform yourself, modify your approach to an objective and undo your misery - self inflicted to a large extent. Yes, the fact is because the politician can least afford to build animosity towards himself, the truth is that he doesn't actively go out seeking to harm others. All he does is play on your doubts, fears and guile. And you do the damage to yourself. 

The reasons why you need to be extremely cautious in your dealings with a politician are many. For one, he is always ahead of you, he is one up on you even before you have met him. With the resources at his command, he has an uncanny ability to gather detailed information about you and get to know your core personality. Any mismatch between your internal and external stand will be immediately exposed and all your put-ons and hang-ups will be of no use. Besides, a politician has such an expert understanding of human nature and behaviour — he has been through it all — that any attempt to bamboozle him, whether intended or otherwise, will only backfire on you. 

With the kind of position he occupies, and the potential professional hazards that accompany, the politician is one person who has to maintain his guard and can least afford not to take precautions. He knows jolly well that out of a sample size of 100, the honest and law-abiding citizen may constitute up to 80, but the mischief-makers and trouble-brewers constituting the balance 20, come in all shapes, sizes and forms, from the rich and respectable, artsy and crafty, plain and simple, high and mighty, or just the man in the street. And he has trained his mind and eye to see through the crafty. 

As a public benefactor (we hope most politicians realise this), the politician is subjected to the pulls, pushes and demands of the public from all sides and quarters. He, therefore, devises a series of methods where he is seen but not heard, is available but not accessible, gives a patient hearing but gives no commitment. He really cannot be otherwise. Having to deal with a largely emotional and sentimental mass of public, different bodies of which are constantly lobbying for their personal self interest, he has to handle every demand on its basic worth, make a comparative assessment and take action on the basis of merit. Because the demands are invariably too varied and vague, excessive or incredulous, he cannot say a sweeping no, because he knows he will offend the sensibilities of the other person, who often does not realise what he is asking for. So he remains non-commital. 

It is precisely for these reasons that a person working in the areas of statecraft — a politician —must have total control over himself. This is based on the premise that the first step towards controlling others is to first have self control. The politician needs to remain equanimous in both defeat and victory, happiness or sorrow. He needs to maintain his cool and think on his feet under the most trying circumstances, pressures and stress. By keeping his thinking, emotions and senses under control, he is able to undertake right action. To a very large extent, we can ensure the appropriate response from the environment around us, by controlling and regulating the stimulus we send out. 

On the contrary, the person who has no control over himself, can be a bundle of frayed and jittery nerves with hair trigger responses in the public field. The fallout of such an emotional state is fraught with serious consequences for the self and the public constituency. Proper decorum and public conduct is essential to earning the respect and admiration of the populace. The politician who is short-tempered, given to whimsical behaviour and becomes a victim of lust, greed and desire runs the serious risk of tarnishing his reputation and image. These are traits which are carefully built up over a period of time and can be lost due to a single faux pas. The public may have a short memory, but the tainted person will be blemished forever. 

Change is a way of life, and the political situation at any given time is forever fluid and in a constant state. of flux. Old order changes, giving way to the new. In politics, there are no constants, permanence and stability. You cannot assume anything, you cannot take anyone for granted nor can you rely on anyone. In life in general, a misplaced trust can cost you dearly, but in politics, a misplaced trust can be fatal. That's why, a seasonal politician is one who really doesn't trust anyone. He only trusts himself and God. He needs to be like this because his very survival depends on this. Another reason is that the human nature is extremely changeable and unpredictable. The politician may actually have good intentions at heart, but how can he be sure that the person on the other side, whether a member of the public or the international community reciprocates that goodness. Thats the reason he keeps a safe distance. 

How does a politician deal with a largely unknown, unsure and possibly hostile environment. Well, there is a price for everything, and in this case the price for ensuring that circumstances don't swallow him but he prevails over them is constant vigilance and alertness. Depending on one's mental attitude, its really a small price to pay for your survival. It goes without saying that a politician has to be extremely sensitive and responsive to his environment. By mixing around, talking to people, listening to them, observing their behaviour and actions he can get a pulse of what's going around and the alarm gongs should strike should something seem amiss. Apart from being analytical and reflective, he needs to have intuition, insight and even extra sensory perception. 

That brings us to a key point. That a politician's centre of activity is his mind. This is where images and perceptions are being screened; calculations, strategies and counter moves are being master minded; pools of data are being shifted and principles are being turned into practice. Its for this reason that a true politician, behind a sober exterior, conceals a very razor—sharp and precise mind. In fact, politicians who are dull mentally or slow to respond and with weakened reflexes, don't survive for long. The politician can't afford to be mentally dull. The sharks will swallow him. The public can't afford to have such a dull politician, their interests could be jeopardised. 

