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In 1999, India was in the throes of Kargil War with Pakistan. Pakistan has sneaked into Indian territory and was occupying advantageous positions at the top of mountain peaks in the highly critical sector of Kargil with an intention to cut off the supply line between Leh and Srinagar. India, though initially caught by surprise at this sudden attack, was quick to gain an upper hand in the war, riding on the courage and valor of its soldiers. One such soldier was Captain Vikram Batra, who gallantly secured the critical peaks for India with his own life, which turned the result of war in favor of India. With his unwavering love for his country, exemplary courage and an undying spirit that till end cried “Yeh dil maange more’ not only inspired his fellow soldiers during the war but filled heart with hopes for many generations after him.Similarly at another such instance India’s brave son Major Somnath Sharma, first Param Vir Chakra awardee said, before he laid down his life battling enemy raiders during the Indo-Pak war of 1947 that “The enemy is only 50 yards from us. We are heavily outnumbered. We are under devastating fire. I shall not withdraw an inch but will fight to the last man and the last round”.

These exemplary situations show us the confluence of courage to fight for the country, love for the motherland and hope of peace and security for fellow countrymen.

Likewise one of the fundamental differences between humans and other living beings is our emotions and feelings. We can feel a whole spectrum of emotions that add vibrancy, meaning and depth to our mortal existence on this planet. In this spectrum lie three emotions: courage, love and hope that are so profound that throughout history they have been primary forces in bringing change to lives and societies alike. A life without these emotions is perhaps unimaginable and impossible.

Courage is the mental and emotional strength that allows individuals to face adversity, take risks, and act despite fear or uncertainty. It is the willingness to confront challenges, dangers, or difficult situations, even when the outcome is uncertain or potentially daunting. It is a fundamental human virtue that enables personal growth, moral action, and positive change. Courage has been one of the most important virtues needed to be the desired changes despite the difficulty and challenges of the situation. It was the courage of our countless freedom fighters who willingly sacrificed everything they had, including their lives to secure independence to their motherland from the British. This courage was supported by hope of an independent India and love of their fellow countrymen.

Like this, many historical and societal changes have been brought about by individuals who displayed the courage to challenge the status quo and advocate for a better world. Be it Rosa Parks and Civil Rights Movement, or Kailash Satyarthi and Bachpan Bachao Andolan, Malala and her resilience against Taliban for girl’s education or Chipko Movement by village women to save trees from being cut, history is full of instances where people confronted the challenges with great display of courage and raised hopes for others to follow the same path for positive changes.

In a world where evil lurks at every corner, courage is essential for upholding moral and ethical values. It inspires individuals to do what is right even when it may be difficult or unpopular. It encourages individuals to step out of their comfort zones, take on new challenges, and learn from their experiences. In India, around 86 rape cases are reported everyday as per NCRB data. There is an increase in 15.3% in crimes against women in 2021 as compared to the previous years, which includes violent crimes like acid attacks, rapes, domestic violence etc. This data, though seems disheartening, shows a positive side too. Today many women are finding courage to report the crimes which was not the case earlier. They get hopes from the judicial system, love from family and support from society to become the survivors and not the victims.

Thus, courage is itself not sufficient an emotion, it needs hope to survive and thrive. Hope is the belief in the possibility of a positive outcome, even in the face of adversity. It provides a sense of optimism and a reason to persevere through difficult circumstances. Hope is the spark that keeps people moving forward, even when the path ahead is uncertain. Anne Frank’s diary, written while she and her family were in hiding from the Nazis during World War II, is a poignant example of hope. Despite the dire circumstances, Anne clung to the hope that the world could become a better place. Though Anne Frank did not survive the Holocaust, her diary till date gives people hope and courage to continue to follow what they believe in, irrespective of the circumstances.

It can be said that courage and hope are intertwined with each other, and they share a symbiotic relationship where one empowers the other. Hope serves as a powerful motivator for courage. When individuals have hope, they believe in the possibility of a positive outcome, which, in turn, empowers them to act, even in the face of fear or uncertainty. Our present generation in the last few years have been through the toughest of times in terms of Covid-19 pandemic. At the beginning of the pandemic, it was a completely uncharted territory which forced the people into strict lockdowns all across the world, which halted life as we knew it. However, the courage with which health care providers displayed by putting their lives in danger to save the rest and hope that our scientists gave in the form of Covid vaccines are inspiring to say the least.

If hope motivates courage, courage transforms hope into reality. This is to say, courage is like love, which needs hope as nourishment and hope is like a catalyst that puts courage into action. Indian Space Scientists, though disheartened by the failure of Chandrayaan 2, were supported by love and faith of their fellow countrymen. This hope helped manifest their failure into courage and motivated them to make their next mission a huge success in the form of Chandrayaan 3 mission. Thus, courage, love, and hope, when combined, create a unified force for positive change that is greater than the sum of its parts. These three virtues empower individuals and communities to overcome challenges, foster resilience, and inspire transformative actions.

However, one must be rational, objective, and sensible while making decisions. Hope and courage are very powerful and sometimes blinding emotions and as emotions they need to be balanced with intellect and wisdom. While hope is generally considered a positive and motivating force, there can be a dark side to hope when it is misplaced, unrealistic, or misused. Similarly, courage when blinded by passion, self-interest and lack of wisdom, might take a turn for negative outcomes. Today, we see a rise in fundamentalism and extremism across the world. As a result, youth are pushed into terror activities, rioting, violent crimes etc. This is the result of youth being exposed to false hopes and narratives based on vested interests that pumps them up to take the wrong route.

Even at times, when hopes are misplaced for wise individuals, it spells doom for them, and rest like in case of financial crisis and scams. Scam artists often prey on people’s hopes for financial security and prosperity. With the rise of fintech, such crimes have seen a big boom in the last few decades. The scams of yesteryears like Harshad Mehta scam or Subprime mortgage scams have today become scams like Jamtara or Indian Call Centre scams where prey are mostly vulnerable people who have high hopes in quick monetary gains through use of technology. It underscores the importance of due diligence, skepticism, and critical thinking when faced with investment opportunities that seem too good to be true.

It is true that surviving without emotions like courage, hope and love is impossible. Courage gives us the strength to face adversity, love connects us to one another, and hope lights our path to a brighter future.  However, it is also true that one needs to develop emotional, social, and intellectual intelligence to balance their emotions. The objective should not be personal growth, but personal growth which brings collective good and shared happiness. A balance of emotions is needed for a harmonious existence and fostering positive changes within us as well as the outside world. Courage and hope, are thus, just two parts of the solutions to our current problems, as Rabindranath Tagore in his book of poems Stray Birds, says

Clouds come floating into my life from other days no longer to shed rain or usher storm but to give colour to my sunset sky.- Rabindranath Tagore

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