A New India, Vision and Few Thoughts 'Down Under'

                   A changing and resurgent India - this has been the theme which has been most heard about since I was a child. I had been three decades old and what really materialized in this time in the country is a really important question. Because Independence came 7 decades ago and in that I had lived for 3 decades. My productive years are a decade or from 20 to 30 when I came into work force. So my contribution to the country is already ten productive years and I can see a lot of good work. The change has been really visible on the ground. 'A new India' is one of the common themes which has been at the thick of the things since I started to grow up. A 15 years ago, a leading political party campaigned with the slogan – ‘India Shining’. Though the party lost the PAN Indian elections at that time, it resonated with the public and left a deep impression upon them. Since it is a nation wide campaign, as a kid, when I just came across it I also took note of it and felt something interesting. It is a different story that very party came to power few years later and ruling at present for the past 5 years. So when you say ‘India Shining’, it should not just remain to the sloganeering but has to be the real picture on the ground. This is the case at present and the metamorphosis is truly happening. What the architects dreamt about and what our leaders envisioned and are optimistic about few years back and campaigned hard for it has been felt about on the ground. Whatever is happening now is all because of their strength of conviction and a feel for it that has been driving the next generation towards realizing their dream. First of all why do we need a new India and a India that is shining bright and vibrant 1. A new India is very much needed for all its billion plus people to really lead a better lives. 2.In the better interests of the world over and be the guiding force for the people around the globe.

                   Everyone should play their part in making it happen but what part I have played for it is also worth reckoning. There are a lot of good smart people and talented individuals from this country who work for the benefit of many countries. A smart and also an average person that I am had decided to work for the benefit of my own country as a student few years back. Which is why after graduation, when many of my friends had opted to migrate to another country, I decided to stay back in the home nation. It is an easy choice and fruitful to me personally to migrate at that time and be successful when you have lot of energy and just out of college. But against a colourful future option at that time, I had chosen to serve the home land. I had been raised with all difficulty and struggle not to leave the land and be comfortable in the foreign land. As a kid you think better and the outer world environment will shape your thoughts. I had a bit of nationalism instilled in my thought process as I grew up. So I opt to sacrifice my own future elsewhere for the good of this nation. I gave every iota of energy I had and worked rigorously till I became exhausted by the age of 27. The cause has egged me and spurred me on and on. When a young graduate give his 200% over the years, it will have a ripple effect and the impact would be more than when you work sometime later. It is what you give up from the own personal self that matters most than what you do for your own personal benefit. After a hectic week, what you do on the Saturday or Sunday is what decides who will enjoy the fruits of your hard work. I had opted to serve the underprivileged on those days to uplift them from their circumstances instead of working in some rich nations. The great culture of your land will also get a fillip and will be restored when you work continuously. So I became exhausted by 27 and unable to stand for lengthy periods which is still continuing. Unless I am bed ridden for a good few months will I ever recover and get back to my 100%.                                                                     But, yours true robot has not opted for any break and continuing like that for the past four years as well. This is how I work for the causes which I believe in and make these dreams a reality. I am a trailblazer, right from the inception of myself joining the work force. I am on my own self traversing like a soul on fire laying new roads, redefining all the existing rules for the new frontiers, a new world and a new India. This is my little contribution to the notion of a new India and everyone needs to make their own great stories for a shift in status quo and a shift in direction. After the initial struggle, it becomes an easy sail thereafter. Over the last ten years, this is my contribution towards a country which is progressive, developed and standing tall, staying ahead among its peers. I really believe that this is the time for India to bloom and boom after centuries of repression and regression. No one can take away the glory of the nation in the making. The upcoming years belong to the nation and it must use this golden opportunity to shed the shackles and come out of its ills to create a shining, vibrant and a new India. The nation must take along the world in its ride and show them the way in its journey.

                   Every leader leads the people into the future by setting some benchmarks and goals. There are many goals set for this country in the past 70 years and how many of them have become a reality is an easy question since there are not many of them that has seen the light of the day. These all leaders who lead the country have a vision for the future. Among them, one of the tall persons who has been revered and respected by everyone is former President Abdul Kalam. On the occasion of 50 years of independence in 1997, he envisioned vision 2020 for the country. This vision 2020 is also widely publicized idea of a new India. A nation that does not have a vision dies. Vision 2020 was initially a document prepared by the Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC) of India's Department of Science and Technology under the chairmanship of A. P. J. Abdul Kalam and a team of 500 experts. In simple words, 20 years back he predicted a country which is developed by 2020. By virtue of his achievements, hardwork and way of life, he had foreseen a country which would be completely transformed than what it is 20 ago. He is the towering personality of the times and what he believed would happen was nearly coming true.

                   He counted India to be among the world’s top five economic powers by the year 2020. At present the country is in sixth position and there is a year to go. So this has come true. You need to remember that the nation stood at 13^th position in the year 2000 and came a long way since then. The nation’s economy grew by 5 times in this period which is a remarkable feat. But also be appreciative of the fact that Chinese economy grew by over 12 times since the turn of century. The point to be taken is Kalam envisioned India to be one of the largest economies of the world and India has exactly followed his imaginative trajectory. It was also not only imagination but the data of development trends, strong growth rate showed the goal is not unrealistic. And a country which has the sixth largest economy cannot be called as developing. The country has come by leap and bounds and can be called as developed nation. Any below average Indian is using a smart phone with a 4G service. This itself is a visible indicator of growth and development. After living in U.S for some time, I can say the largest U.S. economy is not as vibrant as the Indian economy. I felt the Indian market is attractive and interesting whereas the U.S. market is dull and subdued. Thus, as predicted the nation has ticked all the right boxes to move us forward in the best possible way. On the whole, the nation has been driven thus far by modern greats and this practice has to be started all over again to set new targets for the next few decades. For my part, I cannot set targets for longer duration but has in mind for 2025 for the country. I realigned my goals after the U.S. debacle and presently working towards vision 2025 for the nation. The faster you move with a sense of urgency, the greater are the chances for us to realize the vision for 2025. So 5 years from now, if we work with same vigour, the nation can be catapulted to unimaginable greater heights. The decade old momentum is there and you just need to march on to truly transform the nation on the ground from bottom up.

                   Getting away from India, another nation which has come into my life and playing since past many years is Australia. I had written about the cricket team of this country 11 years back in a blog post and has been watching them play for more than 20 years. So my association is very long with this wonderful nation not only with respect to sports but also as my employer and bread winner. I had worked for nearly four years for their companies and I had been given a free hand with respect to what I had to do. I also raised equally to the task and given my everything in appreciation of the support. They had silently driven me all along with their top-notch companies and work culture. This is the live example of a good partnership with a rich nation which make a positive impact in the lives of the ordinary people. I am the living beneficiary and still look at awe at the largesse of these corporations and countries. They had to fend off protectionist measures of giving employment to local resources and create jobs for foreign country people which is a remarkable strategy. Finally, like their cricket team, their country and employers also play hard and fair and I wish them best of luck in world cup knockout matches other than against India.