The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee addressed the inaugural session of the ninth World Confluence of Humanity, Power and Spirituality, organized by ASSOCHAM, Srei Foundation and the Times Group today (December 16, 2016) in New Delhi.

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that the theme of this convention, “Sach Bharat: Spirituality at Work”, is of immense relevance. He stated that spirituality is important for any individual. At times, it is confused with religion but spirituality carries a deeper meaning in its strong connect in our daily lives, including our workplace. Being spiritual is being devoted, including devotion to one’s work. Working harder for the growth of the nation is an act of devotion in itself. He expressed hope that the forum would help in propagating such a message.

The President said that in today’s world which is becoming more and more insular, it is imperative that we use spirituality to guide us in our thoughts, deeds and actions. Spirituality shows us how to treat others. All religions profess values for reformation of the human being. Spirituality means embodying kindness, compassion and selflessness. If these values flourish in our citizens, offices and factories and in our work culture, they would become happy and productive workplaces. Their effect will transmit to the wider community. At the organizational level, companies have to look at how they are upholding their values. How congruous are their actions with regard to what they espouse as their values? How ethical are their actions and how fair are their practices? What behaviours in their employees are they rewarding? Are these behaviours consistent with their values? Is there trust within the organization and is the organization trusted by the outside world for its integrity? These are some of the very basic questions which we will have to answer ourselves.

The President said that organizations have to ensure that their culture- the way they do things- promotes a spirit of inclusion and collaboration. Working towards self-actualization has to be a way of life for the employees. An organization that believes in and works towards spirituality at the workplace will ensure that its people have every opportunity to self-explore, seek a higher purpose and behave with others with kindness, compassion and selflessness.