Vasu
Reddy From Chicago
vasureddy@aol.com
Although ten thousand miles away from my home, and for about one and half generations being away from my home, and having lost my grandparents and father and a brother over the years, and being entwined in the American way of life, I still love my India. No amount of time and distance will make me change my mind on my love for my mother nation.
I believe like every other Indian, I too wanted to go back to India and do things that were helpful and good for the country, but primarily I wanted to go back to my roots and belong in the place that was my birthplace. I really tried at least three times to do work or business and live in India for extended periods of time. I even ventured in purchasing homes in tow different cities over the years. I started 2 licensed businesses that were spanning over probably ten years and had employed lots of friends and family and also lots of people I did not know when I got started.
I did not succeed either with business or personal investments. I lost on all counts except the spirit of being an Indian. One week or so ago, I was speaking to an Indian friend and really recounted the love for the country but my inability to succeed with investments into India both personally and professionally. I hold no ill feelings about the failures on both accounts as I did realize that the long distance management is like long distance love with India, it will certainly lead to failure on multiple accounts; management will never work if you are not in India, people really are not professionals but personal acquaintances who forget what t hey are supposed to do when you are not there, the way of life is different in context to work and life, they can only do what they know and one should not expect an American audience in India, sales and marketing is very different in India, acceptance of long distance management is difficult, and so many more management lessons I learned which really made me reflect to my friend that I will no longer invest or work in India as it was impossible personally to succeed and I was also at a stage in my life where risk taking is not advisable. Despite all my personal failures of management in India, I still love India and everything Indian.
My family and friends love everything Indian. We still account for Indian food as our favorite, and probably enjoy it much more so than we were in India. Personally my day without a good dose of vegetarian Indian food is unfulfilling. We speak in Telugu at home and with each other, and me in Hindi or anything Indian with most my friends if they don’t know Telugu. We account for Indian holidays with great fervor and enjoy the occasions with sweets and clothes. Everything Indian; people, products, food, clothes, mannerisms, way of life everything is our routine and we all love our India.
I read about what is happening in India everyday; be it a Times of India, Andhra Vilas, Hindu, Sakshi or any other publication that is available along with all the USA based news papers that are available. Here is where the India I love is totally different than that of my old India. Every day, everywhere, every piece of news is only of the scams, murder, rape, cheating, political bickering, religious strife and just bad mouthing. Nothing you hear or read is of anything to with the development of the country, love for the people and brotherhood.
vasureddy@aol.com
Although ten thousand miles away from my home, and for about one and half generations being away from my home, and having lost my grandparents and father and a brother over the years, and being entwined in the American way of life, I still love my India. No amount of time and distance will make me change my mind on my love for my mother nation.
I believe like every other Indian, I too wanted to go back to India and do things that were helpful and good for the country, but primarily I wanted to go back to my roots and belong in the place that was my birthplace. I really tried at least three times to do work or business and live in India for extended periods of time. I even ventured in purchasing homes in tow different cities over the years. I started 2 licensed businesses that were spanning over probably ten years and had employed lots of friends and family and also lots of people I did not know when I got started.
I did not succeed either with business or personal investments. I lost on all counts except the spirit of being an Indian. One week or so ago, I was speaking to an Indian friend and really recounted the love for the country but my inability to succeed with investments into India both personally and professionally. I hold no ill feelings about the failures on both accounts as I did realize that the long distance management is like long distance love with India, it will certainly lead to failure on multiple accounts; management will never work if you are not in India, people really are not professionals but personal acquaintances who forget what t hey are supposed to do when you are not there, the way of life is different in context to work and life, they can only do what they know and one should not expect an American audience in India, sales and marketing is very different in India, acceptance of long distance management is difficult, and so many more management lessons I learned which really made me reflect to my friend that I will no longer invest or work in India as it was impossible personally to succeed and I was also at a stage in my life where risk taking is not advisable. Despite all my personal failures of management in India, I still love India and everything Indian.
My family and friends love everything Indian. We still account for Indian food as our favorite, and probably enjoy it much more so than we were in India. Personally my day without a good dose of vegetarian Indian food is unfulfilling. We speak in Telugu at home and with each other, and me in Hindi or anything Indian with most my friends if they don’t know Telugu. We account for Indian holidays with great fervor and enjoy the occasions with sweets and clothes. Everything Indian; people, products, food, clothes, mannerisms, way of life everything is our routine and we all love our India.
I read about what is happening in India everyday; be it a Times of India, Andhra Vilas, Hindu, Sakshi or any other publication that is available along with all the USA based news papers that are available. Here is where the India I love is totally different than that of my old India. Every day, everywhere, every piece of news is only of the scams, murder, rape, cheating, political bickering, religious strife and just bad mouthing. Nothing you hear or read is of anything to with the development of the country, love for the people and brotherhood.
Despite
all the bickering and bloodbaths, and rape and murder, it is still my India. My people may not be touched by the incidents
that are reported, but they are affected both in India and those who live
outside. Why so much strife and ugliness
in the land of Gandhi and Ram? Why there
is no respect for each other or one another’s way of life and religion? Who gains from the mayhem and blood baths and
bickering? The country in spite of these
still is evolving and growing and developing.
Just imagine what it could do if all these negative thoughts, incidents
and happenings are converted into positive energy and for the good of the
nation and love and respect each other.
It will truly be my India, depicted in Vande Mataram.
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