developed India

During my couple of years in the AUS, I used to read every 'feel-good' article and magazine about India with great enthusiasm and pride. Read a lot of articles as to how India became world’s back-office destination. How the middle class was enjoying the economy surge et all. Came in 2004 with some moderate expectation… only to find nothing has changed! Of course its too short a time to have expected too much, but the media had hallucinated me! Yes the urban life style has changed but that’s just a part of the population, and I am still wondering if this change is for good… lets forget the westernized influence for time being. Talking of Chennai; it still has electricity problem, leave the rainy season, summers are known for frequent power cuts…. The Krishna or veeranam or whatever water that the govt. promised comes to many houses but is it potable? {should be happy that connection has been laid, though at many places it is hand pumps} Traffic jams and pollution are just the order of the day. Probably all the cities here are facing the same problem but nothing is being done, except Delhi where I believe Govt. is really on the move. What has changed? {not just 2-3 years, lets say what has changed in the past decade) o yes! Somethings have Almost everyone sports a mobile Toyota, Hyundai, skoda are becoming more common Malls and multiplex culture. Divorce on the rise! Yellow journalism on the rise. We need growth at the root level! On the contrary only a section of the mass is progressing (may not be in all aspects but at least in materialistic way). The socio economic pyramid is getting steeper by the day, and which is not a good sign. No wonder the crimes are on the rise. Too much of blaming the Government ( not that they are doing their duty properly), what are we as individuals doing to improve the society apart from following the rules and paying the taxes. I was thinking if I really did anything for the society at least this year? Hmmm the grim answer would be NO! One thing is for sure we should stop blaming the govt, and start looking at ourselves, one area where the westerners have excelled in leaps and bounds. The individual feels more responsible and acts accordingly. and till each and everyone start contributing we will still be in the bottom list of developing nations leave alone developed countries. What should we as individuals be doing to improve the place in our own small way? I am just running out of ideas. Hope all of us has a better 2006 and see a better India. Wishing readers a happy n a prosperous 2006