A 24x7 mantra, but for corruption

<div class="section1"><div align="left" style="position:relative; left: -2"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="left" border="1" width="35.6%"> <colgroup> <col width="100.0%" /> </colgroup> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><script language="javascript">doweshowbellyad=0; </script><br /><a href="http://movies.indiatimes.com/articleshow/355428.cms" target="_blank"><img src="/photo/357500.cms" alt="/photo/357500.cms" border="0" /></a></div> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-size:="">War and peace</span></div> </td> </tr> </table></div> <div class="Normal">Rest assured.The future of our country lies in safe hands. For the young Indian has managed to blend the impossible: <a href="/articleshow/357060.cms" target="_blank">Diehard patriotism</a> with turn-of-the-century globalism. <br /><br />Indeed, he''s a patriot without being a jingoist. As Dinesh Agarwal, a 30-year-old businessman says: "I would be willing to give up my life for my country, but will not support it if it is wrong." <br /><br />In this season of high-decibel <a href="/articleshow/357051.cms" target="_blank">desh-bhakti</a>, we decided to pre-empt the release of India''s largest war epic - <a href="http://movies.indiatimes.com/articleshow/355428.cms" target="_blank">J P Dutta''s LoC-Kargil</a> - with a small survey of our own. We decided to ask our future leaders, managers, corporate czars and policy-makers what New Age patriotism actually meant in a global age. <br /><br />We sent out a questionnaire to 200 urban Indians between 20-30 years in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Pune to measure them on the Patriotism Quotient. Here''s what we found...<br /><br />Are you patriotic? Patriotism to you means... we asked young Suruchi Suri, a final year student in ILS Law College, Pune. "Yes, I am patriotic. Patriotism to me means being modern, yet with an understanding of our values and culture. Also, it''s about recognising that some values are constant while some values need to change with time. It''s about representing Indian sensibilities in a modern world," she says.</div> <div align="right" style="position:relative; left: -2"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="right" border="1" width="77.5%"> <colgroup> <col width="100.0%" /> </colgroup> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><script language="javascript">doweshowbellyad=0; </script><br /><a href="javascript:popUp(&quot1;photopop?msid=285912&type=0&quot1;)"> <img border="0" align="left" src="/cms.dll/thumb?=92&width=92&photoID=285912" hspace="12"" /></a></div> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-size:="">Click to enlarge</span></div> </td> </tr> </table></div> <div class="Normal"><br /><br />Are you? We asked Laura Mishra, theatre artist, Kolkata. "Yes! For me, patriotism is feeling a sense of pride about being Indian. It means upholding one''s culture, wildly cheering when the jawans are on their ceremonial march-past on Republic Day or going berserk when Sachin tears into the Australian bowling attack," say Laura.<br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section2"><div class="Normal">Of course, we did get the agnostic too. But he was few and far between (barely three or four). What was more striking was his city of residence. They mostly came from cosmopolitan, metropolitan Mumbai. <br /><br />Like Ravikant, a 26-year-old HR trainer who declares: "No, I am not patriotic. The popular notion of patriotism which means regard for one''s country and no regard for anything outside the country, does not appeal to me."<br /><br />In Mumbai, India''s concept of New Age Patriotism - the antithesis of ''You are either with us or against us'' Bush brand of <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">desh-bhakti</span> - has reached a rarefied form. Most of our respondents were both rationalists and nationalists. Like Rajat Kapoor, film and theatre actor, who said: "No, I am not what one would conventionally call patriotic. I belong to certain places, like Mumbai and Delhi. Patriotism is an abstract idea one shouldn''t take too seriously. Or else everyone would end up doing what the US is doing in the name of patriotism."<br /><br />For Aryan Vaid, actor, patriotism doesn''t entail blind support for one''s country. "I would never support India blindly," he says. "Why should I be responsible for the mistakes of some idiotic politician? No, I am not overtly patriotic because I feel that patriotism is all about worshipping man-made boundaries. Simply, a man-made concept to feed vested interests." <br /><br />In this broadband concept of <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">desh-bhakti</span>, the rational patriot articulates his love for his country in innovative ways. Like:<br /><br />Throwing cigarette butts into the bin and not outside. (Atul Jamgaonkar, advertising consultant)<br /><br />Putting my country before me. Not littering. Studying well and becoming a chemical engineer. (Harsh Dhavala, engineering student)<br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section3"><div class="Normal">Just being good at what I do - a successful computer scientist - and making myself strong enough to help the needy. (Arindam Chakraborty, graduate student, University of California)<br /><br />Being a good citizen, being responsible for my actions, paying taxes, observing civic rules. (Anuja Piplapure, software professional)<br /><br />Not only celebrating the good things but also contributing something to India. (B N Abhijit, student)<br /><br />Standing up for your country and being counted. (Nikhil Chinnapa, Veejay) <br /><br />And since we have already emphasised the fact that India''s New Age Patriot isn''t blind, let''s also see when does he squirm, introspect and feel ''unpatriotic''.<br /><br />Ananth Shankar, Brand Image Designer, feels unpatriotic when "it''s time to elect our representatives."<br /><br />Aryan Vaid feels least patriotic during elections: "When I see all the political parties campaigning. Uff!"