You are here: SriPedia - SriRangaSri - Archives - Jan 2005

SriRangaSri List Archive: Message 00007 Jan 2005

 
Jan 2005 Indexes ( Date | Thread | Author )
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]



Dear Bhagavatas:
Here is an alternate view on the subject.
I agree with Sri Sudarshan Swami's assessment.

Though the report appears to be "gloating", nevertheless, 
I believe, it is projected to boost the morale of NRIs 
to do better in their chosen fields of activity and 
not for showing Indians back in India in a poor light.

Anyway, this was featured, without comments, only for 
the information of readers and NOT for creating any controversy.

No further postings on the subject seems called for.
Let us move on with our help to our unfortunate fellow citizens 
suffering from the trauma of Tsunami.
Moderator
==================================================================
--- In SriRangaSri@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Ram Anbil" <Ramanbil@xxxx> 
wrote:
> Dear Bhagavatas:
> I am forwarding a mail received from a member for your info.
> Moderator
> =====================================================

> >Subject: Proud to be an INDIAN
> >>We Indians are the wealthiest among all ethnic groups in 
America, even 
> >>faring better than the whites and the natives. There are 3.22 
millions of 
> >>Indians in USA (1.5% of population). YET,
> >>
> >>38% of doctors in USA are Indians.
> >>
> >>12% scientists in USA are Indians.
> >>
> >>36% of NASA scientists are Indians.
> >>

                           ****************

Dear SrimAn Anbil swAmi,

It was a very interesting compilation indeed that the member-friend 
posted of the glorious achievements of Indians abroad especially in 
the USA.

I've been myself an NRI for the last 12 years and let me say I'm 
quite proud of the achievements of fellow non-resident brethren in 
far off lands. But I still do not hesitate to say that this kind of 
gloating (and the vicarious satisfaction we all seem to derive out 
of it) is far from patriotic. On the contrary, it is a self-
congratulatory, self-admiring act that, if only we are sensitive 
enough to think deeply about it, can actually be quite offensive and 
insulting to millions of good Indian citizens who remain back home 
to live and work there. 

The kind of self-congratulatory gloating we often indulge in I think 
only serves to put our homeland in a rather poor light. Why? Because 
it just invites the question: "If so many Indians are doing so well 
elsewhere in the world, why is India itself lagging behind so many 
nations today?" And what is the answer? It is invariably a very  
facile but specious explanation that gets deduced by implication and 
insinuation: "Because the environment in India is so bad and 
hopeless, and so inimical that real human talent can never thrive or 
flourish there as it can in the USA, UK, or Europe". This is exactly 
what is implied everytime we put out our famous lists of great 
Indians who have made it big in the Western World...

I often find myself asking how many in the USA, Germany or Japan 
actually go around congratulating themselves on the great fortunes 
or success some of their own countrymen, who having ventured out of  
the country, happen to make in far-off lands. I don't think anyone 
in Italy cares two cents (or liras) over Ms.Sonia Gandhi being the 
most powerful politician in India. I'm not sure anybody in far off 
Albania even knows about the great work that Mother St. Teresa did 
in Calcutta, India. Who in England cares that Mark Tully is a 
respected name in the Indian media? In the colonial times when the 
British ruled India, many Englishmen came to live and work in India. 
Many of them like Robert Clive amassed personal fortunes as well as 
a name in the history book. Some like Rudyard Kipling and 
E.M.Forster even made their great literary and artistic careers in 
India. But back home in England nobody ever made any fuss about 
them. In fact, in true-blue English society, these men were secretly 
and subtly regarded as some sort of fortune-hunters and hence as 
pariahs.

If Indians --- like the cousins and brothers/sisters from our own 
families -- who emigrate to US or UK do well there, the credit is 
all theirs. Their being Indian, or being Indian in origin, is not 
the prime reason for their achivements. The credit should go to and 
remain in that country alone. India feels no need to take any credit 
for it. Nor does it need to feel sorry over the fact. No Sir, thank 
you. India does not have to worry too much of brain-drain anymore. 
There's plenty of brain left amongst the young and bright ones here. 

And by the way, there are plenty of reasons and things Indians in 
India can be proud of other than about the Rajat Guptas and Sameer 
Bhatias of the USA.

Right now I am here in Chennai, India for a brief vacation. The day 
I landed here, the coast of T'Nadu was hit by a gigantic tsunami 
that according to latest estimates has killed over 12000 people in 
India in one fell, barely 3-5 minute swoop on 26 Dec! I am 
witnessing a human tragedy of epic proportions even as I am writing 
this post....

You know what I am really proud of? I am proud of the way my country 
has taken this disaster in its stride. I'm proud of the way the Govt 
and govt. agencies, relief agencies, voluntary workers, private 
charities, business houses, the army, the police, the local 
administrations, ordinary men and women ... have all risen to the 
occasion to meet this challenge. I am proud of the way the poorest 
of Indians in Nagapattinam or Vellankanni or Nagore have not given 
way to despair or distress... but instead have shown a remarkable 
courage to bounce back to soon take control of their situation and 
lives... 

India does not look to the UN or the USA or the Red Cross or George 
Bush in its gravest moments of crises even. This country manages on 
its own. It prevails no matter what... and on its own terms!

No sir, thank you, please keep all of those Indians you want --- the 
NASA scientists, John Hopkins doctors or the whiz-kids of Microsoft 
and Intel. Indians in India would rather have instead, any day, that 
poor but courageous fisherman who lives alone, but lives with quiet 
dignity, on the lonely, now devastated beaches of Nagapattinam and 
Karaikal.

Regards,

dAsan,
Sudarshan    










------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> 
It is better to give....
Especially when giving to a child in poverty.
Click here to meet a child you can help.
http://us.click.yahoo.com/uq3f6C/hJlJAA/i1hLAA/VkWolB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~-> 

 
Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SriRangaSri/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    SriRangaSri-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
 




[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index ] [Thread Index ] [Author Index ]
Home Page
http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia
srirangasri-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To subscribe to the list