Righteousness—dharma—அறம்-has always been the silent heartbeat of civilization, a force as ancient as the first sunrise over the Ganges and as urgent as the last breath of a dying forest. It is the invisible thread that has woven together the stories of nations, prophets, and poets. Yet, as the world hurtles into an era defined by dazzling technology, existential threats, and moral ambiguity, one must ask: What becomes of righteousness in a world obsessed with power, profit, and self-preservation?
India’s soul has always resonated with the music of righteousness. In the Ramayana, Rama is not simply a king or a warrior—he is the living, breathing embodiment of all that is just and good. Kamban’s portrayal of Rama as the very manifestation of righteousness is not a mere literary device; it is a mirror held up to humanity, reflecting the highest ideals to which we can aspire. But in the feverish race for material success, these ideals have become faint echoes, drowned out by the relentless clamor of ambition and acquisition.
This loss is nowhere more tragic than in our systems of education. We have mastered the art of producing brilliant minds, but have neglected the far more difficult task of nurturing noble hearts. We celebrate intelligence, yet overlook integrity; we reward achievement, but ignore empathy. The result is a world brimming with knowledge but starved of wisdom—a world where the so-called educated often become architects of destruction, their skills unmoored from any moral compass.
Into this fractured landscape steps Sam Pitroda, whose book “Redesign the World” is both a diagnosis and a prescription. Pitroda sees with piercing clarity that the institutions built in the aftermath of World War II—the United Nations, the IMF, the World Bank—are now relics, unable to heal the wounds of a planet bleeding from inequality, environmental collapse, and spiritual malaise. He calls for a bold new architecture, one founded not on the brittle pillars of power and profit, but on the enduring bedrock of inclusion, human needs, sustainability, a new economy, and non-violence.
Pitroda’s vision is electrifying in its audacity. He believes that the digital revolution—AI, cloud computing, the Internet of Things—can be harnessed to empower the many, not just the few. Hyperconnectivity, he argues, can flatten hierarchies and ignite a new era of participatory democracy. But technology, in his view, is not a savior. It is a tool—one that must be guided by the ancient values of compassion, simplicity, decentralization, and self-sufficiency. It is a call to infuse Gandhi’s moral clarity into the circuitry of the digital age.
This vision finds powerful echoes in the wisdom of indigenous cultures. The Duwamish chief’s words ring with an urgency that transcends time: “The earth does not belong to man; man belongs to earth. All things are connected like the blood that unites one family.” The Potawatomi elders, centuries ago, distilled the essence of human decency into seven golden rules: truth, trust, love, humility, bravery, wisdom, and respect. These are not quaint relics, but the very DNA of survival.
Tirukkural, the ancient Tamil scripture, anticipated these truths two thousand years ago. Its verses are a symphony of righteousness, extolling the virtues of compassion, self-restraint, and moral courage. It reminds us that greatness is not measured by wealth or conquest, but by the ability to act justly, even when the world conspires against it.
Yet, as we confront the triple specters of environmental collapse, nuclear proliferation, and the runaway advance of artificial intelligence, we find ourselves perilously adrift. The challenges we face are global, borderless, and existential. No nation, however mighty, can solve them alone. They demand a new kind of leadership—one rooted not in the pursuit of self-interest, but in the practice of righteousness.
How, then, do we reclaim this lost virtue? How do we build a world where compassion is not a weakness, but a strength; where humility is not a liability, but a necessity? The answer lies in a return to first principles. We must rediscover the wisdom of our ancestors, who understood that to live on this earth is not a right, but a privilege—one that comes with sacred responsibilities to each other, to the natural world, and to generations yet unborn.
Technology, for all its promise, is a double-edged sword. In the hands of the righteous, it can heal, uplift, and unite. In the hands of the unscrupulous, it can destroy, divide, and corrupt. The future will not be shaped by algorithms alone, but by the values that animate them. Leadership, too, must be redefined—not as the exercise of power, but as the embodiment of service, integrity, and vision.
The COVID-19 pandemic was a brutal teacher. It exposed the fragility of our systems, but also revealed the extraordinary capacity for solidarity and sacrifice. For a fleeting moment, the boundaries that divide us—nation, race, creed—seemed less important than the bonds that unite us. Scientists and doctors became heroes. Ordinary people performed acts of quiet courage. The world glimpsed what is possible when we act not out of fear or self-interest, but out of a shared sense of purpose.
But memory is short, and the old habits of division and complacency are quick to return. If we are to avert disaster—if we are to preserve the environment, control nuclear weapons, and ensure that artificial intelligence serves humanity rather than enslaves it—we must make righteousness our North Star. We must build a culture where education is not merely a means to a career, but a crucible for character. Where progress is measured not by GDP, but by the depth of our humanity. Where leaders are chosen not for their charisma, but for their conscience.
The task is daunting, but history offers hope. Time and again, individuals and societies have risen above their circumstances to embrace the higher calling of righteousness. The path is never easy. It demands sacrifice, courage, and an unwavering commitment to truth. But it is the only path that leads to a future worth inheriting.
In the end, all things are indeed connected, as the Duwamish chief reminds us. The choices we make—what we teach our children, how we treat the vulnerable, how we steward the earth—will echo across centuries. Let us choose, then, to walk the path of righteousness. Let us build a world where the blood that unites one family is not spilled in conflict, but flows in compassion. Let us bequeath to the generations yet unborn not a legacy of regret, but a testament to the enduring power of righteousness. For in that choice lies the hope of the world.
Justice N.Anand Venkatesh Judge High Court Madras
