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...
hhmmm....DOUBLE STANDARDS!!
ReplyDeletewell i would say that high society people or who pretend to be so, are the ones who really behave in 2 different ways & when you self experience it u r like :O
Secondly i would say that we Indians are always imitating the foreigners, why is still a question for me! well u should always take good things from others to make ur life more rich. In someone else nation u behave like a sweet, obedient n sincere person but in our own country..... We just keep on saying- their traffic is well behaved, they don't spit on roads, garbage is not scattered here & there, even if u commit a minor mistake there u have to pay fine, etc. etc. But no 1 wants to do so in their own country. WHY??? Are we ashamed of something, will our (so called) status decline, will others start pointing at us... WHAT??? What is the reason? Or are we just so selfishly ignorant???
Nothing is going to happen here unless n until we take our responsibilities towards our nation seriously. Good morals are taught in the schools. What happens to them ones we grow up??!! Aren't we cheating are own children? What I sincerely believe is that at first our bloody politicians should start respecting the nation & their own post. It is only then that the people will turn into good citizens. Or else, the citizens should start doing on their own, in their own way [good ways haa..] Charity should begin at home! Why do we always need leaders? For eg., Film Nayak. There, every citizen supports the hero, but they didn't move ahead on their own. Ok, agreed. With respect to ethical behaviour, even if someone leads the others, that person is bound to get rejected, isn't he?
So I conclude saying that we should begin with ourselves first but would also shed light on the fact that it is very very very difficult to change the attitude, mentality & thinking of Indians, be it from any society....... India has a very LONG way to go indeed!
I so agree with you Aishu... n the commerce of the nation too say the same... how many fast food outlets do we have? How many fairness creams rule our market.. it is so annoying... why cant we be comfortable in our own skin? we do immitate a lot... we dont see what is gud for us ...
ReplyDeletebut its not the politicians only the ones to be be blamed they are handfull... even if u put all politicians of the nation on one side and the citizens on the other... how many responsible citizens do we really have... lets talk for ourself... so many of our own classmates refuse to vote... saying its of no use... we r equally responsible for this state.. how many of us research who we are voting? its not a handful but all of us who are responsible
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