Author name: Utpal Mehta

This question is often asked in many interviews. In response, people usually mention the name of someone by whom they are influenced rather than truly inspired. The topic of a role model is very sensitive, and making someone a role model without understanding their life journey can prove to be a very costly mistake. It is not so important who your role model is; what matters more is why that person is your role model. A person may need role models to learn many aspects of life, but a role model should not be chosen merely because one is attracted to someone’s personality. The qualities of a person are what truly matter when choosing a role model. In today’s time, instead of considering a person’s struggles, hard work, virtues, and conduct, people often choose their role models based only on their material success. Blindly following a sportsperson, a film actor or actress, or a wealthy businessperson without understanding their life values and daily conduct can lead a person toward destruction. Without reflecting on the values that helped someone reach great heights in life, if we choose a role model based only on their career—even if their life story is filled with controversies and questionable principles—we may still achieve success by following them, but that success will not last long. Success gained through manipulation, money, punishment, or strategy (Saam, Daam, Dand, Bhed) rarely lasts. Either the wealth does not remain for long, or the fame fades away quickly. Role models should not be chosen merely for building a career; they should be chosen to shape one’s character. A person from any field can be a role model for someone from another field. The important thing is to adopt the principles, hard work, and virtues of the role model in one’s own life. The flow of time is changing. Today’s younger generation follows many personalities on social media, and there is nothing wrong with that. The mistake happens when young people choose the wrong path just to live the glamorous life they see others living. The incidents that have taken place in the Indian film industry in recent months are examples that support this fact. They show that in today’s time the number of people who can truly be called role models is decreasing. It is not necessary that a great person is always a suitable person to be a role model. There is a famous English saying: “Go with the flow of time.” However, when it comes to choosing a role model, it seems we sometimes need to travel against the flow of time. It is not that there are no good people today who can be role models, but there is certainly a shortage of individuals with exceptional character and quality. Ten or twenty years ago such qualities were more visible in people, and a hundred or two hundred years ago they were even more common. So, is there someone who can be a role model for every person living on this earth? To find the answer, we must travel back in time to the Treta Yuga. During that era, Mata Sita and Lord Rama, the incarnations of Lakshmi and Narayan, are the best role models for all of us. At every moment of their lives, they set the highest examples of human values without using their divine powers. In relationships such as father and son, mother and son, brotherhood, husband and wife, friendship, family life, social conduct, honor, duty, and even governance, Lord Rama and Mata Sita established principles that we can follow in our lives. During the COVID-19 lockdown, the government broadcast the Ramayana, and we watched it as well. But how much did we truly connect the events of the Ramayana with our own lives and try to follow the character and values of the Lord? The Lord and Mata Sita were 100% perfect, yet we somehow ignore that perfection and run after people who represent only 20–25% of those values. Today, truly good and virtuous individuals in different fields are very few—so few that they can almost be counted on one’s fingers. Ratan Tata, Bharat Ratna Late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former President Late Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, MP Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Mary Kom, Rahul Dravid, M. S. Dhoni, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, Group Captain Harkirat Singh (who brought the Rafale fighter jet to India), and the first Indian woman fighter pilot Avani Chaturvedi are examples of highly respectable and virtuous individuals whom ordinary people can consider as role models. By following such people, we can shape our lives in a positive way. However, our ultimate aim should be 100% excellence. Only by following the path of the divine can this mortal life find true fulfillment. We have many choices before us—choices of the highest quality. But in the end, the choice is ours to make…  

