Author: Roli Srivastava
Publication: The Times
of India
Date: September 19,
2000
Gautam Jain, 27, has
all the qualifications necessary to secure a coveted post in a leading
multinational. An ex-Sydenhamite, he has a Masters' degree in accounting
and finance from the U.S., has been honoured with awards like the Albert
Bell prize for academic excellence and Scholar Athlete of the Year, and
his name also features in the compendium, 'Who's Who in American Colleges'.
On to the obvious question:
Where is he working now?
Having turned down offers
from the likes of Price Waterhouse, Coopers and Lybrand, he is now a full-time
Vedanta teacher, having devoted more than six years to studying the subject.
Now meet Sharon Sequiera,
33, a former Miss India who also went to the Miss World contest in 1985.
She once charmed millions with her drop-dead good looks in the famous Bombay
Dyeing advertisement with Karan Kapoor and was also the Lakme girl for
a stretch. Sharon was recently seen giving a discourse on the Science of
Spirituality at the David Sasoon library.
The spiritual teacher
can no more be stereotyped as a bespectacled, 60-plus savant. The charge
of the youth brigade is now making its presence felt in the arena of spirituality
and several well-qualified yuppies are not only turning to spiritual learning,
but have also taken up the task of spreading their knowledge. For instance,
of the 150 discourses that are held in the city by the Sanatan Sanshta,
a spiritual organisation, 135 are conducted by young people.
"It is not a matter of
age," says Mr Jam. "It is how you present this knowledge." Agreed. But
what made him give up a bright career? "I wanted to learn more about life
and my education didn't teach me what life was really about," he reasons.
Biren Patel, 27, and
considered a 'guru' by some (he is far too modest to permit being described
thus), also says that his degree in marketing, which he acquired at a leading
university abroad, didn't give him the knowledge he was seeking. "I was
very successful, but I didn't feel fulfilled from within," he says.
He adds, "I am not a
preacher or a guru, but just another human being who understands the knowledge
of right living." Interestingly, those who seek him out for personal counselling
are in the age group of 40-45 years.
"'The knowledge contained
in the Vedic texts is crucial for every human being." says Gautam Jam,
adding, "And people like me have dedicated ourselves to propagating this
knowledge."
As does Anu Pursram,
another young teacher who quit her family's export business in Hong Kong
and now delivers lectures on spirituality at Churchgate every week. She
also conducts sessions for corporates. Says Ms Pursram, "I have no desire
to be a part of the rat race. I am now content."
So is this a growing
trend or just one of those short-lived romances that have caught the fancy
of the young'? The answer, says Biren, is a firm no. He is willing to stick
his neck out and predict, "In a couple of decades, this trend will become
the norm." Let's meditate on that-and watch.
