Is India the next 21st century super power/the next world leader?
That's what everyone says the world over. But is it? And if yes then why?
What constitutes to being a super power?
Is it the population? Then yes we are on course to top the charts. We will overtake China very soon(2034).
Or is it military? we have 4th largest army in the world. we have the nuclear weapons as well.
But if you look carefully these have been with India for a long time. So there must be something else that has that has brought about that shift in India's position in the modern world.
I was wondering that how come India with all the trouble it has managed to be considered a super power.
The very first world impression I got about my own country came about 18 yrs back, from my aunt, who had recently come back to Delhi after living an year in Mexico. She had narrated to me that while she was travelling in a bus in Mexico city, she was asked by a fellow passenger if we had any busses in India? or we still used to travel to our offices in bullock carts or on elephants. and if she knew the rope trick. This was amusing then, on how little knowledge people had about India.
Fast forward to today, if you ask any one in the West almost everyone knows what India is.
the general impressions about India are following
INDIA is the place where all there jobs have gone.
it is the place where all 1800(toll free) calls are answered.
its the land of software gurus, business tycoons and slum dog millionaire
So how did this all change?
what is significant is the spread of internet in this period.
the flow of information has been enormous, even if Indian Government wanted to spread this information or not.
But what I believe have been the real causes in the shift are the things that actually happened without anyone knowing it.
Bollywood (hindi cinema) and Indian Cuisine.
I have been living in the UAE for almost 4 years now and whenever I go to a theatre to watch a Hindi movie I see more Locals watching them than Indians. majority of them young adults. Not just here that is the case all over the world. Americas, Europe , South east Asia and even Africa. people watch such movies without comprehending a word that is spoken, in many cases even the sub titles are not in their native languages. anyways these movies are made to be understood without all sorts of handicap. After the 2 and half hours of song, dance and drama. they walk out of the theatres with stars in their eyes and India in their hearts.
And the same is true about Indian cuisine. With the growth of the middle class around the world, eating out has become a habit for many around the world. and that's where Indian restaurants do there trick. the proliferation of Indian restaurants around the world is such that you cant go to a medium sized town in Europe/Americas and not have an Indian restaurant there. it might not be a very good one, but they are there. Indian restaurants in Europe and US have been awarded Michelin stars.
and you have extremely good restaurants all over. the spice of Indian food ensures that people don't forget India after their meal or not at least till the next day morning.
Indian restaurants in Britain employ more people that coal mining, ship building and iron & steel industries combined. And that is a fact.
As a Chef I consider it my honour to showcase my country on a plate. And being the talkative one I love talking to people and share my culture and my country with them.
what I have concluded is that its not about which country has the biggest military muscle or the financial power. in this century the country with the better story will be the NEXT SUPER POWER.
Governments aren't the best at telling stories(especially ours where the leader refuses to speak up). But as I write here the story is being told all by the medium of art, culture, costume, custom, cuisine and consonant.
Many also say that India is a super power and super poor. How can we be both?
India has the software of growth but not the hardware of growth. but as you read the country is fighting to overcome the challenges of poverty, illiteracy, roads, electricity and much more. Even Rome was not built in a day and India is thousands time bigger than Rome. All it needs is the correct governance and a strong leadership/ownership and a bit of dictatorship (which can happen in the next general elections) to put it on track of hardware acquisition.
India has done its mis en place to prepare an amazing dish. it is just waiting for the Chef to cook it well and serve it to its people and to the World. and take the honours of being the next superpower.
And for me that is a better story.
......
Salt
That's what everyone says the world over. But is it? And if yes then why?
What constitutes to being a super power?
Is it the population? Then yes we are on course to top the charts. We will overtake China very soon(2034).
Or is it military? we have 4th largest army in the world. we have the nuclear weapons as well.
But if you look carefully these have been with India for a long time. So there must be something else that has that has brought about that shift in India's position in the modern world.
I was wondering that how come India with all the trouble it has managed to be considered a super power.
The very first world impression I got about my own country came about 18 yrs back, from my aunt, who had recently come back to Delhi after living an year in Mexico. She had narrated to me that while she was travelling in a bus in Mexico city, she was asked by a fellow passenger if we had any busses in India? or we still used to travel to our offices in bullock carts or on elephants. and if she knew the rope trick. This was amusing then, on how little knowledge people had about India.
Fast forward to today, if you ask any one in the West almost everyone knows what India is.
the general impressions about India are following
INDIA is the place where all there jobs have gone.
it is the place where all 1800(toll free) calls are answered.
its the land of software gurus, business tycoons and slum dog millionaire
So how did this all change?
what is significant is the spread of internet in this period.
the flow of information has been enormous, even if Indian Government wanted to spread this information or not.
But what I believe have been the real causes in the shift are the things that actually happened without anyone knowing it.
Bollywood (hindi cinema) and Indian Cuisine.
I have been living in the UAE for almost 4 years now and whenever I go to a theatre to watch a Hindi movie I see more Locals watching them than Indians. majority of them young adults. Not just here that is the case all over the world. Americas, Europe , South east Asia and even Africa. people watch such movies without comprehending a word that is spoken, in many cases even the sub titles are not in their native languages. anyways these movies are made to be understood without all sorts of handicap. After the 2 and half hours of song, dance and drama. they walk out of the theatres with stars in their eyes and India in their hearts.
And the same is true about Indian cuisine. With the growth of the middle class around the world, eating out has become a habit for many around the world. and that's where Indian restaurants do there trick. the proliferation of Indian restaurants around the world is such that you cant go to a medium sized town in Europe/Americas and not have an Indian restaurant there. it might not be a very good one, but they are there. Indian restaurants in Europe and US have been awarded Michelin stars.
and you have extremely good restaurants all over. the spice of Indian food ensures that people don't forget India after their meal or not at least till the next day morning.
Indian restaurants in Britain employ more people that coal mining, ship building and iron & steel industries combined. And that is a fact.
As a Chef I consider it my honour to showcase my country on a plate. And being the talkative one I love talking to people and share my culture and my country with them.
what I have concluded is that its not about which country has the biggest military muscle or the financial power. in this century the country with the better story will be the NEXT SUPER POWER.
Governments aren't the best at telling stories(especially ours where the leader refuses to speak up). But as I write here the story is being told all by the medium of art, culture, costume, custom, cuisine and consonant.
Many also say that India is a super power and super poor. How can we be both?
India has the software of growth but not the hardware of growth. but as you read the country is fighting to overcome the challenges of poverty, illiteracy, roads, electricity and much more. Even Rome was not built in a day and India is thousands time bigger than Rome. All it needs is the correct governance and a strong leadership/ownership and a bit of dictatorship (which can happen in the next general elections) to put it on track of hardware acquisition.
India has done its mis en place to prepare an amazing dish. it is just waiting for the Chef to cook it well and serve it to its people and to the World. and take the honours of being the next superpower.
And for me that is a better story.
......
Salt
