While surfing on net today, I came across this link here. And then I went through the profile of all the people mentioned in that list. Most of them had their beginnings in India but then went to the US for a career and then there was no coming back. There are many in that list who are from the IITs. These are the people who have earned all the fame and glory in this world. But I would like to know how has their success contributed to the success of the country which gave them this chance. And I am not being sarcastic here. I indeed want to know that is there any positive side to this brain drain. If any body has an answer to it, please write a comment. I would really be very grateful.
There is a friend of mine who says that it was for good that these people went there. If they would have remained in India, they wouldn't have achieved anything significant. They argue that they are contributing more to the development this way. But I seriously refuse to believe it. US is what it is today because of the efforts put in by the people there some 200-300 years back. It took it all these years to achieve the position it enjoys in the world today. But what have people in India done. Rather than emulating that model, we very comfortably make use of the infrastructure US extends to all the bright people for its development. We never tried to develop those kind of facilites here. And then we complaint about not having any facilities here and then more people went there. There is no end to this cycle unless we ourselves put an effort to it.
Few years back, another friend of mine told me that he considers himself a world citizen. He told me that development of science should not be withhold by these man made boundries. What a great way to clear your consceince. I would like to ask everyone who believes the same that who is actually paying for the subsidy which enables all of us to afford this level of education. And why not spend all this money on rather developing infrastructure for primary education for others which would have greater impact on the lives of more people. May be the rest of the world can then come and subside your education.
All this things are coming in my mind as I am approaching placements. I fear that I would also end up with same kind of life. Working in the Indian office of some MNC, making decisions on how to maintain the margins in the credit card business of North America. And then after some years, I would rather go for an MBA from an elite B-School and end up as an investment banker, being content with all the bucks I would be earning.
I sometimes regret wasting all the time that I wasted in the past 4 years. Now time has pushed me into mediocrity. I still yearn to do someting good, something significant. I long to make a difference. And I would rather want to do it now than to think about all these things 30 years later and thinking about what a waste has my life been. Its just that I don't see a path which leads me to my destination. And even if I see any, I think I am not strong enough. Not right now.
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Some magazine had an article eulogizing IITians abroad and it said that they contribute by sending foreign capital back to India and also by donating generously to IITs. Have you ever seen a country becoming super power through donations sent from abroad? I can't withhold myself drawing this parallel: If you don't live with your mother but you send a lot of money every month to her. Are you fulfilling your duty as a son by doing that?
--Truly said about the case of America. Most of us (and may be Americans too) just admire the prowess and greatness of that country but what we fail to see is the efforts which were put in to make it so. Just go by American history on wiki. Not very far(100 yrs) it was plagued by corruption as bad as ours. And racism and all kind of social ills. But there were greats (and commons) who addressed there things rather than leaving the country.
--Dont think you are strong enough. It only takes a decision. And that might be viewed as a foolishness by others.
But if u want to make a difference and dont want to regret 30 years later u will have to endure it. Everything comes at a price.
--Very convincing analogy given above. It has been the sole convincing thought for me over last few years. I wish I had the power of enchanting words like Hitler and Gandhi to convince others of the same!
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