THE IGNORANT MINDS

When asked what anyone does on a Sunday, the answer expected is obvious. Late rise ups, entertainment shows, delicious meal to fill up the tummy and an afternoon siesta. Is it right on our part to call Sunday still the first day of the week when we cling to our beds, lock ourselves indoors and do nothing constructive?? The above question invokes the same answer from the questioner also!!

Last Sunday was different as it gave a chance to realize the lack of awareness among children and their parents alike who belonged to lower economic strata as I had been called to scrutinize applications for the uniform distribution to the deserving and needy by a social service organization in my locality. Columns in the application forms received printed in the regional language were all incomplete information. The applicants were unable to furnish even their personal details correctly. When kids of the same age could spell words never heard of here were a bunch of kids who spelled even their own names wrong. My heart sympathizes with these ignorant minds. Next time when somebody says “tomorrow’s India rests firmly on the hands of today’s children” you are supposed to be screwing your own ass. When a significant percentage of country’s young population are unaware of their own personal information, all these catchy liners are like hiding the nakedness with bare hands which serves no good purpose.

Action from the Governmental or philanthropists, NGOs should not stop just with provision of free education, nourished food or generous charities and funds. Opportunities to engage in the process of holistic development have to be created today to realize a stronger India tomorrow. As Albert Einstein puts it “All that is valuable in human society depends upon the opportunity for development accorded the individual”.

WHO TAUGHT THE ANTS TO FALL IN LINE??

“The roads there are spick and span”

“You can’t find garbage strewn anywhere in the public there”

“The airports there are at its international best”

“Bribe, that’s the word you will find only in the dictionary there”

These are ‘feels good’ certifications awarded by most of our fellow Indians who have travelled abroad or have been impressed by system there. They would in fact contribute in the best possible way in order to make the above statements true, at least to avoid being fined and get recognized as responsible Indian visitors. All this disappear in thin air when the same pair of feet lands on the Indian soil or the same rules are to be obeyed here in practice. Hey, what’s wrong in following being an Indian when in India?:)

So that lets us free in India to litter the streets with garbage, vandalize shops, disrupt law and order in the name of silent protests, vroom off before red goes green and use the public transport system without tickets and when caught bribe the official with loads, quicken and lubricate the efficiency and performance of concerned authorities with liquid cash (I hear, now even deliveries could be made before the full ten months!!) and still complain that the country has been fed to dogs and is absolute pits irrespective of we lacking self discipline and ethics. Who taught the ants to fall in line??

An easy way of escapism from this allegation which has been devised is to question the country about its credibility and what it has offered all long. Take a moment to think what we have done to expect a dear return. As you sow, so it reaps. Analogously here it applies to country as well. We grow with the country and the country grows with us-mutual symbiosis.

THE PRIME NATIONAL DUTY

The Transparency International (T.I) which is a non-governmental organization involved in fighting corruption has reported that India has improved its position in the comity of nations in terms of integrity as it is ranked 72 among 180 countries in the corruption index in 2008. It was at the 70th position among 163 countries in 2007.

Accordingly, India's integrity index has marginally improved to 3.5 in 2007 from 3.3 a year ago on a scale of 10 points. India's rank at 72 in corruption index is also shared by China, Mexico, Morocco and Peru. Pakistan is way down at 138th position. Denmark, Finland and New Zealand are the least corrupt countries, which jointly top the list with integrity index of 9.4 points each.

The good news from the above stats is that India’s position in the list has improved but its time to realize the reason, for us being part of the list? It’s definitely “We the people” who are to be blamed. The “weed” (corruption) was watered and protected well from the vigilant eyes and now it has spread its branches in every possible direction supported by strong and deep roots. Extending hands under the table has become an inherent practice for any work to be forwarded or done. This is diplomatically termed as “other formalities”. We are ready to bribe until it is within our pre- planned estimates and when it goes beyond, voices are raised and credibility of country is debated. It’s an act for which every person who has bribed in his lifetime should feel ashamed and repent.

The country is personified not only by its history or natural resources but also by its people, their conduct and their societal commitment.

The prime national duty of all of us at this moment is to extend our hands to wipe away the dust covering our exuberant legacy and undiminished glory.

COME; TOGETHER LET US BE THE CHANGE.

BE THE CHANGE..

Friends, I am now into my final year, final semester of the engineering course and let me tell you frankly I am enjoying it like anything. Only three papers this semester plus a project work. Thank God, gone are the days when I used to struggle with my core subjects only a few days before the examinations. The big engineering bibles would seem to me as the worst punishment that a man on this earth could ever get. The case is same with most of the students belonging to any stream today. The teacher taught saying “unity in diversity” applies well here, universally. “Why such an attitude?” is the question I would like to pose myself. And on thinking (which I unusually did this time!!) I came up with a few answers rather a few points to defend my stand.

First, I would point my finger at our education system. The present day Indian education system is praised world over but I find it too mechanical and rigid. We have been trained right from our kindergarten that exams are the knowledge measuring scale and high marks as the deciding parameters. The system has failed to transform the minds from ordinary to ultimate completeness. Does the purpose of education is only to train our minds to get a well paid, decent job? It is what nowadays the educational institutions try to accomplish. Education should bring about integration of thoughts and therefore intelligence. The purpose of life is defeated without such integration. As Jiddu Krishnamurthy says “Education should awaken the capacity to be self-aware and not merely indulge in gratifying self expression.”

The National knowledge Commission has recommended setting up of many more IITs, IIMs, NITs and central universities. World class institutions are not strengthened only by the kind of infrastructure or buildings they offer. Their strong foundations are laid by the quality of the faculty and support staff and it is what we lack today, which I found as my second reason. They are in a way a bridge between knowledge acquisition and its further development.

Finally students are too resistive (me included) to accept the fact that, for changes to occur in the future, it must me them who need to take the plough for sowing the seeds of change. In spite of breaking down due to what the external “incubating” environment offers, there must be a revolution within, to cast away the shell of ignorance and flap our “broken” wings to fly in the skies of acquired freedom and success.

Let’s be the change, we wish to be.