Very interesting topic.

To TK and Vande.....
What I fail to understand is why is the reality looked as such a bad thing? Yes India has the corruption, the slums, the corrupt leaders, the bribe system, SO WHAT? Who doesn't have it? The super power of the world today has all of the above and more... these are all facets that are part and parcel of GLOBAL economies... They are prevalent and in the lime light for certain countries (mainly the fast and rapid developing third world countries) than others mainly because these countries are at the cutting edge of development and I think the point of all these documentaries and movies is to show that nothing can hold them back....What you call as representation of India in a bad light, I call that the character of our country. I'd look at it more as, DESPITE all these hardships and set backs, INDIA is growing faster than any global economy and has come such a LONG way while preserving it's culture and history. Yes, we could do without all this but your attitude is that of an OSTRICH... bury your head under the ground and all seems to vanish... these are hard, cold and true facts that make India what it is...

As Blorean pointed out, why are you forgetting that India has contributed so much to modern civilization with ZERO being such a key contribution among many others? Yes, it was sad that to get an Award, a movie has to depict the harsh reality of our country and i was one of the first to point this out but as I thought more I realized, this is our opportunity to bring the problems of our nation to center stage.... When the world sees the true picture, more will be done. TK you bring up the dowry.... EVERY WHERE IN THE WORLD there's an exchange of money/good/gifts during a marriage. While this was a big factor in traditional india, it's not such a big deal any more mainly because of the development our country has achieved. It was through these documentaries that humanitarians and other organizations went to India and taught women to read and write and today these women can stand on their two feet and refute dowry. GONE are the days when a man's salary alone was the determining factor. Today if a woman is a doctor, she also expects none less so please don't bring up all this nonsense. It makes me sick to think that living here, you think along such lines. TK also talks about educational institutions in India as being Mug and pass shops; I can tell you from first hand experience that USA is no different and neither is any other country. IT's only when people are in specialized fields that it moves beyond that and that's true in India also. The problem is see here is that we left india when it was growing and we all hold those values and visions of india but just ask the youth of Indai today and you'll see them swell up with Pride....

Vandemataram you pointed out the action of Isreal and the lack of in case of Mumbai Bombings. Tell me something, you think what Isreal is doing is right and something to be proud of? over 500 innocent lives lost, so many little children will never live to see another day... I think India is being realistic here... I'm a believer of Gandhigiri in this case... There's no good that will come out of us bombing Pakis... Yes, India has to take a more aggressive stance with UN and the world to make sure it's voice in this fight against terrorrism is heard but I hope and pray that good sense prevails...FYI, EGYPT is not supporting Isreal and UN is going to hold talks in EGYPT on Thursday to come up with a peace plan....

Folks, Just in our life time India has come so far ahead that it's phenomenal... No one claims that India is perfect and I don't think it'll ever be perfect but you know what... IT WILL GET THERE....

PS: I do bash up many things about our country but i never doubt our country....

Nice post Guptamik.

I would like to add that we should first stop considering winning western awards a mark of recognition. Barring few, most of them do have thier prejudices.

It is also high time that our main stream media takes an active role in highlighting and promoting Brand India - remember USA owes its image to a great extent due to the coverage and propoganda of FOX NEWS, CNN, NY TIMES, WSJ, Hollywood etc... who always present the picture with USA's point of view and interest.

Also, I am not sure what defines SUPERPOWER - for me Israel is a super power - who can USE the mighty USA for its own interests. Others may differ.

Hiren

Thanks Hchheda...GREAT point about Isreal...

Talking of media, my biggest RANT is about Indian Media... such crappy programs (in an effort to follow the west).... We really need much more substance and not saas bhi kabhi bahu thi and chinni bhi kabhi ganna thi types of things

This is an interesting discussion. The bottomline is that we should think positively about India and remember that when are with our fellow Canadians we each are ambassadors of our Country of Origin. To that I would recommend the following book; India: An Investors Guide to the Next Economic Superpower by a Canadian based Indian author. It has been widely read in US and Canadian financial circles and is well received.

In my opinion, India is most interesting place.

You may find it "Highly Spiritual to Morally Degraded ; Filthy Rich to Poor Slums"

Now what you want to see? It is all up to you.

All countries have it's bad and good things. However, people who complain about India are really stating that "bad things" in developed countries do not affect "common" people as much as it does in India.

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Arvy

Lets not fret too much on superpower tag and focus on the basics. I'd rather be a happy Indian in a regional power than a miserable Indian living in a superpower.

As long as we can provide every citizen with nutritious food, clean water to drink, access to good education, pollution free air, keep(and expand) our forest cover, fast communication, efficient transportation, energy self-sufficieny, accessible govt and security; it would be a herculean acheivement in itself and consume all our time effort and involvement.

Who cares if we don't get a Certificate of Superpower Status from UN or Time magazine? Why bother too much about foriegn assholes? We play by our rules.

Intersting topic. Just a few thoughts.
1) Instead of canvassing with other countries to confer on us a permanent seat in the UN Security Council or for that matter yearining for the title of "Superpower", it will be better if we by our own merit and performance, make others run behind us to give us the title.
This can be done by us ordinary Indians alone. We haven't changed much since the times of atleast Mohd. Ghori/Prithiviraj Chauhan. Whenever we start a puja even in our household, we chant the sloka invoking "Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswathi, Narmadha, Godavari, Sindhu, Kaveri" in the water remaining in puja vessel. Where did all the kings of the subcontinent had gone that Prithiviraj alone had to face Ghori. In all probability, some of them would have said that they had an upset stomach, some others that they had to perform their grandmother's cermony, a few others would have said they would wear their battle attire and come and would have slipped through the back door, may be lastly the few who have told Prithiviraj Chauhan, that they are coming right behind him and when the valiant king enters battlefield, he finds himself alone. For those who accompanied him would have slipped away half way through.
After a thousand years, let us take the case of Mahatma Gandhi. Did his mother ever ask that important roads in the major metropolis be named after her son? Would she have demanded that his big statue be made to stand in every important junction? All she would have wanted was a decent death in his old age and not be shot like a dog. We never did any of these things. We projected him as "Mahatma", Father of the Nation" etc, but we were selfish, did not practise even one percent of what he preached and practised. When we got our freedom, we just dumped him and his ideals.
Since puranic times, we always think that Mahavishnu or God Almighty, will desecend on earth to kill the demons, save the meek etc., etc. Till then we think that all we have to do is stretch ourselves and shake our legs. We dont think that it is our duty to do whatever is possible from our side.
Do we really deserve to become a super power as of now?

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