prasad1
Active member
The_Hindu :ARUNA SANKARANARAYANAN
What dictates your life choices? Trophies, awards, public recognition? Or a desire to excel, fuelled by passion?
Degrees, awards, honours, titles and Who’s Who lists occupy a pre-eminent position in the Indian psyche. While we prize accolades and flaunt laurels won by Indians, especially those bestowed by foreign hands, we define ‘success’ in very narrow terms. During a child’s scholastic career, success is synonymous with marks a student obtains. However, even in adulthood, we continue to place a premium on external indices. The number of zeroes in a person’s salary is directly proportional to a person’s status in our social hierarchy. ‘Success’ in our country is synonymous with public recognition, and, at times, even adulation. By thus paying tribute to achievement, we fail to nurture genuine passions and intrinsic drives. We motivate children to succeed by conventional standards, but do not necessarily inspire them to excel.
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Thus, youngsters who are at a fork road in their lives should extricate themselves from societal straitjackets that force them to select courses based on “what people will say.” Instead, students should reflect on their signature strengths and interests and pursue courses and careers that they find intrinsically fulfilling. Educators and parents also have to make a concerted effort to cultivate a conducive climate where students do not feel the need to ask, “What must we do to win a Nobel?”
The author is the Director, PRAYATNA.
What dictates your life choices? Trophies, awards, public recognition? Or a desire to excel, fuelled by passion?
Degrees, awards, honours, titles and Who’s Who lists occupy a pre-eminent position in the Indian psyche. While we prize accolades and flaunt laurels won by Indians, especially those bestowed by foreign hands, we define ‘success’ in very narrow terms. During a child’s scholastic career, success is synonymous with marks a student obtains. However, even in adulthood, we continue to place a premium on external indices. The number of zeroes in a person’s salary is directly proportional to a person’s status in our social hierarchy. ‘Success’ in our country is synonymous with public recognition, and, at times, even adulation. By thus paying tribute to achievement, we fail to nurture genuine passions and intrinsic drives. We motivate children to succeed by conventional standards, but do not necessarily inspire them to excel.
..........
Thus, youngsters who are at a fork road in their lives should extricate themselves from societal straitjackets that force them to select courses based on “what people will say.” Instead, students should reflect on their signature strengths and interests and pursue courses and careers that they find intrinsically fulfilling. Educators and parents also have to make a concerted effort to cultivate a conducive climate where students do not feel the need to ask, “What must we do to win a Nobel?”
The author is the Director, PRAYATNA.
