What is real power?

I write this on flight to Mumbai to attend an event by Sports Illustrated to honor the 50 most powerful people in Indian Sport. I’m relieved I made that list. My sport does not enjoy the popularity of cricket or hockey and I’ve never had an audience of screaming fans with the tri-colour painted on their faces.

I am happy that such platforms are now celebrated in the land where awards have so far been reserved for Bollywood. Is it the beginning of a new era? When the Fair and Lovely/Paan Masala Awards for Excellence in Sport happen, I know we will have crossed a barrier. With this, I hope, the much needed awareness and sponsorships from corporates will happen.

I am looking forward to seeing some powerful people tonight. Hope some of that power rubs off on me!

What does power really mean? To me power would mean responsibility! Power requires commitment! Power requires that you do more than just go home and dust trophies on your mantelpiece? It’s hard enough to stand up and be responsible to myself, let alone be the lone ranger for others who hope to depend on you to make some difference in their journey! I guess someone’s gotta to do it and I hope all this glory enables me to influence the REAL POWERS THAT BE!

As a student of psychology I have always had a deep interest in the study of people. I had to give it up when I realised that pointing a rifle at someone with emotional issues wouldn’t encourage them to come back to me! However it’s fascinating to see how different people react to power? Some like me prefer to be in denial; some feel better about themselves (validation? See Daddy I did it!); some become arrogant (do you know who I am?); some hate it and get dragged into it unwillingly; and most love it!

An uncle put it well a few weeks ago, “The true character of a person is judged on not how he or she reacts to adversity or challenges but how he or she handles power.”