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Jay Kumar Pradhan

Programme Production, All India Radio

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Will India be the next Super Power of Knowledge.

India is called the nest of Golden Bird. India has got both material and mental resources to guide the world towards a better creative civilization. What Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela,Abhraham Lincon has dreamt of and we have failed to implement their thoughts. India is base of creation of all kinds knowledge, major cultures and religions i.e. Hinduism, Buddhism and so many sub cultures. No one wants violence in the world. Every one wants to live in big houses and get enough time to pursue other better things of life than just working only for money. We can not make everyone happy, wealthy, educated. But we can do it for many by following and mixing the good thoughts of of visionary leaders of the world. For happiness we have to have knowledge and knowledge creates materials both physical & meta physical which human use to live and survive in this earth. India is store house of knowledge not only in present science, but also the know how of how to live peacefully despite difference of wealth, religions, culture, customs, regional imbalances and many such things which creates tension within a community, region, religion and culture. I do agree that we as Indians are also involved in many violence. But it is due to lack of understanding of Mahatma teachings by our own leaders. In the end I will quote two sayings of Indian mythology. "Basudhaiba Kutumbakam" means The Whole World Is Our Family. The second "Bahu Jana Hitaya Bahu Jana Sukhaya" means " Give Real Benefit to Many and Make Happy Many". If we follow the real path showed by Indian great thought leaders then India will be the next Super Power of Knowledge but also Super Power of Friends of Nations and people of whole World.

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    Aug 11 2012: I wish this proposition had been articulated differently to indicate that the whole world has this potential. India as one of the BRICK nations (and yes, I include Korea too) is well positioned as long as it addresses the corruption which extends to slavery, population issues and overcomes a colonial history that raped and starved its people. Yes, India is and can be great but it must never adopt the attitudes of its slave masters. India can lead us, If it is willing to be noble.
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      Aug 11 2012: I do agree with Debra lets turn it around and see it in the perspective of World. Lets start from "Basudhaiyaba Kutumbakam". Lets think that we all are children of Earth.But will the developed Nations will be part of it, will they transfer the technology to techno-poor Nations ? I hope no, they will not do that, that's why we are thinking of BRICK etc. Lets make UN powerful and real.Most of the developed Nations are really polluting and not paying to different poverty alleviation programmes. If the techno poor nation are given the Green Technology definitely they will implement it. As an Indian I do not want see as Super power just for he sake of Super power. It has contributed to the knowledge bank of World. Despite flawed educational policy we do produce very good Doctors, scientists in many fields. If the World thinks of India then India thinks of World as well.Green movement was there with us, we practised it in our daily lives. We use and reuse the material till it becomes zero. But now due to media and internet young people are imitating bad things of West. We should learn best things of all the nations and change our habits to suit the need of the hour.Thank you Debra for your comments.
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        Aug 12 2012: Hi Jay, as we both know citizens of countries do not always have the reins which steer their countries but I think it is clear that there is a deep longing among many many people world wide for greater justice among nations and groups of people. India has never been one to wait for permission to have technology. You have many creative and talented and educated persons who are in my opinion now leading the world in innovation and inventionsl India is a superpower to my mind. It has been poor because its resources were stolen - and now it will turn all its resources and abilites to advance. India does not need anyone to give it technology - it can lead the world in innovation - if your people are given basic human rights in every quarter, if slavery is exposed and condemned and if corruption is quashed. YOU can do it without anyone's gifts or permission. Never forget what Ghandi Jee fought against and never surrender your sovereignty again. The Indian people have been brave and have worked hard for others and NOW is the time for it to do so for India itself and for Indians everywhere. Now is also the time for all persons of the world to embrace this goodness and believe that a better life is possible. EVERYWHERE.
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          Aug 12 2012: I fully agree with Debraji, its the deep rooted corruption and poverty which are the main obstacle for India. As it is a vicious circle. India has to come out of it. Now the youth are voicing their anguish and coming out using new media like face book and other such social media. But the same is also very small in numbers compare to the size of India's population. That too it is limited to urban areas only. As you have rightly said India has the technology and scientific man power and we do not have to borrow from any one. The process of change has just began lets see where it leads to. Thanks for the concern, comments & suggestions. Your comments and suggestion is really reassuring and created a new hope in me to see a better India and better World for all of us..
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          Aug 13 2012: It may be small now, but information travels like wildfire on Social Media. Once there's a good enough infrastructure for a good majority of India, things will kick off fast.
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      Aug 11 2012: Deb, I alwayss agree with you ... sometimes. This time you are technically correct but have left out the major factor that will hold India back. Politics. India has one of the most diverse populations of any country and that is represented in its government. India has super rich and super poor with little inbetween. Education at the present is a marketing tool. There is little respect for the educated in India as witnessed by the exitdous to other countries to open businesses, practice medicine, and so forth. The simple answer is the exchange rate US dollar is worth 55.285 rupees. So a computer repairman from India working in the US making $25 per hour for a 40 hour week makes $4K a month. If he mails back $1000 a month he gives his family $55,285 per month. He could not do that at home.

