A special calling to serve nation

The words from the historic Gettysburg address of Abraham Lincoln, that will forever remain etched in my memory are "… that these dead shall not have died in vain." Lincoln goes on to say that democracy is a government "of the people, by the people, for the people," and adds that, "the United States is a nation conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." The anxiety that Lincoln felt was not very different from what many of us feel, when we remember the sacrifices made by freedom fighters during the struggle for India's independence. One feels indeed disappointed, if not depressed, when one sees the manner in which modern youth, especially those belonging to the affluent sections, have succumbed to the temptations offered by the materialistic ambience, with qualities such as patriotism taking a backseat. So much for granted do they take the advantages that have accrued from seventy five years of growth and development of the country's economy and socio-economic paradigm that one is often reminded of that American folk song, "when will they ever learn."

Abraham Lincoln, it will be recalled, was born to illiterate parents and had a rough childhood. The family was so poor that Lincoln's father needed him to work, and when he wanted to learn, he had to borrow books. Which is probably why, even after he had risen to the high office of the President of the most powerful nation of the world, he continued with simple habits such as polishing his own shoes. The story goes that when a friend asked him why he was polishing his own shoes, Lincoln retorted, "whose shoes do you polish my friend?"

The history of India's struggle for freedom is replete with instances of untold sacrifices made by our forefathers. What better example of that breed than of Mahatma Gandhi, who grew up in a poor family in Porbandar of Gujarat? As a matter of fact, his brother and his family had to contribute for his education. The rest, as it is said, is history!

Elsewhere in the world, we have the shining example of Nelson Mandela, who grew up in a hut in Transkei village and had to struggle for everything from education to life under apartheid, apart from being jailed several times, before coming to be known throughout the world as the greatest African of the 20th century.

Fortunately, even in the dog-eat-dog world in which we now live, honest and public spirited leaders, although a threatened species, are not quite extinct yet. One recalls. In that context, person of that genre, whose life and times will, forever, serve as a beacon light to modern youth, was the unforgettable Lal Bahadur Shastri, who had a regrettably short tenure as Prime Minister of India, tragically brought to an abrupt end, by his sudden demise, while at Tashkent, Uzbekistan, for peace talks with the President of Pakistan.

The family in which Shastri was born was so poor that he had to swim across river Ganges to and from school as he could not afford the ferry ride. He cut short his education to join the freedom struggle and cultivated an approach so liberal as to drop his surname Srivastav which was associated with his caste. Known for his impeccable integrity and total disregard for the perks of office, he belonged to a rare breed of political leaders. He resigned from the post of railway minister twice, on a matter of principle when train accidents took place. So strong was the moral ground upon which Shastri stood that, on the second occasion, Nehru had to acquiesce much against his wishes. He was also known for giving to the nation the famous slogan "Jai jawan, Jai kisan." So humane was his approach that he was the first leader to cause jets of water rather than lathis to be used in law and order situations to disperse crowds.

Another great Indian, who was in particular a great inspiration for children, wasA P J Abdul Kalam. Born in abject poverty to a fisherman family, where the elders had to struggle hard to make both ends meet he never let the circumstances dim his ambition to rise in life and serve the country, studying under street lights as his house had no electricity.

There are, on the other hand, several cases in history, of persons who had a childhood that was not merely comfortable but almost luxurious, who chose, out of a spirit of patriotism and devotion to the welfare of fellow countrymen, an arduous and demanding career in politics.

One such case was that of Jawaharlal Nehru, who was, almost quite literally, born with a silver spoon in his mouth. With a swimming pool and a tennis court on the house premises, he led a lavish life as a child. He was also sent to the most prestigious institutions, such as Eaton and Trinity College, Cambridge, for his education. He could have chosen to continue to live a life of comfort. The call of service to the nation, however, proved to be so powerful that he sacrificed his style of life to join Gandhili's freedom movement.

John F Kennedy, the youngest ever president of United States, who made history with the aplomb and courage which he displayed during the Cuban crisis, also came from a long lineage of wealthy and politically successful families. But, drawn by the lure of service to the motherland, he joined the Navy along with other youth of his time, and then entered the exacting and thankless arena of politics.

Little wonder, then, that freedom fighters of yore lament the position in which the country is today, and feel sad about how different it is from what they were hoping it to be. Take, for instance, the case of octogenarian freedom fighter Captain S S Yadav, who had served in the Azad Hind Fauj of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. In a recent interview to a newspaper, he felt that while the country has progressed a lot, corruption also increased exponentially. He even went to the extent of saying that he felt ashamed when youngsters asked him if he fought for freedom to provide them such a corrupt system. The sentiments expressed by another octogenarian Prathima Kaushik, who had spent time in jail during the freedom struggle, singing, patriotic songs with hopes for a free India, are also similar. She feels that the people of the country have failed to understand the true meaning of 'Azadi,' and that corruption and backstabbing are widespread malaise today. She wonders whether she did not make a mistake in fighting for the nation.

It would, therefore, appear that the ambience in which one was brought up as a child is largely irrelevant as seen from the lives and times of great persons. Clearly, it is the burning desire to serve one's country, and take part in the task of nation-building that sifts the chaff from the grain and separates great people from those who are merely good.

My parents suffered the tragic misfortune of losing several children in early infancy. Seven, as a matter of fact, out of the ten that my mother gave birth to. I was not only the 10th, but was also born, prematurely, and survived miraculously only because of the extraordinary care taken by my mother and her doctor-brother. Apart from that, several pilgrimages and invocations to many deities had preceded my becoming a normal baby, about three months after birth. I still recall, with much amusement, my father lamenting about me, in later years, that so much effort had resulted in such colossal disappointment! My father would, no doubt, was consoling himself by remembering the spirit of the Sanskrit adage "pandita putra paramasuntaha" meaning that learned men often beget stupid children!

(The writer is formerlyChief Secretary, Government of Andhra Pradesh)