Obligation

At the installation ceremony of Samraat Club Bori, the Chief Guest, Sharmad Raiturkar shared a valuable experience. He had initiated an activity during a meeting of his team. Members were handed a piece of paper. They were asked to list out what they could contribute to the desired transformation in the country.

The writings were collected and then read out aloud. There were suggestions for bureaucrats, for politicians, for society, for law makers, for law enforcers, for teachers, for students, for the younger generation, so on and so forth. There was no professed commitment by any writer. There were declarations of expectations. There were no declarations of obligation!

Most of us can diagnose and prescribe solutions. There are very few who move on to implement the same remedy as a personal initiative. Even when asked to suggest our personal contribution, we shift onus away from self and avoid the obligation that is to be addressed. We find advice easy to give but find commitments tough to make.

We avoid obligation as we insist on expectations only of others. We too belong to the same circle of expectation. We may or may not be part of the problem but we can always be part of the solution. We are entitled to have expectations of all role-players and stakeholders, but our obligation should rise from the same expectation.

It is in our interest to back the change we seek. Mahatma Gandhi said it so well, ‘Be the change you want to see in the world.’ Expectations to contribute to the change must start with us by making the commitment from a sense of obligation. It is all about taking onus for the situation and contributing to the desired change.

If it is to be… for every expectation
It is up to me to see my obligation!

~ Pravin Sabnis

Many Parts

I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano - a stage where every man must play a part. And mine a sad one - Antonio in Shakespeare’s ‘The Merchant of Venice’ Gratiano responds to say ‘Let me play the fool.’ 

Most of us choose to play a single part and it defines the script of our life. Some choose to play many parts and that is, both, tough and fulfilling. One such person, Dr. Sanvlo Quenim would be entering into his centennial year today! He passed away in 2000 but remains alive in the memories of many. He was able to influence and inspire many because he played many a part. And he played each part well.

As a Doctor, he schooled in French, Latin and Portuguese. He had mastery over Konkani, Marathi and other languages. As a Doctor he made a difference by his expertise as well as his sensitivity. He would reach out to distant villages to visit his patients as well as home was his busy clinic. Most patients could not afford to pay his fees and some even borrowed money from him to buy medicines.

He was a multifaceted personality: a sketch artist, tabla-player, orator, singer and actor. He enthralled audiences with all his talents, especially in dramas. He went on to be the vice-chairman of Kala Academy in its formative years. His ‘prescriptions’ worked wonders to create a world class institution that promotes art and culture. He was proactively involved in many initiatives, positions and teams.

We have the potential to play many parts. But, we choose to focus on one so that we play a good part. Dr Sanvlo Quenim showed that one can play many parts well too. Though he did not accumulate wealth, he was able to lead a full life. He fulfilled his family obligations, professional duties as well as found stage for his creative talents and leadership qualities. He played many parts. And they were happy ones!

Playing a lone part is oft a sad one…
many parts lead to truly happy ones!

~ Pravin Sabnis

Resolve

Various movements in India have marched to the determined chorus of the anthem – ‘hum honge kamyaab’… in fact there are many versions in different languages of India… Everyone seems to know the song but few know the author… In fact, very few know that originally it is not a Hindi lyric… it is an English verse!

The song ‘We shall overcome’ became popular in the US civil rights movement. It is believed to be derived from a hymn penned by Reverend Charles Tindley in the early 1900s. Martin Luther King used it in his oratory. Joan Baez, Bruce Springsteen and many other singers lent voice to it. Nations across the globe created versions in many languages.

However, it isn’t enough to sing ‘we shall overcome’. Resolutions have to move beyond internal resolve into aligned actions. Resolves may turn a shifty virtue that changes with situation. They may be oft sacrificed at the altar of selfishness. We must be spot on in our resolves to be consistent and steady in its implementation.

We tend to rein in resolve by succumbing to motives. We must overcome the circle of self-centredness and look beyond to the larger perspective. Very simply, we must overcome hate, greed and injustice of all sorts. The path to wishful positivity is filled with toil, self-doubt, seclusion and even defeat. But we shall overcome, someday!

Yes we can and we will overcome one day…
if we commit to the spot-on resolve today!

~ Pravin Sabnis

Sarvodaya

Last Saturday, I was at the Installation Ceremony of the new Board of Samraat Club Curchorem. The event was in the hall of a school called Sarvodaya. A colleague asked me for the meaning. It was used by Mahatma Gandhi as the title of his 1908 translation of John Ruskin's tract on political economy, Unto This Last. Gandhi came to use the term for the ideal of his own political philosophy.

The word has two roots: sarva (all) and udaya (uplift)… literally meaning the uplift of all or the welfare of all. Ruskin's outlook extended from three central tenets: (1) the good of the individual is contained in the good of all. (2) a lawyer's work has the same value as the barber's in as much as all have the same right of earning their livelihood from their work. (3) a life of labour is a life worth living.

Incidentally, many centuries before, Buddha had spoken about the same approach as ‘Bahujan Hitay, Bahujan Sukhay’ (in the interest of all, in the happiness of all). It is a useful compass for all of us who work in organisations that strive for making a positive impact on and with the people of the world.

Of course, we must start with the people around. We must extend regard and respect for everyone we meet. We must recognise the dignity in labour and participate in it. We must value every human being and recognise that equality comes about only when we are all uplifted to the same plane of self-respect. When we rise together, we truly rise!

Together we can rise, together we should
Sarvodaya is about the common good…

~ Pravin Sabnis

Accident

Here is an anecdote which I share while addressing Parents: Two young boys were on a bike on an early Sunday morning. The road had hardly any traffic. However, the bike went out of control and hit a lamppost placed on the centreline divider. I ask the audience, ‘Who is responsible for the death of the youth?’

Some blame the rider for riding rashly; some blame the parents who gifted the bike. Others blame the lamppost, the road, the bike, the government and other factors. I point out that I had been through worse bangs on three occasions and happily I survived all of them. Sadly the two young men did not survive their first accident.

So often, we want to fix blame for something that could be just an accident. An accident can leave you dead, paralysed, with a few hurts or without any scratches. Simple ones can be fatal and complicated ones can be sans pain or stain. After all, accidents are incidents that happen unexpectedly and unintentionally.

Of course, crashes could have a cause. And while it is good to learn from an accident, it can be insensitive to insist on fixing onus, especially in cases which do not really involve us. Every occurrence may not require identification of a culprit. Chance and circumstance are possible factors too.

Often there are mishaps without any apparent or deliberate cause. They are just accidents. If they have nil or minimum damage: we may not get into an over critical judgemental approach. Yes we can and we should learn from the experience and that is about being developmental. That’s when we can truly move on!

Blame game restricts to being over judgemental
Accidents should lead to lessons developmental

~ Pravin Sabnis