A well-rounded society is what we need today

Over the past few weeks I have been pained to see the small world around me. Small, because, some of these people coming alive on television screens, in newsprint and in various gossips around every nook and corner of the country have influenced or helped me shape my beliefs.

So, it became a perfect situation for me to do an introspection. To understand, if what I assumed was misplaced, or whether these individuals just represent the myriad society around us. To scratch a bit below the skin, on whether these individuals represent the truth which wholly depends on falsehood.

The environment is vitiated. I just want to break-free from the clutches of despair. I want to be part of the process to instill courage into our young people - don't believe this country exists because of corruption and don't hold your charge back to lead this country out of this rut. You and me, all of us have to be ruthless in our thought process. All of us have to be change agents. Be innovative and seek ideas which can support all of us to wear just one garb. The garb of truth. The garb which has zero tolerance for corruption. Because, the thought of corruption first corrupts the mind which thinks about it and then spreads like cancer, wreaking havoc and depriving every individual who gets associated with it. Cancer corrupts the physical body, but this one corrupts the soul itself. And a corrupted soul can think no further than self.

Helping the innovator innovate - where is the 'mentor'?

MENTOR - capitalised - a friend of Odysseus entrusted with the education of Odysseus' son Telemachus (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mentor).

In Hindi the word gets translated to संरक्षक (sanrakshak) though I like परामर्शदाता (paramarshdata) more. These words have been used in Indian mythology repeatedly. Which just goes on to show that Indian society had an excellent model for anyone seeking guidance since time immemorial.

I find traces of such actions today. If someone becomes successful, s/he is too busy creating more success for self than being able to mentor someone else to gain success. Has our society become too self-centered or egoistic?

Affordable Education Devices

Three terms which first need a bit of detailing before we proceed. We will consider a country like India to build upon these terms.

Affordable - what is affordability? A large percentage of the population earns less than $ 1 every day. And then there are world's richest men and women staying in the same country. Afforability has different connotations across the entire spectrum of population. The rich can afford anything under the sky. The poor can't afford anything, unless provided for by the Government. The middle class, of which the numbers are swelling constantly, determine the affordability pattern in India.

Education - what is education? The Government of India took a big step forward when the Right to Education Bill was adopted recently. Education has always been a central theme in most of the Indian homes. Nearly 30% of the incomes are spent on an average by Indian households for the purpose of education. People really do spend a lot, compared to other countries. But who is really spending? It is again the middle class and the upper class in the financial strata of the country. The poor again have to be provided free education to bring them into the ambit of inclusive growth. I hail the leadership in the government to creatively pursue this course aggressively. An educated youth in the lower financial strata will determine the path of this country - for they would be in pretty large numbers. The more knowledgeable they are, the more profound would be the development of the country.

Devices - what devices? Mobile phones created the voice communication revolution in India, as in many other developing countries. Staying easily connected provided many new opportunities to the citizens. A cobbler in my neighbourhood could increase his turnover by nearly three times. He is old and cannot move much. So, he employed a youth and provided him with a mobile phone. Everyone in the neighbourhood is so used to home delivery. They call up this young gentleman who in turn would pedal around to pick up the repair items. The old cobbler has been able to provide employment to a young man and also increase his income. There are innumerable stories like this across the country. But does a mobile phone provide a mechanism to enhance knowledege, education and skills? Not beyond very simple terms. For that a set of specific devices are required.

Before stepping into my next writing, I want to hear from my fellow bloggers on what they feel is the right mix of devices for creating an affordable education environment.