MUMBAI: India’s future will be shaped by the culture, character and quality of its people and leaders, Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy said at spiritual guru Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji’s 60th birthday celebrations.He added cultural transformation could hasten India’s journey towards a Viksit Bharat.Some of India’s most influential business leaders came together to honour Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji, founder of Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur (SRMD), on his 60th birth anniversary.The two-day Mumbai event saw launch of 60 projects, including a cancer hospital, university and animal hospital.On Saturday, Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran shared “I have now spent 40 years in the Tata Group. Strong values – trust, character, discipline, perseverance, and hard work, are what build great individuals and great institutions.”Drawing a direct line between the Tata ethos and SRMD’s outreach, he added, “That is why the work of Gurudev is so meaningful. Through his teachings and his work with young people, these values and this sense of purpose are being shared with millions.”Murthy recalled his mother feeding a poor child every night despite the family’s modest means: generosity, he said, needn’t wait for abundance.Referring to the 60 initiatives showcased at the event, Murthy said, “The true measure of any spiritual tradition lies not just in its teachings, but in the compassion, it inspires through action. India’s future will ultimately be shaped by the quality of its people.”Gurudevshri Rakeshji turned the spotlight away from the milestone. “What exactly are we celebrating today? A birthday, an individual or something else?” he asked.“Everyone receives 86,400 seconds daily. They cannot be saved, stored or transferred. Nor does changing surroundings necessarily change the mind. If you don’t change in the mind, you can be restless in Mumbai or London. That was why seva and sadhana remain relevant in a fast-paced world. Spirituality could mean learning to close the unnecessary apps of your mind, gaining control over words, reactions and instincts,” said Gurudevshri Rakeshji.On the occasion, Senior Sanyasi and SRMD vice president Atmarpit Nemiji dedicated “Beyond’, a new visual chronicle, to Gurudevshri Rakeshji.His guru, he said, defied conventional definitions of a relationship, He does not fit into a relationship. He becomes whatever the soul needs without ever changing who he is.
