Whither India?

Many of my friends have settled abroad, especially in the USA.  . For them USA provided them with what India could not, a great working environment and rewards befitting their capabilities. Returning to India was not an option for them. Few tried, but some of them went back after a couple of years. I was myself in Singapore for two years and without a doubt I liked the disciplined living thoroughly. A nation where people respect each other, take pride in work and enjoyment and have achieved a significantly higher standard of living  

Why are these people not convinced about coming back? Why does the lure of Indian cultural values, of respect for the elders, frugal living, and the belief in the institutions of marriage and family, not strong enough ?  Why is this nation, steeped in rich moral values, not able to retain the best talent within India?

Well, it does not take much thought to figure out. 

I am travelling for a change, in the local transport buses. There are seats reserved for women. But they are already occupied by men. Some women protest, but the men refuse to budge. Is it what Indian culture teaches us? 

There is a 100 ft road proposed near our house. The only issue it it was proposed more than 5 years ago. Perhaps the local administration is waiting for divine intervention, they have heard the proverb: Man proposes, god disposes.

The mantralaya (government building for state ministers and bureaucrats) caught fire last week, but no one attempted to put out the fire. That reminds of the incident in history some 200 years ago, here in Pune, where the palace Shaniwar wada of Peshwa Bajirao II was burning and no one attempted to put it out. Perhaps they had lost faith in the sanctity of the office of the peshwa.   It made no difference in a state of utter lawlessness.

Khap panchayats are killing people in the name of caste and the law is looking the other way.People are killing the girl child in fear of dowry. What kind of institutions are these, that do not change in the 21st century?


Today, a significant percentage of our population lives below the bare minimum standard of living. What is a bigger crime for a society than not being able to provide the minimum food and clothing to its citizens? More than 60 years after independence, the government machinery is such a shamble that babus and netas are not ready to think beyond their own pockets. And that too when a significant portion of the food produce gets wasted because of inadequate storage facilities. Inefficiency, lethargy, despondency...

Today's episode of Aamir Khan's Satyameva Jayate was absolutely heart wrenching. The plight of dalits, especially those that pick up "night soil", has not changed since the last 100 years. The caste system which stiffles equal opportunity for all. 

Its time we came out of the hypocrisy of substituting everything the strong grip of traditional forces. Times have changed drastically. We need to adopt to the new world. The Industrial revolution put us back for 300 years, if we do not wake up now, the coming centuries may also go by in the same way!