India is a land of celebrities.  Whether it is our cricketers, filmstars or politicians we idolize them.  Sachin, Gavaskar,  Dhoni, Akshay or Amitabh, Chiranjeevi or Rajanikanth have attained iconic status in their areas of activities and rightly deserve the celebrity status they are accorded.

It is said that behind every successful man there is a successful woman.  Similarly it could also be said that behind every successful celebrity there is another successful celebrity who could have been a possible source of inspiration.  A great cricketer like Sachin had Gavaskar as his idol, while the brilliant Sehwag had Sachin as his idol.  The success of their respective idols inspired Sachin and Sehwag to being what actually they are now.

The younger generation always look up to a role model.  Sachin's exemplary behaviour both on and off the field could be perfect inspiration for a youngster to copy.  On the contrary misdeeds of another celebrity could also be copied by the younger generation.  John Mc Enroe was a great player but he was equally known for his tantrums as well.  If somebody smashes his racket or abuses the referee today, Mc Enroe could also be indirectly held responsible for setting a bad example.

The number of times our Bollywood stars marry or have a affair is certainly a bad example for the younger generation.  Media may definitely defend the stars saying it is their personal lives but at the end of the day, the star is responsible for setting a bad example. While Shahrukh Khan has set a good example for being a loyal husband, the umpteen number of marriages or affair Saif Ali Khan or Aamir Khan has had is certainly not good news for the younger generation and particularly those who idolize them.

Thanks to the advent of Television, a wider cross section people are having access to information.  In this regard it is very important for celebrities to exercise some restraint in their personal lives keeping in view the well being of future generation.

Regards

Satish