Mutual trust and self-restraint are the basis for happiness. There is a need to redefine the dimensions of individual happiness in the light of institutional and social happiness, said LBS National Academy of Administration director Sanjeev Chopra.
He was speaking as the chief guest at the valedictory session of short term training programme on higher education for happiness and well-being organised by the Faculty Development Centre (FDC), HNB Garhwal University, Srinagar for the teachers of universities and colleges under the Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya National Mission on Teachers and Teaching scheme of the Ministry of Human Resource Development.
He further stated that organisational and individual freedom are not contradictory. Rather, organisations are meant to maintain and ensure the individual freedom for each and every one, and consequently availing happiness through administered freedom.
Professor Ashok Vohra, former head of the Department of Philosophy, University of Delhi, speaking as the guest of honour on the occasion, enlightened the gathering on the complex subjects like happiness, contentment and freedom.
He further asserted that the measure of happiness may vary from individual to individual based on their specific situations, need and capability. Therefore, happiness cannot be measured by a universal parameter and henceforth the parameters of Global Happiness Index should be nation specific.
In her presidential address, the Garhwal University vice chancellor professor Annpurna Nautiyal stated that in the current era full of stress and depression, organising such a training programme for teachers is relevant and useful. She further stated that, although, happiness is the internal expression of individual, a person cannot be happy amidst lack of minimum resources. The FDC director professor Indoo Pandey Khanduri, while presenting the report of the programme informed that the participants were trained on different dimensions of happiness and well-being by 12 resource persons from 10 different higher education and research institutes from across the country in 33 hours divided into 24 periods. Twenty five participants participated in the programme.
