Express your voice

One can find more examples if one travels by Indian Airlines from Bangkok to any Indian city. I had travelled a few times and was shocked by the way some Indian businessmen harass the airline crew. Since I grew up in India, I tend to believe that perhaps in India an educated person has to strive hard rather selfishly to reach high-paying professions. In a billion-people country, this struggle starts soon after infancy. This constant strife for self-advancement often leads people to become vacuous in community spirit.
—Pinaki Mazumder

I sincerely hope that at least from now on our people start thinking about our society as viewed by Narayana Murthy to bring new reform.
—Mukunda K.

I fully agree with Narayana Murthy’s words. We Indians need to think beyond family and work towards the society. As Gandhi said, ‘‘Manava seva ye Madhava Seva’’. Great people are always great. Hope this article will make a deep influence on the Indian thought process and every human being.
—Adithya

It’s great to note that a person of Narayana Murthy’s calibre is starting to speak about the ills of the Indian society. I wanted to add to his thinking. In the West, there’s one more major area where the greater good of the society is firmly supported over individual aspirations.

That’s judicial activism. For example, in the US the laws have been designed and framed to protect the greater good of the society. For example, even though the recent forest fires were started by accidental behaviour, the courts held citizens responsible and asked them to pay huge fines to partly compensate for the damages. Another area is the public interest litigation.

The US allows for numerous lawsuits to be filed and settled on the same cause. For example, Microsoft and Ford were sued by a number of states and the federal government over the damages caused to the society.

There are elaborate laws stating that the conduct of the individuals towards society and all these laws are enforced. People face huge penalties for inappropriate behaviour. All these laws have been framed keeping the greater good of society in mind.

I seriously doubt the enforceability of judicial decisions in India, especially if its against a government agency, bureaucrats, big industrialists or politicians — all people who influence societal behaviour to a great extent. Again, public behaviour laws are not enforced.
—Shiva Badruswamy

This is probably the first article I have read in a long time that is right, terse, critical and introspective. I wish this article made the frontpage of every newspaper in this country
—Pradeep Kanyar

I am doing my post doctoral research in Max-Planck Institute, Germany. I was very much pleased to read this speech. Actually, we indians really need all what he has mentioned. Each word of Narayana Murthy is true. Even I am not that loyal to my society but I am not among those indians who will stay abroad forever. I will definitely come back to my homeland, India, and try my best to give full co-operation for the real progress of the Indian society.
—Swati Tewari

I agree with Narayana Murthy’s thoughts. I would have liked it even more if he had quoted a few more Indians. The only Indian he seems to have quoted is Gandhiji. If Mr Murthy’s message is that we need to be more proud of ourselves as Indians and that we need to be more independent-thinking, then should we not quote our own people who have demonstrated independent-thinking? Gandhi could have been a great source for all of Mr Murthy’s quotes. Then, there is Kiran Bedi, and there was Patel.
—Ramprasad Potluri

This article is simply fantastic and impressive to the core. I wanted to convey my appreciation for it and I am sure that if at least some of us read your viewpoints presented in simple, down-to-earth language easy for commoners to understand, it is worth it.
—Reena