Thoughts to ponder!

The anticipation of traveling home and seeing the progress of India that social media and people are talking about was high when I touched down at the airport. The slight chill in the morning air with mellowed sunshine welcomed me to my country, instantly making me feel at home. The city was waking up slowly with the fragrance of soil and tea in the air that one can only witness in India. The afternoon hassle and bustle for the run-up to Diwali was alluring. Everyone was preparing to celebrate the festival of lights with colorful clothes, light decorations, warmth, and food playing their part in the festivities. Although the nature of celebrations has changed over time, the values of love, care, and sharing are intact. The economic, infrastructure, and technological growth is ushering in prosperity in the country. I was eager to find new developments yet missed the old things. As they say, a wise person should tune in to the changing times. I took things with a pinch of salt.

Traveling to the heartlands shows the true picture of the state but also makes one feel grounded. Although the new dawn of growth has spurred the financial status with glam and shine, I still cherish the humbleness we come across in markets and streets. A lot has changed over the years. It made me sit on the fence to understand where we are heading. I truly appreciate the hard work that every citizen has put in to take India where it is today, be it Digital, Infrastructure, or Chandrayaan. I am highly impressed with our Digital adoption at the lowest level possible. The ease with which common women can shop, pay bills, and manage money digitally to reduce corruption and improve transparency is commendable.

Like with everything, there are fallbacks. Many people still can't read and write and might be trapped in the digital world with little help. I felt we were busy celebrating digital prosperity and basking in the glory to be blindsided by fallbacks. I was particularly alarmed by the number of people spending too much time on social media. I could barely spot people without mobile phones having a normal human conversation in public places. It is good to be up to speed with the world but entirely different to be absent from the present.

I was shocked to see the ease with which the toddlers managed the smartphones and various apps. I am curious to know if the parental controls on all these apps are functioning as expected. After working with Digital and mobile apps, I have realized the drawbacks of Digital. But I fail to explain it to others in comprehensive and convincing ways. Plus, you can't explain to others what they already know. I feel like the new India is battling with alcohol and mobile addictions simultaneously. I am particularly grateful to all those who took time away from their life and mobiles to talk to me. It's hard off late. It made me think about who is more important, the human being in front of us or the content generator (probably an AI code). I understand Digital helps to learn, improve skills, and entertain, but to what extent? Thoughts to ponder.

I was impressed by the growth in the transport sector. The new roads, rails, and airports helped millions to meet their loved ones and celebrate the festival. The rise of air pollution is another very noticeable thing. Off late, it's hard to breathe in cities during Diwali due to smog and smoke from fireworks. The lethargic attitude of many towards pollution left me surprised. People seem to be okay to pay their medical bills but not to keep their surroundings and city clean. I ponder how the Diwali will be in the next decade.

I am glad between all this, warmth and kindness is still present. It just needs to be invoked. People still appreciate it if you stop by and enquire about their well-being. The little ones still love it if an elder pays attention to their silly tricks. I hope in this growth and prosperity, we are not missing out on the small pleasures of everyday life. We are making impressive and tremendous strides in infra, Digital, and commerce but failing to protect our environment and improve the health of our people. With my limited knowledge, I saw India in varied shades. There are thoughts to ponder as nothing is good or bad, just our perspective.