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Aug 26, 2025
Shail Derashri

Reimagining Bharat's Path to Being a Vishwaguru

Close your eyes. Picture Ancient India. A vivid picture of leadership. A realm of legendary kings and queens. Not born to a gilded cage, but forged in the fires of knowledge and courage. Kings and queens were not just rulers by birthright; they were polymaths, masters of mind and spirit, adept in a multitude of disciplines essential for holistic governance. They debated the deepest philosophies, demonstrating intellectual prowess and a deep understanding of dharma, their words sharp as a blade – Shastrartha (scriptural knowledge and debate). They wielded the sword with unmatched skill, leading armies from the front, a roar against the storm – Yudh-kaushal (warfare skills). They were architects of prosperity, their wisdom shaping empires – Arthashastra (statecraft and economics). But above all, they knew their sacred duty: to serve their people, truly, profoundly. The very idea of a king wasn't about power, but immense, unwavering personal capability. Now, open your eyes. Look at Bharat today. A vibrant democracy. The people choose their leaders. While these leaders ostensibly represent the will of the populace, where is the rigorous training? Where is the deep understanding of statecraft, economics, or even basic public service? There’s no ancient gurukul, no battlefield to hone their courage. This isn't just a difference; it's a deep and wide gap. How can we dream of becoming Vishwaguru – a global teacher – when those at our helm often stand far from the demanding standards of our past? Remember the cinematic grandeur Baahubali: The Beginning? Prince Amarendra, a king in the making, charged into battle, leading his loyal forces of Mahishmati. But the aggressor, Kaalkeya, lurked far behind, safe. That silver screen image isn't just fiction; it echoes a profound historical truth: A true leader faces the storm, not hides behind bulletproof glass. If ancient monarchs prepared meticulously for the weight of their crowns, shouldn't our democratic leaders, holding the fate of billions, be held to an even higher standard? This isn't about degrees. It's about a holistic understanding of governance, policy, and an unbreakable commitment to public service. It's time for Bharat to forge a new path with a new Blueprint for Leadership: 1. The Crucible of Knowledge: Mandatory Training Just as ancient rulers underwent rigorous schooling in statecraft, economics, and law, modern elected officials should be mandated to complete comprehensive training. This isn't about ideological indoctrination, but about equipping them with practical skills and knowledge for effective governance. Imagine a future where every person looking to get elected, from a young politician like Pushpendra Saroj, or Tejasvi Surya, to a seasoned veteran like Amit Shah, or Mallikarjun Kharge, undergoes a few years of intense and compulsory courses in politics, like engineers, lawyers, businessmen, artists or doctors- all study for their respective professions. A course that makes integrity not just a word, but a practiced reality drawn from global benchmarks, reinforcing and strengthening ethics with real-world skills like Mastering policy making by dissecting budgets and understanding policy impacts on every Indian, thereby not just relying on advisors, and Engineering better governance through deep knowledge of urban planning and public health, thereby truly transforming cities, not just managing them. 2. The Power of Diverse Minds: Beyond Career Politics Ancient courts flourished with the wisdom of diverse minds. Our modern halls of power must too. Modern democracy, while theoretically open to all, often sees the rise of "career politicians" who may lack deep expertise in specific domains. Let the experts lead, not just advise. For example, with economists at the helm, they can directly shape India's economic destiny, bringing data-driven solutions to the Parliament, or with scientists guiding our future, they can shape the national tech policy to ensure India remains at the cutting edge rather than relying solely on bureaucratic advice. Visionaries, with their direct experience, can transform fields like education, healthcare, urban planning, agriculture, or legal justice. 