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Ashwini Kumar, Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry.

What does spirituality mean to you?
It is the pervasive recognition of a divine presence in and around me at all times.

Do you believe you are guided and protected by a superior force?
I believe there is some presence which I cannot see, but which I have been able to feel at every critical moment of my life. It is a force beyond the domain of human power, like an invisible hand, always around, warning me, dictating to me, nudging me, guiding me.

Do you believe you have a special mission or purpose in this life?
When I was a child, I wanted to be a lawyer, and nothing else. And I went that route with some success. But politics and the idea of public service were in my blood—my grandfather, my parents all went to jail as freedom fighters. And as the only son, I somehow felt I had to carry forward their work. So the larger purpose is to do good for those who cannot help themselves. I have been through many ups and downs, but at the end of the day, I am grateful to God for the opportunity to make an impact. Still, despite being a minister, I do not believe for a moment that this is all there is to life.

What is spirituality for you in your day-to-day life?
I do not go through long rituals or prayers, though praying is for me an important way of focusing and concentrating. I always feel a divine presence in and around me, and try to translate it through compassion and feeling—this I would say is day-to-day spirituality.

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