|Politicians & Literature|
Nitin Gadkari | 55 | Maharashtra
President, BJP
Nitin Gadkari Photo Courtesy: Apoorva Salkade (Outlook)
I HAVE ALWAYS thought that the more you read, the more you realise how little you have read. So while I understand the importance of reading, my emphasis has always been on learning from experience. I’m more of a doer than a person who merely discusses ideas.
During my childhood, my reading was primarily confined to the writings of great Marathi litterateurs like VS Khandekar, Veer Savarkar, Nath Madhav and the historian BM Purandare.
Khandekar’s masterpiece Yayati really impressed me when I read it in school. Savarkar’s autobiography Majhi Janmathep talks about his sacrifice and dedication, which has inspired me throughout my career. Purandare’s Raja Shiv Chhatrapati mesmerised me. I also loved the poetry of Kusumagraj and Yashwant.
Like everyone else, politicians too require motivation. I draw inspiration from the writings of Savarkar, Swami Vivekananda and Deendayal Upadhyaya. Savarkar’s patriotism and modern outlook, Swamiji’s pragmatism and philosophy of universal brotherhood and Deendayalji’s emphasis on social responsibility and the essential unity of human beings as well as his integral humanism helped bring clarity in my thinking. These great men provided me with the understanding of my life’s mission. Several other great leaders, whom I interacted with in my impressionistic age, allowed me to read into their lives and find the very purpose of human life. Their lives are like motivating biographies to me.
But my reading these days also takes me to some management gurus. They are generally casual reads, but also teach me a lot.
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