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  • Commonalities between three greatest Indian spiritual philosophers

    Lately, I have started to wonder whether the tools for professional success are the same as those required for spiritual success. Knowledge, hard work, perseverance, ambition, expressiveness, and tenacity are well-known, well-documented ingredients of success in the business world, but are they enough to grow in the spiritual realm? In search of an answer, I embarked on an endeavor to read about those people who, in my view, have reached the pinnacle of this vast, invigorating, mystical, and intricate world of spirituality. To initiate my journey, I did not had to look beyond our great nation, India. Although the geographical boundaries of a country are defined and well marked, the “spiritual boundaries” of a nation, like India, are limitless and permeate the vastness of the universe.

    This ancient civilization, spanning more than five thousand years, has produced some of the most profound thinkers in the world. These thinkers have impacted the lives of millions of people not only in their country of origin, but their thoughts have touched the “soul” of scores of people around the world. I think the three most thought-provoking and inspirational spiritual philosophers that the subcontinent, once called “sone ki chidiya”, has produced are M.K Gandhi, Swami Vivekananda, and Guru Nanak. Reading and learning about them made me draw a few common grounds that connected their thoughts and ideas. The bedrock of these eternal ideas that changed how an ordinary Indian views religion, society, and spiritual progress stands on a common platform. Some of the commonalities where the minds of these three great “spiritual giants” meet are:

    A modern view of religion: “The Story of My Experiments with Truth” is one of the most uplifting books that I have read in my life. In one of the instances mentioned in the book, Gandhi describes his experience of visiting the Kashi Vishwanath temple situated in the “holy” Indian city of Benares. His spiritual expectations were devastated in observing the uncleanliness and chaos in the bazaars leading to the temple. The noise, the swarming flies, the slippery lanes made his stopover “perfectly insufferable”. No wonder that the unkempt shrine made him question “how Indians could successfully manage self-government if they could not even keep their most sacred places of worship clean and peaceful.”

    If one studies Swami Vivekananda in depth, one would be enlightened by the fact that the “reverent monk” was one of the biggest critics of the social evils and rigid rituals of Hindu society in particular and Indian society in general. He famously gave the term “Kitchen religion,” which he associated with “don’t- touchism”, which, in his own terms, was “the obsession with ritualistic purity, such as what to eat or touch, rather than spiritual depth”. In this context, he went even further and stated that many Indians have taken their faith to their kitchens and made “cooking utensils” their religion. In a gist, he harshly censured the existing religious dogmas in Indian society and placed enormous emphasis on internalized spiritual growth rather than just blindly following the nonsensical practices in one’s creed and belief system.

    Although founder of Sikhism (one of the youngest religions in the world), and its first Guru, I prefer calling Nanak the “Guru of the entire humanity” rather than just a Sikh Guru. There is a narrative from his “Janamsakhi” (literally meaning birth stories) when he was lying down with his legs towards the “Kaaba”. When an offended Arab priest objected to this perceived “blasphemy,” Nanak calmly replied, asking the priest to turn his legs in a direction where God does not exist. This reflects how shallow the conviction is of those who find God only in a few man-made structures. Nanak’s message was vividly that God is omnipresent.

    Another notable incident from his life was when he visited Haridwar and on seeing people throwing water eastwards towards the rising sun. Upon his inquiry, people told the Guru that they are quenching the thirst of their ancestors who live in the heavens towards the east. On hearing this, Nanak entered the Ganges and started throwing the water towards the west. Baffled with this act, people asked him why is he dousing water in that direction. The Guru replied that his fields in Punjab were in dire need of this water. With even greater perplexity, priests started laughing and said how can the water go that far. Nanak, with all his calmness and composure replied that if the water can go millions of miles towards the heavens in east, it could surely reach his fields just a few hundred miles away. The “first master” was a proponent of sensible thinking and was a champion of religious unity. This reminds me of the following famous adage:

    “Nanak Shah Fakir – Na Hindu Na Musalman”

    In essence, what connects these aforementioned episodes is that each of these figures of titanic spiritual strength critiqued the religious dogmas that existed in the society during their lifetimes. I have a firm opinion that reform, whether it is personal or societal, cannot be implemented without critiquing one’s own set of principles and practices. In other words, constructive criticism opens doors for reforms and reforms in turn provide an innovative and modern alternative to existing inflexible doctrines.

    The views and perspectives of these three leaders make an incision into our doctrinaire Indian society, where people follow religion with an unquestioning mind. In my own humble experience, I have seen people making a trade or a business deal with their God. The mode of worship that largely exists in our society is just ringing bells in the places of worship, reciting scriptures, or rotating prayer beads, and that too is geared towards the fulfilment of their personal objectives. Although, there is nothing immoral in that but it certainly cannot lead to a spiritual enlightenment. On the contrary, the lives of these three great men introduces us to a path where the true form of worship is the one which is tied to public service. “Sewa parmo dharma” is the highest duty and way towards spiritual elevation.

    Being an agnostic, I am still skeptical as far as the existence of the “almighty” is concerned, but what I am unequivocal about is that if there indeed is a superpower, then the ledger on which his evaluation of our lives would be based would not be as to how many times we have recited a “mantra” or visited a place of worship, but on how many destitute lives we have impacted and changed. In a spiritual journey, one should free himself from the shackles of following a rigid methodology with absolutely no rational basis and adopt an experimental mindset towards enlightenment.

    Unbounded Intellect: I have a strong intuition that God (if one exists) does not like people who worship him out of fear but would appreciate those who could intellectually argue with him. Intellect is after-all the biggest and greatest gift of the “Lord” to homo sapiens that distinguishes us from the animal world. On these lines, a related parallel that I draw is that all three luminaries were well versed in the philosophical texts and religious scriptures that belonged to the ideologies of different societies and sects other than their own. This confirms to my personal belief that in order to understand religion and spirituality at its core, one has to dive deeply into the unbiased and unfeigned analysis of all the major religions and prominent thinkers of the world. Let’s take the case of Swami Vivekananda. It is well documented that while in college, he thoroughly studied Western philosophers like Immanuel Kant and Herbert Spencer. He was also well versed in the holy scriptures of Christianity and Islam.

