SENSEX –7000 pts, so what?

Open any newspaper “pause” you will see headlines screaming about our glorious India. India is marching ahead

· India is the fourth largest economy in the world.

· IT industry is booming.

· India’s middle class has tripled in the last 15 years.

Toast masters, we are a young nation. YES we have a bright future

Behind this success story, lies a dark side of India “pause” I am compelled to talk about

• What if I tell you that India is seen as a symbol of poverty around the world
• What if I tell u that India is home for the maximum number of illiterates in the world
• What if I tell you that 65 out of a thousand infants die.
• And what if I tell you that we are 134^th on the Human resource development index of 174 countries polled

Toast masters, we house one sixth of HUMANITY “pause” and all of them are searching for a little “dignity” and “prosperity”.

These are the conflicting scenes I as a 23 year old see.

We are country where children go to school “pause” not because they want to study, but because hungry children get a free meal.

We are a country where men work “pause” not because they want to take care of their families, but because they are bonded laborers.

We are a country where women need protection “pause”, not because they are the weaker sex, but because they are exploited.

Any country that has scant respect for Human life that spends so little on education and health care is building a very weak foundation for the future and is heading for disaster.

I feel sad “pause” that even after 50 years of independence 40% of our people cannot read and write.

I feel depressed “pause” that young children are working in factories making firecrackers and explosives?

Yes IT is booming, the sensex is touching an all time high of 7000 points.

But the poor illiterate village woman is still being beaten and dominated by her drunken husband.

What ever be our industrial growth, what ever be our technology. No nation will respect us if India is packed with poverty, filled with filth, governed by goons. If we are to be respected we need to be a country of healthy and literate people.

Nations like USA or China’s primary focus is on the Health care and Education of the people. Because they believe that this is the foundation for the growth of any nation.

Given this sad scenario. What do we do? “pause” What are our options? “pause”

• Sit back and cry
• Sit back and curse

No toastmasters that is not what I am saying. We cannot depend for all on the government to provide the solutions. We need cooperative movements like in Germany which were initiated by the people, unlike here in India which were initiated by the Government. The cooperative movement in Germany resulted in rapid progress and inculcated a strong national spirit. Their motto being “each for all and all for each”. In India though the cooperative movement was started as early as in 1904, it is yet to bear fruits.

But today there are shining examples even in the private sector. Aravind Eye Hospital conducts free eye checks and where help is needed is provided. Their motto being “Pay if u can, it’s free if u can’t”. The rich pay and the poor pray.

I realized that we as citizens can do so much. My personal experiences with an NGO called Friends of Children is fulfilling. Street children get basic education from other NGOs are taken forward by us. We help them get higher education and a respectable job in society.

Just imagine if we the people of India unite, we can do so much MORE. India can become a globally wealthy and respected nation.

Not for a moment am I saying India should not be technology oriented.

Not for a moment am I saying India’s IT should not BOOM

But I believe “pause”that every citizen of India should never go to bed hungry.

But I believe “pause”that every child should be able to read and write like you and me.

And I strongly believe “pause”that every woman should be treated like the way you treat your mother.

As a young lad I have taken a small step in helping street children stand on their own feet.

Maybe you can teach the alphabets of English to your maid’s child.

Maybe you can pay the medical bills of your maid’s sick mother.

Tiny drops of water make an ocean. “pause”

We are all drops of water, which make a difference to an ocean called India.