A Racy Debate

Whenever India set out to achieve something out of the ordinary such as hosting a Formula I sporting events, you are bound to hear voices and opinions that swing from eulogistic or laudatory to downright caustic and debasing. Every voice, every opinion mirrors a different India.This is bound to happen in a democratic country like india where everyone has a right to voice an opinion. But it is also true that the its equally difficult to see those opinions converging into  a singular unanimous voice. As it is said, if something is true about India, then the opposite is also true. And these contradictions glare out at you and become more apparent whenever an attempt such as Formula I is made to project an image of India that is too far from reality.

The perception of the reality is this. Indian society is made up of haves and have nots.  The "haves" will always be the ones who are the major stakeholders in such events and would eventually be benefitted by it. They would be the ones who would ride on the "India coming of age" wave. The "have nots" wouldn't have time beyond their daily act of survival and would probably pass this as another quirky affair of the "haves". No wait, then there is a third category, who are a confused lot. They do not know what is meant by priority for a developing nation, they have not yet developed mental faculty to understand the pro and cons of such events and their cultural fitment.They just want to seize the moment and perpetually be in a state of delirium.

There is a lot of generalization in there and a deluge of mis-information. Events such as formula I, supported by private players, should be welcomed in India. No two ways about it. It is a biggest brand building exercises we can undertake. But the harm is not as much in hosting such events, but in what surrounds it. By utterly disregarding public sentiments and convinience, when such events are organized, and we see a breakdown of already lacking basic infrastructure and sanitation, whom should we run to?. When they out forward demand  that the sport should be granted tax exemption because of the high costs and the consequent lack of viability of the investment, then shouldn't it  need a closer inspection?... If in return of the lands acquired by the private from the farmers, they do not get their fair share, whose problem is this?...and more subtle and farreaching...a sudden and unnatural shift in the lifestyle of the farmers due to acquisition of wealth as part of land compensation leaving them unprepared for this change and thus begetting social problems....

We cannot create Brand India by creating a hype about an event. This is too simplistic and stupid an assumption. Equally true is we should not try to build brand India simply by window dressing an event as happened during CWG when the whole world knows what the reality is. Cause when we do that, it does more harm to our image and we end up doing the opposite. Also, while such initiatives on one hand do have the potential to change the perception about india in the world, they are also vulnerable to leave gaping holes out in the open for world to see, the all pervasive disparity in India.

We must not be too naive to simply hop into the bandwagon and join the jamboree, nor should we generate strong berating reactions about such events without recognizing the raison d'être for such event. Agree that these events are certainly an exciting indulgence for those who can afford to pay for it. However, they cannot simply be rejected based on an argument of social or cultural relevance to India. In India such disparities are bound to coexist. The solution is embark on initiatives which makes for a greater common good.