ELECTING to take the higher ground

Although he holds a prominent Constitutional position, this man has no airs and exudes a tranquillity that can’t be overlooked. He lives by three simple tenets handed down by his parents: industriousness, not expecting to receive anything without working for it, and treating everyone—irrespective of class and creed—equally. This, in a nutshell, defines Mohammad Modassir, Goa’s current election commissioner. He has held sway over a number of governmental posts during the course of his 35-year-long career, allowing none of these to overpower his principles. “January 3, 1980 was the day I arrived in Goa from my native land of Mau in Uttar Pradesh, on my first-ever deputation as an IAS officer. From that day on, I’ve tried to do as much as I could for the Goan people,” Modassir says. “It may sound like I’m bragging, but I’ve worked sincerely, never once forgetting that it was because of the taxpayer that I had a job. I’ve always believed that it was my duty to deliver,” he explains. Initially assigned the role of additional deputy collector (North), Modassir went on to become secretary to the government, supervising the functioning of nine state departments at different points in time. He also served as the collector of Diu for six months, later being posted to Daman in the same capacity for three-and-a-half years.What is remarkable is the clarity with which the 59-year-old recounts his life’s trajectory, making it seem like it all happened yesterday. “There’s no special formula,” he smiles when prodded to reveal the secret behind his astute memory. “In my opinion, when a life is well lived, one would certainly remember every detail of it. Life shouldn’t be lived for degrees, or status, or money. It is in enjoying one’s work and fulfilling obligations towards family, society and self that lasting memories are made.”Modassir’s mind brims with happy thoughts also because he has no room in it for grudges, anger and revenge. “What is the point in harbouring ill feelings against someone? An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind, and I don't intend to live that way. I am thankful for every person I’ve encountered and every experience I’ve had. I am thankful to Happy too,” he declares. In case you’re wondering, Happy is the Modassirs’ pet dog. The mongrel, whose name obviously reflects the mindset of the family, holds as vital a place as the rest of the clan in the Dona Paula home they share. But with Modassir’s daughters, Atika and Tooba, now married and pursuing their careers in London and Mumbai respectively, Happy is all too happy to get the undivided attention of the election commissioner and his wife, Yasmin, who is presently the principal of Dhempe College of Arts and Science, Miramar.When he isn’t spending time with his canine companion, Modassir takes to reading. His love for books was sparked in 1976, he says, by a simple thought, ‘Why people born in penury usually go on to achieve excellence, while those who have the best possible means don’t do as well’. He has read hundreds of books in search of that answer ever since. “Look at people like (motivational author) Louise Hay and (media mogul) Oprah Winfrey as examples. They didn’t have the best start in life, but rose to great heights eventually,” he points out, revealing his inclination towards inspirational autobiographies.Modassir’s current fascination is quantum reality, which roughly put, is an attempt to address the existence of objects, their attributes and their interactions. After immersing himself into scores of books on the subject, he has even composed his own correlative paper. The election commissioner is also a fan of light classical music and pre-1985 Hindi movies. While he also enjoys meditation music, he doesn’t believe in sitting still in one place to contemplate.“Meditation, for me, is mindfulness. It is about thanking God for all that we have, for every tiny blessing that has befallen us. It is about being grateful for the privileges given to us while also being aware that there are many who aren’t as fortunate.” “So, do I meditate? Yes, I do...in every moment of my life,” he concludes with a smile.