Photographs: Courtesy Rupa Publications
Television show host Raghu Ram may be one of the meanest people on camera.
But he is also worldly wise.
We asked the Tormentor of Roadies. to share a few words of advice for you, our young readers.
It is easy to write off someone as an angry rude person.
Sure, Raghu Ram has a side that almost every person who's gone to audition for MTV Roadies absolutely hates.
But the TV show host also happens to be a wise man who cares about the state of the world.
He is actively involved in the Aam Aadmi Party and was campaigning for it actively during the recently concluded elections.
And he's released his memoirs -- Rearview: My Roadies Journey! (published by Rupa Publications).
It seemed apt then for us to ask him what he hoped the young and restless of this country knew.
Please click NEXT to read what he said...
1. The world is larger and prettier than you think
Image: The world is one very beautiful placePhotographs: Luke MacGregor/Reuters
It is said that the world is a book and those who haven't travelled have read but one page.
Planet earth is the most amazing speck in the entire universe as it has everything the rest of the universe doesn't.
Travel as much as you can.
Avoid repeating places you've already visited.
Remember, every holiday is a chance to discover a new place.
ALSO SEE Stunning images from planet earth
Please click NEXT to continue reading...
2. Discovering yourself is as important as discovering the world
Image: Discover yourself -- it's as important as discovering the world.Photographs: Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters
Knowing yourself will lead to your being able to navigate life more effectively.
The most difficult thing in knowing yourself is to preserve objectivity.
More than finding things about yourself that you like concentrate on finding things about yourself that you hate and work on them.
3. You are the architect of your destiny
Photographs: Oleg Popov/Reuters
Gone are the times when a cobbler's son has to become a cobbler and a king's son becomes a king.
You are a unique person with unique ability and talents.
Discover them.
And use them not just to eke out a living but also derive pleasure for yourself and spread happiness to others.
4. Question every bias
Photographs: Anindito Mukherjee/Reuters
We always inherit biases and hates.
Do not accept them blindly
The world is moving towards global citizenship
And prejudices will only hold you back.
Bias against people on the basis of their religion, caste, gender or sexual orientation won't take you too far.
Besides, it quite simply isn't cool to be racist, sexist or homophobic anymore.
5. Very few things make you happier than a healthy body
Photographs: Brian Snyder/Reuters
Take it from someone with a bad body image for most of his life, working on your fitness is totally worth it.
Workouts release happy hormones.
If you exercise more, chances are you'll be a happier person.
Being fit also means you can participate in activities like trekking, mountaineering and other extreme sports.
These won't just thrill you but also enrich your life beyond your imagination.
6. Test yourself to know yourself
Photographs: Mike Powell/Getty Images
Everyone is as morally upright as the next person till they're tested.
Expose yourself to new ideas. Challenging yourself. Struggle.
Only then will you really know if you are the person you think you are.
7. If you don't stand up for your beliefs they are not your beliefs
Image: If you believe in a cause, go out and make your voice heard.Photographs: Nicky Loh/Getty Images
No one respects an armchair intellectual.
If you believe in a cause, go out and contribute.
Else you never really cared about it.
And it's cool to care
8. Technology can both connect people and isolate them
Technology has brought people closer in many ways.
But there are few things more pathetic than four friends sitting together but chatting with other people on their phones.
Disconnect once in a while discover the most high-end operating system of all -- real life.
9. Respect your elders and be responsible towards the younger ones
Photographs: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters
Our elders are a storehouse of history and experience.
They must be valued and cherished and be given due respect.
But it is not important to do everything they say
Their opinions may be outdated and regressive.
Learn to sift the relevant from the archaic.
Our responsibility is to our future generations.
We should not be teaching them what to think but how to think
10. Read and meet artists
Along with travelling, reading and meeting interesting people are the two sure fire ways of expanding your mind.
They both give you different points of view and expose you to different worldviews
Artists in particular are among those who are capable of thinking out of the box and view the world differently from the rest of us.
Artists make the world better.
Besides, they are quite simply great fun to hang out with. :-)
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