Young people must find contentment in achievements that they have earned legitimately, said N. Santosh Hegde, former Lokayukta, Karnataka.
Mr. Hegde was speaking as chief guest at the Karnataka State Youth Convention Mangalore-2012 with the theme “Viveka Sphoorthi – Yuva Bharati”, a two-day event that began here on Saturday.
The event was organised to mark Swami Vivekananda’s 150th birth anniversary celebrations by the Ramakrishna Mission, Mangalore.
He said he had been talking to students and has met them at 520 educational institutions to tell them about how they should look for contentment or satisfaction (or what is called “trupthi” in Indian languages).
When a person achieves through correct means, it gives the person contentment. It is very different from the contentment one gets from acquiring material goods illegitimately, he said.
“We have to guard ourselves against greed over need. But society recognises wealth and power as the only indicators (of satisfaction). This definition has to change,” he said.
“Are we losing our humanism?” he wondered and said that people had to learn to be more human.
“We have to develop that character of humanism”, he said quoting a Kannada saying which says, “First, learn how to be human” (modalu maanavanaagu).
There were so many government schemes including midday meal, drinking water, electricity, primary health care centres, primary education, and gram sadak yojna but there was absolutely no accountability on how the funds for the programmes were being used, he said.
Vishwesha Tirtha Swamiji of Pejawar Math, Udupi, called upon the youth to get stronger and fight for the country but felt that they needed guidance. Swami Vivekananda, with qualities of self confidence, trust in faith, and pan-India appeal is a good model for the young to emulate.
Swami Vishwatmanandaji, co-ordinator, Swami Vivekananda’s 150th Birth Anniversary Celebrations Committee, Howrah was present during the inauguration of the convention.
