An empowered nation is synonymous with national pride. Pride to me is the most powerful ethos that defines empowerment. India’s private sector, led by information technology, telecommunications, biotech, pharmaceuticals and many others is empowering the country on a platform of performance and excellence. A recent BusinessWeek report comparing India and China indicates that while China has outperformed India in terms of foreign investments, India outperforms China by a factor of two when it comes to return on investment in almost every industry sector. The India factor is now a force to be reckoned with and something that is building national pride through amplified job opportunities that are reversing the brain drain. Apart from industry, success in other realms like sports, entertainment, the visual and performing arts and heritage are also great contributors to pride and empowerment. Today’s youth are inspired by successful icons, be it business, sports or the performing arts. Sania Mirza’s successful debut on the world stage has empowered many an aspiring tennis player to pursue professional tennis. Indian cricket, though at an all-time low, has brought global visibility to India’s leadership position in the game. Today, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar are as sought after as Bollywood stars. Likewise, Narayana Murthy and Ratan Tata are revered across all sections of society. If there is one class of people who are not empowered, it is our politicians and bureaucrats who do not seem to have any inclination to bring about progressive change. They are unable to rise above archaic and petty politics to make any visible difference to the communities that elect them. However, amidst this gloom, there is also hope. There is a noticeable change taking place in various ways where men and women are gradually building an ethos of empowerment through a deep sense of purpose, willing to overcome challenges because they want to change this country in a manner that every Indian can be proud of.
