Persons, events and places that act as sources of inspiration for today’s youth

I shall now devote space in the next few pieces to make some suggestions which will hopefully be of some help to, not only to those preparing for fulfilling and rewarding careers, but also to add fullness and satisfaction to their lives.

Firstly, one needs to remember that, in the twenty minutes that an interview lasts, or the three hours or so that it takes to write an examination, one cannot be what one is not.

If only one can improve one's physical, intellectual and emotional equipment. All else will automatically follow. It is essential for a person to be emotionally stable, possess a fit body and a contemporary mind.

There is much that can be learned from the lives and times of great people such as Jesus Christ, Prophet Muhammed, Mahavira, Guru Nanak, Gautama Budha, Ramakrishna Parama Hamsa or Swamy Vivekananda.

Similarly, studying events that are heralded as seminal moments in the history of mankind can add great value to one's comprehension of contemporary issues.

There are also landmark moments that changed the course of the history of mankind world. Understanding the origin of such events is important in order to appreciate the causes of the problems which humanity is facing today.

Travelling to, and acquiring knowledge of places in the world, that have been home to defining moments in the story of civilisation, also helps develop a rounded personality.

Understanding the challenges mankind is facing today - especially in the shape of emerging concerns such as the adverse impact of climate change, threats to the safety of humanity caused by the degradation of natural resources such as land and water, compromising the integrity of the biosphere through harmful acts,

the looming threats of food/nutritional and financial insecurity and the absence of equity in the availability of and access to livelihood opportunities - is also very important for young persons to be able to gain focus and a sense of priorities.

Great works such on those of - Shakespeare, Milton, Chaucer, Homer, Dante, Byron, Keats and Shelley, the Kavitrayam (Nannayya, Tikkana and Yerrapragada) who translated the Mahabharat into Telugu, the Tirupati Venakata Kavulu the Tamil poet Subramanyabharati and Sharat Chandra the Bengali writer – also are valuable sources of enlightenment apart from being interesting.

Philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Euclid and Confucious have also left behind a treasure of knowledge and wisdom one needs to explore.

Holy Scriptures of different faiths such as the Bible (The Old and New Testaments), the Holy Quran and the Gurugrand Sahib are also worth reading for understanding the meaning of good and evil and the messages of peace, love and joy.

Mahavira the Saint of Jainism and Gautama Buddha the Founder of Buddhism have also bequeathed for today’s youth wise and enlightening preachings for our youth to derive inspiration from.

Similarly the Gulistan of Saadi the great poet – a book that is regarded by the Parsis as a religious scripture – is replete with pearls of wisdom and experience.

Lastly, we need to remember that the central theme of all sources of wisdom is to remind us that the poor man, children, women and the challenged are the raison d'être for our very existence – it is they whom we all exist to serve.

As Pupul Jayakar that says in her biography of Indira Gandhi, the oppressed the victims of exploitation and neglect, have so far only the "freedom to suffer". They need true freedom, and it is up to us, the more fortunate, to ensure that they get it.