EntrepreNerdBlog

Then, I read White Tiger by Aravind Adiga on my way back to Hyderabad, and that changed perspective.  Rather than returning as a proud Indian, I was hit with the realization that the situation is pretty much the same as it was ten years ago.  The shiny metal new metal around town is like a bandage on an open wound.  It will hide the wound, but the blood will eventually start rushing out again because it never actually clotted.

India remains the same

1) the caste system shackles many people for life

2) the  government teachers teach less than baby sisters

3) the gamed bureaucratic system hampers much progress

4) The cycle continues, the rich remain rich while the poor wallow in their own shit

5) The system has disallowed an Indian Dream for the poor

For many, their Surname is a social handicap.  Fate gets to largely decide who gets to live the life of the king and the pauper. Most people end up following their  forefathers because nothing else seems in the realm of possibility.  If a person’s last name  is Halwai, society pits him to be a sweet maker.  The mindset is fed from birth and the individual cannot begin to believe that any other path is even possible. After the parents of the child, teachers hold the power to alter the direction of a child’s life.

Unfortunately, learning from quality teachers is rarity for most of a poor child.  Government teachers are absent 1/4 of the time!  The days they are in school, many sleep all day long.  To show results,  the teachers write out answers on the board for students to copy on national exams. If quality inspectors come around, they are just bribed and shooed away.The corrupt officials take the bribes and misreport information. Even with several  checks and balances in place, the sytem in entirely corrupt.  Policy makers write  more rules to fight corruption, but that actually feeds it. It basically means  passing out a heavier brown envelopes to more officials.

The people that primarily benifit from the Indian system are the rich.  They have the connections to find the right official to put on their payroll.  The poor don’t have the cash nor will a ‘Babu’ allow them in their office.  They are forced to take their issues through the very flawed system which is the cause of their misfortunes in the first place.

This all culimantes to India remaining India.  The shiny metal has not really changed the lives of the majority.  While its India’s problem, the size of the country really makes its a global problem.  India is either the anchor thats holds us back or the sails that moves us forward.

In future posts, I along with a guest authors will challenge the argument in this post and find examples showcasing the poor rising out of poverty.  We will also identify entrepreneurs and explore ideas that lead to financial and social inclusion for the masses.

If you have any interesting research studies, articles or books that can help with the research, please post the links to access the below.