Proud to be an Indian...

Proud to be an Indian…

It is that time of the year. Independence Day celebrations all over India and among the Indian diaspora(Ah, finally I get to use this word!) the world over.

I have been living overseas for the past 25 years, which is effectively more than half my life. I have often pondered whether my feelings towards India are any different from those living in India. Am I any less patriotic? Am I even a traitor who has ‘deserted’ the country for greener pastures (greener bucks as some would accuse)

There have been occasions when I have been in  discussions with  people in India and, in response to something, they said, “Hullo?! Easy for you to talk. You don’t even live here”. Have i lost that right because I don’t live there? What does India and patriotism mean to me?

I am an old fashioned boy scout at heart. I always make it a point to go to the Embassy for the Independence and Republic day celebrations. I still get goose bumps when I salute the ol’ Tiranga and sing the National Anthem after the flag is unfurled. Yes, unfurled. The Boy Scout in me always makes it a point to tell everyone that in India it is not a ‘flag hoisting ceremony’ because the flag is already hoisted and up there in a bundle, rose petals and all. And one tug ‘unfurls it’.

The President’s address to the nation, the cultural programmes, the patriotic songs performed by school kids and the samosas and gulab jamuns are only secondary. It’s always about the salute and the 52 seconds after that which are most important for me. 

The question which I ask myself is “Is that it? Have I done my bit for my country?”

 I come across all kinds of desis living abroad. There is always this desi who criticizes everything about India and that makes me think “this guy was born and brought up in India and now all he can see are the negatives?’ And then there are these desis who find fault with everything in their adopted country and start every sentence with “Yahan to.. lekin India me kitna mast…” I feel like telling them “Then why don’t you just pack and leave?” 

The tough part is to find people who have an open mind with balanced views. 

We often discuss news and events from India and react to it.

A dedicated girl from Haryana becomes World No1 in Badminton and we immediately feel proud. The next day some madman does an honour killing in the same state and we feel shame. We read about a soldier who fought bravely and we feel proud. We read about a rape and we feel shame. These are events that we have no role to play and yet it fills us with pride or shame. Our Facebook or what’s app picture alternates between an Indian Flag and a black dot. 

I often contemplate along these lines...

“I’m not ashamed to have been born in India. I am not proud to have been born in India. Pride & shame are for actions in which I had a choice.”

I found this thought  to be very logical & intriguing.

How often do we feel pride and shame on events that we have no control over?

So, as an Indian, I wonder what I can do for my country. I am no soldier nor am I doing something that directly benefits the people of India. In a larger sense, India or any country is just a pre determined geographical boundary (again an event i had no choice over). If I am an Indian by birth, then it is again an event that I had no choice! But irrespective of that fact, India is in my DNA!

Maybe I will do something for India later or maybe I won’t. As of now, all I can do is be a good ambassador of my country abroad. There are various negative perceptions about India and Indians which I am sure many would have encountered. That viewpoint, however, is fast changing.

If each of us, through our conduct, behavior and deeds can help improve the image of our country in a small way, then I  feel that we have done our bit for India!

Jai Hind!