My parents as my role models

I have recently started reading Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power Within India by Dr A P J Abdul Kalam. It is the third book by him, after Wings of Fire: An Autobiography and India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium. It is a highly motivating and inspirational book for anyone wanting to gain a deeper perspective into how we can all work towards a better, more prosperous and developed India.

One of the themes in the book that struck me was the importance of parents and elementary school teachers as role models for a growing-up child. Kalam's vivid descriptions took me down the memory lane into my own childhood. Many of you will remember the message about Mahatma Gandhi that used to be aired on Doordarshan: "The greatness of this man was his simplicity... Let us try and discover the Gandhi in ourselves". In a sense, I saw my father as the one I wanted to be like; I have always admired his simplicity and his ability to look at things unbiased, without taking sides in any way. From him, I have learnt how you can be open to new ideas, cultures and thoughts, without forgetting your roots. Here, I am reminded of a quote by Gandhiji: "You must open the windows of your mind, but you must not be swept off your feet by the breeze".

Coming to my mother, she is one of the most wonderful and the most important persons in my life (sure, as any "Mamma's boy" will say!). One of the most important qualities which I have imbibed from her is discipline. Discipline has brought an order in my life, one that makes my management tasks at my workplace much easier. Another valuable lesson I have learnt from her is adherence to ethics and moral values. This has helped me a lot in taking a clear stand in many difficult situations. In fact, these are the things I value the most, much more than any material possessions (not in that hardcore philosophical sense!).

Okay, I think I've talked enough... Time to move on :-)