India, Oct. 3 -- What makes us happy?

In his book Authentic Happiness (2002), psychologist Martin Seligman of University of Pennsylvania defines happiness as a state made up of positive emotions, positive engagement and a sense of meaning.

His research birthed a new field of study: Positive psychology, born of the idea that this branch of medicine need not focus only on illness and dysfunction. It could also aid humans in their search for well-being and fulfilment.

Long before this, in 1970, molecular biologist Jon Kabat-Zinn pioneered secular mindfulness training with the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programme born at University of Massachusetts and since deployed around the world.

I got a taste of it while enrolled in H...