India the Great?

So, I was called pessimistic, way too cynical. I am told that India is on path to greatness and prosperity, that India is taking baby steps toward maturity and the smarts that come with being a mature self-aware nation.

Objectively speaking, I would not be true to myself if I did not recognize the truth in these statements - I would be no better than one the umpteen India-bashing arm-chair experts who pass off as journalists in India. Heck, I would be one of them.

To quote Andy Dufresne from that classic endurance story The Shawshank Redemption, "Hope is a beautiful thing, maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies". So, inspite of all my cynicism, inspite of feeling like the apathy of people will never change, here is a toast to my country.

Afterall, who I am, what I am, and how I became what I am, were shaped in part by family and society and culture that is us. That culture of humility, of humanity, of civility, one of family and values (mind you, more depth and width than any such thing you can ever hope to find in America!), it is the cornerstone of a civilization more than 3000 years in the making.

A civilization and culture so deep and so vast, all it is going to take is for people all over the country to be proud of who they are, is to realize with their hearts and minds the cultural similarities, and recognize with their minds, the cultural diversities that make India a unique melting pot, a smorgasbord of cultures unlike the world has ever seen before. We already celebrate the unity in our diversity. Maybe we just need to celebrate it even more :)

As has been pointed out recently, progress is made in baby steps, and baby steps are painfully slow and painstaking. But none of our parents gave up on us when we were babies - they persevered with us, and kept us going. Similarly I think we only owe it to ourselves as a society and as a nation to be persistent and patient with this growing up.

The sheer fact that, whether by design or accident, we as a nation are making tangible progress (even if it mirrors the story of a frog trying to climb out of a well - three steps forward and two steps back) points to a culmination of total synergy somewhere. What else can explain the progress?

Recently I have been advising people on the need to develop cynicism. And I ended up being cynical about something that deserves better - my attitude toward the Indian nation. So, what exactly was I being cynical about? The peoples attitudes. And the answer? As was pointed out earlier yesterday (Nov 12) and something that I should have realized on my own - self-leadership.

And how does that start? One person at a time.

Like my father. He founded the local civic exnora and met with immense opposition to hire and pay for daily clean up and trash removal. But like a true leader, he persevered, and now apparently the moves are paying dividends.

Like Vidyakar of Udhavum Karangal. Who showed the way to render service to the society - one person at a time, by making meaningful lives out of destitute and abandoned/orphaned children.

Like Ramakrishnan and Sankara Raman of Amar Seva Sangam. Their refusal to let their disabilities defeat them. Their faith in themselves and in the inherent good of people has led to what is potentially the first disability access enabled village in India. And all this, while fighting to ensure that other people with disabilities could lead dignified independent lives to the best of their abilities.

Like that friendly next-door kannada-speaking neighbor who provided refuge to their friendly next-door tamil-speaking neighbor in Bangalore, at the height of riots against Tamils over the Kaveri water-sharing dispute. Proving yet again, that humanity's most humane face sometimes pops up under the most adverse of conditions.

We are a nation of extremes and diversities. We are a nation prone to swings in emotions - a la close friends duking it out over differences. We are also a nation that is highly capable and suave. But what we are, in addition, is also the greatest continuing experiment in society. If only, the people living in our country realize what they have at their hand, sooner rather than later.

But, I have seen the extreme nature of my thought, and instead of cynicism and despair, I should say, I have hope. Hope for our future. Hope for sense in people. Hope for maturity in thought. In the meanwhile, I am here, growing and developing, seeking ways to contribute toward what I expect out of India.

Vande Mataram

Addendum: Serious notes of thanks to my brother Shankar, Vish, Pradeep, Lisa, Aarthi, and my parents. All your points at various times during our discussions were invaluable, and helped me play devils advocate with myself, and realize the futility of my cynical attitude.