They have to belong to humankind

Great achievers may make inspiring men, but more important are those who refuse to be passive bystanders when women -- their counterparts in society -- are in trouble. Today is International Men’s Day

November 18, 2014 07:04 pm | Updated 07:04 pm IST - Bangalore:

A compassionate fellow human being brings immense value

A compassionate fellow human being brings immense value

Great men hallow a whole people, and lift up all who live in their time,” said English writer, Sydney Smith. And from among our own, we have men who have done more good than we may ever see again in our lifetime, who have left an indelible mark in the hearts and minds of not just us, Indians, but of those around the world.

From Gandhi, Ambedkar and Tagore to Ambani, Bachchan, and Tendulkar, our inspirations are aplenty. And on International Men’s Day, city folk tell us who they admire most.

Author Milan Vohra doffs her hat to Kailash Satyarthi. “The work he’s done is absolutely gritty, tireless and selfless. It takes conviction of the highest order to give up a successful career at 26 and walk the talk and fight the fight on so many levels, unknown to many in India for so long - to prevent child labour. I admire not just his activism to free the children but his work in educating, rehabilitating them and working to change the law internationally. It saddened me that I hadn’t heard of his work until the Nobel Peace Prize,” she elucidates.

“An Indian man that I truly admire is Ratan Tata,” says Blossom Fernandes, air hostess and home baker. She adds: “Having had the privilege of flying him on various occasions, he is a man who displays exemplar qualities. Despite his status in society, he is extremely humble and courteous. He shows the world that no matter how rich or famous you are, you must always remain grounded and treat everyone with respect irrespective of their stature in society. As a budding entrepreneur, these are very important qualities for me to portray.”

For someone who believes leadership and learning go hand in hand, Mithun Lobo, an aerospace engineer casts his vote in favour of former Indian President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.

“I have had the opportunity to hear him speak at a gathering and aside from the fact that he is a brilliant scientist and an excellent orator and writer, it is his simplicity and humility that touches the soul. Despite an illustrious career, so many accolades and achievements, his heart is in the right place, at the centre of the nation. He is someone who truly lives by example.”

Collegian Srishma Pillai, feels: “There are men who despite having their share of fame and fortune choose to also share their resources with those less fortunate and since today’s youngsters look up to film stars, I think people like Salman Khan and Aamir Khan are a good example.”

While musician and entrepreneur, Cariappa C.K. admires “the late Mandolin Srinivas for his extraordinary talent and humility,” he states: “in a world that extols excesses, I admire the ‘average’ Indian man, who pays his bills, balances his relationships, generally keeps sane and makes nice!”

We live in a time and age where injustices, especially against women, abound, and any man who treats a woman with respect and dignity is admirable. Counsellor Shireen Sait says: “Hats off to the man who protects his wife and at the same time gives her wings to fly.

I salute every man who isn’t just a bystander when a child is being abused. Great men are not those who amass wealth or fame, or those whose intelligence supersedes the average man. Those that value another life as much as they value their own will always be our true heroes.”

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