I was few days back reading a report that was pushed into Media quoting that 54% of Indians do not have Toilets, there are more Mobile Phones in India then Toilets. It feels like laughing at those people who come out with such claims. No one came out with the result “why”. So I write this Blog to remind the History to those Western people who continue to be Ignorant and Narrow Minded when it comes to India.
I am quoting an address of Lord Macaulay in British Parliament on 2nd February, 1835
“I have travelled length and breadth of India and I have not seen one person who is beggar, who is thief. Such a wealth I have seen, such a high moral values, people of such caliber that I do not think we would ever conquer this country unless we break the very backbone of this nation”
Now I am quoting few of the scholars those who are not Indians:
India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend and the great grand mother of traditions. - Mark Twain.
We owe a lot to the Indians, who taught us how to count, without which no worthwhile scientific discovery could have been made. - Albert Einstein.
Those who have read, The Wings of Fire - Dr Kalam would make out that at one instance Dr. Kalam was found quoting that The Britishers when COWARDLY caught Tipu Sultan in 1799, were amazed to find that an uneducated person has invented Rocket Launchers and armory that were never seen by Western Nations earlier. He is the only Indian Pioneer depicted in NASA with his rocketry which was taken away. Hence, it was reverse engineering and Indian Rocketry met a demise of more than 150 years.
These are some facts that no one can deny. Now let me put the brief history of America to justify myself:
1777 – The Year when all the Colonial States of America united and formed United States of America
1955 – Civil Right Movement Initiated by Sir Martin Luther King
1963- Women Rights Initiated
1991- USA only Superpower after USSR’s Disintegration.
1996- Formation of Taliban
2005- First Non White President – End of Racism
I would like the reader to stress on the years as it unfolds. It took USA 178 long years to initiate for Civil Rights after Independence from Europe and more precisely U.K, it took them another 40 years to be declared as Super Power that too after Disintegrating USSR and not DEFEATING. And it took just 5 years for them to Create the Biggest THREAT TO THIS WORLD “TALIBAN” – Sister Company AL-Qaeda for short momentarily gains in Asia ( Comes from horse’s mouth himself – Asif Ali Zardari, Pak President in an Interview that Taliban was A Brainchild of USA and Pakistan to Defeat USSR out of Afghanistan). Do we Indians still need explanations? After 60 years of Independence America was a country with Slavery, Red Indians, and Racism (It took them 228 years to end racism) {I no where have any intentions to hurt anyone.}
India is hailed to be Caste Based Country with widespread Discrimination and Communal Violence. I completely agree to that as no country is born with complete maturity and in a complex scenario like that of India, I bet no nation could have ever survived as been Said by Hitler – that this country will never be in peace and unity but we proved him wrong.
Our Constitution was formed by a said Lower Caste Person – Sir Ambedkar. It took us just 57 years to Prove our Unity when A Roman Catholic women was made to step down and give way to A Sikh Person to be Sworn as The Country’s Prime Minister with A Muslim President in a country with 85% Hindus. The Muslim President been elected by a party known to be a hardliner HINDUTVA. I by no means want to compare nations or want someone to be lead down but it is my Endeavour to pose My Country as no less or behind anyone.
India is stepping up with a Vision 2020 to be a Global POWER and NOT Superpower. With an average GDP of 6-7% we have proved our candidature. It took India just 20 Years to overcome all Social Taboos and Bondages after Globalization of the Economy in 1990. Few days back another achievement was added into India’s Golden Book when an India bought the Loss making East – India Company that ruled India for Century. An Indian, Arcelor Mittal would Supply Steel to London in the Construction for Olympics to be scheduled next in UK. India has large unorganized sector with Rickshawwala, Paperwala, Scrapwala, Vegetable Vendor etc which constitutes 40% to Indian Economy and are no Direct Tax Payers. The day these people come to join the mainstream, I do not expect India to stop at even 12% GDP. When a person with mere earning of Rs. 3000 per month has a mobile phone and every 5 Indian out of 15 is related with Business – Organized or Unorganized, they all contribute to Nation’s Development slow but steady.
It gives me immense sense of Satisfaction and love for my country when a mother after loosing her only child in battle of Kargil comes out speaking “I had just one Boy” proves that India will and will Never DIE. We are born in a country where a person failed in his 10th Standard and now the same class has his chapter in their Curriculum – Mr Tendulakar. There is not a single country left in the World to have memorized The A.R Rehman’s “Jai Ho”. This is the very same country that knew Modern Surgery way back when PHds or Doctors ever existed in the form of “The Susruta”, The Creator of Trigonometry and Arithmetic, The Aryabhatta was an Indian. India is the mother of more than 3 Religions and Preserver of many Cultures and Art Forms without any Anti- Semitic Movement. The only country with unmatched History of 1000 years of been Non - INVADER.
Hence, at last I conclude by saying:
“I am not just proud to be an Indian; it’s my HONOUR to be an INDIAN.”
JAI HIND
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Mukul Gupta