What really keeps a politician tread the proper route is his concern for the people and the country. This concern is the only measure by which a politician will keep his focus and not go astray. If his basics towards his profession are clear, then his entire self will be geared to working towards a desirable goal. As a rule, any person who lacks the basic concern for the people and the country, will in no way be motivated to enter this area. Whether it is the state of civic affairs, or the problems and troubles plaguing the country, the person who enters politics exhibits a concern for these issues and genuinely believes he can make a positive contribution and make a difference. Not many people can shake of their inertia to rise beyond their self interest to working for the interest of others. It requires a different attitude to life and a special bent of mind. 

Apart from observation, listening and analysis, a receptive and open mind, willingness to hear to a cross-section of opinions and viewpoints, the ability to readjust and review one's own personal opinions are essential for a politician to bridge the gap between the public and himself in terms of their needs, wants and requirements. Deciding what is right for the public or what the public wants can be way off the mark from what the public thinks it wants. This explains why plans and agendas include promises to deliver things which may not be a top priority with the people, because the view from the other side has not been factored in. Receptiveness basically means being sensitive, caring and showing a concern for the needs of the populace. 

At any time in history, a country is guided by a code of what is right or wrong. What really creates a crisis is when this sense of discrimination becomes blurred. Problems of a particular period require specific solutions suited to that time which can be understood and appreciated by the people. The politician who wants to carry public opinion with him strives to do things within the framework of the existing situation. Any change has to be gradual, for anything radical can only alarm the people. That is why it is necessary to be open and receptive to the ideas and opinions of others. Politics by building consensus is thus a means through which a politician can ensure representation and participation of different constituencies.

TRAINING

In order that democracies flourish, the system must be so managed that individuals with an inclination for public service can emerge as potential leaders in public life and enter politics. Because democracy is essentially governance by public will which elects representatives, and largely not by family or hereditary right, it is all the more important that promising individuals are given the opportunity to represent different sections of the society in parliament. During the earlier days, when monarchy, oligarchy and dictatorship were in vogue, the governing class was largely drawn from a privileged group and their descendants gained the right to govern by right of birth. In this case, family descendants who realised the responsibilities and requirements of good governance and ensured high and ethical standards survived, but those given to decadence were overthrown or removed from office. In this context, for individuals who do not have a political background, training becomes a relevant issue. 

            To a large extent, the human and natural environment around an individual shapes the attitudes, beliefs, and behaviour of a person. Thus, in a family with a military tradition, members may pick up martial traits, in a family with a business tradition, entrepreneurship may be the preferred course, and in families with service—orientated backgrounds, it is likely the service factor may be prevalent. Then, again, a lot depends on the influence of the immediate family, friends, relatives and colleagues. Here, the individual is influenced by the prevailing values and beliefs held by the group. If the emphasis is such a group is in earning money, then the individual is led to such a belief, and if the group considers public service as an unnecessary activity, then he will be so influenced. 

A lot however depends on the basic personality of the individual. If a person is basically reflective and an introvert, then even though he may have strong philosophical and political concepts, he may not be able to do much because of his inherent inhibitions and a fear of the risks involved in public life. On the contrary, an aggressive person who is a risk taker, but whose concepts are unclear, may have little qualms of approaching the subject of public service. A common misconception is to expect that the local bully, thug or gangster will make a good public servant. Unfortunately, this misconception is so prevalent, that it discourages individuals with a public service attitude to step out into this field. 

As in other fields, in public service too, potential and promising leaders emerge on their own. It goes without saying that any person with some concern for the community, public and the country will eventually take some step or action to convey this concern. People who are busy in their own personal lives will not show this tendency. Then again, a distinction has to be made between a genuine concern and the ability to follow it through in spirit and action. Since public service essentially involves sacrifice and selflessness, unless the motivation is high and is consistently maintained, the interest may fizzle out and a good intention may only remain so in paper. But persons who exhibit an aptitude for public service can be provided encouragement and a spark can be ignited into a fire. As in other areas, in public service too, you cannot actively go out seeking for candidates. It has to come from within, you cannot force them into it, at the most you can only guide them into it. 

Identifying candidates with the potential to emerge as leaders in public life is also critical. Unlike in organisations, -associations or corporates where promotions are mainly bottomline oriented, in public service the emphasis is on the candidates identification with the body polity, his concern and commitment to the people as a whole, his holistic approach and a sense of purpose. These can be identified by his ability to solve and think through problems, by gearing people to a common cause and by what he conveys through his speech and writings. What needs to be considered is the interests shown by the candidate and what he is able to contribute by way of participation. 

If a person who exhibits basic interest and an aptitude for public service is identified, training him is certainly possible. One could argue that great political leaders or public servants were born leaders. But these are only a few dozen from a mass of humanity consisting of billions of people. Their degree of motivation, courage and conviction may not be exhibited by others. The training aspects revolves largely around attitudes and behaviour. Changing attitudes and behaviours to a desired level is key to moulding a person for public life. This can be done by giving stimulus and observing a candidate's response in a controlled environment extending to his home, office, public or associates. The candidate can be rewarded for the right choice, and admonished for the wrong one. 

