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Manpreet Singh Badal, Minister of Finance in the Punjab Government.

what does spirituality mean to you?

Many people think much about God, rather than worship Gods creations. As a politician, as someone who really wants to devote his life to nation building, more important than God is to look after God's creations. There is no excuse for the fact that we have such abject poverty in the 21st century. So my priority and my idea of spirituality is to devote my entire life to bringing this country to a level where everyone has human dignity.

Do you believe you are guided and protected by a superior force?

I would not know if there is such a thing as a superior force, but I do not believe things are pre-ordained and pre-planned. Chance plays an important role. And the force that sustains me all along is my dedication to my mission and my objectives.

Do you believe you have a special mission or purpose in this life?

For the last sixty years, my family has won the elections in our constituency. My uncle was elected eight times in a row and for me it's been the fourth time --- each election with a higher margin than the previous one. What carries me through it all is my deep conviction that India can be turned around within my lifetime. I look at countries like post-War Germany, Korea, Singapore and I see that it does not take many people to change the destiny of a nation. I can feel I am destined to do just that. I can foresee that this transformation will happen. This is very clearly my mission. In the long run, everyone is forgotten, including the most powerful rulers. History will not record me. But history will record India. And I look at the opportunity of serving my country as a privilege not many people have, so there is no looking left or right, my whole being should be into it.
I have been feeling that way since I was a child. When I was at The Doon School, I got a special permission from the housemaster to receive a local Punjab newspaper on my breakfast table every morning. I was only ten years old, a time when kids usually really do not care about such things. So it is as if had always been preparing myself for it, becoming strong, stoic, able to take on tough situations and challenges.

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