India Lies in You

Introduction
The moment we hear our national anthem, we all stand up in reverence of it. Suddenly, a feeling of patriotism appears within. But does our patriotism end with the national anthem, is what we need to observe. It is, to look within ourselves whether we have the fortitude to stand up for the nation or are we always going to stand up just in admiration of the national anthem. Are we going just sit back and watch the show (nation) just like we do in the theaters after the anthem or are we going to find solutions to resolve what has been going wrong for so long and take an initiative on our own to change situations as a true patriotic?

Summary
With a growing population rate of 1.606% (2007 est.), India is still known as a developing nation…WHY? What holds us back from becoming the superpower instead of just being known as a potential nation? Are we, as Indians contributing to find why we are still not there…? When such questions that jab the conscience arise, we tend to blame it all on the system that runs the nation…POLITICS which then gets linked to corruption, illegal acts, poverty, illiteracy and so on. Blaming it all on the government and the political system becomes an escape root for each one of us to run away from our responsibility and not face our conscience.

INDIA LIES IN YOU is one such initiative taken by the students of Sri Sri Institute of Management Studies to bring awareness among everyone; mainly the youth that are we doing what we are suppose to and are responsible for doing or are we taking the escaping root to criticizing the system.

We always talk about doing things; and we are definitely good at giving suggestions to politicians and the Indian government, but have we ever taken any initiative from our end. Have you ever stopped a person from spitting pan on the street or emptying garbage on the roadside instead of the garbage bin? Who says that your contribution needs to be big…!! It may be the smallest initiative that you take. Who could ever think that a small initiative taken by Dr. Kurien Verghese- the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (started at Anand, Gujarat), would shape up a revolution called ‘Amul’. This initiative went on to be known as Operation Flood which also became the ‘White Revolution’ of India. You do not have to be extraordinary to do something; instead you may just be extra ordinary and yet have the power to bring waves in the nation.

India lies in every Indian, every youngster, every aged, every child…India lies in you and me. It is entirely our responsibility to take the nation ahead. Why wait for the government or some aid foundation to start development projects. We as individuals need to take initiatives on our own to make the nation that we always dreamt about. If you dream about a nation that is green and pollution free, you can participate in environment campaigns or start a green drive on your own by planting trees in your neighborhood. Why wait for someone to knock at your door? If you think that the nation does not have equal career/employment opportunities then generate such opportunities by becoming entrepreneurs. There are so many things each one of us can do. We all have ideas in our heads, but as Buddha has rightly said, “An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea.”

India Lies in You is a mode to empower individuals to scream out in silence their initiatives…!! It is to awaken the soul of every India to start the drive of changing the nation from a developing one to a developed one through various initiatives. So friends, now is the time to rise and walk towards the path that would bridge the gap between developing and developed through a revolution called ‘ING to ED’.

By Shweta Gadkari

SSIMS Goa.