No more Veni, Vidi, Vici. Now it's Venimus, Vidimus, Vicimus.
On November 12, 1947, Independent India celebrated its first Diwali, marking a significant moment in the nation's history. Mahatma Gandhi addressed both India and Pakistan on this occasion, emphasising unity and peace.
Last week, we celebrated our 77th Diwali, and its significance goes beyond the traditional return of Lord Rama. While Diwali is widely recognised as the “festival of lights,” it is more than just a celebration of light; it symbolises positivity, prosperity, and unity among diverse communities.
The roots of Diwali trace back to ancient texts such as the Kamasutra (50–400 Common Era - CE) and the Nilamata Purana (6th–7th century CE), with references found in inscriptions dating as far back as 1119 CE in Kolhapur.
For Hindus, the festival marks Prince Rama’s return to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile and his victory over Ravana. Jains observe Diwali as the anniversary of Lord Mahavira’s nirvana, symbolising spiritual enlightenment. Sikhs celebrate Guru Hargobind’s release from imprisonment in 1619, representing freedom and justice.
Buddhists, especially the Newar community of Nepal, honour Emperor Ashoka’s conversion to Buddhism in the 3rd century (BCE) Before the Common Era.
Diwali in London
As I walked through the streets of London during Diwali, I was heartened to see homes and streets lit with candles and diyas. The festival transcended borders, celebrated by people across continents. I spoke to several locals, and their love for the festival — and the sweets shared during the occasion — was palpable.
Its moments like these that remind me of the power of coming together.
But in today’s fast-paced world, where time is the most valuable commodity, the focus seems to be on achieving quick growth. Countries vie for the highest GDP, and individuals chase the highest number of social media followers.
This pursuit of rapid success reminds me of Julius Caesar’s famous words after his swift victory over Pharnaces II of Pontus at the Battle of Zela: Veni, Vidi, Vici (I came, I saw, I conquered). Today, work lunches are business meetings, and dinners are often takeaways.
Research by Sainsbury’s shows that only 28% of families in developed economies like the United Kingdom (UK) have dinner together.
It’s in this era of speed and individualism that I find myself reflecting on a quote from Henry Ford: “Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, and working together is success.” This quote speaks to the essence of human evolution.
Take, for example, I was once asked at a plenary, about the origin of the concept of “corporation or company”. The idea rooted in pooling of resources for ventures too large for an individual can be dated back to the 1600s, when the British Crown granted monopolies to groups of investors. At the time they were called a “joint-stock company.”
More questions
But another question arises: why is "the whole greater than the sum of its parts"? Why won't 100 individuals working alone produce a result as significant as a team of 100 working towards a single goal, even though individually their contributions may seem inconsequential?
The answer lies in the research by Harvard psychologists Matthew A Killingsworth and Daniel T Gilbert into how the human mind often wanders, contemplating past events or imagining future scenarios.
This mind-wandering can hinder productivity, especially when working alone. But when we come together as a group, we think and act differently. The dynamics of groups shape behaviour — people conform to social norms, the threat of ostracisation keeps them in check, and shared attitudes intensify when in the company of like-minded individuals. The presence of a group further gives rise to leaders who hold influence over group norms and their direction of thought.
But the most important job of the leader as discovered by Google’s Project Aristotle in their years of research is maintaining a psychologically safe environment.
Running for class rep
In my previous article, I had iterated that my Chevening journey is in the pursuit of finding paths to helping foster an entrepreneurial environment in India — a culture where taking risks is valued and supported.
This article shares a story of one such attempt of mine, following the first step of Ford's mantra: "Bringing people together."
I’m studying MSc Entrepreneurship at University College London (UCL), part of a class of 75 dynamic students.
During our welcome week, somewhere in September, I found myself at a lively party with my cohort, sharing drinks and laughs. And let me tell you, entrepreneurs are naturally full of energy, and 75 of them together? It’s like nuclear power.
Amidst the buzz, one of my energetic classmates from the United States (US), a fellow entrepreneur, suggested I run for class rep. At first, I laughed it off. But over the next few days, the idea stuck with me. I approached her again, asking for her help. I created a manifesto, shot a video, and put myself out there, asking for votes.
A few days later, the results came in— and just like that, I was the class rep.
Bigger dreams
But this was just the beginning. A week later, I received an email saying that as class rep, I was eligible to run for the entire faculty of engineering rep, which includes 11 departments, including our school of management.
No student from management had ever represented the whole faculty, which consisted of 10 engineering disciplines and one management department. I felt this was a chance to change that.
I approached my fellow entrepreneurs in the class, seeking advice on whether it was even possible for someone with zero experience in elections to go for this. With all my doubts, I wasn’t sure it could work.
But true to form, my energetic friends jumped into action — seven of them immediately set up a WhatsApp group, taking on roles as my campaign managers. As entrepreneurs, we understood the importance of connecting with people from different disciplines for future ventures.
Who better than us, problem solvers and networkers, to represent the cause?
We knew the campaign would be massive — 89 classes, two campuses, and over 10,000 students. But we set a clear objective. If we won, it wouldn’t just make me faculty rep — it would create a platform for my fellow entrepreneurs to leverage my position, sharing ideas, pulling in resources, and connecting with diverse streams of talent.
We went all in: shoutouts in class, gathering feedback from students, standing outside classrooms and canteens, speaking to over 1,000 students. My friends reached out to their networks, even calling friends from other courses, creating a ripple effect across the campus. It became an all-out campaign.
Towards the final days of the elections, the voter turnout from our department was lower than expected, allowing another faculty to take the lead. In response, my classmates visited other classes and ensured that people showed up to vote, obviously without attempting to influence their decisions!!!!!
Moreover, since there were seven nominees, and I was the only one from the School of Management. Professors also rallied behind me, with the programme directors endorsing my candidacy to their classes. It was a surreal experience.
Never have I ever felt so charged, motivated, safe or purposeful. Their unwavering support and belief in me worked its magic, igniting something within me that I never knew existed. It felt like a moment of unity—people with a shared goal. It was electrifying.
It truly felt like Diwali, with the lights, the people, the energy.
When the results came in on Friday evening, I had won 70% of the votes, but I waited until Monday when we all had our lecture together to announce the news.
As we celebrated the victory together, I wondered about Caesar, albeit a great military commander, but was betrayed by his closest friend. Maybe because Brutus’s fears outgrew the friendship. Maybe because Caesar was unfortunate to not have read about Google’s Project Aristotle.
While I don’t know about Caesar’s fate, I’ve learned that no victory — big or small — is mine alone.
To echo Caesar’s words, it’s no longer “Veni, Vidi, Vici.” Now it’s “Venimus, Vidimus, Vicimus” – “We came, we saw, we conquered.”
To this Caesar would probably shrug and say, “Whatever.”
(The author of the column is Mrityunjay Sharma. All views shared are his own.)
