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The Indian Nightmare
Are We Killing the ‘Indian Dream’?
From birth, many of us in India grow up with the belief that three basic necessities will pave our way to a good life: Roti, Kapda aur Makan — Food, Clothes, and Shelter. However, achieving even these essentials feels increasingly out of reach for millions. Even with a decent education and a good job, many still struggle to make ends meet.
Defining the ‘Indian Dream’
The Indian Dream, as I see it, is one where people from all backgrounds have equal access to opportunities. It means affordable access to quality education, meaningful job prospects, and a supportive environment that allows people to live and work freely, regardless of where they come from.
India at it’s Core
There is a story about Indira Gandhi’s Emergency that politicians & media are trying to hide, erase and portray it wrongly.
It’s the fact that when in 1975 Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency she made an important and significant move to include the words “secular” and “socialist” within the preamble of Constitution.
These words meant a commitment to a non-partisan state and equal opportunities.
‘Secularism’ promised freedom from religious favoritism, while ‘Socialism’ signified the state’s responsibility to provide everyone with access to basic needs — food, jobs, education, healthcare, and more.
But does today’s India truly reflect these values?
The India of Nehru’s Dream
Say what you will about Jawaharlal Nehru, but his contributions to India’s infrastructure are undeniable.
Under Nehru’s leadership, institutions like the IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, CSIR, Atomic Energy Commission, National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), University Grants Commission (UGC), etc. were founded and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) like SAIL, ONGC, BHEL, Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), NTPC, Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT, the watch company), and many more were established to drive economic development.
Nehru’s initiatives laid the foundation for a self-sufficient India.
