New Delhi, June 4 -- Vaclav Havel's quote, "The real test of a man is not how well he plays the role he has invented for himself, but how well he plays the role that destiny assigned to him," is a powerful reflection on responsibility.

The line is often attributed to Havel because it appears in connection with his book Disturbing the Peace, but one important source notes that Havel was recalling words once said by Czech philosopher Jan Patočka. Either way, the quote speaks directly to Havel's own life: a playwright and dissident who did not plan to become president, yet accepted the role history placed before him.

"The real test of a man is not how well he plays the role he has invented for himself, but how well he plays the role t...