Seventy years is a good amount of time. Completion of seventy
years of existence as an independent country with 1.25 billion population and
spectacular diversity is an occasion of celebration and introspection as well.
India the largest democracy, cradle of World’s oldest civilizations is a young
country. Thousands of freedom fighters through their selfless sacrifice drove
away the oppressive forces culminating in liberation of India from the colonial
shackles. The British having sapped India’s vital resources and emptied its
treasury left the country to fend for itself anticipating that country will
soon crumble under the burden of disunity. Putting rest to Winston Churchill’s
prophesies and ignominious references “Power
will go to rascals, rogues and freebooters. All leaders will be low caliber and
men of straw. They’ll have sweet tongues and silly hearts. They will fight
amongst themselves for power and the countries will be lost in squabbles. A day
will come when even air and water will be taxed”, India at 70 is alive,
kicking epitomizing democracy and pluralism. Unfortunately, bloodied partition
was inflicted upon India even before it could experience the joy of
painstakingly earned freedom. Independent India despite facing numerous
internal and external threats endured and bravely defended sovereignty. Though
there have been strains in the democracy at various stages like the dark phases
of Emergency, India bounced back after every fall.
Independent India’s journey so far has been a roller coaster
ride swinging earnestly through periods of despair and hope. The aspects of
exulted success have been overshadowed by tumultuous failures. As India
asserted its new position as emerging space giant with a successful spree of satellite
launches and phenomenal maiden Mars Mission, the technological ineptness of
DRDO which failed to develop an indigenous assault rifle created doubts about
India’s scientific mettle. India’s potential as fastest growing economy in the
world has turned it into a lucrative investment hub but India’s contemptible ease
of doing business lead to low rate of project realization. Low-cost
technologies are making India medical tourism hub even as shoddy maintenance
and administration of government hospitals is claiming lives of millions. As
per IMF estimates for year 2017, India has third largest GDP based on
purchasing power parity but it continues to slide down the rankings of Human
Development Index, reflecting the glaring increase in inequalities. Similarly,
India’s low Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) which declined marginally in recent
years and the low sex ratio are a mockery to India’s standing among community
of nations.
The unique recognition scrupulously earned by budding young
Indian scientists of Team Indus made India incredibly proud. It is one among
the five teams qualified to compete in $30 billion Google-sponsored competition
to operate robotic spacecraft on Moon by 2018. Discovery of massive galaxy super
cluster “Saraswati”, 600 million lightyears away by team of astrophysicists
from Inter University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics and Indian
Institute of Science and Education Research (IISER) has been source of immense
pride and joy. On the contrary, Indian Universities slipping in the latest QS
World university rankings raised concerns about the standards of Indian
education. Contrasting pictures of hope and frustration continue to haunt
Indian scenario. The reports of low employability pale the prospective
advantage of India’s rich demographic dividend. At the same time, a boom in
start-up culture spear-headed by young, enthusiastic, and dynamic youngsters
has instilled new hope about the new generation. Interestingly while a surge in
the new breed of entrepreneurs is imparting new energy into system, rampant
corruption perpetrated by the veritable politician-bureaucrat-police is
crippling progress of the country. The list of such contraries that evoke a
sense of desperation and instilled hope are endless. These contrasting
developments inadvertently divided Indians into eternal pragmatists and
skeptics.
India successfully drove away colonial forces, but
stigmatized Indian mind still longs for a western sanction and approval. Unlike
countries who obtained independence around the same period, India hasn’t
forsaken the colonial vestiges like bureaucracy and eerily adopted their
institutional legacies. It never attempted to revamp the systems to cater to
the needs and requirements of Indian society. Even after seven decades of independence
we still religiously adopt the judicial laws, housing systems, health care and
education introduced by the imperialists. The colonial hangover still has a
larger overbearing on the Indian mind, thought and intellect. Moving forward,
Indian mind slowly began to acknowledge anything foreign as superior and began
importing defence technologies and advanced scientific expertise. Enslaved by
colonial hangover, Indians are now seeking approval of the west to acknowledge
the epics, precincts of vast Indian heritage. Any advocate/ believer of epics
is labelled and chastised as a religious bigot. For decades, the
west-influenced thought process dominated the Indian realm. But slowly an
alternative narrative is emerging and trying to reclaim its space. Aside,
jostling of contrasting thought processes, a silent group is toiling hard to
assert Indian identities. A kind of commotion is silently brewing within the
Indian society turning it into a breeding ground for contrarian views and
perceptions. Sadly, the colonial hangover still besieges Indian academic
institutes. It is appalling that sections of Indian society have no qualms in
calling ‘India as land of degenerates’. For them, India is all about sati,
untouchability, caste system. Such is the power of the colonial imprint, that
thousands of educated Indian elite still tend to magnify the mildews of the
past.
Currently Indian domain is witnessing new hope amidst apathy,
gender discrimination, widening societal gaps and poor governance. Though
things are under control, domestic front is heated up by movements for separate
state, unrelenting insurgency and infiltration bids into Kashmir, states
exploring legal options for separate flags, protests against imposition of
Hindi, Maoist attacks and political killings. Even external threats are looming
large with the possibility of a two and half war scenario. Millions are
exasperated by years of neglect, lack of infrastructure and poor governance.
But fortunately, the aspiring Indian class harbor beacon of hope. Unlike in the
past, for a change, India’s top most hierarchical positions are occupied by
people from modest origins with dynasticism forced to retreat. As of now, the
voices of resilient Indians hopeful of India’s resurgence are steering it
infusing renewed vigor, giving wings to its dreams.
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