Perhaps the best place where a person with potential to do public service can be trained is in a family. However, the characteristics required of a person to work in the political arena are quite unique and different from those required in another profession. And, therefore, families with a royal or political lineage, with a social or philanthropic background are ideally suited. In the earlier cases, a service attitude runs in the family, and there is a tradition of political governance which can be easily imparted to a youngster. In the latter case, due to a concern for society and charity work, an appreciation for the need to help and give is ingrained. This, however, does not rule out the possibility of an ordinary person shining in public life purely out of his personal drive, dynamism and concern for the community. 

Luckily in our country, high schools are kept out of the purview of political action. Rightly so, because a teenager is unlikely to appreciate the kind of work which public service requires. However, our colleges are quite politicised. Almost every major political party has its student wing active in the university campuses. Rather than building a political cadre in colleges, parties should concentrate on creating awareness of their ideologies, stand on different national issues and their national agendas. College students are woefully ill-informed about what a particular party stands for. They rarely get an opportunity to meet party functionaries. College elections are often marred by intimidation and threats of violence, which creates a feeling of distaste about politics in the minds of most students. 

In mature democracies, almost every working individual is a member of a political party, special interest group or a union. This is not by way of a fad, but out of a sense of purpose. People there realise that their participation does influence party politics and national life. Through a system of discussion, debate and meetings, there is one-to-one interaction with political leaders and a frank exchange of views & opinions. A political party can impart valuable experience to a party worker in terms of organisation and planning by involving him in party work at the block, district, state or national level depending on the person's ability and competence. 

This brings us to the issue of imparting personalised training to a person interested in public service. As stated earlier, a vibrant democracy requires public servants from different sections of the society so that all sections are proportionately represented in the legislatures and parliament. Proportional representation ensures that the voice of each section is given due hearing and their interests are addressed accordingly. Individual training can be extremely expensive and time consuming and can be effective only if the candidate shows a commitment to public service. Institutional training for a group of candidates is a more feasible idea. I would consider a basic high school or college education, an interest, aptitude and proof of public service with a work experience of 4 — 5 years be the criteria for admission to such an institute. The course curricula could focus on history, politics, culture, management, military science, spirituality, science / technology and basic law. The essential point is to impart an overview from the Indian & world context. 

Apart from the academic syllabus, what is perhaps more important is to build character, values and personality. Admission to candidates can be limited to those with the desired character and values which can be determined at the screening stage. The mismatch and contradictions in a candidate's internal and external attitudes and behaviours can be minimised or eliminated by analysing his response to stimulus given in a controlled environment which can later be extended to real life situations through game theories, practical experience and case studies. 

Finally, the most important quality which needs to be imparted is to make a candidate totally responsible for his words, behaviour, actions and conduct. In public life you do not get a second chance. If you blunder through speech, behaviour, action or conduct once, it creates a lack of credibility on the part of the public person and can severely tarnish his image or reputation. Image and reputation have to be guarded zealously in public life whether it is personal, party organization or national. A candidate who steps out in the political area acutely aware of the consequence of his personal conduct is less likely to flounder, and more likely to succeed and minimise public ridicule and condemnation.

MOTIVES

 

The outcome of any activity is dependent entirely on the nature of motives or intentions which guided or initiated that action. It is quite amazing how the nature of motives can shape and steer the direction of the actions initiated by an individual or a group and severely affect the course of history or the destiny of an individual, community or nation. Columbus set out to sail for India and instead discovered the Western hemisphere and the Americas; on the other hand Adolf Hitler who was driven by the urge to avenge Germany's defeat at the hands of France and Britain and the need to cleanse the German race was singularly responsible for World War II and the Holocaust. It is therefore imperative that individuals, communities and nations sincerely analyse and reflect on their motives before embarking on any course of action. Motives are what drives one and intentions include the means one seeks to achieve an outcome.

 What could motives which are positive, genuine and sincere mean or imply. It could mean that the course of action you intend to undertake will lead to an outcome which benefits others and society, or you seek to change the existing situation for the better. However, the route which you intend to take to reach a goal must also be correct, otherwise the nature of the outcome can be severely affected. Many times, however, a group or individual may undertake action ostensibly with the intention of helping the other party, but if due to lack of proper understanding on the part of the second party, the actions can be misconstrued as hostile. However, if the group initiates action with an ulterior motive of personal gain, then due to possibilities which are not factored in, the outcome may be severely jeopardised. 

On the contrary, motives which are suspect or ill-intentioned may lead to such a course of action which lead to discord, distrust, antagonism, hostility, violence or destruction of the self and others. Wrong motives affects the choice of available options, the route map to reach a desired goal and the kind of action that is undertaken. One can safely conclude that motives which at their heart have the glorification of the self, the hunger for power, the need to accumulate wealth, the need to dominate others, can lead to actions which are designed to promoting the self at the cost of and neglect of others. This is the root cause of hostility and confrontation between individuals, communities and nations. 

