Hmm.. I've wanted to start my own blog for quite a while now. Well, here goes nothing!
Happy Indian Independence Day everybody!
Being an Indian abroad, I've never really been able to witness the Independence Day parade or any other event dedicated to her independence which makes me ask myself what independence day really means to me.
Sometimes I think of India and those that gave it its independence. The generation before last. Whose passion and determination gave us our independence today. Because of whom, we can travel around the nation, no questions asked. Because of whom, everyday is just so much better.
And then there's our generation. The one just craving to be let out and do something for India and her glory. The one that is the majority of India's population.
But wait, what about the one in the middle. When I think of them, I wonder. Wonder what the hell they've done. Now we could all blame the British for looting our country. But outside that loot, they also gave our country SO much that it STILL lives on. They established the rail, road networks, post and what not.
When we look back at that time and compare, how much of that has really changed today? We see India being ruled by a bunch of 80 year olds with majority of its population still under wraps. Why isn't the youth allowed to do anything about this? What do we need to do to get noticed? To actually DO SOMETHING. After the fiasco in the Parliament where there were MP's waving bundles of cash around, HOW can we sit back and do NOTHING.
But then again, i'm wondering, how do these politicians manage to get re-elected time and time again? How are we not able to do anything about this? Aren't we part of a democracy? HOw democratic are we after all? Because 'traditionally', MP's are elected to reflect the opinion of the constituency they represent. How many of us were represented when the bundles of cash were waved around? Is it just dirty politics?:S
You know sometimes, the ENTIRE system seems just SO corrupt. How can we even begin to compare ourselves to other nations in the world when around 70% of our population doesn't even KNOW they have the choice to choose. I have a friend who was writing an article about corruption in Indian politics. When we got down to talking about it, I think the corruption in Indian Politics is WAY overrated.
The root issue seems to be EDUCATION. Did you know India is actually no. 1 in the countries with the most universities? How is this possible with Bihar having a less than FORTY percent literacy rate, how does this statistic match up?
I think we need to stop garnering hopes to host the olympics, stop prophecying to be the next superpower and just work for a better India. Not because we don't have what it takes to be the next superpower but because, until we dont manage to lift EVERY Indian to an acceptable level {One that we, sitting comfi in front of our screens reading this, would accept}, our achievement won't be worth it. We, as a nation, have the largest potential for a GIGANTIC skilled labourforce.
So lets go out there and do something to live up to our heritage. Lets quit this habit of talking about how rich our history used to be and go out and make history so that we don't become the generation before us is to us.
Something to think about.....What do we do about EDUCATION in Independent India, so that we can make Independent Indians?
Friday, August 15, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
You're so right. I mean Olympics is one thing. Indians are talking about going to the moon.
Indian politics is just unbelievably corrupt. That was just an ABYSMAL display - that vote. It's the kind of thing that almost makes Indians all over the world ashamed. I mean, the whole world watching a bunch of illiterate politicians. Which brings me to your point exactly. EDUCATION.
I mean what's the point of talking about India being the next great super power when we don't have the skilled labour to support it. Without a drastic improvement in our education stats this country is going NOWHERE, no matter what people say.
It's a real shame though. Like you said, we've got the most potential for skilled labour and basically a lot more, but so far we've just completely been wasting our resources.
It's called history for a reason. You LEARN from those mistakes and success stories. Our forefathers did great things for our country - now it's our turn to give something back and prove that we are what we can be.
Really great job though Kanishk. A really intriguing read and I must say you're quite good with your words :)
Lets see...
First think that struck me when you spoke of what we could do with the literacy of such a wide country, was that aren't there more people out there thinking the same thoughts? I'm sure most of what we talk about here would be considered just talk, since we are not exactly going out there ourselves. But what of the people who ARE reaching out? What of those individuals who are infact trying to do their bit? Are they able to?
I'll give you a brief example. I went to Kolkata on a rather emergency visit this July. Since I found myself to be quite useless in terms of doing rounds in the hospital, I thought it best to do something a bit more productive.
We crib about how limited things are here in dubai, in terms of volunteering and such. So I found myself trying to scan the papers for some NGO's around my place. As a matter of fact there is a big movement being carried out in India right now. The *Teach India* Program. The idea is pretty simple and most definitely nothing new! Each individual has a choice to whether they would infact be willing to give up 2 hours of their weeks for the betterment of the nation.
All that being said...what is really being done? Well I dont know how many of our well of Indians have actually signed up for it, but I filled up my form that very minute. Infact I extended my stay since the minimum term was 3 months...
What came out of it? Well I'm back in dubai... I haven't heard from them since.
What does that imply? Who is to blame when an individual does reach out but is not accepted? Do we blame it on the so called *system*? Well thats a laugh! Don't WE make up that system?
Hmm...(lol and that is definetely your influence :P)
I could go on...but I know I wouldn't be able to come up with anything that would actually work...atleast not yet. That's not a statement of the defeated...just more like...thoughts of a new reform maker who hasn't come up yet *grins*.
Post a Comment