    Same was true of Gandhi. Although during the days he thought his life was ending due to an illness , he regularly listened to Bhagavad Gita, he possessed intense knowledge of the world religions and even believed that he has made the religions of world his own. I regard Gandhi as one of the most erudite Indians of all times. Not only was he widely read, but as a copious writer, his legacy also includes a tome of published work. Similarly, when we talk about Guru Nanak, it is believed that during his youth, he “soaked” himself in the study of both Hinduism and Islam. He was also a great poet. In the words of Khushwant Singh, “Nanak was a poet of uncommon sensitivity who could turn his pen from gentle satire to rapturous praise “. The nucleus of my argument being that in order grow spiritually, it is vital to have an understanding and an appreciation of all major faiths in the world. This provides an intellectual depth and in my modest opinion, intellectual growth and spiritual upliftment are mutually inclusive.

    The philosophy of detachment: This is the most challenging but at the same time, an absolutely essential ingredient of attaining spiritual awakening. As per Bhagavad Gita, “Detachment is engaging fully with your duties while remaining free from anxiety of the results”. As per the same sacred book, detachment is like a “lotus metaphor, being in water but being untouched by him”. In my view, reaching this state of mind is tantamount to reaching an emotional state which is extremely arduous to achieve in our contemporary “dog eat dog” world. However, all the three foregoing spiritual philosophers I discussed about led their lives free of attachment and through their works, showed the world how to conquer this formidable “demon” of attachment that resides within our hearts.

    I have just initiated on my spiritual expedition and my steps and efforts are still at a very nascent stage. However, as I set out to this life long voyage, I have found these three spiritual philosophers who can become my beacon of light towards this demanding yet exhilarating journey. In that regards, I quote this relevant “doha” from the great Kabir:

    “Guru Govind dou khade, kaake lagun pay.Balihari guru apne, Govind diyo batay.”

  • Reflections on Mahabharata: Part – I: A few thoughts on Karna

    There is no other religious text that I have read about more than Mahabharata. In my view, it is an indelible spiritual gift from India to the world. I still vividly remember the profound book, “The Essence of Bhagavad Gita“, written by Swami Kriyananda, which I bought and read in the year 2008. Beyond just making an earnest effort to comprehend the intricacies of this “longest epic poem in the world” encompassing life’s infinite depth in the written textual form, I have watched adaptations of Mahabharata in its visual form as well. From watching B.R Chopra’s masterpiece umpteen number of times, to watching the captivating episodes on this subject as depicted in “Bharat Ek Khoj”, I have had the opportunity to approach this eternal work on human life and behavior as a sincere student.

    As with any other subject or aspect in life, if one continually inquires about it, he starts to formulate an opinion about it. So is my case with Mahabharata. I have always been intrigued by its characters and how they relate to us in the contemporary times. Of all the characters in this intense and soul touching literary work , one that has ignited my thoughts the most is the mystical yet dramatic character of Karna. Here are some of my perspectives:

    The greatest “Warrior” of his time: Around the final stages of the eighteen day war, when Duryodhana, exhausted and in sorrow, entered the “Dwaipayana Lake”, Yudhishthira ridicules him and challenges him to come out of the lake and face his fate. At the very moment, Krishna discourses with the Pandavas that had Indra not taken Karna’s impenetrable armor and his earrings (in my view , this was an act of deceit), his death was impossible. Legend says that no weapon could pierce Karna’s armor (Kavacha) and even a “Divyastra” would bow to it and return back. It is also believed that his earring’s (Kundalas) made him invincible.

    Now it is generally argued that Arjuna was the greatest archer of his time. I find a lot of merit in the argument that Arjuna was indeed the man of focus and among the greatest warriors in Mahabharata. But was he better than Karna? I doubt. People sometimes cite “Virata war” where Arjuna injured Karna from the arrows of his divine “Gandiva” bow. However, it is a fact that Karna (and it is believed that at the time of this conflict, he did not had his celestial “Vijaya” bow given to him by his guru, Parshurama)also pierced the chest of Arjuna with his thirteen arrows.

    The last argument to build my first point of view is the conversation between Krishna and Arjuna just before the beginning of the war. When Krishna returns to Pandavas camp after deciding the “rules of engagement” and Arjuna asks him what took him so long, Krishna answers that he met with the people he likes and that included Karna. Arjuna, on hearing this, bursts in anger (and aguish) and asks back “why did you had to go to that son of a charioteer?”. Hearing this, Krishna silences Arjuna by pointing out that Karna is the only warrior who has an arrow in his quiver which makes him worried for Arjuna’s safety.

    Based on this, I opine that even the “Lord” himself knew that even Arjuna could not defeat Karna, especially in a fair one to one duel. No wonder, both Krishna and Kunti made several attempts to “buy” out this first Pandavas and to break up with Duryodhana.

    An eternal optimist: There is a famous incident from the war when Shalya becomes the charioteer of Karna. He constantly aims to peel off courage from Karna mindset like someone slowly and effectively peels off the skin of an onion. Whether it be Bhishma Pitamah, Guru Dronacharya, Parshuram, Draupadi or the Pandavas, there is not even a single “great soul” who does not flings insults on Karna and attempts to bring down his morale. Even after all these slights and multiple curses on him, he never looses faith in his ability and skill. In the entire treatise of Mahabharata, if there is one personality that does not knows the meaning of dejection and pessimism, even though being target of incessant affronts, it is Karna.

    Moral grounding: Last year, I wrote an article titled “How righteous was karna“. In that article I argued that when it comes to morality and depravity, Karna was as righteous and as villainous as the Pandavas. If he hurled insults on Draupadi during the game of dice, she was also the one who rejected Karna during the “swayamvar” (Bride- choosing ceremony) just on the basis that he was not a “Kshatriya” (of warrior class). Is it not tantamount to practicing inequality and discrimination? Well, it may be argued that it was Krishna himself who signaled Draupadi to reject Karna, but there are other cases where arrogance of Draupadi have been documented in the epic. And what about Yudhishthira who gambled away his wife? Yes, the Pandavas did pay the price for that, but so did Karna for his acts of vices.

