Keswanis, Madnanis And The Nehrus

Keswanis, Madnanis And The Nehrus

I went to Allahabad to be part of a wedding celebration, 

but came back with a piece of history and a string of legacy

Meandering unintentionally into history can be fascinating as well as intriguing. There is something about legacy which cannot be adequately assimilated in the hundrum of daily.life. Legacy is nurtured just like a gardener nurtures the plants and flowers.

A recent visit to the historical-political-spiritual land of Allahabad brought me face to face with history and legacy at different levels.

With the Keswanis of Delhi I share a bond which promises to create a legacy of sorts in our personal trees of friendship. Through them I got introduced and exposed to the Madnanis of Allahabad.

The Madnanis hold an important place in the modernisation of Allahabad. The first generation entrepreneurs built a business as well as a legacy of sorts. Though generations have grown and built their own personal legacies outside of the original business model, their community living with over 50 people occupying a common piece of land is an inspiring story of bonding and trust. It is a case of being committed and not just different when more and more people are craving for personal spaces far away from the hustle and bustle of relatives. Being with them I realised how they have built their personal spaces - both physically and emotionally - by being around one another - both physically and emotionally.

A visit to the Sangam was a given, yet the serenity amidst the human cacophony was yet another testimony to the spiritual legacy of this amazingly diverse country.

Allahabad and Anand Bhavan are inseparable. The Nehrus' personal and political bastion stands out as a symbol of political struggle at the altar of huge personal sacrifices. This legacy of the Nehru-Gandhi family simply showcases their share in the national consciousness and their unique place in pre- and post-independent India.

As I signed off from Allahabad, known for different things to different people, I realised how I had gone there to be part of a wedding celebration, but came back with a piece of history and a string of legacy.

Being A Karmaveer

A karmaveer is anyone who is doing something for the larger benefit of people and goes beyond his own limited self-interests. Yet, this person is selfish to the core, for the karmaveer is making a difference to the same society he or she lives in. The karmaveer does not dazzle in the misunderstanding and arrogance of rendering selfless service. There is no selflessness really, for the benefit of his work is also his.

She suffered intense domestic violence for years. Like a brave woman she bore it all, till the breaking point came and she set herself free, with hardly any support. Today she is an author of over ten books and champions women's causes.

He retired at 60 and chose to spend his time setting up a school for the underprivileged.

He left a high flying career in the US and came back to his land in Kashmir to live amongst the shepherds and make a difference.

He has dedicated his life to the service of senior citizens, against a career and comfortable life for himself.

These are just few of the innumerable heart-rending yet extremely inspiring stories of ordinary people who are doing extraordinary work. They are the recipients of the Rex Karmaveer Global Fellowship and Karmaveer Chakra, instituted by iCONGO in association with the United Nations. You will find people like them in large numbers every year at The Rex – Ideas For Action Conclive.

The Karmaveer movement, started by Jeroninio Almeida - an activist, coach, speaker and trainer - brings together change-makers on one platform to hear their stories and recognise their herculean and ebullient efforts to make a difference to society. They are not necessarily social workers. They are people who simply go beyond their call of duty and work not just for their personal professional success, but for impacting lives of others. They may be professionals in their own right, but what drives them is the mission and not the commission. They care for themselves, but also for others. They work with an inclusive mindset, not an exclusive one – the highest cause for unhappiness. If need be, they suffer by choice, yet they are some of the happiest people in the world.

I got introduced to the Karmaveer platform in 2014 and have received doses of inspiration impossible to attain through reading books or watching motivational movies. It is my immense fortune that I have been able to rub shoulders with real-life heroes in flesh and blood. They are people who do their work with a spirit of sacrifice, at great personal cost and at times even at great risk.

While some karmaveer is fighting for women's rights, someone else is toiling hard for rural upliftment. If someone is trying to help people in depression, someone else is working for the cause of the elderly. Someone is writing a poem with poignancy for a cause that moves him or her, and not just for professional benefits or personal creative satisfaction.

