The implausible is said to have taken place last week. Once victims of slavery and racism today hold the seat of power. The secret is simple—Yes we can and the well-worded belief — the Change we need, the two main slogans of Barack Obama's campaign. Obama's victory however was no mean task. The U.S may have been progressive when it came to technology; money but feminism and racism are still core issues that strike at the heart of America. However, the change that the U.S is celebrating is less about power and more about having its first "black" President. It's surprising though that India is celebrating this change, in fact, one of my dear friends was telling me about the need for an Obama in India. Hey wait a second…Obama hasn't even started executing his duties. In India we witnessed change decades ago. In a country where Hindu-Muslim riots are forever persistent, and where Muslims are a minority (blacks are a minority in America) we had our first Muslim President Dr Zakir Husain in 1967. India is the same country where the British Raj and reformers struggled for women emancipation, but hey…we had our first women Prime Minister Mrs Indira Gandhi in 1966 (A women President in America is still to see the light of day). Well, if you are still not convinced, India also had its first Dalit President, Dr A.P.J Kalam in 2002 (Dalits were once considered untouchables). So as a passing food for thought to my dear friend who wanted an Obama in India and to all my readers…I think we have always had more to celebrate than America.
Change we made in every decade after ever since we got Independence…unfortunately we chose to ignore.
Change we made in every decade after ever since we got Independence…unfortunately we chose to ignore.
