Being an IITian I really feel like addressing this matter.
There are so many friends of mine who are brought up in India, who have been using the resources provided by the government of India and always prefer going abroad. Why?
The answer is simple. Vitamin M.
That's what they are worried for. Money, money and money.
Doesn't one ever feel that he/she is indebted to the society, to the country?
We are using all the possible resources, rather we are reaping the harvests sown by the government. Using Indian educational system if you want to serve other nations, just because they offer more money, it is analogous betraying your loving and caring parents.
I'm studying in IIT at a subsidized fees structure, because the government feels that it is the duty of the country to provide me with quality education and I deserve it by being an Indian, but am I really an Indian, if I go abroad and offer my services over there?
Shouldn't I have a sense of belongingness towards the country? Should I not reciprocate to the care shown by the government?
I have heard people saying There is no scope for me in India, my true talent will come out only in USA. and they end up in leaving a well paying good job in India and serving as domestic servants abroad.
In a speech in Hyderabad, Hon Dr APJ Abdul Kalaam mentioned that the same Indian throwing rubbish everywhere on Indian roads and cursing the municipality for not keeping the roads clean will suddenly develop the behavioural sense if he's in Singapore or Dubai and will make sure not to spoil the road. Is it the leniency that is misused, or is it wowen in ourselves to take things for granted and blame the system for all our follies?
There is a nice joke.
An Indian went to England. On coming back his first comment was Even the waiters over there speak English!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When shall we get rid of the White Skin Complex?
People say, India is corrupt, it's dirty, indisciplined. Agreed, it is.
But, who made it so? Who's responsible for the current state? Of course, we, ourselves. If your house is dirty, it's only you, who doesn't take care of it, because of the dirty house you do not go to the neighbour's place and live there, because ultimately your house is YOUR house, your own, if it is dirty, you shall clean it.
Let us have the same belongingness towards the country and instead of always asking for rights, let us not turn our deaf ear to the duties once and see the holy feeling of satisfaction within.
Robin Sharma has rightly said in his book The purpose of life is a life of purpose.
Give the moneychase a break and spend a few moments of purity to bring a smile on someone's face, and see the glow of that person's smile on your face. It's a divine feeling. Even billions of dollars can't BUY any satisfaction.
Our existence is linked with so many, breaking the link, you'll be after money and you may also get it, but what will remain closest to you till the moment you die will be the guilt, will be the hidden rebellion prevented from coming out; let it come out once and fell the enlightenment.
Dude this blog is really good...lots of good stuffs packed in...but today's youth are misguided...rather than investing their talents in something good,they r busy in boozing,smoking partying...why????only answer is that there is something radically wrong with our education system...its just not about addition subtraction of numbers...but its the sub and add of life that must be taught..ITS HIGH TIME WE THINK OF ENTERING POLITICS...WE HAD ENOUGH OF SAD POLITICIANS...WE CAN BRING A CHANGE...ITS NOW OR NEVER...WAKE UP YOUTH OR U WILL HAVE TO PERMANANTLY SLEEP SOMEDAY...change for the good...
ReplyDeleteJani it’s very easy for u or some else who has got admission at IITs or IIMs to say that government is providing quality education to us. But u should remember that how many persons had given GATE with u and out of them how many got admission. It might be around 2% students who had got into an IIT and that is also not in the field they would have want to. It does not mean those remaining 98% are not talented. They might be more talented than who had got admitted. Now if they want to get some good quality education, they can’t do anything but go to anywhere else.
ReplyDeleteThe other thing is quality of education, flexibility and opportunity available outside India. Any good university over there is spending much more amount on research work than the total budget of IITs. Technologies they are providing over there are not even known by many of us over here. If you check out faculty to student ratio there, you will find it around 1 faculty for 3 to 4 student. This is not at all possible in India.
As far as the parents are concern, while staying at IIT you can come at home once in a year and that is also if you are not taking up internship. Same one can do if he is studying abroad. Actually you can stay in touch with them for much time as the call charges from US to India is around 1 cent per min.(50 paisa) which is half the amount u have to pay for STD calls. It will take 36 hrs for u to reach ahmedabad from your IIT chennai but u can reach ahmedabad within 24 hrs from US.
