I was thinking of writing on the subject, but veteran journalist Tavleen Singh has already written very incisively about this in her weekly column in The Sunday Express. So, there is no reason for me to try and re-invent the wheel!
And Williams is not even fully Indian by blood, let alone her citizenship status. She has an Indian father and Slovenian mother and she was born in the USA. I doubt if she has ever been to India at all or as a grown up girl/woman. She could be called person of Indian origin that can entitle her to the PIO card (person of Indian origin card that entitles a foreigner to visit India without a visa). And here in US she was in the news only the day she touched down, not because she is a US citizen, or her half Indian status, but purely on the basis of the records she set in space, and in her brief interview shown for 30-45 seconds, not even once she mentioned India. Only her father spoke about people praying in India at his home town for her safe return. Sifar | Homepage | 06.26.07 – 12:24 pm | #
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And here’s how CNN (the most trusted news channel) presented this news. Just as they would have covered any other astronaut. Though sometimes here too news channels focus on un important news way too much, like today the release of Paris Hilton from jail is top news on all the channels and is being mentioned over and over. Who cares where that spoiled rich unappreciative of life girl is. Sifar | Homepage | 06.26.07 – 2:52 pm | #
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I suspect most of those organising the prayer meetings, etc., were looking for their two minutes of fame, possibly, even the relatives too. :D
Other such instances that I recall are when Kalpana Chawla went into space and also when Tenzing Norgay, a Nepali Sherpa was one of the first two men to reach Mt. Everest and he was introduced all around India as ‘Ten Singh’, to make it sound as if he was an Indian! Obviously, neither Kalpana’s (a US citizen) or Tenzing Norgay’s (a Nepali citizen) achievements were Indian. Anyway, I could rattle on and on about this… :D Sidhusaaheb | Homepage | 06.27.07 – 8:29 pm | #
I did not read tavleen’s article but after reading the comments I kind of know what this is all about. And this something taht has bothered me more and more recently. Any time any Tiddu Diddu or Haddu or Tiddi Diddi or Haddi from India does something India (media) jump to take the credit for it. Kalpna Chawla, Willliams, Some Bobby Jindal(louisiana senator), Naipaul, Mittal, Zubin Mehta, Salman Rushdie, some arun nayar etc are a few that only Indian media and (even some people) treat as Indians. Some of these are nothing but socialites and its a disgrace to even call them decent human beings let alone an Indian who would bring any pride to Indians. Scientists etc. that have either India lineage or were born here infact are a slap in the face of Indian beurocracy and lame academia. Sunita Williams was on the first page of Time of INdia for a couple of days and I am sure some school text books would even include Sunita williams as the first Indian woman in Space. To me people like Mark Tully are more Indian than any of the above. I wonder if Bachendri Pal got a similar press coverage and as many people were praying for her safe return. This is not inferiority complex, to me this is hypocrisy and the ugly Indian “khokhli” patritism at its best. Simiarly, this latest notion that India and its economy are booming and India is the next super power etc. is also a baloney and hogwash. We still have a majority that lacks water and electricity (including my own village and tehsil). Most of us still dont feel resposnsible for any piece of land or property beyond our char deewari. We ahev absolutely no respect for public property because we always think public is them not us. Diaz | 06.29.07 – 5:48 am | #
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A have a small anecdote to share. A friend of mine was visiting from US and we went out with another friend to an ice cream shop. While eating ice cream my local friend was boasting about his liberal mentality, his open mindedness, his knowledge of things and people around the world etc. which was all right but after eating the ice-cream my local friend threw away the ice-cream cover and some paper napkin on the floor just outside the ice-cream shop. My visitor friend asked him to pick it up and throw it in the garbage can just 2 steps ahead, but he smiled and the look on his face was “you are not serious? and don’t emabarass me infront of the onlookers” but my visitor frined insisted and becasue she was a girl he reluctantly obliged and after she left we talked about it and my friends reaction was “that was height of idealism and is pretty stupid” Diaz | 06.29.07 – 5:58 am | #
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sidhu bhai if you decide to post those comments I am sorry for taking so much space and for venting my valid/invalid frustration on you blog. Diaz | 06.29.07 – 6:00 am | #
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No probs at all bro!
