Dr. A.K. Chacko & Mrs. Teresa (Kochuthresia) Chacko

Kochuthresia Mampilly(95) w/o Dr. A.K. Chacko, Alappat 

Oct. 25, 2022

I feel very sorry at her departure - sorry for me! That all these days, her having been there was not known to me; and that I failed to call on her, greet her, meet her.  

She was one among those mothers of our times as youngsters - we had the mother of Manikath - Thankamma chechi, of Keethara - Mercy chechi, of Palakkappilly Chinnamma chechi, Palakkappilly Thressiamma chechi, of Kalathiveettil Kuttamma chechi & Isaac chettan's mom, and Ammini chechi, Manikath serveral of them - Cheruchi chedathi, Mamikutty chechi, the Vellyammas of Palakkappilly-Payyappilly, of Koonamveedu, of Variamparambu, of Njarackavelil - Reddy's mother and Anu's mother, of Koramangalath - a few of them, but Thressiamma chechi whom I used to call Xavier chedathi, Chinnamma chechi of Mannamparampil (Vaikathukaaran), the amma of John Kudilangal Thaipodath,  and a few others.

Though she was one among these contemporaries listed, I feel, she was always apart from all of them. Her very aristocratic features, and perhaps being the only doctor's wife, made her a little apart. I had never seen her in any of the local companies - the typical church based mathrusangham - there was hardly any other forum, but for the circles of rotary or something of that sort, which was never something known to ordinary mortals of those times. 

I think she stood out because she was perhaps the first lady of the locality who drove a car - an ambassador car in those days. Car itself was a rarity, with just a few of the whole households of Perumanur having a car - and a lady driving a car was rare rarity! I guess it was a response to Dr. Chacko having had a 'stroke' - he survived, but was defintiely affected.  We saw this lady boldly learning to drive the big vehicle, and take the doctor around!  She continued to be her sober, uninvolved, elegant self...  I am sure she knew almost all of us brothers and sisters. Perhaps, she knew almost all the families of Perumanur - being the wife of the only doctor of Perumanur, the next one being Dr. Pulikkan who was almost 2 kms or more away at Pallikmukku - Pulikkante Aashupatri = which registered a phenomenal growth in the 80s to grow into the present day Medical Trust - a household name in healthcare in the state!! The only other rival (?), if he had any, was Dr. Charlie, his neighbour, but practising homeopathy.  The other health practitioner was Thirunilath George Vaidyar, whose clinic also was just 50 mts away from Dr. Chacko's clinic.  And our vellyappan's store offered the ingredients for ayurvedic and home remedies! So around that junction, which came to be known as Chackola colony, we had a local predecessor to the present day AYUSH! (This Chackola colony is something which gave me some sort of indigestion in my post-30 years.  Nothing against the benevolent Chackola Annamma Chedathi and industrious Chackola Joseph Chettan who established a row of houses with his own at the apex, and perhaps named it 'Chackola Colony'.  I guess the whole area used to Payyappilly- Palakkappilly - predominantly; But none of the Payyappilly's had any such initiative to consolidate themselves and make a united front to get a name at least for the road that passed right through the middle of their properties - that too, in spite of having had an illustrious family member like the Ven. Fr. Varghese Payyapilly from among them). 

The clinic had no name or board, but a small insignificant board showing doctor's name and clinic timings. But Chacko doctor was the doctor for Thevara-Perumanur, he knew every child and every home around (I presume so).  When we had some ailments, if there was any difficulty for us to reach him, he would come home.  The best thing about his medicine, in contrast to that of Thirunilathu Vaidyar was that we could eat well, where as Vaidyar would always impose some dietary restrictions. No need to stick to kanji (gruel), you could have rice! (It appears that cough & fever related illnesses were subjected to Chacko doctor, where as those related to the 'stomach' were dealt with by the Vaidyar). 

Till Dr. Benny Paul appeared on the scene, with some testing facility and some nursing staff, there was no medical authority or help around for the entire region - but our family doctor, Dr. Chacko, supported solely by his compounder, Mr. George(?). He is referred to in the autobiography of the late Cardinal Parecattil, who was the parish priest, completing his undergrad studies at Sacred Heart College.  Doctor was a regular at the Church, nad he had a privileged seat in the narrow sacristy.  I think, aunt Kochuthresia also attended teh Church regularly.  I recall, John, James and me, went to his house (on his offer) and collected plants for establishing a garden for the Kochupally. He was equally enthusiastic about the venture.  I remember the name of a pernnial flowering plant - he told us that it was 'bird of paradise' (a kind of heliconia)

Doctor had come from somewhere Thrissur most likely - and Aunt Kochuthresia, most likely from Njarackal Mampilly.  They had become part of the geography of Perumanur - Thevara. doctor had obtained an ancestral property that belonged to the Palakkappilly family, which was sold to him, as that particular family had become debt ridden.  Perumanur post-office was established in that ancestral home.

