How many times do we see reports in the newspapers citing the success of the odd Indian in the States.. or how the Media abroad applaud the performance of one of the Indians; and then how often do we ourselves have that feeling of joy from within us?
When Rehman is called Mozart of the East or a young kid is selected for a NASA project or a NRI (who hates being associated as an Indian) successfully wins a seat in the Elections abroad or any other scientific development hyped up by the foreign media, dont we all start looking at these as the idols of our nation?
Very often, as a Nation get a sense of joy. To me, this is the Indian Mentality. (you could call it the developing world mentality as well!) Half of us Indians do not think that India has a future anywhere close to the developed world. Only when we see such reports, we say for a moment that some Indian did something big; the very next moment India is an abysmal failure.
The number of people who aspire to make a career outside India is a testimony to what I am saying. I hope that we start believing in ourselves on our own and stop thinking that the west is where success is and also stop looking to them to find successes/achievements that we have.
I hope we stopped taking pride in a movie receiving/getting nominated for an Oscar, or an actor having his wax replica at the Tussad's.
I hope we start being Indians.
5 comments:
I also really hate this kinda mentality. If someone wants to work fr ISRO hes considered a fool but any remote affiliation with NASA is considered something only immortals can achieve. gr8 post KD.
As you already know, I agree completely with you. But this is a contentious issue which is often defended under the argument of 'opportunity'. People who do choose to move out, say, that they have found a better opportunity abroad... this was quite true many decades ago, I can state a number of examples, Hargobind Khorana, MS Swaminathan, Amartya Sen... But I can give counter examples too, CV Raman for one. Maybe that is the problem, we need to look at whether the country is providing the opportunities they seek before we decide whether their argument holds water...
well ..the positives which can be drawn from this kinda mentality is that we still feel for other indians. And if general awareness programmes (like 'lead india' by times of india) is run we will definately start feeling for the poor people around us. we see the examples of those who leave india .. but we also see those who stay in india and do something good. opportunities in india is increasing now and surely now we will start becoming indians..
Its not only the indian mentality but the indian media is equally responsible for creating such hypes.
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