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Qualitative Research in Asia

A Message from the heart - of Aakash Degwekar

 
Aakash, was in 12th standard. This talk was given by him, when he was 14 years old, at the Chrysalis workshop!

Tweenagers, that persecuted group of people that comprises school going teenagers. This stage, where most emotional, mental and physical changes take place, is probably the most important in life. Yet we have perpetually been ignored in favor of our college-going big brothers, the "real" teenagers. Today the corporate world has woken up with a vengeance. It wants to take maximum advantage of this hitherto unexploited breed. And were do we stand today? As Bollywood has always reminded us, we are the "nanhe munhe rahis" in whose "mutthies" lies the nation's "taqdeer". We are Tomorrow's India. And where is Tomorrow's India headed? Let's take a look.

My generation, our generation, has forever been accused of not being patriotic enough. True, we are the Generation Next. We are the children of a post-liberalization era, too obsessed with Nike and Pizza-Hut to give two hoots about this land we call India. However, are we to blame? Is it our fault that we aren't in anybody's genes. It is a product of nurture. Two generations ago, people were born at the height of the freedom struggle. Every other word they heard kick-started their patriotism. It was natural that their nationalist feelings would be aroused. Our preceding generation was born in an India of want and war. They were able to connect with these patriotic songs that we sing even today. Five and a half decades down the line, how are we expected to understand what our founding fathers did for us? How are we supposed to be grateful to them? And yes, patriotism is necessary. Patriotism is the fodder on which a nation runs. Hence, it follows logically that the country has to infuse patriotism in this Generation Next.

What I question is the method of doing this. The only effort we see in this direction, miniscule might I add, is during the weeks leading up to Independence Day and Republic Day. An avalanche of media campaigns is released on us. Celebrities and starlets alike proclaim how much they love India. Some creative campaigns feature moving images of lame men standing up for the National Anthem and so on. Yes, these touch the heart. Yes, they induce some feeling of pride. Yet, this is momentary, spark armchair patriotism that disappears as soon as it comes. Then on the day itself, we hoist the flag and sing patriotic songs. And then, the curtain falls.

What more, you ask? A lot. Today, the media is responsible for the fact that the Indian teen, and the tween, has forgotten the fact that he lives in a nation called India. Our media apes Western media in every way, with the possible exception of the K-serioes. Lets take the example of the festival of love, Valentine's day. For at least three weeks, urban India is painted red. We are subjected to a media blietzirkg that is enough to drive anyone sick. There is nothing wrong with celebrating V-day. But the volume of advertising for it is probably twice as much as that for all the national holidays put together. In the process, the Indian tween has forgotten things like Martyrs Day and the National Week. The Indian media has learnt a lot from the West. However, in doing so it has imbibed all the cons of the Western media as well. The remixes that are constantly shown on television are only a step away from the Janet Jackson fiasco at the Superbowl. At least that was an "unintentional wardrobe malfunction". The videos on the telly depict blatant exposure. I'm no crusader for getting back the Vedic Age. All I'm saying is the line has to be drawn somewhere. Maybe it sells and maybe as a Std 10 student, I'm hardly in a position to censure or to advise media barons but a lot of the times, what sells isn't the right thing and sometimes one has to do the right thing.

This is where we stand. The heart of today's Indian tween is nowhere close to home. In the near future we'll probably be called RNI's Residing Non Indians. After 56 years of experimentation, India's way of infusing patriotism in Generation Next has failed. The patriotic songs, parades and flag hoisting rigmarole hasn't worked. We can't celebrate nationhood for two weeks a year and expect everything to be dandy. Bolder steps have to be taken. The media is probably the most important external influence on a tween. It has to take the lead role in reclaiming this lost tween. I'm no saying we ought to do away with V-day and the likes but it wouldn't hurt if the tween viewer was reminded once in a while that he was and still remains Indian.

What exactly is the country supposed to do? Like any national problem, the solution of this one is complex. The infusion of Indianism in us will have to be done on our plane. Our spirit will have to be kindled on our level, using methods we associate with. Music and sport are a few of the things that can be used as means to bring about this infusion. Sport is an indicator of the nation's strength. It also displays the depth of nationalist feelings. When India won at Adelaide or when we won the Asia Cup, the nation erupted with joy. If one bronze medal at the Olympics can be celebrated with enthusiasm like that of 1996 or 2000, how much more will ten gold medals be celebrated? These are the sort of things that stimulate us to say that we are proud to be Indian.

We as citizens-to-be have to be made to realize that this is our land. We belong here. This is our nation. Working for India is, in essence, working for ourselves. We have tobe shown that we are Tomorrow's India and we step out in a world where India is acknowledged as a superpower and not as an underdeveloped nation. When we take the Pledge, we must be able to mean it and not just say it because we are supposed to. The India Shining image that the Government wants to portray will never be realized unless Generation Next is made Indian.

Thank you And Jai Hind.
 

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