What is the role of motives in an individual's personal life. Till the age of seven or eight it would not be appropriate to hold a child guilty of suspect motives. However, after the age of eight, the child is influenced by his thoughts and emotions which can affect the environment. A child whose primary concern is the protection of his interest can alienate his siblings, friends and parents to such an extent that he is avoided in a group and feels neglected or discarded. This may lead to a confrontationist and domineering attitude where he ends up either beating others or getting beaten. If he physically dominates others, he become a terror at home, a bully in school, a ruffian in college, a difficult colleague at work and later a tormenting boss. In other words, he becomes a menace to society. On the other hand, a child who is at the receiving end of physical abuse, becomes withdrawn, introverted, doubtfull, suspicious and paranoid of people around him. In this case too, he becomes a problem in a group. 

            Therefore, the role played by the family in guiding and leading a child up the right path is very' critical. Here, the presence or absence of the biological parents, foster parents, relatives or family friends is not really important. What is important is that the human environment around the child, whether biological or otherwise, is caring enough to convey feelings of caring, sharing, and togetherness. The family is the starting point where the need to consider the interest of others beyond the self are ingrained. Individuals who grow in such a environment become balanced and well rounded personalities who are able to help others in later life in addition to doing well for themselves. 

At work also, it is those individuals who have the welfare of their company, colleagues and juniors at heart are the ones who rise and prosper. This attitude helps the individual to focus on his true job, which is to work for the betterment of his colleagues, company and the welfare of the customers. Since you are seen as a contributor and a helper, you are then perceived as an important and valuable part of the group which leads to harmony and cooperation. In contrast, a individual driven by the need to promote his self interest works against the interest of his colleagues and company and becomes a cause for discord. 

It therefore becomes necessary that a thorough investigation of the motives .guiding a person to public life or politics is undertaken in the interest of the public before the individual is given a position of authority. Since motives can severely affect an individual's personal life, the outcome on the public can be profound with very serious ramifications. A individual who does public service driven by self interest as opposed to one by service to others can make all the difference between a government which is corrupt and oppressive to one which is welfare and service oriented. The motives will guide the politicians actions, and the actions will affect the lives of hundreds and thousands of people. This can be determined by whether the politician's actions are geared at generating wealth for others or for the self, or he seeks to empower those in crucial positions or be the source of all power. 

It is interesting to see how insincere- or wrong motives can seriously corrupt the mind of a politician or a person in public life. A person who wants to flaunt his authority or power will become arrogant and dismissive of people. He could then view his authority as a means of demanding tributes or discharging favours to a select few. Consider the case of the person who wants to use his power to manipulate people around him. He could then demand that people around him bend or break rules to fulfil his wish or he could become a source of nuisance and exploit womenfolk. In the case of the person who has his eye on money, then instead of focussing' on cost-cutting measures and resource management, he would be preoccupied by finding ways of draining the exchequer and siphoning out funds. 

When the mind is thus corrupted by the wrong motives it leads to wrong actions which are detrimental both to the self and the public in both the short and the long—term. This leads to neglect of the constituency, diverting money to unnecessary projects, and mismanagement of resources — both men and material. When a person is so corrupted he then begins compromising on everything: Whether it is his personal standards and values, or departmental rules, procedures and regulations or the public interest, welfare or service. 

Faulty motives lead to detrimental actions with far reaching consequences. Dubious motives can play havoc with the personal life of a man of conscience. This person's mind will be tom by conflict, doubt, fear, anxiety and this will reflect in his relationship with people and in the discharge of his duties. A person who is basically at odds with himself, who cannot come to terms with himself can be a great source of friction and tension in society if he is in public life. The kind of damage such a person's action can have on the public is incalculable. Irresponsible speech, action and conduct can demoralise the ranks, set a bad precedent, create tension and hostility between communities and wreck the social fiber on which a society is built. 

Therefore the need for good, genuine and honest motives in people aspiring for public life in politics is absolutely essential. The quality of good motives will determine the mind of the individual and the course of action he undertakes to achieve a desired outcome. Individuals who enter public service with the urge to serve, give, help the society can be counted on to work for the welfare of the people. When the motive is to serve, the public servant's thoughts and actions will be geared for the welfare of the people; when it is to give, he will use the resources at his command to give to the needy and underprivileged; when it is to help, he will use his position and power to create systems and strengthen institutions for the welfare and benefit of the people. 

Good motives in a public servant or a politician are at the bottom of good actions and outcomes. When a person begins with a good motive or intention, he has won half the battle and has aligned half the people to his side. The personal strength and will coupled with public support and endorsement work together in the best interest of everyone. It affects the conception of a policy, the planning and organisation and finally the implementation. The building of individual character, the growth in one's personality, the development and progress in a society are all the by-products of starting with a good motive.

