In the early hours of the day I met some students from Wharton - that famed College in USA, renowned for its Business Management studies. They are on a tour of India, learning Hindi and getting acclimatized with what India is all about. Most of them are from Indian origin and it is heartening to note that they still have the desire to learn and get a knowledge of the country where their roots are. Some people from foreign lands come to the country with great expectations, but leave disappointed. The country is too much for them to bear. There are others that simply cannot get enough of the place and leaving from the country is like a tearing away from your own blood, as it were. I cleared many questions with them. Misconceptions and pertinent opinions that the West at times has formed about this ‘third world country’ ! What it means to be a proud Indian, where our priorities lie and how we see the future. For, a country as young as ours from being independent to now, is a remarkable growth and progress report, unlike many others that have driven themselves into oblivion because they did not have the same drive and systematic thought processes and philosophies in mind. For India to be surrounded by other nations in at times unsettled conditions and to remain untouched and unperturbed or influenced by any change, is by itself a remarkable feat - Pakistan, Bangla Desh, Nepal, Sri Lanka , have all suffered inconsistency in governance and status. India on the other hand has, despite its equal share of drama and unrest, remained what it always was, a peaceful nation, quiet and balanced until it gets provoked ! Not sufficiently written about, other than about the poverty and below basic human living conditions, it is rather shameful for me as a proud Indian to be given that distinction. Poverty to the West is their longest running successful Tv serial. It is loved to be watched and talked about day in and day out. When the West deliberates on it as often as they would want to, it reeks at times of them wanting to subdue their own passion and desires that they may fear ! I cannot for sure say this. Those that represent the poor conditions have often been rewarded - an endorsement really at times, of what the other would wish for us.

They now project to the world at large that the Indian economy shall be the largest by 2050, that it will be among the three world states in position of power. This is an incredible achievement, in the years of recession and debate. How ever can we achieve this without sharing our expertise in all walks of our life, or conversely to learn and emulate the other in many ways so that we keep up in front in balance. The idea is not to usurp, or take by force, but indeed to adjust to the times a little more rapidly that before. But if individual aggrandizement is what your search engines are guiding you to, then please go ahead and do it. But remain with the soil. There is no history of India invading another country. And despite the unrest that has at times prevailed around it geographically, our state and belief has remained stable. This is no mean feat. An envy rather for others. Our wealth and our achievements have perhaps remained with us without that extra fuss about it being propagated. That is perhaps our modest and reserved humble nature ; servile at most times to the guest in the home, but when ‘the blast of war blows in our ears’ then have we ’summoned up the blood, and disguised fair nature with hard favored rage’  !!!

Ah ! This topic gets too Shakespearean and dripping with the echoes of Henry the V …

We are well and well shall we remain. We are diverse and different and difficult. Yes that is our nature and character. No one expected this from us, but we disproved them - quietly and in our own way without the beating of drums. I wish it well for the future too …

And that really is an end to my display of patriotism. Everyone is proud of the earth they belong to and this shall never change. Nature made it for us to be thus. May the Almighty bless us all in our respective environments and keep us together in peace and love …

Amitabh Bachchan