    My stance here is that Karna was as moral and as immoral as any other character in the scripture. Even during the war, besides Bhishma Pitamah, there was no other chief military commander whose conduct was as ethical as Karna. His pulling back his arrow to his quiver (which could have otherwise killed Arjuna) after the sunset is another example in this context.

    There is a famous saying from Rishi Vyasa about Karna when he meets him during Rajasuya Yagna of King Yudhishthira. The prime sage adorns Karna with respect by saying that there is no one in all the three “lokas” (world’s) who does not knows this great warrior.

  • On India: A few reflections

    The year was 2010 when I landed in Singapore to take on my new job assignment at Citibank. On the way from Changi airport to my hotel, the taxi driver got curious and asked where I was from. When I told him that I am an Indian, his instant question was – “Do you work in the Information technology sector?”. That question solidified my conception that since the last around two decades, India has become synonymous with I.T and software sector. Today, India produces and exports more software engineers in the world than any other country in the world. As a matter of fact, the south Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana constitute one-third of all the Indian students pursuing studies in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) domain. This, without any iota of doubt, is a massive leap forward. This leap reflects how our country with numerous shades has come out of its cocoon of being called as a country of “snake charmers” back in 1970’s.

    Whether it is the advancement in space programs spearheaded by Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), or leading the Asian countries in pioneering programs like “Vaccine Maitri Initiative” during the difficult times of Covid, India has started to play a vital role at a global level. Today, some of the largest and the most impactful companies and organizations like Microsoft, Google and World Bank are headed by Indians. This, without any scope of argument, has boosted the image of the country at an international arena.

    Despite all these feathers in the cap, we, as a nation, face insurmountable problems which hinder our success and restricts us in becoming a truly developed country. Until we solve these insuperable issues staring at us, we cannot compete effectively with giants like U.S.A and China. In my view, here are three challenges that open door for introspection and if addressed, can resolve many other underlying and fundamental problems that our nation faces:

    A paradigm shift from service oriented mindset to Product development mindset : 1991 was a crucial year for the Indian economy. The then prime minister P.V Narsimha Rao and the finance minister Dr. Manmohan Singh opened the gates of the Indian market to the western world, especially to the United states. That caused a boom in the call centers which eventually led to the spawning of the software outsourcing industry. Since then, the Indian I.T service sector has dominated the world. However, unfortunately, we have not been able to translate this leadership in the service sector to the product development sector. Countries like the U.SA , China, Japan, and Germany led the world and stayed on the top because they embedded innovation in product design and development into their economical structural. These countries became and are still the “brains” that create knowledge instead of just providing service delivery. Countries much smaller than India have been far more successful than us in research and development (R & D) and in the new product development. As an example, Denmark, a country with just around six million people, is called as the “programming languages capital” of the world. Many of the software programming languages like C++, C#, PHP along with the software systems like the V8 JavaScript engine were built in this small Nordic country. Even Canada, with a population almost equal to the Indian state of Punjab, developed the Java programming language. Much of the product creation and development has happened and continue to happen in the western world and China. It is the right time that through a collaborative approach, the private and the public sectors in India takes a plunge in this direction.

    A unified Indian voice : I have long believed that for India to progress and become an advanced country in true sense, all its citizens from all walks to life and irrespective of their religious beliefs should contribute in a unified manner. Our diversity is our spinal cord and strength without which we cannot achieve our ambitious goals. No community should feel alienated and there should be a strong sense of belongingness towards India. Both the government and the people should believe that we all our beneficiaries of this society and therefore, we must collectively contribute to its enrichment and growth. A lot of it lies with the initiatives that the Indian government can take to build an “inclusive ecosystem” where every single Indian counts. We must also rise above the religious bigotry and cultivate faith and confidence in people who , even though different than us in their belief system, are sons and daughters of the same country. In my opinion, nationalism and patriotism should always be above religion. As Khushwant Singh, in his book, Gods and Godmen of India, argues that a true religion is the one that propagates national issues like environmental protection, population control and work ethic. It is paramount that we realize that despite of our differences, we are tied by the same national thread.

    A firm belief in the Story of India: It is as important to believe in the history of breakthroughs that emerged from our great country as it is to build an inventive society. One of the aspects that enabled and catapulted United States Of America as a world power was that , in addition to creating world changing institutions like NASA and hotbeds of inventions like Silicon valley, it mastered the art of disseminating the “Idea of America” across the world. It was able to build an image of America as a “world savior” and an “epitome of liberty”. In my opinion, India needs to do the same. We have a proud history and the names of many intellectual giants like Panini, Aryabhata, Brahmagupta, and Sushruta should make us trust our national ability to lead the world. Young Indians should take pride in our historical empires like the Gupta Empire, which is called as the “Golden age” of India and during which many accomplishments were made in perfection of the Sanskrit language, Architecture, and Mathematics (Indians were the first to come up with “gelosia multiplication”). We must build faith that the same “Golden age” can be replicated in the future too.

    Ours is a country of tremendous potential. A strong India will be the one which will be innovative, united and driven. While we embark and continue on our journey to become a developed nation, we must also acknowledge the challenges that we face in realizing our true potential.

  • Why Gandhi would have championed Open Source Software?

    One of the greatest polymath and genius of all times, Albert Einstein, once said about the political views of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, called as Mahatma Gandhi by his millions of followers, that “I believe that Gandhi’s views were the most enlightened of all the political men in our time.”. Going over his autobiography, “The story of my experiments with truth”, I find Gandhi as one of the most inspiring personalities that I have read about. As someone who works in the Information Technology sector with a keen interest in Open source in general and Linux Operating system in particular, I could vividly draw parallels between the ideology of this great political and intellectual Giant and the ideology that powers the Open source methodology.

