By Sanjay Gupta

All the time we Indians keep thinking and believing that our responsibility is for the 1.1 billion people that live in India. But rarely do we think of the remaining 5 billion humans living on this planet, and hence our focus and endeavors as individuals, as groups and as a nation are confined to the motherland.

This needs to change quickly if we wish to take ourselves at the front end of the future world, which is shrinking with connectivity and collaboration. Many Indians pride themselves that historically, we have never invaded any neighbour outside the subcontinent and remained content on boundary and territory within the space that nature created for us with the Himalayas running on the top and the seas & ocean flowing in the south.

Even today, our export of arms and war facilitating exercises are nowhere in reckoning compared to countries which are the 5 permanent members of the security council, as if the unstated criteria for membership, which we keep aspiring for but not meeting, being huge revenues from export of arms in a manner that the GDP growth is heavily dependent on it.

As history would show that the 'Sone ki Chidiya' only exported food, clothing and goods needed to enjoy life and not materials that destroyed life. And in the last few decades of democratic independence, we still export similarly though expanding the offerings by an immensely growing service sector.

But that is not the only things what we have only given to the world. Beyond the materialistic, the unique and deeply humane offerings from our learned brethren include many unique life supporting and nurturing skills; these are what the India of tomorrow needs to extend further:

1) The Ahimsa of Gandhiji to enable living peacefully and resolving without a fight;
2) The Yoga of Patanjali to cleanse the mind body and soul, in an all important affordable do-it-at-home way;
3) The literature, poetry, dance, music and songs to enable enjoyment and entertainment in its own unique subtle and serene forms which at times are near prayers to the almighty;
4) The teachings of Buddha & other saints that welcomes new thought in the midst of old and the traditional where origin and prevalence of religion plays an important role in every day life and community living.

What is that we need to strive for – take the world in your view and then devise solutions whether it be new technologies, products and services that cater to the needs of some. Yes, we have many problems to solve at home, but creativity and human pursuit should not be limited to geographies. We should find solutions from our Ayurveda to offer to the hungry and ill in Africa and Asia.

Yes, our rivers are getting polluted and the Himalayan glaciers are shrinking, but as we develop conviction, techniques and tools to fight their spread we should not ignore similar needs in other parts of the globe – thus we should be truly making efforts for our world family “Vasudev Kutumbhkan” and not just focusing within.

The author is a legal & accounting professional currently working as Director – Intellectual Property Rights with Microsoft India and is also the Chair India Committee, Business Software Alliance. The opinions and views expressed in this Article are the personal views of the Author and not of these organizations.

(The author is a legal & accounting professional currently working as Director – Intellectual Property Rights with Microsoft India and is also the Chair India Committee, Business Software Alliance. The opinions and views expressed in this Article are the personal views of the Author and not of these organizations. Any comments or suggestions pertaining to this Article may be sent to: sanjay1147@airtelbroadband.in)