Neither a Shield, Nor a Sword by T. SHER SINGH I have noticed that the concept of seva - loosely translated as "selfless, voluntary service" - is nowadays increasingly wielded as a weapon and less as what it is meant to be. The other day, when a community volunteer was asked why she repeatedly failed to do what she had undertaken to do, why she hadn't met her obligations fully or in a timely fashion, I was flabbergasted by the response I overheard: It was a deft use of the very essence of seva. As a shield - a shield from criticism and from accountability. Is this what seva is all about?