Your comments are very pertinent. Sidhusaaheb | Homepage | 06.29.07 – 1:19 pm | #
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Thanks Sidhu and all readers .. please ignore the typos in my post..the thoughts were typed as they came without allowing my fingers to press backspace. Diaz | 06.29.07 – 4:39 pm | #
Posts
2 comments:
And Williams is not even fully Indian by blood, let alone her citizenship status. She has an Indian father and Slovenian mother and she was born in the USA. I doubt if she has ever been to India at all or as a grown up girl/woman. She could be called person of Indian origin that can entitle her to the PIO card (person of Indian origin card that entitles a foreigner to visit India without a visa). And here in US she was in the news only the day she touched down, not because she is a US citizen, or her half Indian status, but purely on the basis of the records she set in space, and in her brief interview shown for 30-45 seconds, not even once she mentioned India. Only her father spoke about people praying in India at his home town for her safe return.
Sifar | Homepage | 06.26.07 – 12:24 pm | #
——————————————————————————–
And here’s how CNN (the most trusted news channel) presented this news. Just as they would have covered any other astronaut. Though sometimes here too news channels focus on un important news way too much, like today the release of Paris Hilton from jail is top news on all the channels and is being mentioned over and over. Who cares where that spoiled rich unappreciative of life girl is.
Sifar | Homepage | 06.26.07 – 2:52 pm | #
——————————————————————————–
I suspect most of those organising the prayer meetings, etc., were looking for their two minutes of fame, possibly, even the relatives too. :D
Other such instances that I recall are when Kalpana Chawla went into space and also when Tenzing Norgay, a Nepali Sherpa was one of the first two men to reach Mt. Everest and he was introduced all around India as ‘Ten Singh’, to make it sound as if he was an Indian! Obviously, neither Kalpana’s (a US citizen) or Tenzing Norgay’s (a Nepali citizen) achievements were Indian. Anyway, I could rattle on and on about this… :D
Sidhusaaheb | Homepage | 06.27.07 – 8:29 pm | #
I did not read tavleen’s article but after reading the comments I kind of know what this is all about. And this something taht has bothered me more and more recently. Any time any Tiddu Diddu or Haddu or Tiddi Diddi or Haddi from India does something India (media) jump to take the credit for it. Kalpna Chawla, Willliams, Some Bobby Jindal(louisiana senator), Naipaul, Mittal, Zubin Mehta, Salman Rushdie, some arun nayar etc are a few that only Indian media and (even some people) treat as Indians. Some of these are nothing but socialites and its a disgrace to even call them decent human beings let alone an Indian who would bring any pride to Indians. Scientists etc. that have either India lineage or were born here infact are a slap in the face of Indian beurocracy and lame academia. Sunita Williams was on the first page of Time of INdia for a couple of days and I am sure some school text books would even include Sunita williams as the first Indian woman in Space. To me people like Mark Tully are more Indian than any of the above. I wonder if Bachendri Pal got a similar press coverage and as many people were praying for her safe return. This is not inferiority complex, to me this is hypocrisy and the ugly Indian “khokhli” patritism at its best. Simiarly, this latest notion that India and its economy are booming and India is the next super power etc. is also a baloney and hogwash. We still have a majority that lacks water and electricity (including my own village and tehsil). Most of us still dont feel resposnsible for any piece of land or property beyond our char deewari. We ahev absolutely no respect for public property because we always think public is them not us.
Diaz | 06.29.07 – 5:48 am | #
——————————————————————————–
A have a small anecdote to share. A friend of mine was visiting from US and we went out with another friend to an ice cream shop. While eating ice cream my local friend was boasting about his liberal mentality, his open mindedness, his knowledge of things and people around the world etc. which was all right but after eating the ice-cream my local friend threw away the ice-cream cover and some paper napkin on the floor just outside the ice-cream shop. My visitor friend asked him to pick it up and throw it in the garbage can just 2 steps ahead, but he smiled and the look on his face was “you are not serious? and don’t emabarass me infront of the onlookers” but my visitor frined insisted and becasue she was a girl he reluctantly obliged and after she left we talked about it and my friends reaction was “that was height of idealism and is pretty stupid”
Diaz | 06.29.07 – 5:58 am | #
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sidhu bhai if you decide to post those comments I am sorry for taking so much space and for venting my valid/invalid frustration on you blog.
Diaz | 06.29.07 – 6:00 am | #
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No probs at all bro!
Your comments are very pertinent.
Sidhusaaheb | Homepage | 06.29.07 – 1:19 pm | #
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Thanks Sidhu
and all readers .. please ignore the typos in my post..the thoughts were typed as they came without allowing my fingers to press backspace.
Diaz | 06.29.07 – 4:39 pm | #
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