Is greatness proportional to our stress on values? Just a study on a few sample individuals invariably affirms that. I do not mean the big people among us, who lives in our brains but those great people, who lives in our hearts. For sure, most of the leaders during the Indian Independence Struggle were of such a kind. Lal Bhadur Sasthri was one among them, for sure.
At a time when dowry decided marriages, Sasthri agreed to it at a stake of one anna (6 paise = 6/100 of a Rupee) and a few Khadi (locally woven) cloths. He was an Indian Independence fighter, detained in Jail for many years. Twice he was released on personal requests and he was found to have returned voluntarily, the moment his assignment was over. While he was in Jail, Lala Lajpat Rai’s ‘Servants of the Society’ used to support his family with 50 rupees every month. His wife spent Rs. 40 and saved Rs. 10. Knowing this, he wrote to Lala Lajpat Rai, expressing his thanks and requesting him to pass only Rs. 40 each month.
He had great concern for the poor and hungry Indians all over. Once he called all the family members and explained, `I just want to see if my family can sacrifice one meal every day, my larger family (the nation) can definitely stay hungry at least once a week.'
He was the next choice for Prime Minister, when Jawaharlal Nehru passed away in office. We not only forget values but also its’ importance too, all in our struggle to become big.
