I live in New York city and some months back I read Rajdeep Sardesai's article in Hindustan Times about US elections and that why we do not have an Obama in India?
If you come to think of it, the why and how questions
leave you wondering and groping for answers and
explanations. Does the answer lie in our ancient
socio-economic set up organized around caste and
hierarchy which were originally invented and planned
for social order and resource management but have now
been hijacked by the wily politicians whose
shenanaigans and deceptions have acquired almost an
art form?
I studied history in India and later business
administration in US but have always been interested
in studying and observing what goes on in India. It's
great that things are getting better now in our
country and India is starting to earn the respect and
admiration it deserves. But the sad realization of the
contradictions and ironies of India leave you
completely dumbstruck and puzzled. Can we explain
everything by our history and legacy? How did things
degenerate into the present diseased state where we
have a shining INDIA and a wailing BHARAT?
Being a business consultant, I try to explain
everything in Hoefstede's famed factors of
socio-economic analysis which portrays India as a
country with very high power distance index (PDI), a
society that respects authority and hierarchy. But
sometimes I wonder, could it be a bourgeoisie
conspiracy of keeping the masses illiterate, poor and
uninformed that has brought India to present state of
imbalance and imbroglio? TV was invented in 1930s but
even after independence India chose not to introduce
it until 1980s. Was it because India didn't have the
funds or was it by design to disallow dissemination of
information and thus the empowerment of people at
large? Central School system was conceived and
introduced in 1960s for imparting a consistent and
high quality school education to the children of
senior civil servants and defence personnel who were
required to serve in different regions of the country.
The model was excellent and if replicated on pan-India
scale, many more of our kids would have mesmerized the
world and not just some of the lucky few passing out
of awe-inspiring IITs and IIMs. But education remained
on the State list until 1976 and the myopic
politicians made a complete mess of it in the name of
regional pride and love of mother tongue. Many of them
are dead now but the stink and odor that they left
behind is still pervasive and is defiling our school
systems not to speak of destroying millions of
precious lives and dreams. I wonder....
As ill luck could have it, dynasties are everywhere in
India, not only in politics. Look at our film industry
- one of the largest and most celebrated the world
over. But look at the quality of films we produce.
Geniuses like Shyam Benegal struggle and the likes of
Naseeruddin Shahs and Om Puris have to compromise on
their craft to make a living but Karan Johars and
Farhan Akhtars are the new glamor boys in town. Why on
earth we don't teach films at the University? All the
top actors and directors of present generation barring
few exceptions are sons and daughters of older
generation of film personalities. They assist their
folks and friends, so have the privilege of learning
the basics in-house or with friends and family before
they launch their own projects or make forays into
films. Same has largely been true of business in India
as well until recently when internet and mobile
telephony started revolutionizing everything. The
story goes on...
In such a set up, Rajdeep and everyone of us should be
wise to understand that it is next to impossible that
someone like Obama could rise in India to the top.
Jai Hind!
No comments:
Post a Comment