Life
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Thiruvananthapuram
Stumbling block as a stepping stone
An inspiration
IS INDIA shining? For how long has it been shining? Or, is it just a myth, a poll gimmick indulged in by our rulers? Opinions may differ but this sprightly "young man and he will say that India has been shining for long. This citizen is amazingly active for his 70 plus years.
M.K. Rao, who spent several years with TELCO, Jamshedpur, and has another role as a Member of the Film Censor Board, has been motivating young students in Bangalore and other towns in this area as part of his post-retirement activities.
Among the factor that have made India great, despite its many black spots, is the fact that it never invaded another country in the past several centuries, says Mr. Rao.
India invented the zero and changed mathematics, established what might have been the first university in 700 BC and Sanskrit is considered the mother of all European languages, according to many. "Though today's images of India show poverty and underdevelopment, it was among the richer nations till the Western colonists came in the 17th century,'' he says.
Ancient history is not all that Mr. Rao talks to students about. He also gives several examples of great persons, faced with early failures, overcoming them with perseverance and becoming great successes.
Before becoming the President of the United States at the age of 52, Abraham Lincoln failed in business, lost elections, and had nervous breakdown.
"Young cartoonist, Walt Disney, faced many rejections before creating Mickey Mouse, the cartoon character which has a lasting appeal. Thomas Edison was considered a slow learner in school. A New York Times editorial in December 1903 questioned the wisdom of the Wright Brothers trying to invent a machine heavier than air, that could fly. Henry Ford forgot to include the reverse gear in the first car he made,'' Mr. Rao tells the students.
Setbacks are inevitable in life but they can act as a driving force and also teach us humility, he says. In disappointment, one can find courage and faith.
"Fear and doubt short-circuit the mind... ask yourself after every setback, what did I learn from this experience? You can then turn a stumbling block into a stepping stone,'' he says.
By K.S.
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Life
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Thiruvananthapuram
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