That was vast plot was our play ground as well, lying adjacent to our own ancestral home. The ground was never level, with the traditional practice of top soil being sliced using a sharp spade, and then heaped up, perhaps to retain moisture or prevent the spread of grass.  But still we managed to play football and cricket and sadembri there. It had a disused pond as well - I feel shocked to recall that all of us, including me were party to throwing waste material into it.  And nobody thought of it otherwise.  It was meant to be filled! 

I overheard Doctor, on one of his rare visits to the plot, asking my father, "Kunje, ninakkathangottu medikkarutho?"  Looking back I feel it was a perfect suggestion on his part.  But Ichayan, hardly ever in an acquisitive mood, had no inclination whatsoever towards it.  In the early 80s, at least part of that was sold off to have the first mosque of our locality established. 

After joining the seminary, I don't think I have seen the doctor. He had only daughters.  They too were not actively involved in any of the local social (read, Church) circles.  I hear that all of them are abroad, and by God's grace, doing well. 

My deep deep regrets for not having thought of her or visited her all these days - in spite of having been in Thevara for a decade. Thevara-Perumanur community can never forget this family of our doctor, and the bold and beautiful Kochuthresia aunty, who was indeed a support to the sole modern health facility of the locality for over three decades. May the God of peace sancity them through all things, that they be preserved without blame unto the return of the Lord...(1 Thes 5:23)

Diwali in Doha Oct 2022 - Celebrations for Sustainability Education

Happy Diwali!  

Diwali in Doha Rajagiri

This year, Indians the world over are indeed feeling blessed on Diwali - the Indian team was given a thumping victory over the arch-rivals Pakistan* in the 20-20 world cup - thanks to a Kohli Diwali of crackers and rockets on the cricket pitch of Melbourne.  then the Indians felt a secrete sense of revenge with somone of Indian origin, even to the third generation away from India, with an evident Indian bearing and an Indian surname - a Brown 'East' Indian, befittingly some 'rishi'  of sorts, now guiding the destinies of the White West English. 

As I became part of the flow of the school based celebrations, I realised that it was for the first time that I was celebrating Deepavali, barring a symbolic celebration in the senior years of major seminary, where we used to celebrate 'the feast of lights' in connection with the 'Light of lights'.  This is in spite of having been in the North of India and Maharashtra for quite some time of my youth - almost a decade!

I interacted with the students gathered for the special assembly, almost 250 of them, bubbling with energy, and all dressed in various colours as it was a 'uniform free day' as part of the diwali celebrations. From their response, I gathered that almost 60% of them had some celebration or other in connection with Diwali - in their listing of the celebrations there were: puja (rituals), diya (lamps), rangoli or kolam (the designs in rice flour, depicting prosperity), sweets, fire-crackers... Apt answers, but what I wanted, I did not get from them - the practice of cleaning up the homes.  

Among the several significances of the festival, prosperity motif is a dominant one.  A symbolic ritual in some parts of the country is that of cleaning up the homes to get rid of the ant-prosperity element, which in our local language is termed mooshetta (related to negativity), before establishing Lakshmi, the deity of wealth and prosperity, the consort of the sustainer God, Vishnu (implication is that prosperity accompanies sustainability! And it can be sought only when sustenance is ensured for all including the last, the least and the lost - antyodaya for sarvodaya). 

And sustainability and prosperity presuppose cleanliness - of mind, body and the environment. So it is a beautiful occasion for a sustainability education through religious observance.  But unfortunately, this aspect had hardly been registered with any of the children, or with the parents, perhaps. That cleaning ritual might not be undertaken at all, and if undertaken, minus its educative function. 

To the children, the key message is that of light, symbolizing the good - light overcoming darkness  as a symbol of goodness overcoming wickedness and evil (I set aside all debates on these symbolisms for the time being). So the feast is an invitation to be the children of light, or be the light.  I would suggest the best way to be the children of light is to increase goodness. And in the context of Diwali, the goodness one should make one's habit is 'cleanliness' (which is next to godliness). swacchata hi seva hai - cleanliness itself is service, is goodness - cleanliness of self, of one's home, of one's class room, of one's campus, starting with NO to littering, and moving on to waste REDUCTION. 