    I have come to a conclusive opinion that had Gandhi lived today or during the times of technology and software boom, he would have become a “brand ambassador” and a thorough supporter of the open source movement. The principles that this “saintly leader having a global impact” followed and practiced in his life have several parallels with the foundations on which the open source was built. These ideals continue to stimulate and motivate millions of people around the world. Here are three resemblances between the modus operandi of Gandhi and open source that in my view reverberates with everlasting impact in the world we live in:

    A Community driven approach : Gandhi, during his days in South Africa was deeply inspired by Ruskin’s book “Unto This Last“, which he read and put into practice by establishing the “Phoenix Settlement”. Later, he was inspired by Leo Tolstoy’s work “The Kingdom of God Is Within You” and established “Tolstoy Farm” near Johannesburg. The common aspect of both these establishments were that they were community driven places, an approach also central to the open source developmental framework. Communities form the nucleus of all the software written in the open source world. People who were members of the aforementioned communities formulated by Gandhi participated with a desire fueled by an intention of embedding a novel approach to life while making the society a more participative and responsible place to dwell. Participation is key in the open source world as well. Both these systems transmogrified the basis of the human thought.

    A Do-It-Yourself (DIY) approach to life: The world of open source software is a world of experimentation. It is a world where the concept of DIY is implemented to its fullest and brought into its fruition. Engineers, hackers and software enthusiasts develop products that millions of people can play with, modify and recrate completely new innovations out of those products. Zealots can follow easily accessible in depth documentation to “break and make things”. This creates an enterprising environment benefitting technology, the business and the society as a whole. As I read his autobiography, I see the actions of Gandhi imbibing the same DIY scruples as the one’s described above. The “spiritual giant” was adept in experimentation and trying out new concepts himself and energizing people around him to do the same. Whether it be practicing as a Lawyer, working as a public servant, his explorations in dietary (especially his inclination towards earth and water treatment) or even learning geometry, Gandhi took the existing knowledge, mastered it, and inspired the world to implement the same in their lifestyles. It also implies the broad applicability of ideals and principles that forms the backbone of the open source realm.

    Power to the people : Through Free Software Foundation, the software pioneer Richard Stallman advocates to distribute the software in such a way that it is free for people to use and modify its source code. In 1989, he co-founded “League for Programming Freedom“, through which he campaigns against the software patents and restrictions on the use of “digital software products”. In a nutshell, he is a proponent of giving power to the people. On the same platform, Gandhi’s whole life was dedicated to empowering those who were deprived of exercising their rights. The core of both these ideologies was to challenge the existing norms and protocols and bring about a “constructive revolutionary change” in the lives of people and the world we live in. Evolving and nurturing the expression of individuality forms the spinal cord of both the philosophies.

    Whether it was the relentless pursue of truth which Gandhi immersed with the struggle for independence during colonial era or the software upheaval and revolution brought by the open source methodology to create a better technological ecosystem, I see deep affinity in both these approaches to tackle the pressing problems of the world from which we all can learn.

  • Indira Gandhi: “Gungi Gudiya” or “Durga”?

    In his prolific book, Why I Supported the Emergency, India’s best-known writer Khushwant Singh, recalls what Hilaire Belloc mentions about Indira Gandhi: “Her face was like the King’s command, when all the swords are drawn”. In the realm of Indian history, there have been very few leaders who could match the majestic demeanor of Mrs. Gandhi. The decisions that she took during her rule changed the Indian polity forever and its repercussions continue to echo till this day in our contemporary times.

    India, as we know it today, is largely the result of Mrs. Gandhi’s tenure as the country’s prime minister. People representing different political parties have differing views about her. Some like the statesman Atal Bihari Vajpayee called her “Durga” and some like Ram Manohar Lohiya called her “Gungi Gudiya”. While she might be docile in the initial stages of her political career, she went on to become one of the strongest leaders who rewrote the chapters of the Indian political landscape. On the one side, she knew how to aptly deal with her opponents, and on many occasions, with an iron hand, but on the other hand, she connected with the ordinary people of the nation who called her “Amma” or mother.

    Like her father Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira had several political feats that transmogrified Indian political history, but like him, she also had her share of blunders that continue to reverberate to this day. From the “assassination” of Lal Bahadur Shastri in Tashkent to the assault on CPI leader Sitaram Yechury on the JNU campus, her political life was marred with controversies and political dissensions. As the first woman prime minister of independent India, she rose to such a status in her long career that for millions of Indians, “India was Indira and Indira was India”.

    In my view, the greatest achievement of Mrs. Gandhi was the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971. Pakistan had to be “taught a lesson” for its atrocities in the then East Pakistan and it was under the leadership of Indira that it was meticulously implemented. Just before the invasion, she asked Sam Manekshaw, the former chief of the Indian Army to enter erstwhile East Pakistan, but Manekshaw replied back that he needed to prepare for a complete definite victory. And victory did come when after a few months, the Indian armed forces entered Bangladesh.

    I recall one of the interviews of Mrs. Gandhi conducted by BBC on this matter in which she was questioned about the morality of interfering in another country’s matter. Her response was “What did Allied forces do when Hitler went rampant all over Europe?”. Post World War – II never has a country been liberated by the sheer use of military might except Bangladesh. This conflict under her prime ministership catapulted India to a regional power to reckon with. She was posthumously awarded the “Bangladesh Freedom Honor” for her role in the freedom of that country.

    The 1971 war was not a standalone military accomplishment under the “authority” of Mrs. Gandhi. In my opinion, there are two more historical episodes in which India and its armed forces emerged triumphant. The first was the 1967 Indo-Chinese skirmishes that took place in the state of Sikkim. The Indian forces caused massive casualties on the Chinese side and regained their lost pride from the India-China conflict of 1962. The other was the equally significant “Operation Meghdoot“. Indian forces, under the leadership of Indira Gandhi, captured the strategically crucial Siachen Glacier and made it part of the Jammu and Kashmir region.

    Another of the great achievements of Mrs. Gandhi was the detonation of nuclear bombs in 1971. Codenamed “Smiling Buddha“, the tests, although done for the peaceful use of nuclear energy, gave India the status of a “Nuclear power”. She knew the needs of a growing country as large as India and had the nerve to make the bold decision to conduct the tests despite the fear of sanctions imposed by the United States and other Western countries. I think “Smiling Buddha” paved the way for the Indian Government to carry on the much-required second round of nuclear explosions under “Operation Shakti” in 1998.

    Despite these aforementioned magnificent accomplishments, Mrs. Gandhi had her share of debacles. The biggest one was that of the storming of Golden Temple in 1984 under Operation Bluestar. This was one such mishap for which India had to pay dearly. In my view, no other historical event was as ghastly as this operation. While I do agree that it was imperative to flush out the terrorists from the holy shrine and maintain the sanctity of the temple, I would disagree with the way it was carried out. More than that, I would challenge the “real intent” of this unfortunate operation.