If u talks about money, u know about medical students and MBA aspirants. They have to pay in lakhs to get education. If their parents are not able to pay this big amount, they can't get quality education. How many universities here are providing any kind of aids here? If u compare it with foreign universities, it’s nothing. Actually the cost of doing MBA from IIM ahmedabad is nearly same of doing MS in any foreign university. And after paying this much for the education if one would not run behind the money then does u think his child after 25 years would be able to get the same kind of education after having inflation rate of around 5% per annum? The other thing is what they are bringing back here with themselves. If u look at the parade of CEOs of Indian companies, u will find that many of them have got educated outside India. In india there are many families which are dependent on the person doing a job outside and sending money for them to survive. In developed countries the government is responsible for the employment of their citizens. If a person is not having a job, government will give him enough amounts to survive. If any Indian is going out to earn money that’s because he is not getting it here. And every day the basic needs are becoming so costlier that one can’t survive and live a good life without earning some good amount of money. We can say that people are running behind the money because we are having it in our pocket. We have got every thing whenever it is required but u can learn the importance of it when u have got admission in medical but u cant join the college because u are not able to pay the fees .
I am not saying that whatever u have written is wrong but what I am saying is instead of blaming those who are going abroad for their education or to earn money, one should blame our society our system which is not able to keep their talent and forcing them to go outside to fulfill their thirst. Because we are living in a system where u cant fulfill your basic needs like house, medical facility and education if u are not earning a big bundle of money every month. Actually we also have to apend some money to bring smile on someone's face and to have that divine feeling.
Hmmmmm another angle to look at it. I agree, IITs don't have those big funds. They are not such a brand name as they look. Compare them with MIT, Princeton, Harvard; you'll say IITs stand nowhere. Agreed again.
ReplyDeleteBut did we ever ponder what is the age of these universities? How long have they taken to earn this fame? Where are they situated?
In general, let us compare India and USA, USA has been free from centuries, India is still looking forward to diamond jubilee, was USA so strong in economical, military and social aspects when it was 60 years old as India is now? Was its name heard anywhere?
The answer is N O. NO.
So, what should we do? Curse our fate that we were born here? Or forget that something called fate exists, and roll up our sleeves and do something that Americans start cursing their fate for not being born in India?
Why always is the other side bright?
When will we come out of the very idea that we are suppressed and downtrodden?
If we are, then who will lift us?
Of course, we, ourselves.
One should never lack in motivation and confidence.
I would like to quote a statement by Narendra Modi. On denial for a USA visa, he made a statement addressing George Bush, that a day will come when he would seek permission to enter Gujarat.
During 1965 war, when USA cut off food supply to India, Lal Bahadur Shastri appealed the country to save on food, and so they did; and we succeeded.
And when it comes to one IIT chap commenting on it, I can't help but to say that I would not have changed my opinion otherwise.
Going abroad for studies is no crime, but not returning to the motherland and serving a foreign nation is a crime in my perspective.
I would again disagree to the argument that we do not have enough institutions to take care of TALENTED students. We do have. Apart from IITs and IIMs, there are many other institutes that are globally recognized and appreciated too, you just need to look within.........
Here's a letter written by a software engineer. Got it as a mail from a friend. Go through it...
ReplyDeleteAs the dream of most parents I had acquired a degree in
Software Engineering and joined a company based in USA , the
land of braves and opportunity. When I arrived in the USA , it
was as if a dream had come true.
Here at last I was in the place where I want to be. I decided I
would be staying in this country for about Five years in which
time I would have earned enough money to settle down in India .
My father was a government employee and after his retirement,
the only asset he could acquire was a decent one bedroom flat.
I wanted to do some thing more than him. I started feeling
homesick and lonely as the time passed. I used to call home and
speak to my parents every week using cheap international phone
cards. Two years passed, two years of Burgers at McDonald's and
pizzas and discos and 2 years watching the foreign exchange
rate getting happy whenever the Rupee value went down.
Finally I decided to get married. Told my parents that I have
only 10 days of holidays and everything must be done within
these 10 days. I got my ticket booked in the cheapest flight.
Was jubilant and was actually enjoying hopping for gifts for
all my friends back home. If I miss anyone then there will be
talks. After reaching home I spent home one week going through
all the photographs of girls and as the time was getting
shorter I was forced to select one candidate.
In-laws told me, to my surprise, that I would have to get
married in 2-3 days, as I will not get anymore holidays. After
the marriage, it was time to return to USA , after giving some
money to my parents and telling the neighbors to look after
them, we returned to USA .
My wife enjoyed this country for about two months and then she
started feeling lonely. The frequency of calling India
increased to twice in a week sometimes 3 times a week. Our
savings started diminishing.
After two more years we started to
have kids. Two lovely kids, a boy and a girl, were gifted to us
by the almighty. Every time I spoke to my parents, they asked
me to come to India so that they can see their grand-children.
