Recently a friend of mine emailed me Dr. A.P.J. Kalam's letter. As always. Dr Kalam's words ring bells. He has this unique style where every word he says makes you think, probably as ever word of his is honest, true and sincere. In this particular mail he had pointed out how we Indians behave in our country and in other country. And while reading this mail, I was reminded of an incidence that happened on the flight I was travelling while returning to India.
A co-passenger and me, both Indians, both incidentally from the same city in India but with different educational backgrounds started chatting. He was amazed with the thought that geography (my special subject) could help me earn my bread-butter and I came such a long way with this subject and I was amazed at the high level of ignorance this person showed in feeling if you are not a doctor or engineer you are useless...
Well the reaction was not were surprising, had i not got that reaction I would have been surprised!!!.
In India, if you do anything other than medical and/or engineering people do react in a strange, not good strange but awkward strange way, so did this fellow. Why blame him. Well the flight was good and all went well.
As we waited at the airport baggage claim, this person turns to me and says, "now will have to forgo the habit of saying 'Thank-you', 'Excuse me' and 'Sorry', people will think we are mad... " Well I don't know of the people, but I definitely felt pity for him.. He just made me realize how so many "foreign return" students and professionals think!!!
How? How can one think in this way? How can one be so double-faced? How can one have such DOUBLE STANDARDS? Why does one feel ashamed to say these "golden words" to our own country people?
Does saying "thank-you" to your servant degrade you? Are you ashamed of saying "sorry" to an old man on road? Can't you say "excuse me" to a person who is in your way? Is it necessary to physically push that person? Why is it that we can't be polite to our own people?
Dr. Kalam really puts it so well in his letter to Indian...
HE says, "ASK WHAT WE CAN DO FOR INDIA AND DO WHAT HAS TO BE DONE TO MAKE INDIA WHAT AMERICA AND OTHER WESTERN COUNTRIES ARE TODAY
Lets do what India needs from us."
Salute to Dr. Kalam...