Lahaul Spiti (Himalaya) Tour – Beyond ImaginationBy – Utpal Mehta4 March, 2026 “Loris Tour Organizer” is a well-known and trusted name from Gujarat with more than 30 years of successful experience. Its promoter is Manish Vaidh. I had the opportunity to join a Lahaul Spiti tour in Himachal Pradesh with Manishbhai Vaidh. The journey was planned for 10 days, from 4 June to 14 June. All the participants were asked to gather according to their convenience at the designated location at Chandigarh Railway Station at 8:30 AM on 4 June. Soon enough, the long-awaited day arrived. Everyone had some knowledge about the uniqueness of Lahaul Spiti, and therefore there was great excitement, enthusiasm, and thrill among all the travelers. Lahaul Spiti has gained popularity only in the last few years and is still developing as a tourist destination. It has been included in the tourism list only for the past 4–5 years, and since it is not yet overcrowded, the facilities are still limited. However, the beauty of this place is not just amazing—it is truly beyond words. Since this destination lies at a high altitude with thin air, Manishbhai chose the Shimla route to Spiti instead of the Manali route. This route gradually gains altitude, allowing travelers’ bodies to naturally adapt to the environment. All of us experienced how beneficial this decision was. The tour was organized with a limited number of travelers so that proper attention and comfort could be given to everyone. In total, 13 travelers joined from Ahmedabad, including one traveler who came from Australia, and 11 travelers joined from Vadodara. One week before the tour, Manishbhai organized a group meeting in Ahmedabad. The purpose of the meeting was to provide basic information, such as what items to carry, what health precautions to take, and which medicines and essentials are necessary while traveling in snowy mountains. He had also informed everyone one month in advance about how to prepare physically to improve stamina and adapt to high-altitude conditions. After this meeting, all the information was also shared with the Vadodara group, and everyone was encouraged to ask questions if they had any doubts. Soon, 4 June finally arrived. Manishbhai had already reached Chandigarh on 3 June by train so that he could make preparations in advance and ensure that no one faced any last-minute difficulties. On 4 June, the Vadodara group left at 5 AM and reached Sabarmati Station at 8:30 AM, from where the train was scheduled to depart. Meanwhile, one traveler from Ahmedabad had to cancel the trip due to unavoidable reasons, so a total of 12 travelers continued the journey. Soon the train started moving. Everyone was filled with excitement. After the seating arrangements were settled, travelers began introducing themselves to each other, which was an important part of building a good group atmosphere. To avoid eating too much outside food during the journey, everyone had brought some snacks from home. When the time came, all the travelers shared their food with one another and enjoyed the meal together in the moving train. It became a very joyful and memorable moment. In the evening, as guided by Manishbhai, the pre-ordered meal from Jaipur arrived, and everyone enjoyed it together. Conversations, laughter, and entertainment continued until around 1–1:30 AM, after which everyone went to sleep. Before we knew it, morning had arrived and the train reached Chandigarh at around 8 AM. As advised by Manishbhai, everyone had set alarms and woke up about half an hour earlier to get ready for arrival. As soon as the train stopped at the station, we saw Manishbhai waiting on the platform to welcome us, which made everyone feel relaxed and comfortable. The plan was to start the journey immediately from the station in a Force Traveller vehicle, but Manishbhai arranged something thoughtful. He organized a one-hour stay at a nearby hotel so that everyone could freshen up and have tea. Importantly, he arranged this without charging any extra cost from the travelers, which everyone appreciated. Finally, the real journey began around 9:30 AM. For about 80 kilometers from Chandigarh, the vehicle’s air conditioning was necessary. After that, the real feel of the Himalayan environment began, and the AC was switched off. After crossing Shimla, light drizzling rain made the journey even more pleasant. After approximately 8 hours of driving, around 6:30 PM, we stopped near Narkanda at a beautiful hotel located on the highway for our first night stay. The hotel staff unloaded our luggage from the vehicles and placed it in the assigned rooms. We were given one hour to relax and freshen up, and it was decided that everyone would meet in the main dining hall at 8:30 PM for dinner. When travelers opened the curtains of their room windows, the breathtaking view of nature outside made them forget their tiredness. At night, everyone gathered in the dining hall as planned. Surprisingly, even in such a remote mountainous region, the vegetarian Punjabi dinner served was delicious and very clean. Everyone appreciated Manishbhai for the excellent arrangements. After dinner, the group spent time chatting together. Manishbhai then gathered everyone and explained the next day’s travel plan and strategy. Later, everyone took a short walk in the garden and returned to their rooms for rest. The next morning, after a heavy breakfast, the journey resumed. Everyone was eager to experience snow and see the snow-covered mountains, but according to our driver, that moment was still some time away. The driver was young but experienced in driving on mountain roads, and he had a very good nature. To experience this entire travel story in detail, you can visit the YouTube channel created for global Gujaratis: TV World Gujarat https://www.youtube.com/@tvworldgujarat On this channel, you will be able to watch the journey live. Later, the complete travel story will also be published in this magazine in parts. Your feedback in the magazine and the channel’s comment box will be greatly appreciated.

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