PERSONAL ANTHEM

150 years after his birth, Rabindranath Tagore’s legacy as a poet, novelist, musician, and playwright continues to inspire… as does his poem - ‘where the mind is without fear and the head is held high’. While the entire poem is inspirational, the first line articulates the apt vision for a nation and its citizens.

In the film Sholay, Gabbar Singh said the immortal lines, ‘jo dar gaya, samjho mar gaya’ (fear is death). Our fears are part of the conditioning that we are subjected to since our childhood. Gandhi described fears as creative imagination. They grow to a magnitude that blurs our sense of perception. We must overcome these fears to be unfettered in our flight to newer horizons!

So often we indulge in plastic pride. While arrogance is self-defeating, true self-respect and self-esteem are the psychological foundations for the progress of every personality. They empower individual initiative and help fulfill dreams. ‘Head held high’ also refers to looking ahead to the vision that beckons.

We sing the national anthem that Tagore wrote. However we may have been a better citizenry and a better nation if we were to regularly recite and enthusiastically embrace the words of ‘where the mind is without fear’. Surely, it is an empowering anthem and it would be better if each of us chose it as our guiding lighthouse… as our personal anthem.

Overcoming fears and enhancing self esteem, we find

is the way to BE BETTER at empowering every mind!

- Pravin K. Sabnis