What does “winning” mean to you? Before going into that, let me congratulate the ”India Today” group for choosing this topic as their theme for the India today conclave 2014 which is going to be held in New Delhi on March 7th, 2014.
Every one of us wants to be a winner. The strictest dictionary meaning of “winning” would be ” the act of one that wins ; victory. ” The world we live in is mostly tribal in nature. It’s views sway with the majority’s views, rather than being individualistic. It looks at people as winners only if they have touched the winning ribbon at the end of the race. It applauds athletes, politicians, writers, cricketers, prime ministers and actors by the hits they have given and not by the content they have delivered. At the end of the day, their arithmetic must add up to be the highest among their equals. If not they would be termed as losers. That is what the world thinks.
But, I beg to differ. The world now is a different ball of universe. It doesn’t need winners of this sort. I quote Dalai lama here, “ The world doesn’t need more ‘successful people.’ The world desperately needs more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers and lovers of all kinds.”
The winning euphoria has caused nations to be at war with each other for several decades. I know some Berlin walls might have been broken but those are just stray incidents. Several nations are sitting on the nuclear bomb, waiting to press a disastrous button. All this, for nothing but, winning against a meek nation. Winning has caused several football club managers to be raised on to the roof and others thrown in the streets. Winning, for sports has caused some sports to be held like a new-born child and other sports thrown away as orphans. There are winners in each sport, which the world fails to see and acknowledge.
This sort of winning has caused politicians to throw mud against each other, in the race to an election, in which the so-called winner would be decided. Will the voter be the winner? This is yet to be seen in any election.
The student in India is decided, by the tabulated report card, duly stamped after each semester. At the end of the year, his performance is decided by his score on hundred. His mindset, his parent’s mindset, his relative’s mindset, the society’s mindset are only on this rectangular report card and not on the knowledge he has gained or learnt in school. The knowledge here is just transferred from the teacher to the student. It is not shared. There is a big difference between the two. He may be a winner after all these calculations, but will he be a performer, is a big question mark.
The world has so many religions, all vying against each other for the top slot. Are the followers peaceful? It is a big question which needs an answer.
For me, winning would be, moving away from the ordinary, trying new things, failing several times, learning, not pretending to know every answer under the sun, communicating and sharing knowledge. Winning for me would be to respect the divinity in each person, irrespective of his cast, color or creed. Winning for me would be to see students graduating from colleges with practical knowledge and confidence, which they can use in liberal doses in real life situations.
Winning for me would be, to see gentle politicians going about their task in a peaceful manner and accomplishing much more for their constituency, rather than engaging in petty fights to boost their party’s morale. Winning for me would be, to see Indians as united, not divided by caste, state, position or language. If a winner is moulded in such traits, then the world and India would see a different winner each time. His vision would not be to conquer but to share. His vision would be to give and then take. His vision would be to ” humanize” the process of creation and not “robotize” it.
The world will be very happy for such winners and I will be so happy to see them too. Thank You.
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