Most kids in India today would'nt want to be caught in a government job (when I say a government job here, please read it as quasi government, public sector undertakings, nationalized banks and such) but a small thought crossed my mind the other day. Our generation, the post liberalization, middle class generation is aiming higher, dreaming big and trying to reach out we should realize that a major part of this is due to our education ( oh yes, there are cribs there too, but still the base is education). Our education irrespective of public/ private schools etc was mainly possible due to the stability of earnings offered by these government created jobs in our parents generation... combined with the middle class interest in education and the quest for a stable 'service sector job' parents skipped meals, gave up promotions, stuck to lower paying jobs just to keep their kids education intact. Basic necessities like books, food, private tutions, cycles/ bikes to school were all financed by the salary of these government sector anchored jobs. The government created a large working middle class which created our generation of 'aspiring to beat the world to reclaim our spot under the sun' generation.
So it is quite understandable that even today a government job is something to clamour for. The fight for reservations, the huge army of clerks, peons, sweepers, gardeners that have been created will hopefully push more and more people out of the 'safe zone' of a government job. Ofcourse there is the whole side income which a government job creates, the sense of power, the 'mai baap, ji hukum' sense…. The perks of being government, but yes the government has served some purpose.
It takes a generation of stable job to take a family out of poverty to middle class ( not withstanding 'acts of god' like medical emergencies, loss of wealth due to bad habits, low financial education that leads to low capital creation, etc) and probably takes a generation of entrepreneurship to lift a family to the 'rich category' - the disconnect I see in my own case and many of my friends is we have gone through the former phase, but have very little clue of how to do the latter - we lack role models in close circles, capital large enough to allow the freedom of a large gestation period and maybe the ability to take a risk and bite the bullet….
But yes, the above view probably helps me think, the taxes I pay is doing something to the country since a large part of it is being used to pay this army of government employees…. Since I don’t see the roads, don’t have enough power, lack basic infrastructure or a social security system being created…… yes it’s a sorry view to take, but atleast I get less frustrated !!!
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This is something which I copied (didn’t even type it myself… lazy me) from an article that landed on my desk about two weeks back and can say “Couldn’t agree more”…. Would have given the author’s name (probably Prashant) in CAPS… but for the first two pages gone missing…
"Lack of Role Models
This is something of a chicken-egg problem. Indian media does a very bad job of making hero out of our leaders. There aren’t many good corporate story teller who make a businessman looks like larger than life. There is no shortage of great business leaders in our country but our business leaders rarely reveal their personal side. Most of the time, what we hear is “Press Release”. If vision is the fuel which drives the entrepreneur, then inspiration is the fossil which create that fuel .
Its amazing to see how little we know about torch bearer of India Inc -
• Do you know that Ratan Tata is a Life Long Bachelor?
• Do you know that SunilBharti Mittal was rejected for Maruti Dealership on the ground of lack of Financial resources to run the business?.
• Do you know That Subhash Chandra of Zee had a good argument a Hong Kong based Satellite operator when they rejected him.
• Do you know that Mukesh Ambani created world’s biggest petro refinery in shortest time?
• Do you know the journey of Uday Kotak?
• Do you know about Anil Ambani’s grit and determination when he lost some 25 KG of weight in few months?
• Do you know the epic battle of Nusli Wadia with his father who wanted to sell Bombay Dying?
• Do you know about struggle of Dhirubhai Ambani ?
• Do you know that Vijjay Mallaya failed in approx 10 business? Do you know about Anu Aga ? Do you know about Gulu Mirchandani ?
They all are heroes in their own sense. It will be a good thing if more of these folks can come out and share their story . I am not asking for a Gossip culture like that of Valleywag but wouldn’t it be a good thing to have someone like Bob Cringley doing a Series on Rise of Indian IT Industry – something on the lines of Accidental Empires.
Epilogue
I know skeptic among us will say “You are just shifting the blame.” Or “Don’t complain. If you are capable you would have made your own road ” and other rhetoric like that.
Thank You guys for your insight. So I am not complaining , I am not saying that a genius need handholding and spoon feeding from society . All I am saying is that a little facilitation and supportive environment can make creator out of a lot of people who would otherwise be lost in oblivion.
After all What is an unattained dream ? Imagination or murdered realties.”
Couldn't agree more...
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