LEADERSHIP

 

There is little sense in disputing the fact that the survival, success and prosperity of an organisation — as also a nation — depends a great deal on the quality of its leadership. This leadership can be manifested as a single individual or a group of individuals, either at the top level or at different levels of the hierarchy, either vertically or horizontally. There could be two thoughts on whether a single strong leader or a group of leaders spread thin over the hierarchy are more effective, but it is my contention that the leader who mainly has the interest of the organisation or the party in mind will develop and encourage individuals with leadership ability at different levels in the overall interest of the institution. Such a leader works on the premise that leaders come and go but it is the strengthening of the institution which ensures welfare of the larger public in the longer run. 

            The leader is the person who actually steers the organisation through choppy waters, knows how to circumvent pitfalls and roadblocks, gives it a direction, plans out the route map, ensures its smooth functioning, motivates the staff and gives it a focus. The ideal leader is one who is in the know of the organisation, understands its culture, is a continuous learner, has an open mind and can clearly see the big picture and ideate upon the long-term gameplan. He should be able to visualise the kind of shape the organisation should take in the light of continuously changing ground realities, and how it could reach that goal by putting together the step by step algorithms or by charting out the route map. 

            This brings us to the essence of leadership. The leader must have a vision for the organisation and achieving that vision must be his mission. He should be able to focus the diffused staff or public energy and efforts to achieving desired goals. He should be able to galvanise people into purposeful action and spawn the growth of crusaders in different fields. Essentially this calls for igniting the spark, fanning the urge to strive, making the larger goal the individual's personal goal, developing in the person a sense of strong purpose and creating the desired and necessary motivation. As the saying goes, you can take the horse down to the water, but you can't make him drink. Unless of course he wants to. Creating that want is the job of the leader. 

Leadership has a lot to do with certain personality traits, qualities and characteristics. It certainly does not have to do with the physical persona or the grandeur of clothes, though of course they can be an asset. If this were so, then the ring wrestler, the stunning model, or the fancily clad society person could stake his claim for the top job in an organisation or party. The leader must really be able to relate comfortably with different strata of society, he should be able to understand what their needs are and what they can contribute and should be seen as a consensus candidate. He should be able to inspire by his qualities of the head and the heart, by his demeanour and conduct, by his understanding and comprehension of issues and people and not intimidate by virtue of his position, wealth, or the paraphernalia surrounding him. 

            By virtue of his character or qualities, a leader then has considerable ability to influence people and policy. He knows very well that only a child is led by the finger and given orders, but a grown up person, unless he demands so, may consider this offensive and an affront to his intelligence. So the leader develops the art of influencing people subtly. He may not be forthcoming in what he wants or what he wants you to do, but instead may give hints or suggestions. This can at times create a problem if things are left open-ended – for a misinterpretation of suggestion can lead to a wrong action with disastrous results. Therefore, he should not be unambiguous, but precise and clear. The leader can positively influence people or policy if he keeps the public interest and welfare in mind. 

            In the case of a politician, power and authority flow as a result of holding high office. A politician who has true leadership qualities will ensure that his authority is used to uphold the dignity and honour of the office, to clamp down on malpractices, to ensure the speedy clearance of developmental works, to pull up erring officials and to provide justice and protection to the aggrieved person. A balanced politician would view his power more to set right wrongdoings and to correct and rectify deviant practices and behaviour. While it is true power intoxicates, but it chiefly corrupts those who basically harbour wrong intentions or are driven by personal gain. 

A leader in public life has certain core beliefs which he is proud to profess on the basis of his understanding of party position and stand. The conviction for these beliefs come about as a result of rationale, reason, logic, debate, and knowledge. You really cannot defend a belief if you lack the intelligence to dwell on the intricacies of an issue or unless you feel pretty strongly about it. A set of convictions and beliefs are initially articulated by the pioneers but should be subject to analysis and modification in the future in the light of better understanding. This could be called the party ideology which is the guiding factor for its approach and stand on principle issues. A political leader in addition to grasping the intricacies of his party ideology should be able to objectively assess the relative merits and demerits of an ideology. 

For a politician who has to deal with a variety of problems and issues and different sections of society, having a tunnel or myopic vision can severely restrict his ability to see things in the wider perspective or in the long range. Nothing can be more damaging to a constituency than a leader who due to his tunnel vision is unwilling to bring in positive influences from his surroundings and sticks to outdated and self-defeating practices. For a leader who must see things in the wider perspective and the inter-relationships of many dynamic factors, a tunnel vision can retard his mobility. It is for this reason that a leader must have a broad view of situations and circumstances and should be able to view an event or incident with its possible larger ramifications. 

            A leader so endowed is in a better position to offer guidance and direction to party activities and developmental policy of the constituency. Since the leader espouses the aspirations of the masses he should be able to guide, shape and influence policy which lead to effort and action towards the desired developmental work. A leader who understands the real issues at stake, has a comprehension of the forces and factors affecting ground realities stands a better chance of shaping public policy positively. Subject knowledge, professional expertise and problem solving abilities can help his endeavours. 

