Spent a most enlightening 3 hours with respected Shri L N Jhunjhunwala ji (LNJ) on Krishna Janamastami day, 19th August 2022. Can't decide if I introduce him as an extremely successful industrialist or a visionary who dreams of seeing Bharat as the most advanced nation, or a spiritual Guru having such indepth knowledge of Vedas, Geeta and other granths.
Starting
more than seven decades ago with a small textiles venture, Shri Jhunjhunwala’s
legacy now stands tall as LNJ Bhilwara Group, an INR 5,600 crores plus
well-diversified business conglomerate with presence in textiles, power,
graphite electrodes, IT, skills and energy storage solutions. To know more
about this towering personality just click
https://www.lnjbhilwara.com/chairman_message.html (Photo of LNJ has been taken
from the website.)
LNJ is just
94 years old and has full confidence that he will live till he is 116 years
old. At present, there is a concept of living a hundred years in Bhartiya
school of thought. (वर्तमान
में भारतीय चिंतन में जीवेत शरद: शतम् की अवधारणा है।). However, the age of 116 years is
prescribed by the Chandogyopanishad. (छान्दोग्योपनिषद् के द्वारा 116
वर्ष की आयु का विधान है।). It is this new reading of Chandoyaopanishad which assured him that a
human can live 116 years and therefore this belief of his. Seeing his physical
and mental health I can vouch that his wish to attain the age of 116 will be
fulfilled with the grace of Almighty.
LNJ talked
of Space Technolgy, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Quantum Physics, Block Chain
etc with such ease. He showed books on astronomy and space which were written
for US school kids, and questioned if we don't do similar interventions how we
will produce scientists and engineers for tomorrow. LNJ has one dream - to see
that a Bhartiya soon gets a Noble prize for mathematics.
LNJ talked a
lot of Aurobindo ji and Vivekanand ji He
opined that if Gandhiji had listened to Aurobindo ji, Bharat would not have
seen the partition of our motherland. Recently his article titled Sri Aurobindo
could have stopped partition was published in The Pioneer in June 2022. (Link
to the article:
https://www.dailypioneer.com/2022/columnists/sri-aurobindo-could-have-stopped-partition.html
). LNJ is a passionate reader and a writer. He has a very rich library which includes
several rare books, and believe me, he has read all of that he has.
LNJ talked
very highly of one Shri Raghunandanji, who took charge of his school at Hurda.
Raghunandanji took care of the school for 50 years and did not take a single
paise for his services. He was surely a monk, with no personal desires. LNJ
encouraged Shri Raghunandanji to write the book “Wisdom of Vashistha”, which
was released by our former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam on 18th October 2004.
While talking of Raghunandanji, LNJ informed that there are some 3,000 monks
serving the Ramkrishna Mission, Aurobindo Ashram, Raman Maharishi, who take
nothing for their services. He very strongly believes that we have several such
selfless people who are available to serve the nation, not expecting anything
in return. LNJ is deeply associated with such organisations, specially the
Ramakrishna Mission.
During these
3 hours, he spoke of several issues. He showed books on those topics to
corroborate his deliberations.
LNJ has also
written a number of books and has received several awards and recognitions.
I am sure of
getting his blessings soon again. In fact, when I meet him next I will take
some personal information from him. And even ask him to give a message for
today's youth, as to how they should lead their life.
I pray to
the Almighty to shower His choicest blessings on Shri Jhunjhunwala ji.
