Mentors: The Life Changing Personnels

What do you think is common among Cristiano Ronaldo, Albert Einstein, Mahatma Gandhi, Marie Curie, and Pandavas? Before answering this, let me tell you about the fateful day on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, where Pandavas emerged as the winners of the first war of Kalyuga. However, a few weeks before this day, such a victory seemed far-fetched simply because Kauravas had double the army size compared to that of Pandavas and undisputed warriors like Bhishmapitamaha, Dronacharya, and Karna. One might wonder, How did Pandavas win? Much to the chagrin of Kauravas, the former won because they had followed a guided path shown to them by Lord Shri Krishna.

Now, can you guess the answer to the very first question? The answer is, all of them had ‘Mentors’ in their lives to help them understand their goals better, get a wider perspective, and become their aide in difficult times.

A mentor is more than a teacher or advisor; they are a confidant, role model, and source of unwavering support. A survey conducted by the American Psychological Association found that 75% of respondents who had a mentor reported that they had a positive impact on their lives; this showcases the importance of having a mentor in an individual’s life. Let us now delve deeper into this idea.

First, a mentor is a compendium of resources. They can transmit condensed information in a relatively short period of time and act as a constant source of wisdom; this leads to enhancement of skills and knowledge in the individual’s area of interest. For example, Albert Einstein’s work was greatly influenced by the work of Max Planck, his mentor and pioneer in Quantum Mechanics.

Second, a mentor does not let his mentee repeat the same mistakes that the former committed. Thus, providing a guidebook to navigate one’s life through the lived experiences of their mentors. For instance, it was Walter Sisulu, a prominent anti-apartheid activist, who helped Nelson Mandela navigate through the complexity of political activism and thus avoid the very pitfalls that he himself encountered.

Third, humans have a self-serving bias, and with a mentor in one’s life, a strong feedback mechanism allows for course correction. In her masterpiece ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, Harper Lee (1960) emphasises the constructive criticism provided by Atticus Finch to bring out the best in his daughter, Scout Finch, through the course of her life. It is this mentoring that made her speak up against the evil of racism rampant back in the day. 

Lastly, the humanistic touch of mentorship weaves a tapestry of support and understanding, forging a lifelong bond that transcends time and circumstance. Legendary footballer Cristiano Ronaldo once mentioned that when his father passed away, his mentor-cum-manager, Sir Alexander Ferguson (then at football club Manchester United), became his backbone in the challenging times. 

The concept of mentoring can be found in ancient India, where students were assigned a mentor through an ancient guru-ashram system called ‘Guru-Shishya Parampara’. Even during medieval times, the idea of mentorship via camaraderie is not too tough to find, be it Tenali Rama to King Krishna Deva Raya or Birbal to Emperor Akbar.

Mentoring as an idea is nuanced; for instance, a relative could also become a mentor. Decorated pianist Wolfgang A. Mozart found that mentor in his father, Leopold. Hence, it can be noted that one can find mentors anywhere if one has the humility to ask for ‘help’. The drive to grow is then the only prerequisite. 

Moving ahead, mentors can be of various types. They could range from masters of craft to emotional anchors who act as confidants, from friends to people far younger than oneself. 

However, mentors sometimes get carried away due to their attachment to a particular goal or their mentee. For instance, in his book ‘No Shortcuts to Top’, Ed Viesturs (2006) mentions that a great mentor and mountaineer, Rob Hall, was so carried away by his goal of helping his client (and mentee) reach the top of Mount Everest that his judgment was clouded for a momentary period of time. Though he knew the signals to return were there all along, he carried on anyway, which ultimately led to his demise (and his mentee’s) in the disastrous avalanche of 1996. 

Furthermore, there are challenges between mentor-mentee relationships such as misunderstanding, lack of communication, biases of mentors, and blind following of mentors without questioning, which could make them replicas of their mentors and hinder the critical thinking process of themselves. Not to mention, choosing the wrong mentors could lead to disorientation of goals in life. Thus, one should avoid such mistakes and choose their mentors with self-awareness and due diligence. 

Mentors, thus can help one realize one’s true potential or lead to the crashing and burning of one’s aspirations. Thus, while it is appropriately advisable to seek mentors to excel in various walks of life, one has to be one’s own mentor first. The importance of both notions cannot thus be overstated. One has to look inward so as to rise upward.

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REFERENCES:

• Fawal, J. (2018, September 18). The 5 types of mentors you need in your life. https://ideas.ted.com/the-5-types-of-mentors-you-need-in-your-life/
• Miranda, L. ( 2019, September 7). https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/opinion/you/we-all-need-a-mentor/articleshow/71018031.cms

Aditi Nanda
PDM Scholar, Class of 2025

Aditi Nanda is a versatile professional with a strong academic background in Mechatronics engineering and a passion for social impact. Aditi’s leadership roles in Rotaract Club and Inter-University Youth festivals, coupled with her international exposure through dance competitions and cultural exchange programs, have equipped her with exceptional interpersonal and communication abilities. Aditi’s diverse skill set, coupled with her enthusiasm and dedication, makes her a promising candidate for public policy roles where she can contribute meaningfully to societal development.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aditi-nanda-516075139/