Does leading an ostentatious life impede the quest for spiritualism? Can the two co-exist? Or are these two concepts in conflict? I believe leading an austere life is an easier path to obtaining the larger goal of living life for a greater good. Ostentation makes one turn towards oneself; look inwards, forgetting the greater good. As long as a person remains oriented towards a noble goal, I believe it doesn't matter what kind of lifestyle a person lives. What do we really mean by spirituality? To me, spirituality is about finding a subliminal purpose, a noble purpose in any important thing I do. Spirituality is finding a purpose beyond the mundane, beyond the easily achievable goals and targets.

Every human being has a special mission in their life. When that is fulfilled, it brings joy. I believe my purpose in life is to be useful to those around me.

Happiness is interlinked with positive feelings. Happiness, for me, is to see the eyes of those around me light up with pleasure. So many good things happen, but they get lost in the negativity which surrounds us. We are enveloped by events and news, but what gets highlighted daily is negative news, which makes people depressed and unhappy. I think we should begin each day with good news. What would I choose? To me events which are very positive make good news. Economic growth of the country, showcasing the best of human spirit, the good work done by politicians - such news brings happiness to people. People are happy when they see that the events around them can make an impact on a larger chunk of society. Events and news must have an impact for people from all over the country and from all vocations - mothers, housewives, politicians. That brings happiness to people.

The film Chak de India brought happiness to a large number of people. The Chak de experience shows that youngsters want to see India do well, to win. They want a country that is disciplined. That makes people happy. People are happy when meritocracy is rewarded. It makes me happy when all the wonderful lessons life teaches us are conveyed succinctly.

I am a religious person. Religion is important to me, though I don't bring it out to the public sphere. Religion should not be flaunted - religion is personal. I wake up at 5.30 am and hit the treadmill. After a bath, it's time for the daily puja at home. After the morning cup of coffee, I read the newspapers before heading for office. I return from office by 8.30-9 pm. Both my children are away and I spend time with my wife. Before going to bed, I read books on popular physics or mathematics for an hour. If I could ask God for something, it would be to remain a fair person - always a fair person to those around me.

(Narayana Murthy is chief mentor of Infosys)