Bull's Eye

Many years ago, in British India, a minor prince of a small state had no son. To perpetuate his dynasty he adopted the child of a poor relative who had been allowed to live in the servants’ quarters. After adoption, the child was properly educated as a prince. He went to England. He became one of the greatest cricketers of all time. He was the great Ranji, the Jam Sahib of Nawanagar. He was described as the prince of a small state and the king of a great game.

But forget cricket and sport. How many potentially great scientists, artists, doctors, architects, engineers, writers and technocrats must be struggling to survive in abject poverty? Today, India’s 1.3 billion people, thanks to spreading information, have aspirations but lack opportunity. Were they to get a simple foothold, what an explosion of talent and productivity could unfold!

Does the political class ever think of this enormous, untapped wealth? To provide India with universal primary education a measly Rs 10,000 crore would suffice. Let alone education, the government is unable to create even literacy: in 2003, adult illiteracy in the country was 40.5 per cent. Abysmally poor healthcare facilities is what the bulk of rural India gets by on. The poor have to depend on debt or sale of assets to pay for hospital care. An estimated 20 million fall below the poverty line every year because unavoidable healthcare bankrupts them. An estimated 66 per cent of Indians live at subsistence levels.

And all that politicians ceaselessly parrot to garner votes is quota politics. India’s politicians create despair. Thanks to what the Olympics have shown, the people of India rekindle hope.

(Puri can be reached at rajinderpuri2000@yahoo.com)