3. The Unseen Crown: A True Service Ethos The ancient ideal of Rajadharma must once again burn bright. The Shanti Parva of the Mahabharata contains elaborate teachings on Rajadharma by Bhishma to Yudhishthira, making it clear that the king should be a servant of the people and all his actions should be for the benefit of the populace, not for personal gain. In modern India, while "public service" is a common political slogan, its practical application can be diluted. Today, politicians should consider themselves "public servants," adhere to high standards of ethical conduct, transparency, and accountability, and prioritise the overall welfare of the nation and its citizens in their decisions, rising above personal interests. Service isn't a slogan; it's a sacred trust. 4. Face the People: Reclaiming Accessibility and Trust The physical distance between leaders and the public has grown. The "bulletproof glass" separating our leaders from the public is a metaphor that extends beyond literal protection to an increasing inaccessibility and opaqueness in political communication. While physical battlefield leadership is no longer relevant, modern leaders can still "lead from the front" by being accessible, transparent, and directly engaged with the challenges faced by their constituents, rather than operating from a detached vantage point. Rebuilding trust requires leaders to be more visible, accountable, and willing to engage directly with critical inquiry. Real leadership happens at the front, not from afar. A four-pronged approach to re-establishing public trust is: The Unscripted Truth: For decades, the public has yearned for transparency. While Dr. Manmohan Singh was often criticised for his silence, the current Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has famously not held a single unscripted press conference in India since assuming office in 2014. This over two-decade trend of closed-door politics, relying on controlled interviews and monologues like 'Mann Ki Baat', has eroded public trust. It must end. Leaders must regularly face the media, answer tough questions, and speak directly to the nation, just as leaders do in vibrant democracies worldwide. Direct Conversations, Real Solutions: While public rallies are common, direct and two-way conversations with constituents in town hall formats, where leaders answer questions without filters, are rare. A leader can only know the pulse of the country when they have unscripted Q&A sessions with citizens, truly engaging with citizens, not just delivering speeches. This direct dialogue, once common in early Indian democracy, must be revived. Information, Unfiltered: The government information should be readily available, easily understandable, and proactively disseminated, rather than being selectively released or obscured. The Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, brought by the UPA government, was a powerful beacon of transparency. It allowed citizens to demand answers and hold the government accountable. But the NDA government's 2019 amendments weakened its core, undermining the independence of the Information Commissions. Now, accessing crucial data, like detailed election results or certain details of government servants, faces increasing hurdles. This is a betrayal of transparency. Instead of shrinking the light, we must broaden it, proactively releasing more data, like the Election Commission of India publishing comprehensive voter turnout and EVM data, making every layer of government truly accountable. Embrace the Challenge: A true leader welcomes criticism. This means not dismissing dissenting voices as "anti-national" but engaging with them in a mature and democratic manner. Politicians should willingly engage in debates and intellectual discussions without dismissing dissent. This intellectual courage is vital for a growing democracy. India's destiny as Vishwaguru pivots on this transformation. It’s a blend of ancient wisdom and modern democratic courage. The path to becoming a Vishwaguru is multifaceted. It demands economic strength, cultural influence, and intellectual prowess. But at its heart, it requires exceptional leadership. Can we cultivate leaders worthy of this grand aspiration?