    Several open and unanswered questions strike me as I ponder on the intricacies of Operation Blue Star. Why was the attack carried out on the Sikh religious day commemorating the martyrdom of the fifth Guru Arjan Dev Ji? Didn’t the “Indira administration” know that there would be thousands of pilgrims inside the complex? Who is responsible and accountable for the innocent lives lost? Were there any negotiations carried out with the terrorists and if so, what was the scope and level of those negotiations? Could a different strategy similar to the one carried out during Operation Black Thunder be used to get rid of the terror elements residing inside the temple? Could a complete blockade of food, water, and electricity work? These questions will continue to haunt our “secular” country till justice is served.

    A few days back, I got to know about the Soviet launched “Operation Kontakt”. This operation aimed to provide concocted and falsified documents to the then Indian government run by Mrs. Gandhi about the support of Pakistan and the CIA given to the separatists. Although I am convinced that Pakistan supplied weapons and funds to the Khalistan movement, the intent of the above mentioned Soviet operation was to malign the Pakistani administration and the CIA and to exaggerate and amplify the urgency of carrying out the operation “impetuously”. Blue Star was executed without proper thought and to hurt the very “Psych” of the entire Sikh community. One of the consequences of this assault was that the moderate and educated Sikhs who were critic of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale also turned against Indira Gandhi and the state of India. It took several years for the Sikh community to get back into the fold and integrate once again into the Indian society.

    I will now touch upon another contentious event that was undertaken under the “brinkmanship” of Mrs. Gandhi. Emergency was imposed by Indira from 1975 to 1977 and it went on for 21 months. I strongly believe that a country as complicated as India needs an “iron grip” to govern its massive, “uncontrolled” and “untamed” population. The emergency period brought with it some of the very instrumental and positive changes in our society. Busses and trains ran on time, work became ethical and people reported on time. Slums were eradicated and cities were beautified. There was a sense of discipline all over the country. However, there were some nefarious aspects attached to that period as well. A censorship was imposed on the press and it was instructed to toe the line or face the consequences. Press is one of the pillars of a democratic society and for any nation to become a champion of secularism and liberal values, freedom of its media houses is vital.

    During the emergency, thousands of opponent leaders were put behind the jails and their voices subdued. Men, including those of old age, were dragged from the buses and sterilized forcefully. In my opinion, there is a fine line that separates governing a country by the rule of law and curbing the freedom of speech of people. Whether the Emergency was good or bad remains a matter of debate but one thing is certain. It remains one of the most controversial eras of Indian history spearheaded by Mrs. Gandhi.

    One can recall Indira Gandhi as a tyrant, a decisive leader, and even an incarnation of “Durga”, but unquestionably not a “Gungi Gudiya”.

  • Should beef and pork meat be banned in India?

    “Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas” is a slogan launched by the ruling BJP Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It lays emphasis on inclusive growth, a growth in which every Indian is part of and benefits from. It envisions a progress model for the country in which all its citizens, irrespective of their caste, creed, language or religion get empowered. I think that the root of such kind of an inclusive growth has its foundation entrenched in tolerance towards one another and an appreciation of our unique way of life. Have we reached that level of success where we truly believe in the diversity of our nation? I don’t think we have, at least not yet.

    A few days back, I stumbled upon an article that showcased that a 44 years old man was assaulted and his shop vandalized on the suspicion that he was selling cow meat at his butchery. I was even more shocked to know that some reports covering this went ahead and stated that the meat has gone to a forensic lab to determine if the meat was indeed from cow or beef. I strongly opine that in a secular country like ours, everyone has a right to eat whatever they want. No one has any authority to question what we sell or consume as part of our lifestyle.

    If we go back to our mythological scriptures, we could find references that meat eating was prevalent in the society of those times. The great epic of Mahabharata mentions many instances of Pandavas consuming meat. The advent of the Mughals and later the Britishers introduced their cuisine to the Indian cuisine. Even though the Mughals came from outside and most of the Indian Muslims were converted during Mughal era, they eventually became inseparable part of our Indian society. They embraced our culture and played a vital role in transforming our society into the multifaceted and multidimensional society.

    I am a critique of many policies and wrongdoings of my adopted country, Canada, but I think there is one thing that India can learn from this North American country. It is an appreciation for all walks of life and all kinds of lifestyles and it holds true when it comes to our right to consume any kind of food that we want. In a country as diverse as India, there should not be any “ban” on any kind of food, may it be beef or pork. I do understand that many religions prescribe dietary regulations on its adherents. In Islam, eating pork is prohibited and in Hinduism, eating beef is forbidden. Things take a different turn when both the communities live together and share a common habitat.

    There is an argument given that if pork is banned in Pakistan and gulf countries, beef should not be allowed to sell or consumed in “Hindustan”, a country with a majority Hindu population. I do not buy this line of thought and would argue that the aforementioned countries are Islamic nations and not democracies. India, on the other hand is the world’s largest democracy, and one of the most secular nations in the world. In a country like ours, where all religions co-exist, one must have tolerance and appreciation for all kinds of cuisines, irrespective of whether it is beef or pork. Like religion, food is also a personal choice of an individual.

    Another argument proffered is that in order for peace to prevail between the majority and minority communities, both should respect each other’s “religious sentiments”. This means the Hindus should not eat pork and Muslims should not eat beef. This again is a faulty argument. I adamantly believe that for a society to truly become secular, there should be freedom to market and consume all sorts of cuisines that are part of a cultural or a religious community. If inhabitants of Goa, or North eastern Indian states consume beef, they should be freely allowed to do so. The same stands true for the consumption of pork.

    I think that Mr. Modi is an able prime minister and is committed to the integrity of the country, but I firmly think that it is the fanatical organizations thriving under him that spew venom on the minorities. It is them who indulge in hooliganism. It is them who, instead of taking the path of laws and courts, believe in “mobocracy”. They torment ordinary people earning their livelihood by selling beef without realizing that India is the fourth largest beef exporter in the world. That, is what I call hypocrisy. The ruthless assault and “crusade” of the “Saffron brigade” on an individual’s freedom to choose what he wants to eat must end.