So who is a karmaveer? A karmaveer is anyone who is doing something for the larger benefit of people and goes beyond his own limited self-interests. Yet, this person is selfish to the core, for the karmaveer is making a difference to the same society he or she lives in. The karmaveer does not dazzle in the misunderstanding and arrogance of rendering selfless service. There is no selflessness really, for the benefit of his work is also his.

A true karmaveer does not just contribute money for charity and claim he is making a difference. Mindless charity is after all a sign of arrogance. A true karmaveer is one who gives time to the cause and is personally involved in the process. He feels the pain of others and wants to make a difference in his own small way. He realises that whatever he may do, his contribution, given the plethora of problems, will remain inadequate. He therefore remains humble and grateful for the opportunity to make a difference. A karmaveer is a patriot whose love for the nation transcends feel-good statements and translates into action. He is enlightened enough to understand that true change can come only through action.

The greatest quality of a karmaveer is the sense of responsibility and ownership he takes. He blames no one, but is driven by a deep sense of conviction and commitment for change. A true karmaveer is the one who believes to make a change, he has to be the change.

The nation needs more and more karmaveers. At the same time, there are many karmaveers who are silently working in one or the other corner of the country, making a difference unknown to the world. The karmaveer movement is created precisely for such people - that they get an opportunity to share their story, pain and success, so that more ordinary people realise their potential to do extraordinary work. The recognition that the karmaveers get at the Rex Conclive is just a byproduct of their invaluable work. They are the true `Bharat Ratnas` of India.

So let us all step out and identify the next karmaveer, and also dig deep into our souls to make ourselves a karmaveer. If we are already a karmaveer, let's try to be a better one.

The Tata Imbroglio: VUCA Claims Its Latest Victim

The Tata Imbroglio: VUCA Claims Its Latest Victim

VUCA has claimed yet another victim in the form of the Tatas. Just as before every great change there is great chaos, the Tatas may emerge from this stronger and more adaptable. To expect that they must retain the same old values that got them here could get relegated to the category of `romantic fantasy`. After all, what got them here won't get them there.

Few days back, moving out of a cliche, there was genuine Breaking News. The Tatas did a typical Corporate America – they sacked Cyrus Mistry in a swift move and dropped a bombshell on the media. The announcement was LOUD AND CLEAR, very unlike the traditionally suave and soft approach they had taken thus far. Even the common man on the street, who has little or no knowledge of corporate boardroom battles, was taken aback by the news, not because yet another honcho had lost his seat, but because the Tatas, known for better things than mudslinging in public, had done it.

Generations spread over almost one-and-a-half centuries have grown up admiring the Tatas. The Tatas have always stood for words that define character - like trust, integrity, culture, employee friendliness and dignity. Yet, in a matter of minutes, `dignity` was perceived to have been thrown out of the window and the steel-to-salt conglomerate had become the butt of jokes on social media.

It is incredible that a group known for its tolerance had acted in a manner very unTata-like. As Harsh Goenka in his article in The Times Of India on October 28, 2016, titled `Recipe For Conflict: Mistrust, leadership style and ambition` says: “When Mistry was appointed as chairman four years ago, he was lauded by India Inc as someone who understood the group's culture and was ready to lead it into the 21^st century. But it now seems apparent that some of his recent decisions jeopardised what the board of directors considered its “long term interests”. A question that I find hard to answer is that even if his recent decisions went against the Tata heritage, why was it so imperative for the trusts to go against their own traditions and dismiss him so summarily?”

In this VUCA – Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous – world, not just for individuals and families, even a hardened value- and culture-driven group like the Tatas is finding it difficult to hold on to tradition. This is almost like Test Cricket – the purest and most traditional form of the game – being forced to adapt to the dynamics of the 20-20 format. The Tatas, in a way have sounded the culture-shift bell, indicating that performance in this VUCA world has to take precedence over softer issues like caring, nurturing and mentoring.

We live in a world where no one is spared the performance stick – be it individuals, families or organisations. Ironically, while we have more convenience, that has added to the complexity; while there is lot of information, there is dearth of quality content; while there are many friends being made everyday, relationships are becoming more and more hollow. The external environment today has a far greater say in our lives than ever before. It's no longer about being able to keep one's counsel despite external circumstances. The mind is bombarded with so much information and irrelevant content today that it has severely dented the discriminative faculty. We live in a hyper technology-driven world, which is threatening the relevance of human emotions and one's intellectual width.

