India will celebrate it's 58th. Independence Day on August 15th.,2005. It is well known that India is the largest democracy on the planet. It is not often advertised that it's top democratic leaders come from minority segments of the population -
Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, President of India; and
Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India.. Choosing such highly educated leaders to steer the country beyond the turn of the new millennium communicates the vision of the present electorate - part of the approximately one billion population, 65% literate, 25% below the
World Bank's definition of poverty. But change is imminent, and has been in progress for the last decade. That's when the foundation stones for India's economic independence were laid by none other than the PM; then the Finance Minister.
Here I am, strengthening my roots almost twenty thousand miles away, but still evangelizing my country of birth. It isn't the patriot in me. "The world is flat"; at least according to Tom Friedman, and all those who concur with him. I do. Whether you agree that the metamorphosed world is now centered around the eastern 'B' cities of Beijing and Bangalore, or not; that's your prerogative. But just in case you decide to join the ranks of "the global citizen", and would like to know more about India's growth since it's stereotypical days of traveling to the market on elephants; and it's decades of learning the global business and technology language of English, thanks to the Raj; the PM's
speech to the National Press Club would be a good introduction. That should include you in the celebrations as global citizens. Don't worry about maintaining your sobriety. Run, dance. "The world is flat!"
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