The Other IQ:
Today is March 26, 2026. Across the nation, we are celebrating Ram Navami. We offer prayers to Lord Rama, the embodiment of Satya(Truth) and Dharma(Righteousness). We call him Maryada Purusha – the man who stayed within the bounds of morality even when it cost him a kingdom.
But as we ring the bells in our temples, perhaps it’s time to ask: Are we celebrating his values, or are we just performing a ritual?
The Rise of the “Wrong” IQ
We live in an era obsessed with IQ (Intelligence Quotient). We celebrate the clever, the sharp, and the “disruptors.” But in our rush to climb the social and economic ladder, we’ve neglected a far more vital metric: our Integrity Quotient.
In 2026, success has been narrowed down to a spreadsheet. We measure a person’s worth by:
- The quantum of their wealth.
- The status of their job title.
- The speed of their ascent.
“Getting there” has become non-negotiable. It no longer matters how we get to the top or whom we have to trample on the way up. We want the view from the “Peak”, even if the path we took to get there is littered with broken promises and compromised values.
“Education for Success” vs. “Education of the Soul”
Our education system has become a high-pressure factory. It is meticulously designed to produce job-seekers who can navigate corporate ladders, but it is failing to produce citizens who can navigate moral dilemmas.
We teach our children how to score, how to compete, and how to flaunt. We don’t teach them how to be honest when it’s inconvenient. We’ve traded “character building” for “resume building.” Even among our most highly educated, the “clever lie” is often prized over the “difficult truth.”
From “Satyameva Jayate” to “Asatyameva Jayate”!
Our national motto, etched in stone, is Satyameva Jayate—Truth alone triumphs. Yet, look around. Does truth triumph in our daily dealings? Or have we subtly modified it to Asatyameva Jayate? We’ve reached a point where we believe that to get ahead, one must be a little dishonest, a little ruthless, and a lot selfish.
We are the teachers of the next generation. Every time we take a shortcut, every time we prioritize wealth over work ethic, and every time we remain silent in the face of a lie, we are giving a “masterclass” to our children. We claim we want to leave a better world for them, but we are handing them a world where integrity is a liability and “success” is hollow.
A Moment to Pause and Realign!
Ram Navami is not just a birthday; it is a mirror. It asks us if we have the courage to choose the right path over the fast path.
Let’s stop. Let’s think.
Can we reclaim our Integrity Quotient?
Can we teach our children that being a “good person” is more prestigious than being a “rich person”?
Can we realign our lives with the truth that Lord Rama lived?
Success without integrity is just a well-decorated failure! This year, let’s resolve to make Satyameva Jayate a living practice again, not just a slogan on a coin.
Happy Ram Navami! Let us strive to be worthy of the legacy we celebrate!
Dr. Somnath Chatterjee
Medical Director, Prakriya Hospitals
Bengaluru