The rise in business options and opportunities has also resulted in immense bottomline pressure on companies. Even conglomerates like the Tatas, which set the corporate cultural tone in India, cannot remain immune from the economic and business dynamics. Long-held values are changing colour at the speed of light. Long-held beliefs are getting redefined or diluted. Earlier, it was about change. Now it is about constant change and continuous reinvention.

VUCA has claimed yet another victim in the form of the Tatas. Just as before every great change there is great chaos, the Tatas may emerge from this stronger and more adaptable. To expect that they must retain the same old values that got them here could get relegated to the category of `romantic fantasy`. After all, what got them here won't get them there. 

Leadership And The Reality of Illusion

Leadership And The Reality of Illusion

BIG IDEA: The `Consciousness Leader` is the next step
in the evolution of leadership in the 21^st century

Tagline: It is an interesting phenomenon that while the leader must grasp the illusory nature of his role to make it real for his people, many team members may operate from a `reality` that they can independently define their space and the leader can be `managed`. What is illusion and what is reality itself is debatable, but adopting an `illusion model` to leading makes leaders more adaptable to the variables and realities of human behaviour.

Leadership is a deep subject. There are many models that provide a framework for leaders to operate from. However, the real test lies in having the ability to move beyond the frameworks and operate real time amidst the complexity that people create.

Great leadership hardly flows from one's technical expertise. The technique to handle people rises way above technical skills. The best part about technical skills is its relatively static nature, but people throw up variables which can surprise the most competent leader in the world. The leader of course must display decent technical skills to earn the respect of his team, but it is people handling skills that tower above any other dynamics in a leadership role.

The toughest thing about handling people is that they cannot be conditioned beyond a certain timeframe. One of the great differences in training animals and people is that the former get conditioned and stay conditioned, whereas the latter have reasons to get conditioned, yet find ways to break free. Animals are instinctive; so when the instinct is reined in, they give in, but people carry instincts along with a host of ohere emotional dynamics like ego, rationality, sensitivity, aspiration, etc.

A leader has to deal with all this, besides his own personality, complexes and complexities. A leader must possess great self-awareness and also have the ability to navigate through complex personalities in his team. Unlike animals, who, once trained, revel in being obedient, human beings can break off long-held relationships in a matter of minutes. This could result from a bad experience, a misunderstood communication or withering trust.

Human beings function from a complex set of factors and are governed by an abstract yet fundamental phenomenon called Consciousness. The nature of consciousness is such that it makes people oscillate between reality and illusion. A leader's great challenge is to grasp this crucial dynamic in a team's psychology. People fundamentally don't like to be led, they like to lead. The team may perceive the leader's role to be illusory and their own perspectives to be real. This has a major bearing on how they behave and respond to a leader's presence and personality.

It is an interesting phenomenon that while the leader must grasp the illusory nature of his role to make it real for his people, many team members may operate from a `reality` that they can independently define their space and the leader can be `managed`. What is illusion and what is reality itself is debatable, but adopting an `illusion model` to leading makes leaders more adaptable to the variables and realities of human behaviour.

Context plays a very critical role in a leader's life. With diminishing age for leadership positions in teh corporate world, the lack of experience can be made up only through well-built perspectives and a spiritual-intellectual approach to the role. It will help leaders to internalise the ephemeral nature of life, which will play out in their interactions with team members. No behaviour or relationship is permanent and no emotional connection beyond reach.

A leader must work not just on his competencies, but also on his consciousness. A leader's life is defined by the extent of complexity he has to handle. Complexity can become overbearing and at times impossible to manage. It is therefore imperative for a leader to be both a learner as well as a meditator. He must not just meditate on leadership strategies, but also practice meditation as a habit, as that will create within him magnificent detachment combined with emotional engagement with his team. Meditation will help him balance the illusory and reality forces that will confront him frequently and substantially. Meditation will help him come to terms with the `illusion of reality` as well as the `reality of illusion`.