    For India to become an epitome of secularism, the country needs to shun its religious bigotry at all levels of governance and allow its citizens to pursue their lifestyles to the fullest. This without any doubt includes giving everyone a choice and freedom of what they want to eat.

  • Three most impactful business leaders in India

    I am a vigorous supporter of Capitalism. It is the only system that allows the enterprising spirit of an individual to nourish and grow and to reach its pinnacle. The principles of Capitalism aligns with the principles of human nature and that is the free flow of ideas and intellect across the borders. The 2008 financial crises, also known as the Great Recession, witnessed the intervention of the government to bail out several gigantic financial institutes and get them back on their feet. This was a blow to the tenets of the communist thought leaders who viewed that a capitalist system manipulates the workers and alienates any kind of public intervention.

    I am convinced that Philanthropy walks hand in hand with Capitalism. Some of the most successful business leaders that the world has seen are also the greatest philanthropists. From Bill Gates to Warren Buffet to Andrew Carnegie, Capitalist societies have produced umpteen number of Philanthropists who have made a dent in the world we live in. India, the world’s largest democracy, is not behind in churning out dynamic business leaders who, through their generous act of giving have reshaped the communities that we are part of. Through their sharp business acumen and a passion for giving back to the society, they make a positive and an everlasting impact on the lives of millions of people in our country. In my view, the three most admired business magnets that hailed from India are:

    Ratan Tata: If there is one name that will resonate eternally in the history of India, it will that of Ratan Tata. Since the last two decades, the country has experienced a sharp increase in the number of business persons but it is Ratan Tata who stands out amongst them. His unwavering faith in the ethos of the nation continues to inspire millions of Indians. A true believer in the immense potential of the country, his contributions to the Indian society are unmatchable and peerless. During his tenure, TATA group saw a manifold increase in revenue and profits.

    He envisioned that every ordinary Indian should be able to afford a car and this led to the launch of the world’s most affordable and “middle class” pocket friendly four wheeler, the Nano. While he was in office as chairman of the TATA group, the company experienced its position ascend in the international market. The acquisition of Jaguar, Tetley and Corus under his leadership created history and put India on a global map of business and innovation. These acquisitions earned not only the company respect from around the world but catapulted the group as a key player in the global marketplace.

    Beyond his extraordinary business leadership, it is the philanthropic aspect of his personality that motivates me, along with millions of Indian youth. A recipient of Padma Vibhushan, Mr. Ratan was one of the biggest international donors to both his Alma maters, Harvard University and Cornell University. His endowments to tackle some of the world’s most pressing issues are admired not only in India but across the western world. His profound generosity and conviction towards justice is exemplified by his donation of TATA trucks to the Sikh drivers who were victims of 1984 anti-Sikh riots. His optimism towards the budding and aspiring entrepreneurs of our country is reflected through his investments in start ups across the nation. These investments accompanied by his priceless mentorship to the youngsters strengthened the “start up ecosystem” in India. The country will always be indebted to this charismatic yet humble personality.

    N.R. Narayana Murthy: A household name for every Indian Information Technology (I.T) employee, N.R. Narayana Murthy is one of the most revered business leaders in India. He was named the “Father of the Indian I.T sector” by the TIME magazine. I would go a step further and say that Mr. Murthy is the father of the “Indian outsourcing Industry”. If there is someone who has shaped the outsourcing business in the country and earned a global respect for our technology sector, it is Mr. Murthy. He pioneered the virtually non-existent software industry into a behemoth recognized for its quality services throughout the world. A co-founder of Infosys, he today sits on the boards of numerous corporations and educational institutes. I am of an opinion that in order for India to propel itself and become a leader in the competitive “product research” market, it needs more visionaries like Narayana Murthy.

    Sudha Murthy: Wife of N.R. Narayana Murthy, Sudha Murthy is the founder of Infosys Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Infosys. A copious writer, she has authored several books both in English and Kannada. Through the outreach of Infosys Foundation, she continuous to make a positive impact on the lives of millions of impoverished and needy Indians. A recipient of the prestigious Padma Bhushan award, her contribution in the agriculture and health care sectors is highly commendable and recognized nationwide. As a member of the health care initiative of the Gates Foundation, Mrs. Sudha has played a crucial role in addressing the health related issues of the people, especially in the rural parts of India. She has also been instrumental in implementing governmental policies focused on technology. Through the Infosys Foundation, she has worked closely with the Karnataka government to provide laptops in all public schools across the state.

    I, along with millions of Indians continue to be inspired by these spirited business leaders that have an indelible mark on the business topography of our country.

  • Why is the idea of “Khalistan” becoming irrelevant?

    Sikhs are one of the most industrious people on the planet. Whether it is India, Canada, Australia, United States or Kenya, the community has played a pivotal role in nation building of the country where they have resided in. From the point of view of India, Sikhs spearheaded the “Green revolution” movement that consequently made the country not only self-reliant in food but also became an exporter of food grains. They transformed the fertile land of Punjab into the bread basket of India. Traditionally, Sikhs were mainly associated with fields like agriculture, transportation, and food businesses. Today, you can find Sikhs excelling in and at the helm of all fields and walks of life.

    From Word Bank president to Air Chief Marshall, to Prime minister to prominent writer and to the election commissioner of India, Sikhs have made an inedible mark in the professions that they have been engaged in. Because of their enterprising nature, one will hardly find a Sikh begging on the streets. Because of the spirit that the tenth master, Guru Gobind Singh Ji inculcated in them, Sikhs have become a synonym with “Chardi Kala”. With less than two percent of the Indian population, the community has contributed immensely to the economical growth of India. Their unwavering and tireless commitment to social service is admired all across the world.

    Like any other community residing in a country, Sikhs too have their grievances with the Indian government. In my view, one of the darkest chapters in the Indian history was Operation Bluestar, or the storming of Golden temple by the Indian Armed Forces. Whether there was a better way to flush out the terrorists from the temple is a discussion for another time. What I truly believe is that the idea of Khalistan has lost its sheen and has become irrelevant, especially in the contemporary times.

