Right understanding rooted in spiritualism key to happiness: Rajasekhar

Bhubaneswar: What do you need to do to get lasting happiness?

It being the collective desire of humanity, people have been pursuing happiness in their own ways, but such bliss could be achieved through three entwined routes — professional, emotional and spiritual, Mr. C.Rajasekhar, Officer-on-Special Duty (States) in the Ministry of External Affairs, has said.

 “A right understanding rooted in spiritualism alone can put one at ease and in harmony with others,” Mr. Rajasekhar said while delivering the fifth SOA Fortnightly Academic Lecture (SOAFL) virtually on Saturday.

Pointing out that unless the basic human requisites of ‘roti, kapda and makaan’ were met human beings would continue to have a sub-human existence, he said it would be ‘both irrelevant and criminal to talk of happiness’ in such a situation.

While endeavouring to ensure fulfillment of these basic necessities, man aspired for professional excellence and satisfaction in what he did. Sharing his experience during his tenure in the Indian Embassy in Tokyo, Mr. Rajasekhar said it was amazing to see that after being devastated during the World War II, Japan rose to be in a position to organize the Olympics less than two decades after the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The civic sense of the Japanese and their sense of pride in putting their nation first was exemplary, he said while narrating an incident when a taxi driver decided to waive the fare at his own cost to uphold the image of his country as the passenger, a foreigner, did not have an idea of the exact location of his destination.

There was also an emotional angle to this pursuit as relationship with fellow human beings was of great importance, Mr. Rajasekhar said.

Citing the example of the much discussed race between a hare and a tortoise, he said instead of competition the focus should be on nurturing a spirit of cooperation to build each other up. “We can allow the weakness of someone to ride the strength of another to successfully complete the race of life,” he said.

Mr. Rajasekhar, who also served as India’s Ambassador to Cuba and as Director General of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), said in spite of fulfillment in other areas, lack of spiritual experience would still leave a void in life.

SOA Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ashok Kumar Mahapatra, faculty members and students attended the virtual lecture while Prof. Nachieketa K. Sharma, Director, University Outreach Programs, moderated the session conducted under the auspices of the SOA NSS Bureau and SOA Wellness Center.

Prof. Mahapatra distributed certificates of appreciation to NSS volunteers and Program Officers for attending the Pre-Republic Day Camp after the meeting.