The Secret to "Why Indians are successful but India is not?"

Singularly as individuals, Us Indians are unbeatable, some of the best brains in the world, however collectively we are failures, we play for ourselves not as a team. All Indian origin winners of the Nobel prize after independence are not Indians anymore. An example from the archives of the history of India might provide the answer.When in the 1717 Mughal Emperor got very sick after trying everything else he finally got treated by an English Physician William Hamilton. The Emperor as a reward asked him to name anything that he desired including gold coins worth his weight or any other riches for himself. William surprised the emperor by asking him for free trade rights for East India Company in Bengal. Even today 300 years later in this day in age we still lack the zeal for keeping the country in the forefront. Anyhow, soon Bengal became a British Colony slowly followed by rest of India. 

We still haven't changed, we are a third world country, with between 24 to 29 percent living below poverty line. It's good to be proud of achievements of individual Indians or people of Indian origin who excelled (again mostly after they left India), the question is when would India excel. 

Our system is designed to alienate people and not to unite them. We need to ask ourselves: why does our system kill future heroes, while the US helps raise even ordinary Indians to iconic levels. One has a better chance of getting into say an ivy league college like Harvard, Yale or Cornell and not into an IIT or an IIM. Perhaps this comes from our caste system, where castes try and keep others out. 

We prefer Autocracy over Democracy. To get things done, we prefer an autocrat to rule over us rather than exercise self-discipline as Democrats. All our successful political parties are one-person shows. I personally follow an open door policy, but sadly being nice and approachable is considered a sign of weakness. The more dreaded, obnoxious and ruthless one is as a boss the more the chances of your subordinates to fall in line.

We are risk-avoiders rather than risk takers. This is why we prescribe endless paperwork and bureaucracy for simple things like opening a bank account or buying a mobile phone connection. A terrorist would have used an untraceable mobile number – after which every Indian buying a mobile will be put through hoops to prove he is a bonafide consumer. This does not catch any terrorist, but the idea is for officials to avoid the risk that fingers will be pointed at you saying you did nothing to prevent terrorism. So orders will be issued to tighten the system and make things worse for everybody.

We are simply unable to tolerate success. If Modi talks about a Gujarat model, everybody has to bring it down. If Rahul Gandhi talks of RTI people have to discount it. 

We celebrate mediocrity, rather than excellence. Our system kills initiative rather than engender it. We want pliable yes-men and non-achievers around us, not non-conformists and people with ideas of their own.

Closer to home let me relate a personal incident which transpired a couple of years ago upon my return from the US after a hugely successful twenty-year stint in America. Having won accolades in America was ready to give back to my country of origin. One of India’s biggest business houses was getting into retail. They had hired a lot of foreign consultants at hefty salaries to kick-start the business. I was called for an interview, the panel consisted of two Indians and a Caucasian American. A few minutes in the interview process, suddenly I had this feeling that I knew the American interviewer, he too felt the same, and then all of a sudden he asked me if I am Raj( My American first name as a short for Dheeraj). I said yes am, he stood up to the utter surprise of the other interviewers and declared, I can"t interview him, as it turns out I used to be his super boss in an earlier assignment. The colour of the skin and being open about your Indian heritage can actually get you shortchanged within your own community despite what you bring to the table in terms of education, experience and expertise. A few years now in India still haven't come close to the success enjoyed in America. Go figure…….

ps: This article is an individual opinion and certainly not meant to disrespect anyone else's views. Open to comments, bouquets and brickbats are both welcome!