    The murder of the pro-Khalistan leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar has brought the movement to the limelight and has created a diplomatic row between India and Canada. Canada claimed that agents of Indian government were behind the assassination while the Indian side declined the allegation asking for proof. The dissention between the two democratic countries reached its pinnacle in decades. Eventually, the report by the inquiry committee set up by the Canadian government stated that India is not behind the murder.

    Khalistan movement was at its peak in the 1980’s when the Indian state of Punjab went through an unrest. There was an ideological divide between the Hindus and Sikhs with Sikhs claiming that they are fighting to uphold their identity. Since then, especially in the 1990’s, the demand for Khalistan declined considerably and the state has returned to normalcy. The two communities live in peace and harmony. This is unlike what the pro Khalistan supporters falsely disseminate from foreign lands that Punjab is experiencing a revival in the creation of separate homeland for Sikhs. This is far from the truth and not a ground reality. In fact, one of the major reasons for the Khalistan movement to fade and decline in Punjab was the disillusionment of Sikhs themselves towards the separatists elements.

    Nonsensical people like Gurpatwant Singh Pannun regularly appeal to the Sikh soldiers serving in the Indian armed forces that they should not fight for India. Does he even knows that the Sikh regiment is the most decorated regiments in the Indian Army? With eighty two gallantry decorations post independence, the regiment has played a significant role in all wars that India has fought. Does he knows that the current Chief of Indian Air Force is a Sikh? Is Pannun even aware of the existence of KJS Dhillon, a decorated Indian army officer who played an instrumental role in curbing the insurgency in the Kashmir Valley. Outside the realm of defense, is Pannun even conscious of the fact that the Pioneer behind the liberalization of the Indian economy was Dr. Manmohan Singh, a Sikh?

    The Khalistan movement today is mostly alive among the “old generation” people who migrated to the western countries, mainly to Canada in the late 1970’s and 1980’s. The youth and the younger generation, especially living in India, have fully integrated with the country. They have become a constitutive part of the Indian growth story and have become beneficiaries of the nations progress. Today, one can see dynamic Sikh youth contributing towards nation building efforts and safeguarding the sovereignty of the country. One can find young people from the community ubiquitously working in Information technology sector, in scientific fields, in management, and in the government sector all across India.

    There is a wider consensus and awareness among Sikhs that the Khalistan movement was supported by Pakistan. It was Pakistan that wanted to make it even with India for breaking it up in 1971 war and liberating Bangladesh. It was Pakistan that spewed venom of hatred and manipulated the Sikhs to embark on a path of devastation. It was Pakistan that funded the Khalistan movement and supplied weapons to the terror organizations operating within the Indian state of Punjab. Let us contemplate hypothetically that Khalistan does gets created in the current Indian state of Punjab. Every new born country needs support of its allies to develop especially in its early stages. Does Pakistan, a struggling state dependent on foreign aid for its own survival capable of aiding Khalistan? I firmly believe it is not.

    The great religion of Sikhism has its roots that transcends beyond the boundaries of Indian and Pakistani states of Punjab. From Patna Sahib to Hazoor Sahib and to Hemkunt Sahib, its historical origins can be traced all across India. Sikhs also have a rich cultural association with the Indian capital, Delhi, which hosts many sacred pilgrimage sites such as Gurdwara Sheesh Ganj, and Gurdwara Bangla Sahib. The strong cord between India and Sikhs cannot be broken by nefarious designs of a malicious enemy state.

    I firmly believe that perpetrators of the heinous anti -Sikh riots should be brought to books and justice served. I also think that the current Indian government should imbibe a policy of a more inclusive growth towards nation building. Merely propagating the agenda of “Hindutva” to gain political mileage wont be beneficial to the multifaceted Indian society. The commemoration of Martyrdom of Guru Gobind Singh’s son’s as “Veer Bal Diwas” on 26th December is a welcome move.

    I am of an opinion that as we move from one generation to the next, the idea of Khalistan would loose its grip and relevance among the young ambitious Sikhs who view India as a platform where they can launch their successful careers and grow with the growth of the country. They are and will realize that extremism in all its forms should be shunned and a liberal approach towards social cohesion embraced.

  • Why I support the “Agniveer” scheme?

    I staunchly believe that when a person joins the armed forces, it is not only him who lives in the army, it is the army that lives within him. It flows through the veins and the blood of the person for the rest of his life. In one of my recent articles, I championed the idea that Army service should be made mandatory in India. The ongoing India-Pakistan conflict has brought the contentious “Agniveer” scheme to the forefront again. Many, especially in the opposition parties, believe that this scheme should be abolished. While I do respect their point of view, I wholeheartedly champion the Agniveer scheme and clearly envisage its immense benefits to both individual growth and national progress.

    The foremost rational against the Agniveer is that it will create unemployment among the youth since the scheme is only valid for four years and does not provides long term job security. I would argue that on the contrary to the aforementioned point, the Agniveer scheme will open new doors of employment for the “Agniveers”. Having credentials of serving in the armed forces is one of the strongest credentials one can have on their resume. We have seen that many officers in the armed forces take a hiatus from their service and pursue higher education. For those completing their full service and retiring form the forces join as guides and mentors in various corporations and educational institutes. Likewise, the Agniveers can also capitalize on their tenure in the armed forces to find suitable employment elsewhere after graduating from the scheme.

    To build up on my argument, I would like to state that under the Agniveer Scheme, Government has made provisions to train these young minds in various vocational streams like electricians, barbers, washermen, etc. This training will undoubtedly assist the Agniveers to navigate their career paths post their service in the armed forces. The scheme provides a platform for the already unemployed youths to give four “fruitful” years to the military service and then build on that experience in their later lives. The scheme also provides a podium for the disoriented and dejected youth of the country to find a purpose in their lives. The training they get in the forces can add a definitive meaning to their professional lives and provide a direction to them. Many state governments like that of Haryana, and Assam have already stepped in and announced 10% reservations in their police force for the graduates of the scheme.