Contrary to the spirit of Diwali, every year, India's proud capital, reinforces its ranking at no. 1, among the most polluted capitals of the world, this year being not different.  Only consolation being, since 2015, this was the best record of Delhi's Air Quality after Diwali. It was at 326 on October 25th, though it did dip from the pre-Diwali status. The windy and less humid weather did the favour this year. The standards are below 50 - green, good; up to 100 - yellow-moderate; up to 150 - unhealthy for sensitive groups; up to 200 - red-unhealthy; up to 300 - purple-very unhealthy and above 300 - maroon-hazardous.  So our festivity, instead of ensuring 'well being' and prosperity, is leading to illness, jeopardizing the common good. In fact, it is adding to evil! Delhi after Diwali 2022

I saw the instruction given by the Principal to the children of a school in Dhule, Maharashtra - to celebrate a Diwali without crackers! Good education, I feel. 

Both the kindergarten and middle school assemblies had good singing and dancing in groups, besides some very well prepared speeches by the young Fatima Zayn of KG and Shivam Modgil of VI grade - spledid delivery. What I liked most was that in both the assemblies, the teachers appeared dressed up,  well planned for the occasion in matching colours, and performed a dance for the kids!! They danced to the mantra - shubham kuruttvam kalyaanam...Aarogyam dhana sampada

Seeing all these happening in the school, I feel that the oft repeated bemoaning by people of my generation that education is going to dogs, and that the education that we got 'then', was really great etc. misplaced. Definitely, it had its own merits, but today's education appears much more goal directed, focussed and comprehensive. Efforts - laudable! Effectiveness - debatable!

*In the meanwhile, I am on an incessant quest to make friends with Pakistan; just waiting for the Train to Pakistan!

Note: Diwali card (top) was made by the students and given to the academic leaders present during the assembly. 

A Brown Man to Guide the Destinies of a White West

A prim, trim, athletic man with  evident Indian features is now having the reins of the a nation where sun did not set! Rishi Sunak according to the British citizens of Indian origin, is the 'Obama hour' for them.  From 'the asian dirt to be rightly cursed' to the Tory Prime Minister! What a destiny, what an irony! It was the occupier of the same chair who described the father of Indian nation on his visit to England as the 'half-naked fakir' (which Gandhi took as a compliment to the principles he adhered to).  

Rishi, a 3rd generation Indian on foreign soil, traces his roots to the undivided Punjab of British India.  His grand parents from both sides were in East Africa (Kenya & Tanganyka).  His maternal grandparents  migrated to Engliand in the 60s.  Both his parents were health professionals - father Yashvir, a general practitioner and mother Usha, a pharmacist, and ensured good education to Rishi.  He has an Oxford Philosophy, Economics and Politcal science undergrad degree and a Stanford MBA with a Fullbright scholarship.  His leadership traits where visible even as a school boy at Winchester College, where he was the headboy.  In spite of being the richest ever Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, he has to his credit, the experience of come up the hard way the British culture instills - as a youth earning by serving as a waiter at a local restaurant. 

At 42, in the prime of his youth, as he assumes the very influential prime ministerial office of the mother of democracy, it is a sort of diwali gift to the Indian nation. The name Rishi (sage/seer) itself is indicative of the cultural richness of Indian heritage. He is said to have been the first member of the  parliament, and the first prime minister to have taken the oath of office pledging on the Bhagawat Gita, which he claims to be the source of his strength in adversities. 

He is married to Akshata Murthi, the daughter of a great Indian entrepreneur of Infosys fame, Narayana Murti. They met during their studentship at Stanford. He is said to have cricket as his key to keeping himself fit!! 

While Indians feel proud about somebody of Indian origin in this key office, whether that will further positively contribute to the furtherance of Indo-UK relationships is yet to be seen.  That a 'person of colour and of Indian origin', professing himself to be a Hindu,  is being chosen to carry the burden of a beleagured white Christian nation which considered 'the poor south' of the globe as the whiteman's burden, is the irony.  In spite of all that Indians generally speak against England, and its racism, this politcal development without a great deal of discussion on the Indian origin (race), is an indicator of the growth of this grand old democracy in egalitarianism and democratic values. 

 

Evaluate Your Life Day!! Oct. 19, 2022

Not just every dog, but now everything has a day! It is up to you to find your matter of passion, make people think of it, and transform it into a holiday.  That is what the proponents of hello day - the McCormack brothers - did.  

In my search for the significance of the day, I was pleasantly surprised to see today as the international 'Evaluate Your Life Day'.  This day was born out of the ingenuity of two people - Thomas and Ruth Roy, founders of Wellcat Holidays, to whose credit are about 80 other such holidays to celebrate life, including 'A Room of One's Own Day'.  