Leadership in the political arena requires astute management of party activities. While it is true that although the leader is the public face of the party, it is on the strength of the organisational structure that well--thought activities can be co-ordinated towards a desired goal. The party worker is as much the public face as the leader. If the leader articulates the party's stand at the national level, it is the party worker who builds a one-to--one rapport with the electorate in a constituency. At the district level it requires holding meetings, rallies and door-to-door campaigns and to propagate how the party would address local problems and grievances. At the national level it requires co-ordinating the activities of different state units & campaigns. 

The political leader should ideally view governance as professionally managing the affairs of the public and institutions. A leader with such a view would seek to strengthen institutions and systems so that decisions and continuity is maintained even in the absence of a leadership. He would seek to build institutions which are continuously adapting and modifying their approach to service in the light of changing public needs. The systems would be so created as to ensure that merit and talent are instantly recognised and decision-making, delegation and implementation are well structured. Governance for such a leader would mean considering the public as a living and dynamic entity and not merely numbers. 

The benefits of good leadership in different spheres of activity, especially politics, are immense. A good leader can transform a basically reluctant workforce into a dynamic one and can transform a disintegrating enterprise into a powerful vehicle for growth and prosperity. A leader by sheer force of his beliefs can lift the sagging spirits of the populace, ensure the efficient functioning of the administrative machinery, set a trend for healthy and good practices, ensure optimum utilisation and allocation of resources to crucial areas and can create a powerful national identity based on honour and self respect.

CREDIBILITY

 

People who enter politics to do public service are generally guided by a set of beliefs, standards and ideals. These are standards they wish to maintain in personal and public life. They are driven by these ideals to ensure practices which have a certain amount of acceptability by the masses. They profess a certain set of beliefs which they consider necessary to bring about a positive change in the social environment. If such people maintain a consistent stand in their beliefs, standards and ideals in both their private and public life, they are likely to be accepted by the people. However, many times due to an individuals personal weakness, circumstances or basic fault in a approach, his ideals or beliefs do not survive the test in public. This incongruity between his professed ideals and the actual practice is called the credibility gap. 

The credibility gap manifests itself in several ways in public life. Consider the politician who in public meetings extols the virtues of respect to women, honesty and abstinence from alcohol, drugs but in his private life has a history of abusing and exploiting women, is unscrupulous and corrupt in his dealings and believes in entertaining through liquor. When this comes in the public knowledge it creates a credibility gap. Or consider the government's official text or statement which claims certain positive results, achievements or a position but in reality is quite the opposite, then the credibility gap is evident. It is better to state facts squarely — whether palatable or unpalatable — in the long-term interests of the individual or the organisation than to distort the reality for short-term or temporary gains. 

This contradiction in personal and official statements and stands results in a discrepancy which not only confuses and alienates the public but leaves the individual or an organisation extremely shaky and unsteady ground. Consider the fallout. The public then starts viewing the politician or the government as manipulative and misleading and the former become suspect in the public's eye as how could such individuals and organisations be expected to take care of and serve the public interest and concerns. Such a politician or an organisation then starts a series of cover ups, disinformation campaign and wrong practices which leads to a weakening of position incapable of withstanding probe and scrutiny. 

This lack of believability about the politician or the government in the mind of the public has far reaching consequences. The politician who entered public service out of his own free will and no compulsion due to lack of believability makes a mockery of himself. The politician may not like to believe that he has made a mockery of himself or he may like to believe that he has succeeded in fooling the public, but by doing so he could be doing the greatest disservice to himself. Just as the politician can be credited with a certain level of sharpness or intellect, the public too, even though it may not be entirely homogenous, has to be credited with a certain level of sense and intelligence. As a result, politicians who are not believable get voted out of office during elections. The politician should realise that power is well used only when it is under contract and periodic elections is the cornerstone to sustain a meaningful democracy. 

Where there is no trust between the public servant and the public there will be no cooperation but mutual confrontation. For any working environment to be truly productive, cooperation is better than competition and confrontation is just not acceptable. Harmony must precede any attempt to coordinate efforts of individuals or institutions towards a agreed goal or objective. Trust is a very treasured and delicate quality which must be nurtured carefully. If the public considers it can trust the public servants and a government to look after its well being, then the earning of this trust is the greatest reward for the politician which will ensure his continuity. From trust springs respect. Where there is mutual trust and respect between the public and the public servant, then the relationship is mutually beneficial and sustaining. 

For the younger generation which views politics with a certain amount of trepidation and suspicion, this lack of trust and believability is what causes the generation gap. It is easy to manipulate and exploit an impressionable and innocent person but when this same person grows up, and can analyse situations from a critical viewpoint, and if then he realises that he has been misled, he will then have the utmost contempt and disdain for those who misled him. This lack of understanding leads to a widening of the generation gap. 