Every year I decide to go to India ... But part work part
monetary conditions prevented it. Years went by and visiting
India was a distant dream. Then suddenly one day I got a
message that my parents were seriously sick. I tried but I
couldn't get any holidays and thus could not go to India ... The
next message I got was my parents had passed away and as there
was no one to do the last rights the society members had done
whatever they could. I was depressed. My parents had passed
away without seeing their grand children.
After couple more years passed away, much to my children's
dislike and my wife's joy we returned to India to settle down.
I started to look for a suitable property, but to my dismay my
savings were short and the property prices had gone up during
all these years. I had to return to the USA ...
My wife refused to come back with me and my children refused to
stay in India ... My 2 children and I returned to USA after
promising my wife I would be back for good after two years.
Time passed by, my daughter decided to get married to an
American and my son was happy living in USA ... I decided that
had enough and wound-up every thing and returned to India ... I
had just enough money to buy a decent 02 bedroom flat in a
well-developed locality.
The rest is in the next comment, it's too big to be uploaded in single one
Here's the remaining part.
ReplyDeleteNow I am 60 years old and the only time I go out of the flat is
for the routine visit to the nearby temple. My faithful wife
has also left me and gone to the holy abode.
Sometimes
I wondered was it worth all this?
My father, even after staying in India ,
Had a house to his name and I too have
the same nothing more.
I lost my parents and children for just ONE EXTRA BEDROOM.
Looking out from the window I see a lot of children dancing.
This damned cable TV has spoiled our new generation and these
children are losing their values and culture because of it. I
get occasional cards from my children asking I am alright. Well
at least they remember me.
Now perhaps after I die it will be the neighbors again who will
be performing my last rights, God Bless them.
But the question
still
remains 'was all this worth it?'
I am still searching for an answer.................!!!
START THINKING
IS IT JUST FOR ONE EXTRA BEDROOM???
LIFE IS BEYOND THIS ......DON'T JUST LEAVE YOUR LIFE ........
START LIVING IT ........
Try to know the real purpose of life .......
good discussion going on keep it up buddy
ReplyDeleteI wonder sometimes Jani about us, whenever we need to woo global people we say that the "Whole world is our family" and suddenly from nowhere this innate feeling of being and Indian creeps in and we start being too introvert and selfish and start saying that i need to stay in India, my country needs me and all such sort of things. By no means i am disagreeing to what you said. We have exploited lots of resources of our country, much more than that are available to any of Indians and its our duty to work for it, that is something i am not denying. But at a bit different level don't you feel that people going abroad and working for other countries or whatever are finally working for humanity, if someone is earning more money he is spending more and that money is going down the line to other people they might be Indian's or might not be.
ReplyDeleteSecond thing is that today people world over are jealous of our technical education and thats because they have seen several IITans and IIM grads working in their own country, now they hold people of our country in high regards. Companies like Google and Microsoft and other biggies now prefer Indians over other people cause we have set a mark for ourselves and this is in a manner helping country, the CEO's abroad are pursuing their companies to have plants and research centres in India and that is giving us an Inflow of lots of FII so the individual is not only earning for himself but also for the Country. The earning might be monetary or respect but it counts right?
It does count. It does, but I'd read behind a state transport bus that feed the hungry people and then give them a piece of advice later. Today many Indian are starving, farmers are committing suicides, and then what all they need is food to eat, probably they are not concerned with the respect at all.
ReplyDeleteYou rightly pointed out that global IT giants like Microsoft and Google prefer Indians over any other nationals. Why do they it? Do they have any prejudices? No, they prefer Indians, because Indians are good at work.
Then, what if these Indians work in India, be entrepreneurs, create job opportunities? Can't they do it? They can, and I think they should.
I may sound a little adamant or orthodox, but there's one very good statement which justifies my stand.
Make enough money before saying MONEY IS NOTHING.
On the eve of globalization, this approach may look self centered, but what I have to say is that an American may afford to be a true global citizen, but the poor Indian can't, and even if he can, he shouldn't.
Hey jani! i am feeling good about you and your thoughts and that fighting spirit. During school days,I have seen you and our group expressing their thoughts. But i never thought that you will continue doing at this level.
ReplyDeleteAbout this blog, i have some words to say.I have seen some of my relatives going abroad and doing work to earn sufficient money to help his/her family.They didn't find good job in india which can give enough money to fulfil their desire.They are not much educated but still they are going abroad to get some more money. They gone there not to serve other counry but to get money for their family members who are in india.They wanted to make good future of their child so that they get good education in good school and then college. They wants to stay with family but because of money constraintes they can't.
So i feel that the rootcause behind all this is only "MOneY". No one wants to stay away from his/her family.The thing which drag all of them to abroad is "MoneY". If someone wants to work on it and wants to change then generate the source of money in your country "IndiA".