It is attributed to Socrates, and sometimes to Aristotle, the famous saying, 'the unexamined life is not worth living'.  It is said that power of reflection on things around in relation to oneself is uniquely human.  This self-evaluation is a practical way of becoming more human - or in the beast - geist continuum, getting transfigured and refined towards more of spirit and less of material! 

Today we were discussing among the academic leaders, their role as leaders.  The prominet tool suggested by the resource person was that we become increasingly reflective people, who examine themselves against the standards being set, while going about ensuring compliance by their respective teams. 

To my mind, this calls for understanding and agreement between all concerned - leader and the team alike, to create regular avenues for giving and receiving responses unique to our given roles and tasks, that there is continuous fine tuning.  I would suggest rather a social contract of sorts within such groups that goes beyond 'you scratch my back, and I yours', and be ready to grow to the wisdom that 'it's only a fool who would think oneself to be wise, whereas the wise(wo)man would know onself to be a fool' (Shakespeare).  It requires the practice of inviting feedback for improvement. It will lead to a healthy culture that would shake us out of our comfort zone, and take us beyond.

Taking a daily dose of self-reflection would imply posing questions to oneself - preferably at the end of the day: 

• Who were the people or events that involved me? 
• How did they affect me? 
• How did I respond to them? 
• What prompted me to respond thus? 
• How better could I have responded to them? 
• Could I make 'my world*' a better place today? 

A theory called 'Self-Evaluation Maintenance' (SEM) model has been proposed by Abraham Tesser of scholarly fame from the Univeristy of Georgia. Other areas of self-evaluation could be that of time resource management (TRM) and that of energy level management (ELM). 

The religious-priestly formation in the Christian tradition lays great emphasis on this aspect, and insists that 2 doses (noon and night - before & after meals respectively) of self reflection (termed examen) keeps negativity away, But it involves the steps of review, repent and resolve.  SEM model would add 'celebrate' to that - our successes are relished and thus reinforced. 

*my tiny world of action and also this bigger world which is our common home. 

https://nationaltoday.com/evaluate-your-life-day/

Some Food for Thought on World Food Day - Oct 16, 2022

Some Food for Thought on World Food Day - Oct 16, 2022

Poverty Paradox - Indian Currents Oct 17, 2022

https://www.indiancurrents.org/article-poverty-paradox-why-hunger-in-the-midst-of-plenty-prasant-palakkappillil-1404.php

The Lord's prayer is to 'give us today the food we need' (bread is an alien item for us, and what Jesus meant too was food - hence substituting the traditional term bread.  as almost all Indian language translations have done). It is also an invitation to live in the present - in today! This spirit of a need-based-divine-economy was not altogether new.  Proverbs had prayed: “Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread” (Proverbs 30:8). It is a prayer for food security, and primary concern for humans - air usually taken for granted; and water also assumed to be available. But water-security has indeed become a major threat along with food security, with more than 800 millions lacking safe drinking water. 

It is said in humour that the only permitted pleasures for a sannyasi (in Christian tradition), would be those above the throat - though today, that too could mean many things, what was typically implied was the pleasures of the palate.  I am afraid, in the Hindu tradition, even this aspect had very limited scope. 

Whereas, in Christian tradition of sannyasa, usually termed 'consecrated life' (or more commonly referred to as 'religious life' among the Christians), had many aspects of abstinence, fasting etc., still there used to be feasts every now and then, that accommodated indulgence of the palate with gratitude to the Creator for the good things of life. 

So I must confess, like great many people, food is one among those topping my list of enjoyments. Eating together in fellowship, is indeed an energizing experience. I am secretly comforted to observe that Jesus was someone who sensed that with his life-style that showed the importance of enjoying food with gratitude, he was likely to be termed a glutton! He relished and promoted fellowship meals. Some of his greatest teachings occurred across such fellowship tables.  He even prepared a meal ready for them, after their tiring fishing encounter in Galilee. But he was concerned when people didn't have food.  And he addressed this primary concern of all beings, not just in the beautiful prayer he taught, but actually ensuring food for his exhausted and hungry followers.

And world food day is more about securing food for all, than enjoying food.  Ideally, the entire world should be able to have enough, safe and relishable food. But far from it, there are millions in the modern, proud, progressive, prosperous, affluent world who are literally starving, dying from malnutrition and dying from having no food. 