Part of the blame for allowing the politicians to get away with a lack of credibility lies with the public. Despite the fact that the average Indian exhibits political astuteness and awareness of a high degree, he is too ready to take the politician on his words and believe him inspite of uncertain and insufficient evidence. This credulousness is a common Indian trait. The voter does get influenced by soul—stirring speeches and media reports and is led to believe whatever is dished out to him. To be able to reflect, analyse, dwell upon official statements and actual government performance is an ability which is only recently catching on. The average voter, however, still is largely taken in by a politician's charisma and talk. To be able to discern the actual truth behind a spoken word requires a certain level of sharpness of mind which education and work experience alone can develop. 

For the politician, developing credibility for himself, the government and the policies in the eye of the public is the greatest challenge. Foremost is the need to be honest in one's approach to public service and the need for sincerity in efforts. An approach which is guided by honesty and sincerity of efforts will get the politician going in the right direction. When the basics are clear it gives you the clarity of purpose, and gives you the ability to think through difficult problems and find solutions for vexing difficulties. A public servant guided by honesty and sincerity of efforts will readily earn the acceptability and respectability of the constituency simply because he would initiate action in the best interest of the public and be in a better position to deliver on his promises. 

The requirement then is for the public servant or politician to be viewed as a possibly genuine person. The public servant and the government can be seen as trustworthy only when they align their performance with the public interest. Slogan mongering, gimmicks and stunts can only create a short term euphoria, but to be viewed favourably any percept must be supported by practice. This performance must be in the public interest and should be backed by good practices. This requires that the politician makes a realistic appraisal of his environment and promises only as much that can be delivered. This creates trust. 

The politician then must avoid taking extreme positions which could generate antagonism and conflict and should try to follow the middle path or the path of moderation. Moderation really means that you make only those promises which you can actually deliver, try to improve and develop existing services and institutions rather than clamouring for unnecessary and expensive new projects, and view the interests of all sections of the constituency or society from a balanced perspective. This reasonableness on the part of the public servant requires that good and sound judgement decide his policy, behaviour and actions.. Sound judgement requires action which is appropriate and justifiable keeping in mind the big picture and the long-term perspective. 

Public servants need to be not only rational but should also maintain a rationale for doing things. Decisions taken on the basis of emotions, sentiments, prejudices or biases can be very damaging to a constituency in the long run. To skirt the real issues at stake and live by making stridently emotional appeals can only buy time but not ensure trustworthiness. The public servant needs to continuously ask himself if there is a valid reason for undertaking a line of action and does it serve the public interest_ A rationale can be maintained only when the public servant views things from the public's eye and so concludes what is in their best interest and how to go about delivering it speedily, with the minimum wastage of time, effort and money. 

Government performance which is guided by the above factors ensures that there are sufficient; grounds for the public to believe in its claims. Credibility of a public servant and the government ensures that it can be trusted for the proper long-term management of public affairs and institutions. Credibility is something which is elastic. It changes with your shifting stands and therefore to maintain an acceptable level of consistency in stand is important which can come about only with maturity and character. Maturity and character need not necessarily come with advanced age but experience does make a person wiser and more objective in his approach. This objectivity leads to moderation which in turn leads to generating credibility.

ROLE MODEL

What inspires people, specially youngsters, to work in a particular field or vocation is the, presence of role models. A role model is essentially such a person who has set excellent standards in personal behaviour or conduct – in other words ethics – and one who has discharged his duties towards a particular goal conscientiously in a chosen field. His contribution is basically positive, either by good practices or by providing better understanding of a subject or one who through his actions has brought honour to the nation. Thus many are motivated to join the army, because of the jawan through his selfless sacrifice for the country. Cricket is popular because of the presence of a Tendulkar or Kapil Dev. People want to become entrepreneurs because they see the presence of leaders like JRD Tata or Asim Premji. We thus see that the presence of leaders worthy of emulation attracts young people to a particular area. 

Of all practices, perhaps public service or politics is one which affects the lives of virtually every individual in the society across all age groups and the kind of impression which politicians create about themselves and about their profession to a large extent determines whether youngsters perceive politics as a worthy endeavour and politicians as admirable. Every field has a leader, but willy nilly the leadership for a country is provided by the politician, in present circumstances. The policy agenda for issues and problems of a community, the planning for a long-term agenda for the country are basically set by the politician. Therefore, the burden on a politician to discharge his duties honourably is many times more. There is no doubt absolutely that what a politician does in both his public and personal life has major repercussions on all sections of the society. 

Public service encompasses almost all areas of concern and interest to the public. This includes but is not limited to health, education, sanitation, utilities, transport, nutrition, law and order etc. To be aware that their actions and attitudes have a profound bearing on different aspects of human life with major consequences – either good or bad – is the first thing politicians must realise. Out of this realisation will result all actions that are hopefully for the betterment of society. An inability to realise this grave responsibility on their shoulders, can lead politicians to undertake actions which not only causes decadence in but can also lead to the destruction of a society. 

