Indian Tycoon Shri Satish Modi talks about life & his book – In Love With Death in an Interview with Subodh Gupta
(Q) You are running many philanthropic projects such as Arts for India Charity. What is your vision for humanity?
Everybody should get a fair chance in life and everybody should be given a chance to show their true worth and that is the vision for Arts for India Charity where we are providing free education, food living and everything to aspiring students and if you don’t have money in India, you can’t be educated.
We are also doing global charity Arts for India where we are promoting arts fashion and cinema globally with our global offices.
(Q) Rarely it is seen that NRIs like yourself who actually think of doing some charitable work for underprivileged children in India. Your thoughts?
I think worldwide if only people are charitable, poverty will vanish. It is very important that people who have been given more by the almighty must realize that their wealth will not go with them but their good deeds will when they die so good deeds must be done. I have taken education as the main theme because if you educate a person and then put a career in front of that person, it is a life changer for an underprivileged child.
(Q) What life means to you?
Life is a journey for me. I am quite aware of the fact that one day I will be no more in this world. So when it is a journey you must enjoy it and live humbly and remember everybody gets ups and downs in life and there is not a single person who doesn’t get ups and downs.
However, when you come across a phase in your life which is difficult, remember that it will also pass away and don’t live life in bitterness but in gratitude.
(Q) Important lessons in your life help you to improve as a person.
I have had privilege life in Modi Nagar (thanks to my parents) but then I am living mostly in Europe and then the past 22 years in London. I feel it is very important to understand life. It’s like everybody’s movie is running and you are in the film and you have to write your own script.
Live in gratitude and not in bitterness because if you live in bitterness than all those years are gone. Also, you have to understand that nobody in this world has everything. Enjoy what you have in life for example if you have good health that is also wealth.
Satish Modi book “In love with death” to be launched at Thai Festival in Dec 2017
(Q) You are an industrialist obviously busy schedule so how did you find time to write this book?
This book is an inspiration and it is a question of getting the right thoughts. So when I got these thoughts and I pen them, it turned out to be a book but I was never intended to write a book.
In Love with Death.
Book launch in Edinburgh. pic.twitter.com/283yfWMTII
— Satish Modi (@inlovewdeath) November 14, 2014
(Q) How did you fall “in love with death” title?
I got these thoughts in my dreams, which were sent to me by a very elderly holy person from Japan whom I happened to meet when she came with the Japanese prime minister in 2005.
She recognized me from my previous life and she invited me to Tokyo and taken to Kyoto where I was given a huge reception and when I was leaving she said she would communicate with me through dreams but unfortunately she died when she was 102.
(Q) You have written in your book that money can’t buy happiness. Your thoughts.
Money is important but it is the excess that creates the issues. For example, you may say that I like a cup of coffee but if you are asked to have 20 cups of coffee, you would end up in the hospital.
From time immemorial, all kingdoms have fights, all business families have fights because nobody said I have enough. Money can also break a relationship unless used properly.
(Q) You have mentioned in your book that, to have money is to be ultimately lonely. Why this view?
It is said that it is lonely at the top. When I am talking about money, I am talking about big money. The first billionaire in this world was Howard Hughes who was very lonely in his later years and cynical. You can’t really build a real relationship as you feel everybody in your life is because of your money. In life you have to be humble and money doesn’t allow you to be humble. So it has its adverse effect.
(Q) You have mentioned in your book that whatever time is left in our lives, one should spend wisely on those things which matter, so what things matter to Shri Satish Modi?
As I have said, “live meaningful & die peaceful”.
It is important to understand that you are here for a limited number of years and not forever. It is important to forgive. For example, somebody said I can’t forget this person but once you die what you will do? Will you become a ghost and come back (laugh).
(Q) You have said in your book that discussion about death can turn into a positive force.
Death is a great equalizer. At death, we all become 3.5 kg of dust. There are god ways of equalizing everybody. All things such as money will be left behind at death.
So once people remember that we are here for limited years perhaps focus can be shifted on good deeds, bigger things, and purifying soul.
Once I met mother Teresa and I asked her how she becomes mother, and she said that “one day when I came back from teaching there was a beggar outside of my house however I couldn’t save him and he was also suffering from leprosy and I saw Jesus in him. So the next day I shifted to leprosy colony and dedicate my life for mankind”, so you don’t have to be very rich and powerful to be a winner in this world.
(Q) If you have to describe yourself in 3 words, what will those 3 words be?
I am nobody, nobody, nobody!!! (point is to be humble and not have an ego)
(Q) What does the young generation need to do to motivate themselves?
When you are young, the whole life is in front of you. Life is feeling good from inside and not having regrets.
You can only have authority on work and not on the results as written in Gita. So my suggestion is to feel happy and feel good and put your best effort and don’t do acts which you regret.
(Q)If somebody wants to become the next business tycoon such as Mr. Satish Modi, what they need to do?
He must tell himself he is nobody, nobody, nobody!!! (be humble and not have an ego)
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Celebrities such as Shekhar Kapur, Kunal Kohli, and actress Mumtaz Madhwani attended Arts for India Charity event in London.