Then comes the shocking revelation of Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2022 by Concern Worldwide (Irish) and Welt Hunger Hilfe (German), two international voluntary organisations, placing India on 107th position among the 121 nations listed, indicating a serious 'hunger' situation in India. First impressions response from my end, as someone involved in social sector to some extent, someone who has travelled all over the country, is that this appears mistaken, if not exaggerated.  To our impressions, India should be faring far better on these parameters than Pakistan or Nepal.  

The four criteria by which the GHI is evolved is 1) Undernourishment 2) Child wastage 3) Child stunting 4) Infant Mortality.  The  Government of India have protested and have questioned its validity and reliability.  In this respect, I feel the government statistics are to be considered a starting point, though validity checking measures could be employed against them. I am seriously doubtful if this has been done by those behind the index. With the largest network reaching out to children and women called Integrated Child Development Service Scheme, which makes provision for almost all children requiring food in all parts of the country, I still am unable to grapple with the report indicating 'hunger status' of India at a serious level - serious as per the standards set. (It should indeed  be a matter of seriousness if there is involuntary hunger on account of food deprivation or inadequacy for anyone anywhere in the country). 

Besides the nation wide ICDS network, with 2 paid and trained staff to reach out to every 1000 population,  the employment guarantee scheme (MGNREGS) founded on the principle of entitlements related to right to life and livelihood, is yet another revolutionary initiative by the state, flaws in implementation of both the programme notwithstanding. This finding or allegation by a global agency is indeed a matter of shame for all of us Indians. What is the source of their data to cross check with the criteria they have set, is a very important question  that remains to be addressed. 

We are all very sure that India has sufficient resources to feed all its mouths as things stand now. Either it is a matter of missing links through corruption or lack of information at the level of the needy that is causing the problems, if any.  But here the role of individual citizens and households becomes very significant - It has to be a duty of every citizen to ensure that there is no one around oneself who is having no food to eat. The right platform would be the local self government with each locality being represented by a local person who is supposed to know the small population s/he represents and ought to be ever-ready to present their issues on all available platforms.  

From a sustainability perspective, today our focus is to ensure that maximum families take up the responsibility to 'grow food' (SDG 12 responsible production) to move towards the great goal of 'no hunger' (SDG 2) by 2030.  Besides this, there should be voluntary initiatives (like Organic Kerala Charitable Trust, Kochi of which I am proudly part of), focusing on identifying and preserving the food bio-diversity of localities, which can be contributing towards addressing the issue of food security at the local levels.  If we take the example of Keralam, the immense potential of agro-forestry with food producing trees, with jack tree in the lead and very many tubers requring minimum inputs are to be very strongly promoted.  Taal, Takara (local greens sprouting in rains), chempu, chena (yams), chakka (jackfruit), maanga (mango), thenga (coconut), kappa (tapioca) etc. - locally available, seasonal conventional food crops of Keralam can be rich resources to rethink our food habits and take one step towards creating locally sustainable self-reliant communities. 

Finally, world food day, is definitely also about food production - and the producers of food - who tend the earth, and create miracle from the earth season after season on which the human world survive.  A day to remember with gratitude the farming community, and the divine engagement they are in.  A day to reinforce the honour and dignity due to their fundamental work in the work in any given economy. And also a day to promote a Christian culture of in the spirit of ‘till and keep’ (Gen. 2:15).  

I hope the local Christian communities will wake up to the 21^st century divine call to be stewards of our common home and of our ‘brothers and sisters’, as pointed out by Pope Francis through his encyclicals ‘Laudato Si’ and ‘Fratelli Tutti’.

P.S. As I concluded this anna vicharam (food thought) on the 17th of October, it struck me that it was the feast of St. Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, Syria, who was attained martyrdom under Trajan around 107 AD. On his impending death, he wrote to the church of Rome about bread: "I am God’s wheat, and I am to be ground by the teeth of wild beasts, so that I may become the pure bread of Christ.”  He is said to have been killed by wild beasts in the Colosseum. In the English circles his spirit is retained by a  famous offertory hymn, 'United in one body with Jesus Christ the Lord...'

A day to say 'hello' - November 21

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A day to say 'hello' - November 21

Hello is among the most commonly used (English) words in the world, thanks to the telephone, the great inventor Edison having used it on receiving his first telephone call, though Graham Bell himself is said to have used 'ahoy' throughout. It is found to be relative newcomer into the English lexicon just around early 1800s. Its precursor could have been 'hail' as found addressing the emperors (Hail Caesar - Shakespeare), which could have meant health (hale, health, whole), and might have had versions like 'hollo', 'hallo', 'halloa' when shouted out amidst the din of crowds. Today, hello is a word easily addressable to anyone to greet, to catch attention, to check on, if you are there. 

