May be unintended, but your article seems full of sarcasm for Bihar and boasting for Madrasis. I dont know if you have ever visited there or your only source of informations are news papers and history books. But still get your facts right first. It has always been Biharis who have mostly topped IAS Exams. They get selected for IITs and IIMs by hundreds. Why even the Prime Minister of your country is also a Bihari - ATAL BIHARI! :). Only thing I admit stopping Bihar from progressing further is political will, and thats why all the talented people there have to migrate to other states and countries. Just like colonialists created an impression of India the world over of a place of acute poverty and diseases (and not of good things like Software, Bollywood & cricket), you are also playing the same role inside the country.
1. "Cyclical Decline". "But it is in the nature of things that there will be ups and downs". "though Bihar has reached its nadir and couldn't possibly decline any further, I predict that Bihar can only go up". By that logic, every bad state or nation would improve at some point in time. We could even have flowers blooming in Sahara desert!! 2. "If Kerala can do it, why can't Bihar?". But that's the point. Bihar can't do it. It is like saying "if I can run 100m in 10 seconds, why can't you". 3. Other states have improved in some areas, but are still lacking in many others. So how does that mean Bihar will become better?? What is the correlation here!!! 4. The name "Bihar" came from "vihara", so what?? If we were to extrapolate from the glorified eras of past, then whole of India would be at the top or order. 5. "If I were a young and adventurous person, I would head out to the badlands of Bihar, figure out the corridors where growth is most likely to happen, and invest there. But being older and less brave, I merely advise others to do so". Such a convenient excuse!! It is always easier to preach than practice!!!
a very good article!! i fully agree with the author, but the castes and different groups , the main problem , the root of every cause in bihar, is what the author has not pressed upon. if we have to see good , developement, prosperity, then we have to abolish the very thing called as "caste" in not only bihar but india. we ahould nto be " proud of" our caste but we should be "ashamed of " as our individuality as a citizen of our country is masked by this caste whenever we discuss it. thanks arvind
Ashamed to be Bihari? I can't imagine being anything else! How forgetful Indians are...Bihar doesn't just have a glorious ancient history (besides Buddhism, it was also the land of Rishis, Upanishads, Vedas particularly the Yajur/Atharva Veda)...Indians should remember that it was Bihar who launched Gandhi, it was Biharis, under J.P. Narayan, that fought for democracy in India and demolished the Congress(I) party and Nehru parivar forever and made it possible for India to claim a coninuous democracy for 50 years...Bihar's ancient glory does not take away it's contribution to modern India. Biharis are bullish, period!
Then explain this genius:- western India, that is Gujarat and Maharashtra, grew at 10% pa for most of 1990's and early 21st century (no thanks to Narendra Modi, so spare me the pogrom flames)
Now tell me you even understood economic growth patterns in India.
Well needless to mention everything that you say about Bihar could be possible but not until leadership like Laloo live. Bihar's major problem is it leaders and politicians like Laloo, they are like rotten apples in a bunch of good apples and those few many on the top make the whole basket look dirty. I am not hopeful as the writer but certainly Jharkhand after getting seperated from Bihar can do alot better if it keeps away from leaders like Laloo.
I agree with the writer about the southern states misplaced emphasis on development. A country as big as ours cannot prosper if the development is restricted the cities. Unbalanced growth like this would look good to most of us who evaluate development and growth taking a look at our cities. The IT boom is a big feel-good change, but let us not think that IT alone is going to make us a 'developed country'.
I appreciate the writer's vision but I fail to see why he is 'bullish' about Bihar. As an eternal optimist I still see hope for Bihar, but I dont see any indicators that will make me feel gung-ho about it
being a student from bihar i have always been questioned on my sicereity in other states i have gone for my highe studies,people just dont believe that a student from bihar can do well in exams ,speak good english or do some thing good.just because i am from that state i have to prove my self extra to show my capabilities as when ever u say that u r from bihar first thing they feel that u r not fit for any thing.this is wat hurts me a lot.even dispite the fact that the maximum population of students competing in IIts ans civil sevices are biharies they are looked down upon.even though we r talented our talents have to go through litmus test in other states.people stereo type biharies.some times i really feel is being born a bihary is boon or bane.
