Monday, April 30, 2007

Mr. Narayana Murthy and Sachin Tendulkar

We are in the habit of overplaying the non-issues and underplaying the serious issues which has a direct impact on the hoi polloi. The raging controversies involving the Infosys Chief mentor Shri Narayana Murthy and the Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar belong to such category of issues.

Both of them are towering personalities on their own. While Mr. Murthy is considered as the most respected 8th CEO of the world Mr. Tendulkar is a cricketer par excellence. Their contributions to their respective fields of specialisation are well documented and will make any Indian proud. There is not an iota of doubt as whether they are patriotic or not. In fact, they may be more patriotic and nationalist than perhaps many of us are. They have helped their motherland to hold her head high on a number of occasions and on innumerable counts. No one has any doubt on these counts. Every one is convinced of their integrity and the patriotic spirit and fervour. Despite convinced of their credentials some cynics are out to malign their image as though with a vengeance of rare nature.

This is not to justify their unjustifiable deeds having all the ingredients of an unpatriotic act. But then under such circumstances we must look at the protagonist and then judge whether they are capable of committing such un-Indian acts in an irrational manner. Instead, we chose to forget the reason and begin to make a mountain out of the mole-hill. We are suddenly not prepared to believe them. Conversely, we start casting aspersions and pelting stones at them with unusual zeal. We seek to underplay their human frailties and refuse to look at their feet of clay.

In case of Mr. Murthy and Mr. Tendulkar also it appears that we were more emotional in our judgment rather than being rational while judging their small misdemeanour for which they need not be verbally attacked so harshly. We must demonstrate a spirit of accommodativeness and willingness to accept the clarifications both of them have politely given and bury the hatchets so that we can use our energies for some other productive purposes.

Let us remember the famous words of the US essayist and Poet Ralph Walro Emerson’s words on patriotism “When a whole nation is roaring patriotism at the top of its voice, I am fain to explore the cleanness of its hands and purity of its heart.”

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