Hello Day was born from the initiative of Michael McCormack, a student of Harvard and his brother Brian, who sought an idea for a better world, with the bitter three year Yom Kippur war between Egypt and Israel in background, ending in October 1973. While his fellow students busied themselves with their academic tasks, they dreamt of a peaceful world through personal communication, spent all their savings to post letters on hello-day to world leaders - not to be disappointed, getting endorsement from 15 within a year, and in due course from 31 Nobel laureates and over 100 leading authors.  Hats off to the well meaning McCormack's, who challenge us to step out of our boxes to extend peace!

The celebration involves reaching out to others, saying hello to friends, family and  to at least 10 unfamiliar people, using hello equivalent from other languages! Though 'hello' has become almost translingual, some of the typical equivalents are hola, mrhaban, hallo, ciao, ni-hao, bonjour, namaste - see if you can identify the languages!  But as the kids-song goes, you can say 'a hello from your mouth,  your eyes, your hands, your arms and above all, from your heart'!

Today, 50 years of hello day, and yet the world is war-torn - internal: Yemen, Syria, Libya, Lebanon, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Somalia, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka; external: Ukraine, Palestine, Taiwan; and  warlike - India-Pakistan, Armenia-Azerbaijan... perhaps, many more. It is not enough to have powerful arms for security; peace ought to be built, brick-by-brick, by increased engagement between peoples, reaching out with a hello, a how-are-you, a smile, a mail, a hand-shake, a hug - that build bridges between people of good will everywhere, in spite of religio-political differences. 

Now my dream is to cross our border and reach out to Pakistan in a year, to say a 'salam' from my heart to at least 100 of them across, and find,  like the Bajrangi Bhaijan, 100s of them just awaiting such a hello for lasting peace! 

 

https://nationaltoday.com/world-hello-day/

https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/hello-day/

https://www.thecrimson.com/article/1999/6/8/bonjour-hola-shalom-michael-mccormack-founder/

 

LEADERSHIP - THE JESUS WAY

In management education and training in the last one century, much has been said, discussed and studied about leadership.  Theories have evolved and been proposed regarding leadership and the various types of leadership, by various management gurus. In my training in Professional Social Work also we came across such theories in connection with Organisational Development and Organisational Behaviour. 

Generally, the distinction accepted between the two concepts - management and leadership - is that the former seeks efficient utilisation of resources - huMan, Money, Material and Methods - for maximum output or maximisation of profit; whereas the former is more about putting people in the right relationships (place, position, persons) so that the organisation is effective in attaining its purposes.  It is good that the Leader has managerial skills, but it is not a must to be a good leader; whereas, for a manager to be really effective, it is important that s/he possess leadership qualities. 

Leadership implies envisioning/vision setting, guiding, challenging, inspiring, correcting, involving and including people. It implies dreaming and setting people afire. The ideal leader, is an enlightened one (buddha), who has the inner light, and who is able to spread the light around.  Jesus was one such rare leader who had the courage to claim that he was the light, and the path, those who walked in him will reach the goal (the utlimate self, whom he named Father). 

Bass (1985, 1991) lists four dimensions of transformation leadership, namely, charisma , inspiration, intellectual stimulation and individualised consideration. Though I don't intend to examine these four aspects, when the combination of 'transformation' and 'leadership' is presented, the first name that comes to me is that of Jesus, who laid the foundations for the world's largest and the most organised organisation, the Catholic Church, the predominant variant of the institutionalised version of the organisation he initiated two thousand years ago. 

To me, Jesus is the one in whom we can find almost all of the ideals the modern organisations would expect or require from a leader.  Perhaps, a person following Islam may find many leadership traists in Prophet Muhammed, or someone in Hindu religous tradition may 

VISION: Jesus makes his first  public appearance with a clear vision of Kingodm of God (Mk 2:14-15; Jn 18:36; Lk 17:21).  Now a days, in good governance or in sustainable democracy discussions, what we speak about is 'rule of law'.  Jesus' ideal is 'Rule of God', God reigns, God's rules are the rules in the Kingodm, rather God (read, goodness itself) is the rule. Jesus gave that rule the name 'love' for your neighbour, service/help for anyone found to be around you in some need (Lk 10:25-37) - irrespective of your love-hate, like-dislike, affiliations.  That was a radical thought for well being. 

