NEW DELHI, Jan. 13 -- Crucifixion is what made Jesus great. In the case of Gautam Buddha, it was his abdication of the throne, and in the case of MK Gandhi, it was his decision to give up his upper garments to identify with the masses, beautifully captured in Richard Attenborough's Oscar-winning biopic and his eventual martyrdom.

Nelson Mandela showed greatness when he appointed a Truth Commission rather than wreaking vengeance on the white rulers who jailed him for 27 years. In recent times, Alexei Navalny became my hero-not for standing up to Vladimir Putin, but for returning to Russia after surviving a botched assassination attempt and undergoing a successful seven-month treatment in Germany.

Many, like this writer, considered him a ...