Language, religion, army, history, education and sports – what builds national character?

This question has been on my mind for well over a dece, ever since I was asked how Indians build national character. I’ve tried to find a quick answer but more I think, tougher it gets. I write about it w because question is moot. Shedding acquired and forced fears of identity, failure and success, and attempting to craft ir own path and destiny in world’s largest democratic exercise that will end this week, what is India that Indians want?

As an Indian my take is this – we are undertaking root and branch changes, direction of which is in our hands. Our questions are t those of igrance – y are informed ones of 900 million voters. closest I have got to a bro comparison (politically and socially) is Europe with its many countries, diverse langus and people, food, culture, habits and persuasions. re is however, one difference. Europe is Christian and that is why Muslim Turkey will never be part of European Union (EU). It is however part of rth Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) military grouping and rein lies contrictions of democracies and destinies, peoples and nations. I will come to this in a bit.

National character cant be built on depravity and doubt. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has trained his guns once again on corruption. Corruption has crippled India and denying it would be foolish. Money corruption is most visible one, but it sits on intellectual corruption and moral and ethical depravity – one that is justified by rent seekers and losers, people who look or way when a nation is looted, its self worth buried so deep that it takes generations to even begin grasping what monster is.

By design, monster has little or kwledge that India (Bharat) is one of world’s civilizational countries, moorings of which were hawked and tred for acceptance in fashionable circles of pelf in and outside India. ir glass ceilings are so low y stifle millions upon whom y have perched and prospered for generations. To m I say – ambition is t a ceiling, it is a floor and every Indian will decide how y want to soar.

To entitled and condescending, I also say this. History matters. Trauma has a legacy and our young country has been traumatised by greed. In recalling is telling, in telling is understanding, in understanding is growing up, in growing up is responsibility and in responsibility is accountability.

Institutions in democracies are built on this process – of asking and telling, of questioning and growing, of sharing and respecting, of building with respect. Young India’s push back will neir be exponential r experimental – it will be sudden, it will have feet firmly on ground and it will question so-whatism with a loud voice. , young India will t move on till pillaging and looting Indians move out or get kicked out democratically.

This scenario scares so-what crowd out of ir limited and combined wits, foolish eugh to compare last five years of our history to past 70. So what y to every question that is raised about a young country’s young people? So what if Sikhs were killed, so what is thousands died in Bhopal gas disaster and almost an entire generation lived and died of cancer? So what if Rajiv Gandhi holidayed on an aircraft carrier? Go on – why don’t you ask so what if Congress party has kept India begging and poor for longest period that we have been free? Of for that matter so what if black Americans continue to die because of colour of ir skin.

Back to where I began - what builds a country’s national character? Cricket and entertainment are t nation builders because y don’t throw up leers. foundation is obviously basic education and primary health. I looked for examples. In US langu is unifier of melting pot (history) English and religion – God’s help is invoked in oath of naturalisation re. In Western Europe, it is a little more diverse, but continent is a Christian one. Peace (history) and a common market are binders. In Switzerland for example, conscription acts as social glue.

When you think of China and Russia, you think of a different kind of homogeneity – one that is underwritten by a historical absence of opposition, a fierce army, sports (staggering Olympic medal tallies) and raw power where civil liberties don’t matter. In south East Asia, we are looking at religion and dictatorships, Australia and Brazil balance langu and religion langu. My kwledge of vast African continent is limited but religion and langu binds countries and regions.

For longest period in its democracy, India has been kicked around by Congress party and it should come as surprise that as Indians ask questions, entitlement will and must shrink. biggest trdy is that young and brilliant in India’s oldest political party, Congress party, have been weeded out so that one family – Nehru-Gandhi dynasty – and ir friends continue to empty India’s soul. Many years ago an Indian army general told me that institutional dam to executive, judiciary, legislature and even forces has been so deep, it will take years, if t deces to recover from, if that is possible at all.

I believe it is possible and for that to happen, skeletons will tumble out so India kws. Debates are important if y are genuine, sustained and productive so that a young nation listens, absorbs or discards. re is glory in being poor, more than re is any glory in being rich – what matters is who you are and what you are doing for your country. It is t a given that India – or Bharat – will return to its past ecomic, social and political glory. In my view, it is more important that Indians claim ir rightful place, first within country and outside. Toger.

Most people in world don’t want to be stars. A decent education, a good job, affordable healthcare and a little extra money for leisure is all y seek. India is happening in ways that data and design have t been able to capture. It has t yet taken roots of nation-building because weeds are coming in way. y are being uprooted, hence nasty talking down to us by anchorless. It is our job to put down roots we understand and respect. We will get re. Keep faith in yourself and do t think about what it will take to build national character. It is a community effort – let’s begin by asking our leers to create jobs.

re is historical evidence to show that a gainfully employed population is a wholesome one.