Is it In(dian)herent?

It was at the tip of the Indian Peninsula. I was at this place they call Kanyakumari, where I landed during an undestined trip. And then, there were these two other tourist guyz, with an English daily in their hand, and seeming so overwhelmed about something. I was busy looking at this Sadhu who was writing what people call destiny;) through my camera lens...

when I heard the reason. One of them spoke out that an Indian had won a Nobel Prize. I thought it was finally time to kiss at the feet of my motherland. But the fact was a little hard to digest for me.

"In all the 109 years since its institution, only one "Indian", Sir Chandrashekar Venkata Raman, has been worthy enough to receive it. Now, all of a sudden, another Indian!?! Wait. Let me look into this in more detail." So, I got hold of the newspaper from these guys. And when I saw the title reading Dr. Ramakrishnan Venkataraman (that's another Venkataraman.) indeed gave me an Indianized feeling. But it also made it all clear. "Indian born scientist wins Chemistry Nobel". Okay. That's it... another Prof Khorana in the list...

Well... not to complain of the "Indian Born" who won the prestigious reward for their intellect. But why do we take anything that is "Manufactured In India, Made elsewhere" as "Indian"? Are we unable to realize the fact that the very people that we call "Indians" have already given it up long ago? I certainly agree to the reason that this country is still not able to provide the best of facilities for research, for all possible reasons. But as long as such Intellectuals do not ask for, how is it that they expect things to fall into place? And unless they decide firm on staying back, how is it that they would ask for?

Coming back to the Indian Layman's "Manufactured in India..." problem... Is it that we are still not able to understand, that the prestige of winning has still not come to our country? What is the reason for the rejoicing some other country's success? We want every child in this country of a billion and more, only to be God damn Software Engineers! or a few rich or talented ones, Doctors. Being anything else is a taboo here, unless it's absolutely difficult to score high in the Pre-Uni courses. Unfortunately, even the number of people in international committees on Pure sciences representing India has been less than a handful. When is it that we will stop enforcing professions, and let people decide their own way of life, like that Sadhu... who's apparently doing it. When is it, that we will celebrate another Nobel laureate from our own country??? When will this ambition of Stockholm be fulfilled?

Oh and yes, speaking of ambitious dreams, I did complete a part of my other ambition... happened to visit Kanyakumari, and southern Kerala over a week... well... almost. Do visit...