I think India's growth is hampered by lack of innovation and
discipline.
If you look at the Opium wars and railroad slavery,
colonization was far more brutal on China than India. Similarly, Post WWII USA
had left Japan in shambles but Japan jumped back within a decade. When you
evaluate what the difference was it is mostly stern discipline and innovations
in manufacturing lines.
Another thing to observe in these nations is they didn't
blame colonization or take a defeatist attitude. They actually adapted a lot of
westernization as a gift. Beijing, Shangai, Tokyo, are highly westernized
cities on par with many western metros. BUT they have retained their distinct
cultural identities. India has struggled to balance western influences and
cultural identity. Part of it maybe that culturally, linguistically and
socially, India is far more diverse than China or Japan.
We also don't take pride and ownership in our nation's
assets. When I visited Brazil (which is a developing country) even the favelas
(slums) were clean and organized. The beaches, the sidewalks, the streets are
not littered. People have a lot of pride and want to show that their
cleanliness and infrastructure is on par with other nations. Unless we Indians
start respecting our streets and resources, we cannot progress.
Two issues we suffer with colonial mentality are
Elevation of English - India is the world's second largest
English speaking nation. We have a high percentage of English literate
population. That gives us a very distinct global advantage. Sadly, it comes at
the expense of our indigenous languages.
I myself am more fluent in English rather than my mother
tongue. I can read highly advanced books in English, but struggle to read little
kids comics in Hindi. As a kid fluency in English was a bragging point. Now
that I know better, it is embarrassing to be cut from your roots. Apart from
Indians every other community takes pride in their native language. The French,
the Spanish, the Russians, the Chinese no one has compromised for English as
much as we Indians have. That being even a country as enormous as China has two
languages Cantonese and Mandarin. India has a multitude of languages each struggling
for relevance. Language is a complex problem in India.
Obsession with fairness - It is not that men and women in
India prefer fair skin. It is that they have been conditioned to believe that
fair skin is better. Majority of Indians are dark skinned with a good amount
almost having Afro skin colors. Until the "white man" arrived the dark skinned
people were considered attractive and beautiful. There are people in Indian
mythos like Krishna and Draupadi who were dark skinned but deemed exceptionally
attractive. Apartheid and racism in colonial rule ingrained the notion that
white is better.
African people too suffered insecurity over their skin, but
I admire African culture for stepping up to take pride in their natural beauty,
something the Indian community is yet to do.
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