(Please read the article in right spirit, I am not blaming anyone and any person or organisation or nation in particular. Welfare and development of all is my concern. I am not against any entity in this world and/or beyond, who are trying positivity in human society at large and everywhere else. )
We lost opportunities even after qualifying for such prestigious places, my older generation lost, now this generation is losing. We lost opportunity due to lack of sponsorship for science, engineering, management, technology, cricket, chess, poetry, Sanskrit and several such International events.
Why real talent other than Glam-Sham-Populous-Money fetcher events do not attract sponsors?
Does it also mean that only show business is the business where people will get sponsorship and not to literature, arts, science, astrology, sports (other than cricket in India), and other skilled talents.
This is the place (Somalwar High School, Ramdaspeth, Nagpur) we studied in Nagpur, where again students are losing opportunity to go to NASA.
I lost lot of such opportunities, in the Engineering and Management field
1. Twice in Columbia University, USA
2. Twice in Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT_USA,
3. UNESCO 4 times, and even top bodies in these fields rejected the sponsorship on the ground that they don't have funds, I have letter for proof.
4. In Chess 4 times,
5. In Cricket twice
6. Music once rejected on the ground that I was not from Pune or Mumbai,
7. My poems and literature was rejected on the ground again that I was not from Pune or Mumbai,
8. My Management Research papers were rejected from Mumbai Journals on the ground I'm from Nagpur University, that were excepted later by UNESCO,
9. My Engineering Research paper was rejected by Pune based Institute as I'm from Nagpur, it was a huge success at UNESCO again.
10. When I was Professor, I lost my Fulbright fellowship as institute thought why should we pay for your absence of 3 months? Short vision. In that 3 months I could have taken name of the institute around the world and could have brought lot more contacts for further studies, or business and for much more things.
11. In Akashwani (Radio), we lost opportunity to again Mumbai boys and girls who were selected in spite of good performance from Nagpur boys and girls.
etc.
I think it's a world over phenomenon not only in India, many times smaller cities people have their own woes, one of them is not getting exposure or opportunity even if they have talent better than the metros or other big cities.
In fact, names like Honourable President of India Mrs. Pratibhatai Devisingh Patil, Mr. Shashank Manohar President of BCCI, Mr. Nitin Gadkari President of BJP, Mr. Prafulla Patel Aviation Minister of Congress, and other such talents are from Nagpur or live in 200 miles near to Nagpur, proves that point. However, they are getting chance after so many years.
THUS, I'm happy slowly it is changing.
There is one other sides of the story:
1. HBS once rejected my research paper which is the most popular in the world now, they proclaimed at that time that they accept the paper only when it is co authored with HBS Professor. It was ok as that was the rule at that time.
Now, one more recurring problem with developing and under developed countries.
To tell you exact figures with record I have, I know, at least 922 students of mine, who were merit ranked in Bachelors in Management/ Engineering or Diploma in Engineering who could go for higher studies but in vain due to lack of sponsorship or funds or loan facilities. Now, it's good that Banks are coming forward for education loans. However, again how many dare to avail loan facility? It is a big question.
However, question here is where has that Indian, DAANI (Hindi, Sanskrit, Marathi word) or Philanthropists have gone? Why cannot they act Proactively than Reactively? Why always talent should bow before them? Otherwise as always the top talent pullers the Multi-National Companies all around the world will higher them and siphon these talent out of country (some times) as happened with my other friends till date. Out of class of 60 in my 12th grade/standard half have settled in USA. 25% in UK and 25% in other European countries. In fact, my all the merit ranked friends from the same schools never got opportunity in India, it could be juniors or seniors or class fellows. Take example of Mr. Rajiv Balakrishnan, he was younger brother of my class friend Mr. Raman (who is no more now due to some disease in 1983-84), he wanted to be Olympic champion in athletics, he was not provided better recognition and facilities, he got offer from USA, he has settled there. Huge loss to nation. He could have provided at least 10 Mr. Usain Bolts to India in last 15 years, he is very good teacher as well.
Any how, read the old story renewed due to attitude problem in places. Now, its clear, if people/public have shorter aims, they cannot develop institutions and nations and organisations.
Just remember, if developed these children can be great contributors to the world at large and not only NASA, ISRO, or any other organisation or place or individually for themselves. As I believe the well groomed child in India takes care of parents, wife, children and family similarly these well groomed children can contribute to society.
Read the old story, renewed on TOI, with new names and new date and time. These children are not getting sponsorship in 2010 when India seems to be booming economy:
Sorry for the harsh words but lack of recognizing real talents at early childhood has lost more .......,.....
Also, this remains for longer in the society, human being will not be able to put their civilizations around the Universe or multiverse. That's for sure.
Let's hope for the best.
Dr. Ashish Manohar Urkude,
ashish.urkude@gmail.com
