Decoding Sewa Bhaav: Framework unpacking the spirit of service rooted in Indian traditions

Introduction. Sewa Bhaav brings together Sewa (selfless service) and Bhaav (emotional and ethical intent behind action). While Sewa shows itself in outward acts of helping, Bhaav reflects the inner motivation and feeling guiding these acts. Despite being rooted in Indian traditions, Sewa Bhaav had little attention in contemporary research. This study decodes and defines Sewa Bhaav by combining insights from people actively engaged in service with literature from moral psychology, leadership studies, and Indic philosophies. Methods. The study used a multi-phase, qualitative sense-making approach, to conceptualize and validate Sewa Bhaav, its drivers, confounders and modifiers. Phase 1 involved a focus group discussion with individuals engaged in selfless service, analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis framework approach. Phase 2 used narrative analyses of group discussions to embed constructs in real-life narratives. Phase 3 involved structured review of the literature to align emergent constructs with existing psycho-behavioral models. Phase 4 finalized the framework through expert consultation workshops, applying the Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive (MECE) principle and modelling interrelationships via Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAG). Results. Analysis thematically established eight core components of Sewa Bhaav: Egolessness, Compassion, Empathy, Resilience, Respect, Non-Violent Communication, Active Listening, and Influence Without Authority. Seven drivers identified were: Clarity of Purpose, Agency, Vision, Behavioral Integrity, Openness, Equality and Competence. Propositions were developed to articulate the role of each. Age, gender, education, caste, religion, and socio-economic hierarchies also shaped the expression and recognition of Sewa Bhaav. Conclusion. This study advances Sewa Bhaav as a culturally grounded framework for selfless service, extending on moral psychology and leadership. Its application in public institutions highlights the potential of service-oriented ethics to strengthen human capital, foster resilience, and transform organizational practices. By positioning Sewa Bhaav as both a moral philosophy and actionable ethic, the framework offers valuable insights for cultivating compassion-driven governance, ethical leadership, and community well-being.