<br /></div> <div align="left" style="position:relative; left: 0"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="left" border="1" width="71.9%"> <colgroup> <col width="49.1%" /> <col width="50.4%" /> </colgroup> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="2" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:=""> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">PEOPLE WHO READ THIS STORY ALSO READ...</span></div> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="49.1%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" e3f1ff=""> <div class="Normal"><a href="/articleshow/357082.cms" target="_blank">Beyond boundaries: A dream team</a></div> </td> <td width="50.4%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" e3f1ff=""> <div class="Normal"><img src="/photo/357501.cms" alt="/photo/357501.cms" border="0" /><span style="" font-size:=""> </span><a href="/articleshow/356584.cms" target="_blank">Porn fuels Kenya''s Internet boom</a></div> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="49.1%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" e3f1ff=""> <div class="Normal"><#img src="/photo/357501.cms" alt="/photo/357501.cms" border="0" /><span style="" font-size:=""> </span><a href="/articleshow/357044.cms" target="_blank">My desires are endless: Shah Rukh</a></div> </td> <td width="50.4%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" e3f1ff=""> <div class="Normal"><#img src="/photo/357501.cms" alt="/photo/357501.cms" border="0" /><span style="" font-size:=""> </span><a href="/articleshow/357118.cms" target="_blank">Camaraderie in Karachi</a></div> </td> </tr> </table></div> <div class="Normal"><br /></div> </div><div class="section4"><div class="Normal">Priyesh Chaudhary, management consultant, feels like "migrating to one of the Scandinavian countries, New Zealand or some place else when I see the indiscipline in Delhi - traffic rules being flouted, people being rude and disrespectful towards women."<br /><br />For Pramesh Balan, NGO coordinator, it is political scams and poverty that makes him feel angry, unpatriotic.<br /><br />Arindam Chattopadhyaya, computer professional, feels the most patriotic when he is away from India. "However, the feeling somehow lessens as soon as I set foot in the country and everything becomes such a struggle, even the ordinary business of life," he says.<br /><br />Aloke Singh, auditor, too feels less patriotic when Indians have to struggle to get the smallest thing done because "government officials treat their jobs as rest houses!"<br /><br />Vineet Jhanji, lawyer: "The fact that India is one of the most corrupt countries, that makes me feel unpatriotic!"<br /><br />Ranjana Gyanchandani, student: "All these Judeo and Jogi tapes put me off. What kind of people do we elect! What kind of people govern us!"<br /><br />Get the message. Politicians may try hard to foster nationalism, but ironically, it is politicians who induce the strongest feelings of resentment and acrimony towards the country. Cut them out and you''ll have Indians feeling patriotic "24x7, 365 days a year," as Kiran Godhari, professional, puts it.<br /><br />Interestingly, the young, upmarket Indian''s brand of patriotism is not fired by war films. Our survey showed us that, by and large, <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">desh-bhakti</span> melodrama is dismissed as kitsch. <br /><br />The exceptions being just four films: <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Border</span>, <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">The Legend of Bhagat Singh</span>, <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Sarfarosh </span>and <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Lagaan</span>. For the rest, they gave us a dismissive ''No'' when we asked them: Do war films fire your patriotism?<br /><br />"No way!" screams Melvin D''Silva, professional. "They are just a money-making racket." <br /><br />According to Amrita Rudra, "War films just give me a headache with their lurid portrayal of our brave heroes. It pains me to see how people are cashing on something that is so close to our heart." <br /><br />Or as Vineet Kothari, industry analyst, says: "Three hours of hyped-up testosterone-aided action interspersed with mushy love scenes do not do the trick for me."<br /></div> <div align="left" style="position:relative; left: 0"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="left" border="1" width="71.9%"> <colgroup> <col width="49.1%" /> <col width="50.4%" /> </colgroup> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="2" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:=""> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">PEOPLE WHO READ THIS STORY ALSO READ...</span></div> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="49.1%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" e3f1ff=""> <div class="Normal"><#img src="/photo/357501.cms" alt="/photo/357501.cms" border="0" /><span style="" font-size:=""> </span><a href="/articleshow/357082.cms" target="_blank">Beyond boundaries: A dream team</a></div> </td> <td width="50.4%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" e3f1ff=""> <div class="Normal"><#img src="/photo/357501.cms" alt="/photo/357501.cms" border="0" /><span style="" font-size:=""> </span><a href="/articleshow/356584.cms" target="_blank">Porn fuels Kenya''s Internet boom</a></div> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="49.1%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" e3f1ff=""> <div class="Normal"><#img src="/photo/357501.cms" alt="/photo/357501.cms" border="0" /><span style="" font-size:=""> </span><a href="/articleshow/357044.cms" target="_blank">My desires are endless: Shah Rukh</a></div> </td> <td width="50.4%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" e3f1ff=""> <div class="Normal"><#img src="/photo/357501.cms" alt="/photo/357501.cms" border="0" /><span style="" font-size:=""> </span><a href="/articleshow/357118.cms" target="_blank">Camaraderie in Karachi</a></div> </td> </tr> </table></div> <div class="Normal"><br />(<span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Nikhat Kazmi with reports from STOI bureaus in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Pune and Hyderabad</span>)</div> </div>