Checking out of India – psychologically
I recently came across an interesting article by Mark Fidelman provocatively titled, “Where Are India’s Innovative Companies, Products and Solutions?”
I would encourage all of you to have a look…Feldman has written persuasively about what ails innovation in India…but the real “action” is in the comments…one of which caught my eye and provided the inspiration for the title of this post. Bhamy V Shenoy commented on May 15 (emphasis mine):
“…The biggest problem (in India) in my view is the non-functioning governance system because of (the) indifference (of) educated people who having been educated at the expense of the poor of India, have either immigrated geographically like Jason whom Mark gives as an example (of) an innovator or those resident Indians who have immigrated psychologically by being indifferent to India’s realities.
The words touched a nerve with me…
Many of you know that this (governance and politics) is a subject very close to my heart…sometimes I feel I am not doing enough…and possibly avoiding responsibility by expecting someone else to solve India’s problems and challenges…
I know that our political leadership is failing us..I realise that our governance is ineffective and our adminstrative structures need an overhaul…Yet I remain content to merely “analyse” (the problem) and possibly “prescribe” (some solutions) without actually picking up the gauntlet and saying: I WILL DO IT..
In a way, I am a stark example of the “indifference” that Bhamy alludes to (above)…not bothering to change the “system” even though I clearly realise that it is failing…
And yet, the alternative is not obvious…
Is it to join active politics? Is the alternative to start/join an NGO? Is it to start/join a new movement? Is it to become a “political activist” ?
Is the alternative to raise these issues on a wider platform (either online or offline) and exhort people to join the “movement for change”…and who shall lead this “movement for change”…How would it work? Will it work?
Is the root of India’s problems really the indifference of the “educated millions” who appear to have “checked out” of India – in some cases physically; in some cases psychologically?
Or is the SOLUTION to India’s problems the involvement of the “educated millions” who appear to have “checked out” of India – both physically as well as psychologically?
If it is, what can be done to “bring these people back”?…If it is not, why do we continue to suffer from (and tolerate) such a third-rate leadership in our governance structures?
The answers are not clear to me…Are they clear to you? I would love to hear your thoughts…
Comments and criticism/counter-points welcome, as always.
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Just read that one of the Lead India finalists, Sanjiv Kaura has joined BSP:
Good news, I should think…
Dear Sir,
Let us understand that it is not the failed leadership that has cost India its R&D but the blinkeredness of our parents, teachers, and society.
In the nations where R&D succeeds, one will notice a lot of failures falling by the wayside, but these failures are not looked DOWN upon. On the contrary people tend to ignore failures and when the same failure succeeds in another venture he is feted and celeberated.
On the contrary, when one fails here it is universally condemned and even his FAMILY deserts him. Even if he succeeds in another venture, he is doomed as being always referred to as “THE PERSON” who HAD FAILED EARLIER!!
Why go so far, let us look at our student community vis-a-vis the parents, teachers, and Society as a whole. How many suicides do we hear after the results are announced for a mere CBSC, SSLC, or anything for that matter. Students commit suicide for not getting admissions into IIT’s, IIM’s their favourite college etc. I am not looking at the aspect of reservations etc. as then the debate will change face and track!
Why go so far! let us come closer to the fact of children being taught for an entrance exam for Pre-Kg and the first standard! Students do not see the game field for years on end, why? Tutions in the morninig, evening and Night.
All this why. ONE does want to experience failures at any stage and dissapoint the parents, teachers and not be looked down upon by society!
On the other side, let us look at our innovations. The NANO car of the TATA’s. The top car companies of the world said a car costing 1 laqkh is nonsense, today everybody is jumping on to the BANDWAGON.
let us look at the Nirma Patel who took on the might of Lever’s.
Let us look at the starting of a retail vegetable shop on Airconditioned CARTS,of the IIM graduate in Bihar.
Velvette shampoo in sachets!
We have them in plenty, but we tend to look down upon them and such information never reaches the book level but remain news fillers in newspapers! We do not put them as material in our study books. WHY?
We are still enamoured of the white man’s material , ignoring many of our achievements and we enjoy beliitling them.
They tend to trumpet everything, but we tend to put our people down.
The highest Air field. Why not teach it to our engineering graduates as to how the Army Engineers did it.
The FBR of thorium? Why are we not encouraging it and trying to replace it with Uranium fuel.
Let us not blame our politicians for everything. Let us look at ourselves as parents, teachers, members of a society etc. and then we can understand why we fail in R&D!!
Regards,
vck
Dear Shantanu
I agree with VCK. It is not merely politics that is in need of leadership and direction; it is needed at each level. The cultural change that VCK talks about is very important: the need to keep trying despite failures. The need in all fields is to keep trying despite repeated failures. But blaming our parents won’t help. That was history. We are responsible as adults for our own actions and for the future. Just do it.
The private sector in India is relatively vibrant and innovative despite many constraints. It is the government sector that puts a brake on entrepreneurship and innovation by meddling in business needlessly. Political change is overdue. Improved governance can bring about significant improvements in all walks of life.
Here’s my favourite quotation: “So long as the millions live in hunger and ignorance, I hold every man a traitor, who having been educated at their expense, pays not the least heed to them.” – Vivekananda
My second favourite: “The man who wins is the man who thinks he can.”
My third favourite: “As long as you’re going to be thinking anyway, think big.” – Donald Trump
The message: keep working at it.
What you are doing is just right: spread awareness; bring people together; show them how it can be done. Then combine and do it.
Regards
Sanjeev
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