Aug 25, 2025
Shalini Venuturupalli

Patience with Purpose: Cheteshwar Pujara

“Wearing the Indian jersey, singing the anthem, and trying my best each time I stepped on the field - it’s impossible to put into words what it truly meant. But as they say, all good things must come to an end, and with immense gratitude, I have decided to retire from all forms of Indian cricket. Thank you for all the love and support!” Pujara announced his retirement on August 24th through a post on X. Pujara has played 103 tests and 5 ODIs for India after making his debut in 2010. He scored 7195 runs at an average of 43.60 with 19 hundreds and 35 fifties. For over a decade, he was India’s most reliable no. 3 in test cricket, essaying an important role in some of the team’s most magnificent wins at home and overseas. His last Test appearance came against Australia in the World Test Championship Final at the Oval in June 2023. After his debut in 2010, he celebrated his first century against New Zealand in 2012. He went on to celebrate his first double-century in 2017 against Australia in Ranchi. He was lauded for his first International Test century in England in 2018, where he scored 132, which was eventually in a losing cause. Another Test where he displayed his gumption to bat long was in Ranchi against Australia, where he sweated it out for 672 minutes and 525 deliveries for a double hundred. Pujara is one of the only 3 Indians to bat on all five days of a Test, the other two being ML Jaisimha and Ravi Shastri. Pujara was also central to India’s back-to-back series wins in Australia. In 2018-19, he scored three centuries in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney as India secured a historic first Test series win. He also copped several blows to his body en route to a defiant 211-ball 56 in Brisbane in 2021, where India fashioned one of their most famous away Test victories. Pujara copped many blows in the 2020-21 series win against Australia. Yet, he battled through despite the pain and soreness to carry the team onwards to victory in the series. Pujara made his 100th Test appearance for the country against Australia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi in 2023, where he received a guard of honour from his team. After the WTC Final in 2023, as India was looking for young blood to fill the top-order position, Pujara continued to play red-ball cricket for Saurashtra and also turned out for Sussex in the County Championship. Pujara was a player with immense patience and grit. Almost every time he donned the whites to represent the country, his innings was one of patience with a purpose to either save the match for his side or make his side emerge victorious against the opponents. Like every player does, Pujara too did have bad days during his tenure in the game and not every innings of his was a half-century, century, double-century or triple century. But a lot of his efforts to stand strong against any bowling attack anywhere in the world, coping with pressure and pain, have helped the team in ways that can’t just be expressed in words. Rahul Dravid, an ex-player and former head coach of the Indian Cricket Team, was termed as “The Wall” when he played for the country. In modern-day cricket, Pujara is often seen as the equivalent of Rahul Dravid in terms of his temperament, technique and grit. While many have called him “The New Wall”, he can also be called “The Wall 2.0”. Pujara’s resilience, his calm and focused nature at the crease and his ability to absorb pressure have always helped the team and the batting lineup. Whenever Pujara played, be it in India or on foreign soil, it led to the opponents having an added task of planning how to get him out at the earliest. He was one player whose entrance at the crease meant he would try and stay rock solid at the crease as long as he could. India were definitely at their best when Pujara was in the middle. The retirement of 4 modern-day greats, Ravichandran Ashwin (18th December 2024), Rohit Sharma (7th May 2025), Virat Kohli (12th May 2025) and Cheteshwar Pujara (24th August 2025) within such a short span of time surely marks the end of an era in Indian Test cricket. Though India will see the rise of young blood under a young captain in the form of Shubman Gill, it will definitely miss seeing the four greats taking the field and entertaining the country with their admirable and inspiring performances. Cheteshwar Pujara’s retirement marks the end of an era in Indian cricket—an era defined by patience, discipline, and quiet resilience. In a world where cricket has increasingly tilted towards power-hitting and instant results, Pujara stood as a reminder of the traditional values that Test cricket was built upon: grit, determination, and the ability to outlast the opposition. His presence at the crease was never about glamour but about impact; not about fleeting fireworks, but about building foundations that carried India to some of its greatest triumphs. While the scoreboard may sometimes not fully reflect his contributions, his innings were invaluable in shaping victories, giving confidence to teammates, and frustrating opponents who knew they had to fight through Pujara before breaking into India’s batting order. Pujara is unique not only because of his accomplishments in statistics but also because of his attitude. In addition to being a run scorer, he became a symbol of tenacity for Indian cricket because of his capacity to withstand physical abuse, absorb pressure, and still stand strong for his team. Future generations may look at his numbers, but his true legacy lies in the countless hours he spent grinding in the middle, protecting India’s hopes with unflinching determination. As he steps away from international cricket, Pujara leaves behind a rich legacy that will inspire budding cricketers to value patience, discipline, and character as much as flair. For Indian cricket, he will forever remain “The Wall 2.0,” a guardian of tradition in the modern game.