Vol. 58 No. 26 • January 17, 2017

Most RCB members are distinguished in their own fields of activity whether it’s business or professionals such as doctors, lawyers, industrialists. As the leaders in their field they are a leading light and an example for other fellow citizens to emulate. As members of RCB they also share a passion of giving back to society and looking after the greater good.

This makes them model citizens the community can truly live up to. However, to complete a sense of satisfaction for one’s self one also needs to cultivate an interest in art and not just some other hobbies such as golf/tennis/squash. This is because art if a reflection of the times we live in and holds up a mirror to society and gives expression often to the unsaid in society.

You can be passionate about any or many art forms. These aren’t just limited to sculpture or paintings but in its widest sense, includes everything from writing (poetry or prose as several of our members have done by publishing a book or more), dancing (these range from the traditional such as Bharatnatyam to Salsa and the Waltz), music (the Indian repertoire itself is huge from Carnatic to tabla/santoor/basuri wadan, Hindustani classical, devotional to Bollywood and Indie pop and rock and roll).

The sum and substance is that engaging yourself actively in some art form that you are passionate about, whether as a spectator or participant (one needn’t always need to be a connoisseur par excellence) can help you discover a side to yourself that you never knew existed. Who knows you may reach the commanding heights of that too and inspire your children to develop their God-given abilities more holistically.

Indeed art has been used for development and healing in societies around the world including those recovering from war and strife torn situations. Going forward we will hopefully incorporate appreciation of fine art too in our Bhavishya Yaan programmes so that we help these individuals truly blossom.