by Dr Prebagaran Jayaraman
While enjoying my gardening one day last week I received an interesting WhatsApp message from my friend, Michael: “Dr Preba, I think our PM has been following your Thirukkural postings.”
At the time, our Honourable Prime Minister was delivering the 2025 budget in Parliament. My wife had been watching the speech, and I quickly replied, “I guess Dr. A. Parsuramen, the former Education Minister of Mauritius, might have influenced our PM on the power of the Kural.”
Dr. Parsuramen, the founding President of the International Thirukkural Foundation in Mauritius, has been instrumental in spreading the wisdom of Thirukkural.
I was once the Chief Guest at an event he organised, where I shared insights on “Wisdom of Thirukkural to Navigate Challenging Times.”
It’s certainly uplifting to see leaders like our PM and Dr Parsuramen recognising these timeless lessons of the ancient text. For those unfamiliar, Thirukkural is a collection of 1,330 couplets written around 2,500 years ago by Thiruvalluvar. It offers guidance on three key areas: Virtue, Wealth and Love. Its wisdom has shaped civilisations, especially during the Sanga Kalam period of Tamil Nadu, when prosperity and righteousness flourished.
These simple yet profound messages are relevant to leaders at all levels — whether in government, organisations, or families. Let’s explore their key lessons:
• Acquire Wealth: Great leadership begins with the ability to generate resources. This could be financial, intellectual, or social wealth that benefits the people one leads.
• Develop and Guard It: Leaders have the responsibility not only to acquire but to grow and protect these resources. As family leaders, we must nurture our children and protect them from negative influences. In organisations, leaders must ensure their teams are continuously developing while safeguarding them from risks.
• Distribute for the Public Good: True leadership is demonstrated in how resources are shared. Whether in business, family, or government, ensuring equitable distribution and using wealth for the common good is a hallmark of a great leader.
At the core of this teaching is the importance of self-leadership. Personal mastery is the foundation of effective leadership. How can we lead others if we cannot first lead ourselves? Continuous learning, self-discipline, and action are essential traits of self-leadership.
This brings me to Kural 391, one of my favourites: “Whatever is to be learnt should be learnt flawlessly, and the learning shall be demonstrated in action.”
Learning without action is wasted. This Kural perfectly complements the message of Kural 385 — acquire, develop, guard, and use wealth for the greater good.
As we look forward to 2025, let’s apply these principles in our lives and leadership. What are your thoughts on Kural 385 and how it applies to you? How will you demonstrate what you’ve learned?