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By H.S. Panaser

NEW YORK (TIP): A webinar on Moral development was organized by Army veterans in India. Aim was to create an awareness amongst the people and contribute to practical application. It is time to implement and channelize our energy into forming good habits. There is a need to develop Moral Infrastructure.

We have all heard of Physical and Mental Infrastructures. ‘Moral Infrastructure’ is a new term but had been existing in some form and has gradually eroded. This needs to be built up again keeping in tune with the modern times. Since most of it is intangible, the intellectuals have to come together to apply themselves to evolve   a Holistic, ‘Inside Out’ approach from ‘Womb to Tomb’. I attended the webinar which had four eminent speakers.   Lt Gen SRR. Aiyengar, Col (Dr) VRK Prasad, Shri Bharath Madhavan   and Maj Gen K Eswaran.

The topics covered were as under:

Morals, Ethics, Values and Moral Intelligence, in which Gen Aiyengar stressed on Moral Intelligence’ and its relevance in the overall moral development. Moral Intelligence is the central intelligence for all humans. It is so because it directs all other forms of intelligence to do something worthwhile.

Speaking on ‘Value based education (VBE) and its Impact on Moral development and challenges in practical application’, Col Prasad stated that ‘No coin will have any value if any side is missing or blank’. Our education system should be as much value based as it is knowledge based as with the right values a student acquires both knowledge and wisdom as one moves on, in life. Even as per our scriptures a student gets only one fourth of the total learning from his teachers, while the rest, he picks up on his own where the teacher becomes only a facilitator.

Mr Bharat spoke on ‘The Role of the Triad- ‘Parent Teacher and Women’ in the holistic development of Moral infrastructure of the Nation’. He said – Maata, Pitaa, Guru, Deyvam”, is a saying that is deeply ingrained in every Indian’s mind. Mother comes first, then the father, then the teacher and only then comes God. This shows the level of importance that our ancient seers have kept for the hierarchy of influencers in our lives. The role of the mother is the most essential. Apart from carrying the child in her womb, she plays the most important role in imparting the right values and skills for her child. It is said, “Home is the first school”, our parents are our first teachers, and we learn values, culture, habits, relationships, sharing and caring and many other things that build our personality.

Lastly, Gen Eswaran gave very practical and down to earth suggestions on how to build up Moral Infrastructure in the country. He covered the entire life of a person from Womb to Tomb including various stages of birth, school, college, career and retirement.  He also spoke about how the three contributors to the nation building that is Citizen, organizations and the government together can make a difference.  He also urged people to have a dream to die for and work towards it. He suggested ways to go about by changing your attitude and forgetting your past.  He suggested that Indian armed Forces are great motivators for a diverse country like India and appealed to all the citizens that ‘Till the time we have the Armed forces and a soldier sacrificing his life, we should not do anything that is NOT in the interest of the nation’.  That is the least we can do to become worthy of this sacrifice’.

He requested all to align their personal interest with that of the society, organization and the Nation for overall good.

There was a tremendous response from the audience since it is very rare that people speak openly about integrity, honesty and Moral values.  It is a small step indeed in the right direction. The Moderator, Miss Anuradha carried the show on her shoulders by handling the speakers and the audience.  Her intelligent quotes and experience from the past smoothly dovetailed into the subject stole everyone’s heart.

The event was sponsored by ‘Help and Serve Public Charitable Trust.’ Gen K Eswaran is the Founder and Trustee of the same and convenor of this meeting.  I have known him since the school days. He has always been a strong proponent of moral values, ethics and character building even while serving in the Army. He has continued his crusade even after retirement. The webinar is on YouTube @ https://youtu.be/gpzqTdryZbo