At different moments in Indian history, whenever the country has gone through a crisis, a leader has emerged who has been an effective role model. These role models have been men and women of exemplary character, strength and courage who had the sense to question the existing status quo because they sensed something was wrong or amiss or due to existing circumstances, people could not translate their good intentions into good actions. Such people essentially played the role of a facilitator, guide or change harbinger. They did not accuse or condemn people for their ineptitude, all they did was to awaken the latent potential in individuals, arouse their sense of purpose and guide their efforts to a desired goal. Whether it was the many invasions during which India was subjected to, the colonisation, the freedom movement or the post-independence period role models emerged in the political and national arena. 

If you look around the world, you will again see that a crisis has triggered a movement, and the movement a leader. Martin Luther King who championed desegregation in America, Nelson Mandela who fought against apartheid in South Africa, are persons who rose to the occasion. Essentially, they challenged and brought about change in a practice which might have originated with wrong conceptions and which gradually deteriorated into an oppressive and degenerative exercise. Or it could be that the balance of an existing social order tilted against the interest of the people who felt totally exploited under a despotic rule that led to dissent which eventually gathered momentum into a revolution. 

In the present situation, we have nations divided into the West and the Rest. In the West, the existence of high education levels, employment and mature democratic traditions have led to overall prosperity and development and these countries have created institutions and systems which act as checks and balances against any harmful practices. The systems are so designed that it leads to nurturing and development of potential leaders. In other countries, especially emerging ones where democracies and societies are still evolving , unless strong and good institutions, systems and practices are built, the chances of political upheaval and chaos are more. 

What then should a role model be like and what should he espouse for? Studies have shown that 80% of the wealth in a country is generated by 20% of the people and more importantly that most of the major changes — the better ones at least — are brought about by 2% of the world's population. Talking about the latter, these are people who had tremendous potential, continuously stretched themselves and sought bigger and better challenges and due to favourable circumstances or because they prevailed upon circumstances they could channelise their energies and efforts towards the pursuit of a desired objective. Their single-minded pursuit of clearly defined goals backed by a strong will, solid hard effort and determination is what made them extraordinary. These are people who clearly acted beyond their self interest and worked for the larger interest of the greater community. 

The first step for the politician is to initially define the kind of goals or objectives he wishes to pursue. Clearly, since the politician has entered politics to discharge public service his goals must be to serve the public interest and all his public efforts must be directed for the welfare of the larger community. Again, these goals could be set explicitly but if they are not backed by genuine concern for service and sincere interest in public welfare the goals will not carry much weight and will not pass the test of time or changing circumstances. Second, the aspirant for role model status must have certain personal attitudes and bent of mind which spontaneously empathises with the problems of the people and the country and he must be driven by a strong urge from within to make a positive contribution to society. 

Probably the easiest thing is to criticise public figures from safety and distance. To realise the actual difficulties of being in public life does not come naturally to the critic. It. must be said to the credit of the politician that he has such a thick skin that he can take bouquets and brickbats with equal ease and can deflect criticism without getting unduly rattled. We need to acknowledge that despite several shortcomings in the system, a lot of good developmental effort has been accomplished. But the point here is not the good that has been achieved, but the greater good that could have been accomplished or can be accomplished if people in public life realise the heavy responsibilities which they are expected to shoulder in their role as public servants. 

It is precisely for this reason that current and potential politicians should emerge as role model who are worthy of emulation and can be trusted for good leadership. Politicians who regard their role as unimportant and who discharge their duties with a careless attitude can set an extremely bad precedent for others in the profession. Since so much of societies welfare depends on good politics, in order to inspire and motivate young people to consider politics as an honourable and worthy area of public service, the responsibility upon politicians to ensure a good reputation and image for politics is utmost. Undoubtedly, the flip side of politics can make any normal person squirm with discomfort and undoubtedly politics is clearly not every one's cup of tea but if you need to draw the best of the talent from the society, a cleanliness drive for politics is certainly desirable. 

Political leaders influence the public in several ways, it is another point whether they realise this or not. The most apparent way is in the positions they occupy and the policies and decisions they take. The consequences of these decisions and policies are far reaching and can influence the lives of millions of people for generations to come. It can affect the constitution of a society and can change the shape of things to come and the destiny of a country. Politicians must realise how future generations, perhaps 100, 200, 500 and 1,000 years from now will judge their policies and actions. Political leaders are probably the most prominent people in society who are written about in history and how they are recorded depends a great deal on what they do now.

When politics is viewed as a means to serve and create a better society, the actions that follow will be undertaken keeping in mind the public interest. Every person has his strength: a good doctor can cure physical ailments; a good teacher can develop good citizens; a good entrepreneur can generate jobs. Similarly, a good politician can provide direction and leadership for a society and can ensure the development of strong and vibrant institutions, systems and practices which can serve and protect the individuals and public interest, guaranty growth and prosperity for the people, ensure harmony among communities and provide security to citizens, and ensure the emergence of a dynamic and successful society and a nation.