No matter where we live, there are always things to complain about; plenty of people to blame. It is human nature. Different culture, different place, and different values – yes, things are different when you live abroad, different from back home.
No matter where we live, Indians are good at adjusting and adapting, and ultimately competing toe-to-toe in every corner of the world. The same applies to those settled in USA.
Success is part of Indian culture. Just look within US boundaries: two reigning governors in the highest state offices, countless Indians in NASA and other prestigious research facilities all over. The same is true for a large portion of highly skilled occupations – doctors, scientists, engineers…. the Indians are everywhere in America, in every walk of life.
There are plenty of things to complain about, there are plenty of reasons to be proud of, if we look around!
Indian American population in America is a growing and prosperous section of US society. If you get the chance to walk through the corridors of any leading US corporation – banks, medical offices, engineering firms….., you will notice that Indian American holding every level of positions including officer and executive level jobs. Indians are contributing to the US socio-economic dynamics from every aspect. The numbers and ratios of Indians employed by the leading companies – the like of Google, Microsoft, Apple, Citibank…. continue to grow.
As per the recent U.S. Census, Indian Americans, along with other Asian Americans, have one of the highest education levels of all ethnic groups in the U.S. Almost 67% of all Indians have a bachelor’s degree. Almost 40% of all Indians in the United States have a master’s, doctorate or other professional degree, which is five times the national average.
Strong work ethics combined with education, ingenuity and creativeness, Indians continue to execute a proven formula of success all over the globe.
Yes, there is plenty to be proud of.
Those who are ignorant will negate you; those with stereotype will try to belittle you… that’s nothing new. Discrimination – open or hidden – a part of every culture, a part of every society. Some people have difficulty in understanding others and getting along with those who look different from them. Inability to accept differences – different race, different looks, different skin color, different language, different traditions…., is often the root cause of discrimination and alienation.
However, ever so slowly, the world continue to change, the society continues to evolve. The level of tolerance and the acceptance of diversity is steadily improving. There will always be a few narrow-minded individuals, there always have been. The society as a whole is becoming more multi-cultural, more diverse. Yes, slow but steadily, the world as whole is evolving into a more tolerant global society…
Hatred – just like any other evil, has always been present in every society, it always will be. Many times, hatred is rooted in simple ignorance and narrow mindedness. We cannot eliminate hatred overnight, but we can make a difference by educating others, by lifting the thin veil of ignorance about Indian culture, Indian traditions and Indian values. We can achieve this by contributing positive social values, by real-life examples …
In a recent shooting in Oak Creek, Wisconsin Gurdwara, 6 innocent Sikhs were killed. It was a heinous act rooted in racism, hate and ignorance. It is very hard to accept this incident, but hatred cannot be eliminated by retaliation or by responding with hatred. The Sikh community immediately responded to this cruel act with a message of love and peace. The messages and prayers filled with tremendous love and harmony from Sikh Americans overshadowed the hatred behind this isolated incident. This message of love and unity continue to overpower the hatred and racism. A proof – we cannot be defeated by one person’s hate.
There is a lot to be proud of.
A peaceful existence, the hard-work ethics, the education focus, the toleration, adapting to the multicultural society around us, the accepting culture, the accomplishments in the countries abroad – there is always a lot to be proud of; there is a plenty to be proud of!!
Related Articles
- Slow down genius, it’s just a journey!
- I am not racist, but my brain may be!
- The wandering thoughts!
- Cross-culture understanding – It is a culture thing
- The ABC of Race Relations in USA – India Abroad!
- Quality of life abroad – going in circle
- NRIs and India diaspora – the key challenges abroad!
- A father’s Pride
- Greed or Fear … or Love!
- Desi work ethics: Key to success abroad
Awesome