Shaping a nation in times of crisis

When nations face provocation and peril, their immediate responses are often visible—fighter jets, diplomatic statements, public emotions.

- ASHOK PANDEY

WHEN NATIONS face provocation and peril, their immediate responses are often visible — fighter jets, diplomatic statements, public emotions. But beneath these visible acts lies something more profound: the quiet and long-term cultivation of national character. Recent developments following terror attacks on Indian civilians, and the subsequent measured response by the Indian leadership under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, offer an important lesson — that the real strength of a nation in crisis draws deeply from the values nurtured in the everyday rhythms of education.

Honest messaging When terror strikes at innocent lives, outrage is inevitable. But India made it clear that its response would be precise, non-escalatory, and aimed at the perpetrators.

This clarity distinguished India's stand from reactive aggressions elsewhere. It shaped global opinion in India's favour. Communication during a crisis must be truthful, transparent, purposeful. A leader's credibility is built — and tested — by how they speak under pressure.