Greed is a disease for which there is no medicine, and it is at the root of the fall in our social values, said former judge of Supreme Court and retired Karnataka Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde. In a powerful and candid address at KIIT Law School on “Fall in Social Values and Its Consequences”, Justice Hegde lamented how the relentless pursuit of money and power has eroded moral integrity and weakened society’s foundations.
“Today, people can go to jail, come out, hold high positions, and still be celebrated. Greed has led to massive scams, draining the nation’s resources,” he said, questioning how true development can occur when so much money is siphoned off.
During his two-day visit to KIIT and KISS, Justice Hegde remarked that in his lifetime he has visited 1,861 institutions, but has never seen one like KIIT. “The infrastructure and cleanliness here and the discipline of the students have given me great satisfaction,” he said, praising the institution and its visionary Founder Dr Achyuta Samanta. “Dr. Samanta is like the Atlas from Greek philosophy. KIIT is second to none.” On the occasion, he was warmly felicitated by the Founder.
He urged students to cultivate contentment without abandoning ambition. “Ambition should be within the four walls of values and grounded in humanism,” he said, warning against the tendency to constantly compare oneself with those more fortunate. “Think of those who are less well-off than you. Greed creates inflation, devalues money, and erodes the social fabric. A shortage of contentment is one of the biggest problems facing our society today.”
Drawing from his own experiences, the 86-year-old jurist noted, “I have seen countless people suffer at the hands of institutions created under our Constitution to ensure good governance. Despite our rich documents and literature on social values, society today prioritises wealth and influence over justice and fairness.” He recalled that in earlier times, the fear of punishment extended beyond the wrongdoer to their family, acting as a deterrent against misconduct. “Now, people with questionable backgrounds can still rise to the highest positions,” he observed.
Professor Emeritus at KIIT Law School N. L. Mitra, and Director Prof. Rose Varghese also spoke on the occasion.