On the auspicious occasion of the International Day of Yoga, iDiya.org has launched “My Happy World” interview series, that makes people from various walks of life pause from their busy life to spend a few moments’ time to ponder on what gives them Happiness and how they can contribute to a Better World, through their thoughts and actions. This is one small step by iDiya Foundation towards fulfilling former Indian president Late Dr. Abdul Kalam’s dream of an Enlightened Society, a Beautiful World – a Happy, Healthy, Peaceful and Prosperous World. Let’s co-create a better India and a better world, envisioned by Dr. Kalam and other great leaders of the past and the present. The Change starts from YOU.. When you start becoming a little Happier than yesterday, then this world has already become a slightly better place than yesterday!
iDiya.org is interviewing thought leaders, change makers and unsung heroes from diverse backgrounds of about their simple ways of being Happy and making others Happy!
iDiya.org founder and chief editor Krishna Reddy has interviews Raghu Nandan, author of “The Great Indian Treasure”, a soon-to-be published book, on his ideas and vision for a better world. Raghu is a young versatile personality who wears multiple hats as software engineer, entrepreneur, social activist, thought leader and now author. In this exclusive interview to iDiya.org magazine, Raghu talks about his inspiring work, social service, role of writers in building a better India one brick at a time. Here is Raghu’s crisp, thought provoking interview with a with a clear positive message.
Krishna Reddy: Raghu, its a pleasure for iDiya.org to conduct one of our first interviews with a young thought leader like you! Tell us briefly about yourself.
Raghu Nandan: Krishna, thanks for giving me this opportunity. Firstly, let me congratulate you for this new venture. I wish you a resounding success on this venture.
I am a scientist and I constantly do experiments in laboratory called as Life. My experiments till now were as an employee in IT companies, as an entrepreneur, as a speaker and currently as an author.
Krishna: What makes You Happy?
Raghu: I try to serve my purposes each and every day. When I serve it as planned, that day I experience more happiness and also when I see my purposes leading to smiles on the faces of the people, that will also lead to inexplicable happiness.
Krishna: What are your Service Activities so far?
Raghu: My activities again are derived from my purposes; I don’t put them as service activities, two of my purposes are
1) Emanation of thoughts
2) To help students in whatever way I could.
I am serving my first purpose by writing books and to serve my second purpose, I constantly visit colleges and schools and try to help them by taking some sessions.
Krishna: What are your Unique Skills?
Raghu: I think, I have a skill to amalgamate Indian history with fiction and make history more interesting without diluting the ideology which I want to portray. By using this skill, I am coming up with a couple of books. I hope to reach out to as many people as possible through thoughts and then thoughts converted into constructive actions.
Krishna: Your Idea of Heaven?!
Raghu: A place where fairness prevails over politics. A place where there is respect for all. Who knows, our earth, perhaps was made heaven. I am optimistic that we can make it heaven again!
Krishna: What is your Great Idea?! Do you have a creative idea that could potentially transform the world towards a better and Happier one? Share your idea(s) with the world!
Raghu: Idea will be merely an idea when you don’t execute. Reading positive books will certainly bring a different thought process among the readers. I wish everyone takes up reading.
Krishna: What is your success formula? Share the success tips and techniques that have worked for you!
Raghu: Find your purpose, live your purpose. That is success.
Krishna: What are your Health Tips?
Raghu: We need to certainly involve ourselves in some exercise each and every day. I do some Yoga in the mornings. I take less food when it is over 10 PM.
Krishna: What are your future plans / goals / dream projects ?
(Share your future plans / goals / dream projects for yourself and/or the society)
Raghu: Just following my purposes, I am quite sure that they will surprise me and they will take care of my future!
Krishna: What do you think is the role of media (print, online, TV, Cinema, radio) in creating a better world?
Raghu: Now a days it has become more of opinion sharing than fact sharing. Negative news are highlighted and given more coverage than positive news. I think they need to understand the power of positive narrative in rebuilding any country.
Krishna: According to you, what is the role of Social service and philanthropy in creating a better India?
Raghu: Philanthropy plays an important role in nation building. However, I believe, the role of philanthropy should be of giving opportunities to empower the needy, but not making them indefinitely dependent on the services. One needs to think innovatively of how one can empower the needy so that they can stand by themselves after some definite time. If social service is executed in this way, it will bring a sea change. We need to look the beneficiaries as opportunity seekers, in this process we need to be also stringent against the indefinite seekers.
Krishna: What do you think is the role of Indian entrepreneurs, business leaders, IT professionals, NRI’s, young thought leaders and startups in building a Prosperous and Happy India?
Raghu: Entrepreneurship is need of hour at this point of time. Since India is bustling with young population, the average age of Indian will be 29 years in year 2020. So there is a need to create more jobs and government jobs are becoming stagnant so it is on the shoulders of the Indian entrepreneurs to create jobs, they are the future of our country. There are many problems and entrepreneurship is all about solving the problems. It is need of hour.
Krishna: What do you think is the role of writers in building a Prosperous and Happy India one brick at a time?
Raghu: Writers have indeed potential to make not only India but also entire world better because thought is inception of any action and writing is nothing but combination of multiple thoughts. It is a writer’s responsibility to be very cautious of what thoughts s/he would like to percolate into society through her/his writings. A constructive thought from a writer might ignite a spark of action somewhere that may lead to building of better society.
