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Some Memorable Geniuses and Other Notables

By UTPAL Chatterjee

ARE WE MOVING AHEAD?
You could well call that the proverbial million-dollar question. Indeed, even as the geniuses and prodigies in every field ranging from Literature to Science and Technology are busy turning positive energy to great hopes, negativity persists. The ways and means of creative imagination, though mysterious, have resulted in stupefying achievements for man. Even after four and a half centuries, they are still discovering new facets in the Literary great, Shakespeare. You discover the newer scope for thought as you read and re-read Tagore. And, then coming to the present, you have the likes of Nobel Laureate, Sir Vidiya who will provide you plenty to think and re-think. Moving over to the world of Science and Technology, what more can be said of an Albert Einstein, who has been deemed the ultimate by some of his contemporaries and who, apart from his scientific genius, said a lot to make the rest of the world think. Imagine a Nelson Mandela, whose quote on hatred and bitterness says it all. Mother Teresa taught us to love till it hurt. Think of a Mikhail Gorbachev, who could chuck up his personal popularity in his country to change the course of European History (for all the right reasons), the second time after Napoleon Bonaparte. From the world of popular music, we have John Lennon and his take on “Happiness”. Among the achievers in the industrial world, we have our own J.R.D.Tata, arguably the greatest Indian I came across and got so close to “my friend “the inimitable Russi Mody, who was with the Tatas for 53 years. Sans doubt, he was the numero uno in Industrial Relations and MIT and Harvard Business School recognized him as such. Much, much more can be said about each and every one of these individuals who had done so much for others and, yet, in their own ways, were so simple, clean and even childlike. Why did I make a special mention of these greats? Simple! Among so many others like them, whose names could not be accommodated here, their efforts and achievements cannot be allowed to go waste. Yes, as we keep reading and listen to news about the dark forces and “negative energy”(manifested in so many senseless threats and killings) the world over, we can only hope for good to triumph over evil (as it would over COVID-19). Even as children, we were taught good always prevails. We can only hope and pray that the very essence of civilization will not be lost on the rest, especially the present-day powers that be. Left to ourselves, we the common people, must learn to be more pleasant, get rid of ego hassles and try and do whatever good we can in our own respective ways. We have had the most remarkable men showing us the way. Who chooses any other?

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