Today the front page of ET, the leading Indian financial newspaper
screamed, Maggi safe in the UK but not in India, as though it was taunting
Indian FDA.
Something, which the westerners, the Canadians and the British can
eat, of course it is too good for the Indians to eat. And how dare they fault
it? And mind you, this is not what the west is saying, this statement fraught
with surprise, and as much animation as intrigue is emanating from the Indian
media. Instead of lauding the Indian FDA for scrupulously testing a product as
per Indian regulations, they now choose to be disdainful about it, in view of
the acceptance of the product in some western markets. Is this not exactly what
Nestle India wants at this point of time?
When the US FDA bans and Indian pharmaceutical company even though
the British FDA and other FDAs continue to buy from it, we don’t ridicule the
US FDA, on the contrary we laud their exacting standards, feel enchanted by
their rigor and feel obliged to commend their grandstanding.
Another example :
A couple of days ago, I was at the pre-admission acceptance talk of
a British University organized by the Chopras – an agency of great repute in academic
facilitation. The speaker, a young man from the international placement cell of
the university was addressing a small crowd of Indian students seeking or
aspiring to obtain admission in this UK University. Just for comfort and first
hand inputs they had invited an Indian origin alumnus also for the interaction.
While the British spoke with flawlessly structured chain of thoughts,
confirming the hours that he must have toiled before he spoke, the Indian was
tentative and even somewhat disdainful about his own roots and origins.
I asked a very simple question on what the type and standard of the
accommodation would be. This Indian said “by Indian standards, it is 5 star
accommodation.” To be candid, regardless of the general condition in India, the
Indian 5 star hotels are far superior to the European hotels as they are built
as pockets of excellence. But assuming, this Indian alumnus spoke metaphorically,
he was still pejorative about India and his uncalled for comment reflected a
weak self-concept.
I agree it is not easy to change this. Such feelings are not only
deeply ingrained into us, they get reinforced umpteen times a day by all that
goes around us. But that is where personal strength of character comes into
play.
