Mumbai and Kochi and the rest of India's shame
Well the new year was gr8 for me and my friends, when we celebrated the new year at our apartment...
Not so for a few women who were visiting India for new year's... I have a few American friends here who are visiting India for new year's, and I was kinda waiting for them to come back so that I could ask them about how they found out my country!
But after watching the news about a few foreigners being molested in Mumbai and Kochi (apart from many other instances which were not even reported i guess), I am left with shame and no words to ask my friends about... The Swedish being interviewed in Kochi was kinda right when he actually deplored the whole country for the doing of a silly uncouth 17 year old. I am sorry, Our visitors... Next time I meet any foreigner who knows abt this incident, I would be categorised with that molester...
I think the stuff we hear about the gap between the 'haves' and 'have nots' in India is actually right there in front of us. The better offs, which are mostly the cream of the country, go out and market India. I am filled with some kinda pride when I see the Incredible India ad on Chicago Airport. But when these foreigners land in India, they are exposed to these 'have nots' created by us the 'haves' (maybe by not paying our taxes, by being greedy, or simply by not caring about them). When they do a wrong thing, it becomes a shame on all of us.
And as India becomes more of a global destination, more of this will come to fore. The dirty underbelly of India will rub more with the rest of the world. If we are to be the next great thing, we must take up our responsibility and do our part in rectifying these follies.
I remember the 'each one teach five' campaign poster in my school, which was kinda vetoed by all students, since they had to study for their final exams! Lets actually start volunteering to teach at say CRY institutions, or orphanges. Our if the school fees for our maids' kids is a petty 300 rupees a month, maybe we can start funding that, or at least pool it.
I am gonna start participating in the ASHA foundation here, that collects funds for supporting students in India. If we have to pull our 1 billiion strong country out of the mess, we gotta start now.
Well the new year was gr8 for me and my friends, when we celebrated the new year at our apartment...
Not so for a few women who were visiting India for new year's... I have a few American friends here who are visiting India for new year's, and I was kinda waiting for them to come back so that I could ask them about how they found out my country!
But after watching the news about a few foreigners being molested in Mumbai and Kochi (apart from many other instances which were not even reported i guess), I am left with shame and no words to ask my friends about... The Swedish being interviewed in Kochi was kinda right when he actually deplored the whole country for the doing of a silly uncouth 17 year old. I am sorry, Our visitors... Next time I meet any foreigner who knows abt this incident, I would be categorised with that molester...
I think the stuff we hear about the gap between the 'haves' and 'have nots' in India is actually right there in front of us. The better offs, which are mostly the cream of the country, go out and market India. I am filled with some kinda pride when I see the Incredible India ad on Chicago Airport. But when these foreigners land in India, they are exposed to these 'have nots' created by us the 'haves' (maybe by not paying our taxes, by being greedy, or simply by not caring about them). When they do a wrong thing, it becomes a shame on all of us.
And as India becomes more of a global destination, more of this will come to fore. The dirty underbelly of India will rub more with the rest of the world. If we are to be the next great thing, we must take up our responsibility and do our part in rectifying these follies.
I remember the 'each one teach five' campaign poster in my school, which was kinda vetoed by all students, since they had to study for their final exams! Lets actually start volunteering to teach at say CRY institutions, or orphanges. Our if the school fees for our maids' kids is a petty 300 rupees a month, maybe we can start funding that, or at least pool it.
I am gonna start participating in the ASHA foundation here, that collects funds for supporting students in India. If we have to pull our 1 billiion strong country out of the mess, we gotta start now.
2 comments:
and while you have gotten motivated for it.. I have gotten disillusioned by it..
Nothing is perfect at the end of the day I guess...
A healthy motivation and keep up the good work ...............
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