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
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