The Tale of Two “T”s, Thyagu and Trump!

 

I told Thyagu, I behold him as a Superman-Thyagu when I see his work, and he said to me: “We’ve all been there—stepping up to support others in our careers, in times of crisis, or through the quiet, daily rhythms of community building. i am in the limelight at the expense of others' difficulties!!...  Why? i do feel odd...”

Thoughtful question, that got me thinking. (lesson learned a long time ago at Omrun from Swami B, that’s a story for another day) 

My reflections quiet leadership vs. the loud echo

It is a familiar discomfort that often arises, much like what he has expressed himself:

• Many of us naturally show up to support others—in jobs, careers, and emergencies on countless occasions.

• Yet, the entire ecosystem of support only functions because of a vast, collaborative web of many people participating—so why am I being singled out for credit?

• It almost feels unsettling to be in the limelight, feeling like it comes at the expense of others' very real struggles.

No, not really at the expense. It is actually that innate ability to seize the opportunity, where others (myself included) would walk away from the problem.

That humility—viewing oneself as merely one spoke in a multi-part wheel rather than the axle around which everything turns—is what defines true, quiet leadership. 

My study of the Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 3, Verse 21) vividly brought this back to mind! Srikrishna reminds Arjuna that whatever a great or superior leader does, ordinary people follow, and whatever standard they set, the world pursues. Leaders have a duty to act rightly not for personal glory or ego, but because others look to them as an example. In these times, the contrast couldn't be sharper.

Look at leadership styles like Donald Trump’s—where the focus is aggressively inverted, operating out of an echo chamber where power and personal profit take center stage, risking destruction just to stay in the spotlight. That “leadership” tries to convince us that individuals are powerless unless they bow to a loud, ego-driven center of gravity.

This brings us to the hard question: If a true leader like Tyagu genuinely shuns the spotlight and insists he is just one piece of a collective effort, why must we celebrate him anyway?

The answer lies precisely in the Gita's core lesson on dharma and example. We do not celebrate individuals like Tyagu to feed an ego or crown a hero; we spotlight them because human beings are wired to follow what we see modeled. In an era saturated with transactional posturing and self-serving noise, people quietly wonder if genuine, selfless effort actually matters. If we leave quiet leaders in the shadows, the loudest voices win by default, leaving a vacuum of cynicism. By dragging quiet leadership into the light, we provide a vital antidote: tangible proof that integrity, community, and selfless strength are real, functioning forces. Celebrating them isn't about praising the person—it's about illuminating the path so that the rest of us know how to walk it.