To the outside world, especially, the western world, the mention of the very word India immediately would conjure up images of elephants and snake charmers. That perception, however, has begun to change, of late, thanks to India's now-proven prowess in Information Technology (IT) and the growing clout and successes of NRIs in businesses and in politics—from London to Los Angeles, Singapore to Chicago, Canada to Kazakhstan. To what extent, however, our own perception about our fellow countrymen and ourselves has changed, given the dramatic growth of our country's economy and our living standards? Perhaps, not much has changed the way we Indians behave, our attitude toward our neighbors, our society or anybody with whom we deal in our day-to-day life, suggests the book, Games Indians Play: Why We are the Way We are. Written by V Raghunathan, a renowned academician and ex-IIM-A Professor, it's a real eye-opener for every Indian who though always questions what this country has given to us but would balk at the question, what is our contribution to the society? The book is an attempt to find the answer to a nagging question, which probably every responsible citizen of this country faces, day in and day out, and feels frustrated with such attitudes of fellow citizens: Why are we (Indians) the way we are?
Don't we ask ourselves the same question at some point in our life as we feel victim of our own attitudes; it's a different matter that we realize this when it is inflicted by a neighbor or a fellow rider or a colleague? But if we introspect, the seriousness of the issue will begin getting to our mind. How many times we have jumped the red signal or watched fellow-bikers or drivers do the same, much to the chagrin of the hapless traffic police, in case he doesn't happen to have a vehicle to chase the fellow down or is without pen and paper to note down the number of the errant fellow's vehicle. Isn't it common for us to take it as our right to spit on the street from our balconies or while driving without caring for the poor fellow on the street or the road? Isn't it common for us to jump the queue, when others sweat it out there, just to get our work done faster? Why do we tear off a page from a library book, or why do we leave a public toilet smelling even though we would like to find it squeaky clean when we enter it? |
