India has come a long way since its independence in 1947 from colonial British rule, after centuries of exploitation by the western and Arab invaders. After all, India was the richest country when the British came to its shores in the 1700s. Today, it is a free and open society with a viable parliamentary democracy and deep-rooted, cultural and social traditions that have weathered the storms of religious and regional tensions and of a volatile polity.
There is a firmly based private sector (thanks to the economic liberalization in 1991), highly qualified technicians with good analytical brains, and a strong base of competent managers. There are 400 million bright and hardworking young Indians below the age of 25. No country has such great natural resources. English is the main language of business, government, technology, and the law.
Because of mindless socialism, India lost decades of progress (We, the Nation: The Lost Decades, by Nani Palkhiwala). The extraordinary economic liberalization took place in 1991 with incredible changes in policy. The Indian economy would have completely collapsed without such liberalization.
Pre 1991 era was also known as License Raj, where you would have to get permission from the government for everything. The economic reforms have led to significant economic growth, increased trade and investment, and reduced poverty. Above all, it proved that India is second to none in entrepreneurial skills and innovation. Until then, a rich country was kept poor, by mindless socialism and wrong policies.
Today, different parts of India still live in different centuries, as far as the basic amenities and cultural awareness are concerned. It is no exaggeration to say that India is a highly developed country with many problems that are unique to developing nations.
India sent a successful mission to Mars on the first attempt and launched 400+ foreign satellites for many countries, using its commercial divisions. People from all over the world flock to India for advanced organ transplant surgeries. Yet 35% of children under five years of age in India were stunted; 19% were wasted and 32% were underweight. (December 2023). This can change with a change in mindset.
On India’s 75th birthday, Prime Minister Modi pledged to make India a developed country in 25 years. He launched an attack on “brashtachar” and “bhai bhatija wad”. With political will, professional will and people’s will, India can abandon its developing country’s image in no time. Otherwise, we could lose decades again. Indians often use- I wish, I hope, I promise. With a new mindset, if they say “I will”, India in no time has the potential to become an economic juggernaut and the number one economy in the world.
Added to this, India is the only country poised to bring peace to the world. Look at what Arnold Toynbee said decades ago. “It is already becoming clear that a chapter which had a western beginning will have to have an Indian ending if it is not to end in the self-destruction of the human race…At this supremely dangerous moment in human history, the only way of salvation for mankind is the Indian way- emperor Ashoka’s and Mahatma Gandhi’s principle of non-violence; and Sri Ramakrishna’s testimony to the harmony of religions. Here we have an attitude and spirit that can make it possible for the human race to grow together into a single family- and in the atomic age, this is the only alternative to destroying ourselves.”
India in its vast history, never invaded another country, never had a civil war, and never had a military coup. The roots of that kind of country are strong; founded on Vedas and Upanishads. The Chandogya Upanishad emphasizes moral conduct and ethical precepts that include nonviolence, truthfulness, non-hypocrisy, and charity to others.
The values of Vedas and Upanishads can only flourish when they are upheld with uncompromised integrity.
V.K. Raju, MD, FRCS, FACS
Ophthalmologist, Regional Eye Associates
President and Founder, Eye Foundation of America
President and Founder, Goutami Eye Institute
Clinical Professor, West Virginia University
Director, International Ocular Surface Society
Adjunct Professor, GSL Medical School
Adjunct Professor, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University
Author: Musings on Medicine, Myth, and History-India’s Legacy
