As a young Indian in my 20s, I remember the early 80s filled with Thums Up, Door Darshan, and coveted possessions from "abroad". I am now living in one of the most prosperous decades in India's modern history. I won't recount the statistics (you know, visits by Obama, Hu Jintau, Sarkozy; amazing GDP growth in an otherwise recessionary world), but you know what I'm referring to. And I'm grateful for it. Very grateful. This is India. But its very different from Bharat, and as a young professional, I find it tricky to navigate between these two worlds.
Oh, its because Bharat and India still have not figured out a balanced way to exist. I am borrowing a concept I read in a Forbes' article (Forbes India September 2009) that CK Prahalad refers to: Bharat and India. I first noticed it when I would talk to my sister. She always discounted my India experience. I realized that I thought my 6 week experience counted as “Indian” while to my family, I was a foreigner since I had only spent a total of 2 months in 3 years in the country. Its funny how two people can look at the same issue and think so differently. But isn’t the fundamental crux of life, the difference in opinion that leads to new ideas, debate, and excitement?
This stark realization led me to question my own thoughts. Spending 3 months in 2009, the longest in 5 years, I realized that I had forgotten what India truly was like. My impressions were based on an NRI view, on a South Bombay view, both very distant from Bharat. I was living in India, but not Bharat.
By Bharat I mean a mindset. At a very simple level, it could mean the class of Indians that still does not have access to modern amenities: decent housing with indoor plumbing, a steady income, schooling etc. India refers to the country mentioned in the wsj, nytimes, and investment brochures. But it also encompasses folks with a certain mindset (I can't articulate it as yet!). Indians from India excel at foreign schools, share bits of their culture abroad, speak English, and have an amazing ability to move seamlessly from Bombay to New York, Delhi to DC, or Chennai to Dallas. Yes, I am aware that I am making gross generalizations, but you get the main point.
Bharat rears up its head when I see my fellow Mumbaikers squat on railway tracks because they don't have a bathroom at home; when I see young children selling magazines at traffic lights; when I hear of folks who travel 2 hours one way to get to work because they can't afford to live close to work. And these folks are all really hard workers. Most get up before sun rise to attend to house hold chores, then put in a full day's worth of work, often fighting to get onto buses and trains, before calling it a day.
As a young professional, I notice that I need to understand and embrace Bharat fully. Why? Because alot of my clients live in Bharat. And somehow, the education I received in India did not really equip me to deal with Bharat. I know my financial statements, my English literature, and yes textbook Hindi. But it took months to speak decent conversational colloquial Hindi (and I still make atrocious mistakes!) and learn about different world views that can co-exist in 1 space. It is two worlds in 1 space. And it will take alot of trial and error, understanding, and time for me and other young Indians to navigate these two worlds.
Oh, its because Bharat and India still have not figured out a balanced way to exist. I am borrowing a concept I read in a Forbes' article (Forbes India September 2009) that CK Prahalad refers to: Bharat and India. I first noticed it when I would talk to my sister. She always discounted my India experience. I realized that I thought my 6 week experience counted as “Indian” while to my family, I was a foreigner since I had only spent a total of 2 months in 3 years in the country. Its funny how two people can look at the same issue and think so differently. But isn’t the fundamental crux of life, the difference in opinion that leads to new ideas, debate, and excitement?
By Bharat I mean a mindset. At a very simple level, it could mean the class of Indians that still does not have access to modern amenities: decent housing with indoor plumbing, a steady income, schooling etc. India refers to the country mentioned in the wsj, nytimes, and investment brochures. But it also encompasses folks with a certain mindset (I can't articulate it as yet!). Indians from India excel at foreign schools, share bits of their culture abroad, speak English, and have an amazing ability to move seamlessly from Bombay to New York, Delhi to DC, or Chennai to Dallas. Yes, I am aware that I am making gross generalizations, but you get the main point.
Bharat rears up its head when I see my fellow Mumbaikers squat on railway tracks because they don't have a bathroom at home; when I see young children selling magazines at traffic lights; when I hear of folks who travel 2 hours one way to get to work because they can't afford to live close to work. And these folks are all really hard workers. Most get up before sun rise to attend to house hold chores, then put in a full day's worth of work, often fighting to get onto buses and trains, before calling it a day.
As a young professional, I notice that I need to understand and embrace Bharat fully. Why? Because alot of my clients live in Bharat. And somehow, the education I received in India did not really equip me to deal with Bharat. I know my financial statements, my English literature, and yes textbook Hindi. But it took months to speak decent conversational colloquial Hindi (and I still make atrocious mistakes!) and learn about different world views that can co-exist in 1 space. It is two worlds in 1 space. And it will take alot of trial and error, understanding, and time for me and other young Indians to navigate these two worlds.
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