Independent India is 75. Our tryst with destiny has reached an important milestone. We have celebrated this with a till now best medal tally in the Olympics. And the Gold in Athletics caps it. Amrit Mahotsav, then, has well begun. But the path ahead calls for some rethinking. And sports can offer some valuable lessons. We need to develop sportsman spirit in public life. Learning to work together and gel as a team is something we still find difficult. We need to perform to the best of our ability with the purest of intentions. A lesson that people in politics need to learn. Winning is important but playing fairly is more important. Winning should be an objective but not winning at all costs. There was a time when India was a rich and prosperous civilisation. A world leader in many respects. It was a knowledge society with global centres of excellence like Takshila and Nalanda. We were into global business much before the fancy jargon globalisation was coined. We had the world’s first democracy, in Licchavi of Vaishali. Ancient India was a marvel. Where did we go wrong? As we prepare to celebrate the yearlong Amrit Mahotsav, we need to ponder why we faltered. The golden bird lost its shine in the medieval. We need to think why? Our sports persons have done us proud, and the credit goes only to them. What about the rest? Are we playing our game fairly? The question needs to be answered. Finding India’s place in the world order is not only about coining slogans or taking credit. Loquaciousness is something we are known for. But talking big doesn’t give results. Doing big should be on agenda. It’s amazing what you can achieve if you don’t care who gets the credit. But we are typically concerned about the credit. Let this be a year of introspection to find what we have done rather than pointing out how others have fared. India has the potential to be the world leader it was. Only we need that same character that we had. Every Indian has to play a role in nation building but for that, his involvement has to be ensured. That is where democracies are important. A system where every citizen thinks he is a part. A democracy is not just about people talking. It is more about governments listening. This motivates people to contribute their best. If a citizen is feels insecure his involvement in nation building will be half-hearted. Over the years we have seen a trust deficit society, low on camaraderie. It reminds of the British days when any disagreement with government was disaffection. As we await Ram temple at Ayodhya let’s remember what Lord Ram stood for. The comment of an ordinary citizen made Him send his wife to exile because he thought it was demand of Raj Dharma. To take India to the same old glorious heights of Ram Rajya days we must first build a values driven society, based on ethical principles rather than personal convenience. A society where right, and not might rules. A society which not only glorifies the victorious but also respects the vanquished. That is the kind of culture we need to build if we want India to be Vishwa Guru. To quote Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of modern Olympic games: “Important thing in Olympics is not to win but to take part, the essential thing is not to have conquered but fought well.”

Pathak is a professor of management, writer, and an acclaimed public speaker. He can be reached at ppathak.ism@gmail.com