I can’t believe a year has gone by. As i reviewed my last years post (see here), I experienced an eerie sense of DejaVu! Nevertheless, Happy Independence Day, India!! You deserve it, whether we (as Indians) do or not.

I’m not sure how much has any of it changed in a year. To be honest, I have a feeling that very little actually has. The problems that existed a year ago, still do. Sadly, things are not going to change much as long as we, as a generation, come to an agreement that we have failed the very people, who won us our Independence. The problem is that we keep justifying our actions or inactions, without taking any actual responsibility for it.

Time and again, I’ve said that the bankruptcy of Nationalistic Ideology, that has plagued this generation, is not its fault. It’s been handed down from the previous generations. Question is are we going to just pass the buck to the next one, or take moral responsibility, and attempt a course correction? the only thing we can actually do.

I live 20,000 miles away. No matter how much i try to stay connected to my roots, out-of-sight, often results in out-of-mind.  I don’t believe that one man can make a difference, not anymore. None of us have the will of steel, or a functioning moral compass that always points in the right direction. I feel that it’s shameful that a 74 year old man, has to stand up for our rights, when our generation is busy worrying about who’s going to be the next Indian Idol, or winner of KBC, or the next Master Chef, or who’s going to make the cut for MTV Roadies this year…

No matter how good Anna Hazare is, he’s still going to need people to support him. Question is, will this generation stand behind him or in front of him…and there is a difference between the two.

As i watched “Aarakshan” last night, I started reminiscing About my own experiences with the unjust system. I call it that, as it has already outlived it’s purpose, and is now merely a platform for politicians to elevate themselves, not the very people they claim to represent. But, the issue deserves it’s own post…

Sure, we’ve had our fair share of accomplishments, winning the Cricket World Cup being one of them…euphoria over which has already waned, enveloped by the shameless defeat in England, and being kicked out of the No. 1 Ranking in the Test Cricket.

The achievements that we really need to feel proud are, declining population growth, increase in literacy rates (though not uniform), a reduced sex ratio (and I’m not referring to the actual act) but a growth in girls v/s boys ratio, which was declining for the past several decades.

Task at hand is not to create a “shining” India, but a prosperous India.