Elevating leadership to a level of consciousness will make the leader approach the role with spontaneity and tenacity. A leader must `belong` and not just `be`. For this, it is imperative that he masters the art of adapting to people's behaviors and their varying levels of consciousness. A leader therefore has to manage the `clash of consciousness` and not just the clash of temperaments.

The `Consciousness Leader` is the next step in the evolution of leadership in the 21^st century.

The Contemplative Calcuttan

The Contemplative Calcuttan

Kolkata prides itself on its arts, literature and culture. It has made slowness into a fine art of sorts, providing people that extra breathing space to contemplate on the finer and subtler aspects of living. In comparison to the fast-paced metros, it comes across as lazy and laid-back. But if we were to look at it from another perspective, what really have the so-called developed metros achieved in terms of lifestyle barring more stress and distress? Kolkata, at least on the outside, offers a picture of contemplation and a resolve to stay peaceful.

“Even the buildings seem to be in suspended animation,” I commented to my relatives as I stared outside from their seventh floor apartment in Kolkata. Every visit to the City of Joy makes you wonder at the reluctant pace at which the city is still coming to terms with liberalisation. As the nation commemorates twenty five years of liberalisation, Kolkata seems static and contented in its own space and time, as if liberalisation is fast spreading its tentacles in a far distant land.

The city though has not been able to escape the effects of liberalisation. There is visibly better infrastructure, more options for eating and entertainment. But it does not escape anyone's notice that the old Calcutta is still determined to hold on to its legacy – the rickety yellow Ambassador taxi, the still-reckless-though-broken mini bus, the slow-moving tram and the pioneering metro combine to put together a unique symphony of sorts. However, I did notice that hand-pulled rickshaws were out of sight.

Kolkata holds a special place in my life as I spent an impactful part of my childhood there. At a young age it deeply ingrained in me the impressions that stay with you for a lifetime. Every visit there fills me with nostalgia, memories and cravings for the only kind of sweets available on Planet Earth. Not to mention the amazing Bengali samosa (singada), puchka (gol gappa or pani puri for the rest of India, depending on where you live) and the `cutting chai` in the small earthen pot. And all these come at a cost which will make your jaws shake in `happy horror`.

A recent visit to Motilal Nehru Raod, where I spent two critical years of my life with my uncle's family, filled me with a sense of deep nostalgia. While a redeveloped building here and there had come up in the lane, memories sped back to my childhood as I saw youngsters from another generation play cricket with the same gusto that we did. I wondered if anything had changed at all. The lane, its people, the surroundings all seemed blissfully contented in occupying a space in time which seemed not just reluctant, but resistant to go the modern way.

Kolkata prides itself on its arts, literature and culture. It has made slowness into a fine art of sorts, providing people that extra breathing space to contemplate on the finer and subtler aspects of living. In comparison to the fast-paced metros, it comes across as lazy and laid-back. But if we were to look at it from another perspective, what really have the so-called developed metros achieved in terms of lifestyle barring more stress and distress? Kolkata, at least on the outside, offers a picture of contemplation and a resolve to stay peaceful.

The city it appears to me is resolute about maintaining its solitude. While the rest of the country is busy planning the next big economic move, Calcutta is taking measured steps towards globalisation. For the outsider, it invokes both curiosity as well as contempt for its `laziness`. The `progressive` Indian accuses it of economic backwardness and industrial unfriendliness. But has anyone bothered to ask the `Contemplative Calcuttan` whether he would be ready to impart training in the nuances of the Bengali language, Rabindra Sangeet and Satyajit Ray films? The enthusiasm with which they pursue activities contemplative and intellectually enriching has to be seen to be believed. It's important purely from an evolutionary perspective to not just give Calcutta the benefit of doubt, but also acknowledge the unique strengths it offers to the Indian populace. The contribution of Bengalis to the national creative space is outstanding to say the least.

Oh! Calcutta, I know the `wrath of time` will with each passing day challenge your stubbornness to remain traditional and lure you into `development`, as can be seen from the way classical homes are getting clouded by the presence of modern buildings, but may you remain steadfast in holding on to what India and humanity need to preserve in your bosom. May you acquire only those modern traits that will uplift human consciousness and not increase human cravings.