MISSION: Jesus is seen to be keenly aware and articulate of his mission with respect to the vision he has before him.  As a young boy, he shows this clarity to his parents, 'Am I not to be in my father's house?'.  He appears in the public with the announcment of his mission, termed Nazareth Manifesto.  It is a misssion of announcing the goodnews of wellbeing to all through liberating  them from social, physical and spiritual oppression, suppression  and infirmities.' (Lk 4:16).  And he literally goes about doing that (Act 10:39) 

BUILDING UP SECOND LINE OF LEADERSHP

Very often new organisations get stunted as there is no one guide them, once the first level of leadership is gone.  Hence the importance of identifying and developing second line of leadership. This we find in Jesus from the very beginning of the launch of his mission.  He identifies, invites, inducts, grooms and evaluates his second line, that when he disappears in an apparently untimley manner, there is a group of leaders equipped to build the edifice of a great organisation (Lk 6:12-15). 

STRATEGY of ACCOMPANYING

The basic strategy of this peripatetic teacher is that of accompanying  - they accompany him, he accomapnies them. 

A Bible story is very revealing in this dynamcis (Lk 21:) : we have an instance narrated in which 2 of the disciples going away from Jerusalem, the epicentre of troubles for Jesus culminating in his death.  They are dejected, desperate - But Jesus, who has come back to life from death, approaches them, join them in the journey, and in the process of their converation, they feel the warmth and light, leading them to invite him to stay over with them. As they gather for supper, they recognize their Guru, and emboldened and energized, they rush back to Jerusalem to share their joy.  

We see Jesus walking across the towns and cities with his disciples in company, making them imbibe his vision through his conversations and actions. 

"I have called you friends" is how he refers to his disciples. They have the freedom to ask questions and clarify his positions. 

The articulation of the two, is what a visionary leader should be able to do with his team: "Didn't our hearts burn within when he was explaining the scripture to us?" - providing inspiration to follow the path. Two dejected minds are set aflame, and from a kind of 'retreat' they are resolutely back in the track. 

MODELLING - Walk the Talk*

Jesus was perhaps the first leader to claim that it was enough for the disciples to follow him to realise the truth "Follow me" (Jn 21: 23), "Do as I have done" (Jn 13.15), "I am the truth and the way" (Jn. 14:6).  Setting oneself at the height of what is expected is what a leader should do. 

High energy level - Being a model to the followers or team-mates also implies high levels of energy.  You just don't get tired or refuse to get tired.  Your work keeps you going, in spite of all odds: 'My food is to do the will of my father' (Jn 5:29) and "when it is the day, I must accomplish the works of him who sent me" (Jn 9:4)

Compassion - While setting high standards for himself, he did not miss the misery of those who came to him and his followers, he was compassionate to them. And hence people couldn't but agree that 'He does all things well' (Mark 7:37). 

Truth - He had gained insight into truth, and considered it his task to bear witness to the truth as he had discovered it. "For this I was born, to bear withness to truth" (Jn 18:37).  He gained this through continuous critical self reflection, for which he found time. "And when it was evening, he dismissed them  and went up on the mountain to pray, and he was there alone" ... (Mtt  14:23).

COMMUNICATION - INSTRUCTIONS

The ability to articulate the organisational vision and convey the same to the various stakeholders is a primary task and expect skill of a leader. Jesus is an effective communicator, who is able to present the vision in the idioms of his audience.  

In training his second line leaders too he is very articulate as to the content, the target groups  the places to go and the method of communication (Lk 10:1-10). 

CORRECTION

As an effective leader, he is able to correct his band, to sharpen them to fit to the mission. When their stand goes against his, he is prompt in addressing them, "It shall not be thus among you...", "Let the children come to me. Do not prevent them."  (Mtt 19:13-15 - when children were being denied access to him by his core team);  or even to the extent of reprimanding Peter strongly, "Get behind me Satan. Your thinking is not that of God, but of men." (Mk 8:33) and critically questioning them when they were found vulnerable in adverse situations, "Where was your faith" (Lk 8:25).

INCLUSION 

Jesus' shows the ability to take everyone along, with his policy of inclusion "He who is not against you is for you"(Mk 9:39). In the management situational analysis of friends-foes-fence-sitter, the good leader is the one who is able to take in the fence-sitter to your fold and neutralize the foes. But Jesus also makes a shrewd and subtle distinction between 'those who are not against you', and 'those who are not with you' (Mtt 12: 30). 

Jesus shows this by reaching out those who were vulnerable, outcastes, those who were in the fringes and including all of them in his wider network of goodnews - the Samaritans, the tax-collectors, the women (Lk 8:2-3), those branded as 'sinners', un-touchables (leprosy victims), and children.  His famous statement, "Let the children come to me," is not necessarily a response to one instance, but rather indicative of his stance of inclusion of the weaker, the voiceless and the vulnerable.

