Comments on Tidbits here and there: Clearing the air on Indian role model claims

@Shreeni: Having someone as a role model is left t...

2010-03-16T11:13:11.599+08:00

@Shreeni: Having someone as a role model is left to individuals. When media gives us the list of top ten richest people, its primarily showing us people who in some way are at the peak of success. I'd like to believe that mentioning their country and other details is to educate us with their identities and their stories of success. What inspires me the most is the way someone has achieved so much rather than his citizenship.

Yes,connecting them to our country and feeling proud unnecessarily is wrong. When you are talking about how someone has contributed for his own country, restricting to lists 1 to 3 would be fair but when I talk of role models, nothing can be a barrier!

Deppe: I have no problem with celebrating the succ...

2010-03-12T12:38:23.237+08:00

Deppe: I have no problem with celebrating the success of anybody (George Orwell included), but just not as Indians. The whole patriotic fervor kicked up by calling somebody "Indian" has to stop.

A role model can be anybody, but if you want to connect them to India (An Indian this or that), then they must have something to do with India. That's all.

A society has to be judged by how right or wrong it is, and is willing to be. Claiming something thats not ours is immoral, even for the purpose of inspiration.

As a people, we are quick to claim credit for anyo...

2010-03-12T12:08:03.371+08:00

As a people, we are quick to claim credit for anyone that has even a remote Indian connection. I've heard people talk about how Chanderpaul is an indian (I'm serious!!!). I agree with you that that is ridiculous. However, I don't see why we should restrict our role models to lists 1 to 3. I think people who break used the whole world as their stage, if anything, are better role models. I'd be happy if national boundaries become irrelevant except as a minor detail.

George Orwell was born in India, grew up in Burma, and probably lived in England for some time. All those are fascinating pieces of information. What really matters is that he wrote some masterpieces. What do we gain by arguing whether he is English or not?

In one sense I'm agreeing with you, that claiming the indians in the billionaire list is petty. On the other hand, I'm not sure I understand why you should be giving it so much importance.