The age of youth
This week was all about Independence Day and the India story. I was very clear that I would not go to the luxury do’s to hoist the flag but instead to an orphanage at Matunga where one favourite friend Roshni Damania is benefactor and trustee. India has one of the youngest populations of the world and this is seen as our greatest asset and our most potent catalyst for change.
India can only garner this young population’s true potential if we ensure that every young Indian, regardless of their background, has access to quality education, healthcare, and opportunity without which it is meaningless! Which is why institutions like this are key to India’s future.
Their hopeful faces shouting out the national anthem as we struggled together to open the rope and unfurl the flag reflected the promise of our nation’s future. I returned with the feeling of hope, and promise to which I would want to contribute even more.
Amish’s love
Speaking of nurturing children brings me to an engaging talk moderated by Kaveree Bamzai with one of my favourite authors and friends, Amish. It made me feel that nurture is greatly formative in the growth of a child to the culmination of his/her adult personality and character. Nature, I feel, is of course what you’re born with, and nurture is what your parents give you and what you make of the opportunities life brings.
Amish bore this out well, as he acknowledged that a great part of his value system, character and personality that perhaps did him credit, he gratefully owed to his upbringing. He reminisced on the love and affection that wafted over his childhood through his parents - the firm traditional format of a Hindu family, the great influence that exposure to Swami Vivekananda’s works had upon him. It swerved him from a phase of atheism back to his roots. Education, as was sought by the elite of the times, emphasised the "Anglo" slant that equally exposed him to the much acclaimed English education - giving him a well-rounded persona comfortable in most milieus.
I enjoy the fact that he has so clearly understood that people over-criticised by their parents grow up with insecurities and inadequacies when there is too harsh parenting, and we often become empaths.
Amish shared a sneak peek about his latest documentary, which discovers love through Lord Krishna’s leelas, also referred to as his pastimes. The whole conversation came alive in the background of a much visible love that he has for his wife whom he married just this May 2023.
Attaining Shangrila
Eternal romance is definitely one way of attaining Shangri-La, but there is also Yoga breathing and Ayurvedic potions which were expansively displayed in a Wellness conference presented by Centre for Fair Business Practices or CFBP and its chairperson Sushil Kothari with hand-holding by Dr Mickey Mehta. Mickey Mehta is one of the most referred to wellness gurus today and CFBP appointed him as the ambassador and presenter for this show. As special guest for this along with today’s tour de force actor Manisha Koirala who has wowed millions as Malika Jaan of Heeramandi, wellness guru Luke Cutinho and homeopathic giant Dr Mukesh Batra - we lit the ceremonial lamp. The fun addition was the cake we cut on stage to celebrate Mickey’s forty successful years in the wellness industry.
Mickey reminisced warmly how as a young starter in this business he worked in public pools and stadia to teach and train today’s famous industrialists and Bollywood actors. From personal experience, I will share that he has always been generous with his guidance and knowledge and is unstinting in his urge to help everyone to a better state of health. Great karma, wouldn’t you say?
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