FEED BACK

As a public figure, and a master with a band of dedicated followers, though highly self-reflective, Jesus, still finds the method of receiving feedback important.  At that stage of public acclaim, it is easy for one to get addicted to the adulation, and feel self-important and become blind. But Jesus takes time out to sit with his intimate band of followers to make a self-assessment: "Who do the people say I am", when that is received, he is willing to probe further, with themselves: "Who do you say I am?". He finds his self perception matching that of his followers perception about him (Mtt 16:13-20). 

In the classic Johari window analysis, we come across the open, hidden, blind and unknown areas of human personality.  The healthier ones are those who are able to increase their open area, through continous self reflection and feedback. It requires creating an organisational environment in which it is possible to give feed back and also receive it.

He finds time to collect his band sent on the mission and make them report (Lk 10:17) the experience. For this, from the daily chores organiations have to find time, make time - Come away to a lonely place (Mk 6:31). 

DEFENDING - SUPPORTING - DELEGATING

Jesus is able to delegate authority, and empower them with powerful reinforcements.  Whoever hears you, hears me! (Lk 10:16).  They had the power to represent him. 

He is also there to defend and protect them, when trouble brews. For those come to apprehend him, he asks to let his disciples go. "Let them go." (Jn 18:8 ).  When they falter with the conventional standards, he is there to defend them and point out the triviality of many such practices (Mtt 12:1-8; Mtt 15:2)

FELLOWSHIP AND CELEBRATION

As an accompanying leader, he is careful to find times for fellowship with his band 'away from the madding crowd', enjoying a meal together, cooking for them, taking them along for invited feasts...He is all for enjoying the good things for life, while fasting and penance may be required, it doesn't prevent them from feasting and enjoying (Jn 21:9-13; Mtt 9:15; Jn 4:1-9). 

An organisational health  requires such coming together to spend time enjoying the fellowship.

SERVANT MODEL 

Jesus' model of leadership has been brought into management discussion by Robert Greenleaf (1970), 'christening' it as 'servant leadership'.  According to him, "the servant leader is a servant first. It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve first...it is a philosophy and set of practices that enrich the lives of individuals, build better organisations and ultimately create a more just and caring world."

Perhaps, this is the most radical aspect of Jesus' leadership way, made clear by his statement that he had "come not to be served, but to serve and give up his life as ransom for many"(Mtt 20:28). Jesus' law of love in practice is service. 

"If I as your teacher and lord, washed your feet, you too must be willing to do that." (Jn 13:14) 

Whoever is the leader among you, let him be the server (Lk 22:26).  It also provides anyone an opportunity to grow in leadership and greatness (Jesus-style), by being on the look-out to extend oneself in service to others, and thus make the world around him/her a better place.

Gonsalves, describes how Gandhi arrived at this thinking plane through his exposure to the sufferings of indentured Indian labourers in South Africa, leading him to dedicate his life and activities as a 'service' to the Indians. That was his channel to leadership of the nation. 

ORGANISATIONAL LEADERSHIP - LISTENING AS A SERVICE

It may be of interest to note that in Sanskrit one of the words used for service is 'shushroosha'  (शुश्रूषा).  The dictionary gives it a second meaning as 'the desire to listen to' (श्रोतुं इच्छ ), an etymological derivative.  However, it appears a befitting meaning in the organisational context (or any human relations context) for service.  Willingness and ability to listen to what others say is a great virtue the leader should possess.  Many issues are sorted out, just by giving a listening ear to others; and many others by responding positively to them.  A true leader's ability is in also 'listening to what is not being said' - listening to non-verbal communication, including silence as well.  We speak about 'learning organisations' in terms of growing and not stagnating; I think a learning organisation is also a 'listening organisation', where people can and have a voice, and that is listened to and responded to.  

Bass, B. (1991). From transactional to transformational leadership: Learning to share the vision. Organizational Dynamics, 18(3), pp.19-31 as cited in

<UKEssays. (November 2018). Leadership Theories Essay. Retrieved from https://www.ukessays.com/essays/business/leadership-theories.php?vref=1>Oct 13, 2022

Gonsalves, Peter. Half Naked Fakir: The Story of Gandhi's Personal Search for Sartorial Integrity. <https://www.mkgandhi.org/articles/half-naked-fakir.html> Nov. 1, 2022

*Interestingly, as I make these notes, today, we read the announcement of 'Walk the Talk Doha' to be held on November 19 to promote fitness.