      Due to the political structure it is my opinion that India is the target of takeover to a Socialist government. If that occurs then the educational progress will take a further nose dive. It is my opinion that the politics of India hold the key not only to the educational strength but the economy and the growth and future of India.

      Humbly submitted ... by a friend .... "T" Bob. All the best.
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        Aug 12 2012: Dear Robert, does that first sentence mean that you agree paritally?. i can see that but I do not understand that sentence otherwise. Yes, politics and diversity are major challenges in India as they are in most countries with huge populations. China is the exception because their people basically consider themselves to be one family with the government acting as our sense of parents guiding that family- and this is exactly why it is so formidible and eventually brittle. Societies travel through developmental stages in my opinioin similar to human beings. In Canada we have many many Indian immigrants who could not find equal or simlar oportunities at home. However, as they are assimilated their children are very frank about both the weaknesses of the former system and of our own. Yes, like most immigrants they are dedicated to helping at home but that does not transcend generations very well. Soon the 2nd and 3rd generations are far more Canadian than Indian. In this regard, please see some of Russel Peter's comedy routines on Youtube. I am not convinced that socialism is likely to take over as self interest is a strong stage of individual development that many become not just interested in but mired in -in personal and in national development. Some of the best and most productive countries of the world as reported by their citizen's satisfaction -and in international measures such as longevity, overall measure of health and well being, low levels of corruption etc. are countries you might term socialist.
    • Aug 12 2012: Debra,

      "If it is willing to be noble." Do you really believe that a noble country will come to lead us? Or do you just hope so?
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        Aug 12 2012: Funny enough Barry, that is one of the things I am most certain about and that is not just because I am some sort of naive Canadian but because of observation and study.
        The hardest thing in this world is to be a good human being. It is the hardest and often has been the most unrewarded. It is also the hardest to counterfeit. Goodness is not something that can be imitated for long for those who do not live it do not actually have any idea how it works and more especially how that world view holds together. It is beautiful to humanity when they see it and it beckons to the deposit of goodness in others.
        So, now with media like Youtube, TED and others (not sure about much social media) people can expose themselves to goodness everywhere. As I have said before, you can find role model on youtube for rock climbing, one for social interactions and one for politics without ever seeing their weaknesses and only ever leaping from one person's high point of development to another's. This has a downside for everyday life but it could not be better for our inspirational lives.
        Nobility is unassailable unless people are willing to get in the gutter- which many appear to be but now people can rightly say = but they are right about that and what does their sex life have to do with insurance? Good voices everywhere are coming together like a chior.
        Now I am not sure it will be the noble country but I do believe that it will be the NOBLE people like Ghandi and Mandela. I also believe that countries go through stages of development just like people and that human beings seem to keep assembling their interior lives and their exterior lives to make progress both individually and collectively and the only firm foundation, in my opinion is rock solid and it is good.
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          Aug 13 2012: Debraji, I like the essence of your feeling through this one sentence" Good voices everywhere are coming together like a chior." If the youngsters of World sings the songs of Gandhiji, Nelson Mandela,Abraham Lincon, Leo Tolstoy and Gerorge Washington and many other inspiring great people, then we will not have wars. There will be another super structure of United Nation.
        • Aug 14 2012: "the only firm foundation, in my opinion is rock solid and it is good."

          I think so too.
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        Aug 12 2012: PS Barry, I think leadership will no longer be in the global sense and that will help us too. If one country or person leads in one area of strength and we allow another to lead in theirs - we can make continuous progress in areas of vital interest to all. As it stands now everyone waits until one leader drags us forward on one issue while the bad guys circle and attack. It is tougher to get that sort of pack mentality to work when power and leadership are diffused. I hope I am communicating my thoughts in a meaningful manner. If not, please give a me a chance to try again! I am loving getting a chance to bring all these thoughts out into the light of day when they have been stored in my attic for so long and I felt like I was looking out of an attic window!
        D
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        Aug 13 2012: Abhishekh Jee, India has invented zero. If you enter deep inside the zero you will find a civilization which believes that everything has got a value and nothing is un-usefull. We use it and reuse it again and again till that product value is zero or and can not be used further.By boasting of Super Power status many countries are now eyeing towards India. Is the Indian are waiting to unleash the power of brain and material.As you said India has o go a long way. It is prepared to go a long way to create a systematic sustainable growth.The word is not going to be destroyed till next five billion years.So dont worry it will achieve its growth with its is normal speed. Artificial growth will not be sustainable. It is called Baloon Economics & Banana Republic.

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