MEMO FROM NARA...

Always outstanders are awarded. Among us, there are many outstanders in every walk of activity. There are outstanders in the field of sports, cinema, education, media, medicine, business, architecture etc. etc. You name the fields, there are outstanders who are considered to be the so-called celebrities. In fact, outstanders are extraordinary people who are determined to show their potential talents to the maximum level possible. They show their determination and willpower. Persistence of their effort indeed pays the prize. A student may stand first in the class or college or in the state or in the country. Similarly an actor or a director of a cinema may excel in his or her action which becomes far superior to that of many other actors and cinema directors.

 

All of us are trying to be outstanding in our won area of specialization. But only a few come out as outstanders because of opportunity and other factors. Unimaginable activities are being carried out by some people to establish records as in sports. These people are being appreciated and honored by all of us. Every year we see such honoring celebrations. The celebrities are followed by a mass of fans who are mad after them. It gives more encouragement to the celebrities and they wish to do more accomplishments which bring greater achievements. Such outstanding achievements may or may not be useful for the people. But still, people are however happy if someone who is close to them. He or she may be a relative, friend, classmate, belong to the same State or country. Men and women are outstanding for which they are awarded. In order to celebrate the awards, rewards are being announced liberally.

 Recently, veteran Tamil filmmaker K. Balachander (81) was honored with the Dada Saheb Phalke award. The award consisted of a Swarn Kamal, cash prize of Rs. 10,00,000  and a shawl. I felt the cash award is not needed for a rich person like Balachader! Similarly, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu announced Rs. 2 crores for a gold medalist in Olympics, one crore for a silver medalist and Rs. 50,00,000 for a bronze medalist. Such rewards may be an inducement for our sportsmen and women to work hard for receiving these cash rewards. In a way it is good on the part of governments to announce such rewards. In fact, the reward money comes from the public as taxes! Huge sums of money given as rewards may be used to improve the conditions needed for improving the infrastructure which will automatically bring more and more people to become outstanding. Excelling in a particular field is certainly outstanding. But the outstanders should not be made lazy by cash rewards. Money kills the initiative to do something outstanding. Money kills the willingness to do hard work. Money is the basic impediment for all our attempts to achieve our real-life-goals. ‘Doping’ is one of the curses sprang in the world of sports. Similarly ‘match fixing’ is another menace in cricket game. These are the curses because of money-inducement. So let there be credible outstanders for whom we offer our appreciation always.