The Contemplative Calcuttan after all epitomises not just the nature of a city and its people, it also offers hope of escapism into a zone of consciousness which connects you to `everything within the nothing`.

The Contemplative Calcuttan

The Contemplative Calcuttan

Kolkata prides itself on its arts, literature and culture. It has made slowness into a fine art of sorts, providing people that extra breathing space to contemplate on the finer and subtler aspects of living. In comparison to the fast-paced metros, it comes across as lazy and laid-back. But if we were to look at it from another perspective, what really have the so-called developed metros achieved in terms of lifestyle barring more stress and distress? Kolkata, at least on the outside, offers a picture of contemplation and a resolve to stay peaceful.

“Even the buildings seem to be in suspended animation,” I commented to my relatives as I stared outside from their seventh floor apartment in Kolkata. Every visit to the City of Joy makes you wonder at the reluctant pace at which the city is still coming to terms with liberalisation. As the nation commemorates twenty five years of liberalisation, Kolkata seems static and contented in its own space and time, as if liberalisation is fast spreading its tentacles in a far distant land.

The city though has not been able to escape the effects of liberalisation. There is visibly better infrastructure, more options for eating and entertainment. But it does not escape anyone's notice that the old Calcutta is still determined to hold on to its legacy – the rickety yellow Ambassador taxi, the still-reckless-though-broken mini bus, the slow-moving tram and the pioneering metro combine to put together a unique symphony of sorts. However, I did notice that hand-pulled rickshaws were out of sight.

Kolkata holds a special place in my life as I spent an impactful part of my childhood there. At a young age it deeply ingrained in me the impressions that stay with you for a lifetime. Every visit there fills me with nostalgia, memories and cravings for the only kind of sweets available on Planet Earth. Not to mention the amazing Bengali samosa (singada), puchka (gol gappa or pani puri for the rest of India, depending on where you live) and the `cutting chai` in the small earthen pot. And all these come at a cost which will make your jaws shake in `happy horror`.

A recent visit to Motilal Nehru Raod, where I spent two critical years of my life with my uncle's family, filled me with a sense of deep nostalgia. While a redeveloped building here and there had come up in the lane, memories sped back to my childhood as I saw youngsters from another generation play cricket with the same gusto that we did. I wondered if anything had changed at all. The lane, its people, the surroundings all seemed blissfully contented in occupying a space in time which seemed not just reluctant, but resistant to go the modern way.

Kolkata prides itself on its arts, literature and culture. It has made slowness into a fine art of sorts, providing people that extra breathing space to contemplate on the finer and subtler aspects of living. In comparison to the fast-paced metros, it comes across as lazy and laid-back. But if we were to look at it from another perspective, what really have the so-called developed metros achieved in terms of lifestyle barring more stress and distress? Kolkata, at least on the outside, offers a picture of contemplation and a resolve to stay peaceful.

The city it appears to me is resolute about maintaining its solitude. While the rest of the country is busy planning the next big economic move, Calcutta is taking measured steps towards globalisation. For the outsider, it invokes both curiosity as well as contempt for its `laziness`. The `progressive` Indian accuses it of economic backwardness and industrial unfriendliness. But has anyone bothered to ask the `Contemplative Calcuttan` whether he would be ready to impart training in the nuances of the Bengali language, Rabindra Sangeet and Satyajit Ray films? The enthusiasm with which they pursue activities contemplative and intellectually enriching has to be seen to be believed. It's important purely from an evolutionary perspective to not just give Calcutta the benefit of doubt, but also acknowledge the unique strengths it offers to the Indian populace. The contribution of Bengalis to the national creative space is outstanding to say the least.

Oh! Calcutta, I know the `wrath of time` will with each passing day challenge your stubbornness to remain traditional and lure you into `development`, as can be seen from the way classical homes are getting clouded by the presence of modern buildings, but may you remain steadfast in holding on to what India and humanity need to preserve in your bosom. May you acquire only those modern traits that will uplift human consciousness and not increase human cravings.

The Contemplative Calcuttan after all epitomises not just the nature of a city and its people, it also offers hope of escapism into a zone of consciousness which connects you to `everything within the nothing`.