An excerpt from Dilip Mukerjea's new book, Unbeatable Minda, Invincible Spirits: Profiles in Soul-Smart Leadership:

THE UNBEATABLE MIND-INVINCIBLE SPIRIT MANDATE

“We are humans but our nature is to fly. What makes us unique is transcending our limits— with our minds and our machines.” quoted Stephen Hawking, English theoretical physicist, cosmologist, and author, who was director of research at the Centre for Theoretical Cosmology at the University of Cambridge at the time of his death. Though his body failed him, Stephen used his intellect and continued his research successfully. Between 1969 and 1973 , Stephen presented an important theory on Black Holes. He discovered that black holes could emit radiations, which was a surprising finding. This was then called “The Hawking Effect.”

Despite being one of the leading theoretical physicists and cosmologists of our time. he was never awarded a Nobel Prize because his research on the quantum physics and thermodynamics of black holes was too far ahead of the possibility of experimental verification. It’s worth noting, however, that “Hawking Radiation” from artificial black hole analogues has been recently observed in the laboratory, and it seems plausible that further research on artificial black holes could have won Hawking a Nobel Prize for his pioneering theoretical studies. We’ll never know, because the Nobel Prize is only awarded to living scientists.

“The limit that confronts us now is the great void between us and the stars,” added Hawking. “But now we can transcend it. With light beams, lightsails and the lightest spacecraft ever built, we can launch a mission to Alpha Centauri within a generation. Today, we commit to this next great leap into the cosmos. Because we are human. And our nature is to fly.”

Hawking died on 14th March 2018, at age 76.

This book features a sampling of distinctively distinguished personages with, like Hawking, unbeatable minds, invincible spirits. There are many more that could have been added to this list of eminences, and at another time, a companion volume will portray them. Each selected celebrity has been painstakingly hand-drawn to honour him or her. It is my tribute to them, but beyond that, I am using their presence in the course of human evolution to inspire those who are present, and those yet to come, so that they too may reach for the cosmos in an effort to light our path into the future. These great souls lived lives that were awakened, assertive, and active...they were the standardbearers of human invincibility.

Today, we are transitioning through game-changing times. Our leaders in every domain need to blend, and balance, the traits of masculine assertiveness with feminine sensitivity. In a world of increasing risk and opportunity, we need to keep enquiring about what it takes to turn passion into success. From the infinitesimal to the infinite, our contexts are shaped by an avalanche of ceaseless change. The world demands more leadership as exemplified by our pantheon of unbeatable minds, invincible spirits: their Integrity shines forth from adherence to their convictions and values. Their distinctiveness reflects the triumphs and tumults of human evolution, driven by imaginative non-conformity. May we remain inspired by them!