Success in life comes through many doors. Some reach it through relentless hard work, perseverance, and skill, while others attain it through structured systems and opportunities. Whatever the path, success brings privilege, and with privilege comes a quiet moral responsibility to give back to society.
No one is legally bound to share their wealth, time, or expertise for the common good. Giving back is not a compulsion but a matter of conscience. Yet, history remembers those who do. From great philanthropists who gave away their fortunes to local community leaders who built schools or hospitals, their legacy endures not because of their success but because of their generosity.
In Nagaland, however, a troubling pattern seems to persist. Many successful individuals, whether in business, bureaucracy, or other fields, seldom feel the need to give back. Instead, a growing number are drawn to politics, often contesting elections in pursuit of power and influence. Some enter with genuine intentions to serve, but many end up spending their wealth on electoral battles, losing both resources and purpose in the process.
Perhaps it is time to rethink what “service to the people” truly means. Not everyone must become a politician to make a difference. Retired bureaucrats, businessmen, and professionals can contribute meaningfully by using their resources and experience to uplift society in other ways. Establishing foundations, starting NGOs, sponsoring students, supporting small entrepreneurs, or setting up community welfare funds are all powerful forms of public service. Nagaland, in fact, urgently needs such initiatives, from educational and healthcare projects to environmental efforts and think-tank organizations that can help shape sound policy and progress.
True success is not measured by how much one accumulates but by how much one contributes to the lives of others. The mark of greatness lies not in wealth or power but in the impact one leaves behind. For Nagaland to move forward as a humane and progressive society, its most privileged few must rediscover the virtue of giving back, not as charity but as a duty of gratitude.
A society thrives when its fortunate few remember those left behind. In the end, it is not power but purpose that defines a life well lived.
