In search of “Power within”

 

In search of ‘Power within’

I met with Dr. Anirban Ganguly, head of S.P Mukharjee foundation few days back at his office in 9, Ashoka Road. Incidentally he did his PhD from my Alma matter, Jadavpur University. This year he lost LS election to Sayani Ghosh of TMC from Jadavpur constituency. Few days back I received a WhatsApp message inviting me to join on an introduction of a book titled “Power within” the leadership legacy of Narendra Modi.  The author himself will talk on his experience about writing of the bok, and there will be subsequent analysis by few luminaries from education fraternity. 

There was a mention of high tea before start of the function. Throughout my career I played role more of a follower rather than a leader. And for last four years playing the role of house-husband, the zeal for becoming a leader is the bottommost on my priority list. 

The venue of the function is in the Annexe building of India International centre, a stone’s throw from Lodi garden. So a small walk is also possible in the garden, whose beauty blossoms many folds during monsoon. My trip from home started in the morning. First half gone for a visit to newly opened museum at Humayun’s Tomb complex followed by a sumptuous lunch at India Habitat centre restaurant accompanied with two of my classmates. 

I was too tired to have my usual walk in the

circular walkway around the Lodi garden. Instead I choose to sit in a bench and observe the thin crowd nearby. I found a Muslim family

coming with two plastic sheets in search of a comparatively dry area to sit. The ladies were carrying big tiffin carriers. Finally the family settled down in ground and start eating food and chatting among them with occasional laugh which I could hear from a distance. At another place in the sprawling lawn,

two young girls reading books in the most scenic surroundings. I found a young couple

comfortably sitting in the arched shaped window of Sultanate era Bada Gumbaj taking photo of each other. A family came with their grownup daughter.

Father got himself engaged in taking photo of her daughter who was clad in nice yellow dress, posing in various angles in the background of massive 600 year old structure. The fresh ambiance after the rain tempted squirrels and doves to roam around on the grassland in search of food. 

After allowing my aching legs a bit rest, for an hour or so I came to the nearby IIC seminar room. Outside there was a big rush for samosa and biscuits accompanied by tea and coffee. Lot of press people were present. Press is the pressing need to make mass awareness of the book. Surprisingly there was a big audience from zen Z and X. For couple of years I noticed increasing participation of youth be it drama show or music festival or in art galleries. I have seen in  many occasions youngsters distributing leaflets in the road for coming drama shows, to increase viewership. It was not the practice even a decade ago. The vibrant youth are the backbone of India. It is good to see that apart from studies there is a growing interest among them in all spheres. 

Discussions of the book started with four people in the Dias including the author.

My fiercest enemy can’t blame me as a Modi-bhakt. It was my curiosity to know how he got enormous popularity among people of India, has brought me here.

Also when you know the opponent’s strong points, you arm yourself to tackle those points! Mr. Ganguly as chairman of SP foundation delivered the first speech including author and other panelist and of course showering generous compliments for demigod qualities of Mr. Modi.

He summed up by saying that Mr. Modi has a ‘helicopter’ view on everything. He gave an example that all PM knew about the Kashmir issue, some tried to push it to UN, some by changing government but none dare to take the issue head on by abrogating Article 370, but carefully avoided the present unrest and not able to hold election even with PM’s Midas touch. 

The author of the book Dr. R Balu is a physician turned public policy expert and a follower of Swami Vivekananda. As a young doctor working in remote villages of Bandipore area in Karnataka, he felt public health is poor in absence of public administration. He wrote nine books before embarking on the epic journey of writing a book on PM who has become the most talked about figure in contemporary India. He talked about Panchatantra, Bhagwat Gita and upanishad, all these three epics are deep routed to shape Indian mentality. He said Bhagwat Gita was written based on failure of Arjun to rise for the occasion. Then he asked the audience to raise hand how many have read those books. Surprisingly not a single hand was raised! I thought failure of raising hand will become a success story for the book! He emphasised the point that Mr. Modi chalked out a vision for India till 2047, which only a visionary leader can think of. My skeptical view raised some unwelcome questions like, the way the fast changing world scenario with progress of science and technology, how a country can choose its rightful path for future 25 years. Course correction is required every now and then based on dynamic international relationships. The great example is Bangladesh where india gone an extra mile to have increasing friendship for past ten years suddenly got a jolt. Dr. Balu narrated that during the book lunch, where Mr. Modi was present, while addressing the audience told that he expects that thousand more leaders will come out, getting inspiration from the book. Dr.. Balu mentioned that when Mr. Modi first became CM of Gujrat, he spend entire one and half month to understand the bureaucratic function, before really start exercising his power. He praised Indian democratic legacy in the backdrop of current Bangladesh unrest. He pointed out to a person who was sitting in my row, who is back from Bangladesh only yesterday. Later on I talked to him. He was an employee of ICCR and posted at Indira Gandhi Cultural Center in Dhaka.

The entire building was burnt down by agitating youths who set fire the building, immediately after Hasina resigned and left for India. 

Next in line was Mr. Vempati, an exemployee of Infosys, who, out from nowhere became the CEO of government run Prasar Bharati.

‘Prasar’ and ‘Prachar’ are the two sides of a coin and definitely his forte and he did that job with great competence. He said the book has been wide acclaimed in intellectual fraternity abroad and strongly urged that the book must be a part of curriculum in top institutions like IIM, IIT. He also mentioned the name of JNU as well, as VC of JNU herself sitting in the dias. He also praised Mr. Modi as a relentless workaholic who works 18 hours a day. He said Mr. Modi’s approach is consultancy based governance with positive model of communication. According to me, Positive model is quite right as his speeches normally avoids any comments on negative happenings in the country. 

Lastly Madam VC of JNU, Santishree Dulipudi Pandit came to talk. At a first glacé I find her resemblance with ex Tamilnadu CM Jayalalita. She joking said, in this world of ‘ladies first’, she became the last speaker here. She reminded that in india ladies always demanded high esteem as Goddess Durga, Laxmi and Saraswati hold the three most important portfolios which are most dominant for a person to prosper. She said that even Indian names such as Umapati Laxmipati, prefix with ladies name. She said our education is culmination of deep rooted culture of India. She proudly said that in the so-called left bastion of JNU, she installed the statue of some great ancient scholar without single protest from left wing student outfit. 

The program ended with vote of thanks and author busy in obliging signing in the book who bought it from counter at a cost of five hundred rupees.

Before leaving I was debating myself about which would have more appeal to Indian literate masses, the book or vocal tonic in ‘mon ki bat’ program!

Debadatta 

13/08/24