    Critics of the scheme also assert that it does not provides pension and long term monetary benefits. I ,on the contrary, argue that the priceless experience they gain from their service in the armed forces will eventually help them financially in the long term. The people joining the Agniveer program are between the age group of 17 – 23. How many young minds of the country get an opportunity to start their careers and earn at this early stage of their lives? The categorical answer is not many. The government has already committed a lump sum amount of around 12 Lakh Indian rupees to the people retiring from the Agniveer scheme. In my view, it is a decent amount of money one can earn especially in their nascent years.

    Efforts are already underway to ensure that “Quality” of the service provided by these Agniveers is maintained and is at par with the services provided by regular armed forces personal. This is being done by providing the same level and standards of training to the aspirants of the scheme as one receives if he joins the army through the regular mode of entry. While I do agree that fiscal astuteness does plays a role in formulating schemes and policies like the Agniveer, but I firmly believe in what Lieutenant General KJS Dhillon said that, unlike other professions, the balance sheet of an armed forces personal is measured in life and death. Serving in the Army is one of the most noble occupations in any country. More than any budgeting or financial planning, it is the unamputated spirit of a solider that matters. Agniveer creates that spirit in the aspiring youth of the country.

    Besides the aforesaid benefits at an individual level, I think that the scheme will have immense societal advantages too. It will nurture civic sense and a sense of belonginess among the Agniveers. They will become responsible citizens of the country and will boost their patriotism. The youth graduating from the program can act as a second line of defense in wake of any internal or external crises that country might face. Agniveer scheme is one of the most constructive schemes orchestrated by the central government towards nation building.

    I would have serious reservations about the Agniveer scheme had it compromised on the recruitment of Indian army officers through the National Defense Academy (NDA) or the Officers Training Academy (OTA). The primary focus of this scheme is bridging the shortfall of soldiers in the armed forces, giving unemployed youth an opportunity to build their careers while serving the nation and consequently pruning the national defense budge.

    Every governmental policy or a scheme undergoes iterations and evolves in time. Agniveer scheme is no exception. It will undergo evolutions with the passage of time. As the Chief of Army Staff, Upendra Dwivedi commented in one of his interviews that the scheme is still under observation and will be assessed once the first batch of “Agniveers” complete their tenure in 2026. I would align my thought with that and state that the Defense forces will reap the full advantages of this scheme over the time. I also strongly feel that it is an instrumental and a promising initiative to boost the capabilities of our Armed forces and should not be scrapped.

  • Why English should be preferred over native languages in our schools?

    I spent three fruitful years of my life in the Indian city of Hyderabad. One of my most cherished memory is that of making friends with Rahul, a “local” Telegu. I vividly remember that when I first met him, I introduced myself in Hindi. He could not comprehend my words in “one of our national languages” and we had to switch to English. Since then, English has been the only mode of communication between me and my Telegu friends. This is not pertinent only to the state of Andhra Pradesh or any particular region within India. One would experience the same in many parts of the nation, especially when we travel beyond northern part of the country.

    English was introduced to the Indian subcontinent by the Britishers who, for the purpose of administrating our large and diverse country, recruited Indians with the know how of their language. Since then, it has percolated to every strata of the Indian society. It has become the primary language of not only our educational institutes but has permeated into our professional lives. One cannot imagine to get a good well paying job without having an ability to speak, read and write in this “foreign language”, as many Indians label it. The question that comes to my mind is, should English be the preferred language in schools and educational institutes in the country? I strongly believe it should be.

    While I do have a great reverence for the local languages or our “mother tongue”, I think it does not binds us in a common strand as English does. It has become historically evident that people from many Indian states won’t accept Hindi as their language, especially in the southern parts of the country. One of the foremost reasons for that is the natural inclination or what I call as an emotional attachment towards their language. Tamil, as an instance, is one of the oldest languages in the world and is renowned for its literary depth. The same goes with other languages like Marathi and Bengali.

    There is an argument that since many European countries like France, Netherlands, and Belgium teach students in their own native language, why should India not make Hindi as its primary language in its schools. I think it is a flawed argument and does not takes the colonial history of these countries into account. Wherever these colonizers went and established their control, they spread their language among the populace of the “ruled” country. The colonized countries adopted the language of the colonizers and it became one of their official languages. Post independence, when the migrants from these “occupied” countries reached their former colonial countries to bridge the gap of shortage of workers, they brought with them the same language to their new lands. There was not much diversity when it comes to the language, at least within the geographical area of that country thereby creating a linguistical homogeneity.

    India, on the other hand, with twenty two officially recognized languages and more than 270 mother tongues, is one of the most multilingual nations on the planet. Albeit this heterogeneity gives India a cultural depth, it has “failed” to create a common strand that binds our massive, multifaceted population together. English, as we have seen historically, acted as a “glue” to bring our diverse countrymen on a common platform.

    In my view, the real growth story of India accelerated after the liberalization of the economy in 1991 under the able leadership of Dr. Manmohan Singh. One of the primary reasons for the foreign investment to pour into the country from United States was our large “employment ready” middle class English speaking population. Indians, with their savvy skills, especially in speaking, reading and writing in the English language paved the way for the establishment of ubiquitous call centers and then later Information technology “back offices” across the nation. Indian employees became a de facto with “white color” professional jobs providing services to the corporates based across the Western world.

    Another argument on the side of having Hindi as the primary language in our schools is that many countries without a colonial history like Japan and Germany teach their students in their native languages. I believe this rational is incomplete and fractured as well. We need to take into consideration that the aforementioned countries have a very strong research output and most of their scientific research is published in their own languages. On the contrary, how many research articles have been published in Hindi or lets say Punjabi or Tamil? Unfortunately, very few if none. A vast majority of the research published in India is done in English language.

    Another perspective in this context is that many non English speaking countries are now establishing business schools that impart business education in English language. They cater to students from around the world and are producing the next generation of “Global professionals”, who can manage multinational corporations in a multilingual environment. This cannot be done in their vernacular language. It can only be done in the language that the corporate world speaks which is English. Like Dollar is the currency of the world, English is the language of the world.

    While I reiterate that I have utmost respect for the native Indian languages and I also agree that it is imperative to learn these languages in order to have a sound understanding of our history, culture and traditions, I steadfastly believe that we need a language that can catapult our youth to the global stage and strengthen our “say” in the international arena. English is the instrument to achieve that goal.