Daily Human – Should we be cheering and celebrating all super achieving global Indians?
I read this recently about the British East India Company.
They borrowed money from Indians, to hire Indians, to help them rule over Indians.
This made me think about the achievements of the Indian diaspora. They are CEO’s of big global companies, they are rising to the top posts in every major university and they are taking on leadership roles in governments across the world.
There is no doubt that it shows the global Indian’s capability, ambition and willingness to work hard. As an Indian, I feel good about it. It revalidates my belief that our DNA is awesome and we have so much potential.
But then you look at these Indians and their successes from a historical lens. There were Indians who achieved great personal success in the British Empire. But their success was not good for India.
This historical perspective begs the question –
Is the success of every global Indian necessarily good for India ? Is every global Indian motivated to make India great? Do they have India’s best interests in mind ?
Their priorities and loyalties are first for their organisations. Many of them are working for and succeeding at organisations which are not necessarily pro-India. Maybe not implicitly anti-india but definitely not pro-India. In many cases, their interests and Indian interests are at conflict. In such a conflicted situation, what will the Indian in an organisation like this be working towards ?
Clearly, for the benefit of their organisation. Which will come at India’s cost.
So aren’t these successful global Indians, the modern day equivalents of an Indian sepoy working for the British East India company ?
And if that is the case, why should I or any proud Indian be happy for their success. When their success could actually be detrimental for India.
I do understand that all of them are not in this kind of anti- India situation but many of them are and I am speaking strictly about them.
India doesn’t come first for many of these successful global Indians. India’s success isn’t important for them. Then why should we ( the Indians in India ) care for their succcess. Why should we cheer and rejoice at the success of these global Indians.
