My last column, titled “India is not going to hell” (Business Standard, December 16), received a large number of wonderful responses. Clearly, a lot of people are fed up of hearing the constant carping from captains of business and industry, (some) change activists, politicians and, of course, the media.
There is no disagreement that things are difficult, although the truth is that they always are — running a small business is hard enough, running a country like India must often appear near impossible. However, any reasoned assessment of India’s situation should see that there is also plenty to crow about. I speak to dozens of companies every week and, while there are some who are really hurting because of poor risk management practices, “policy paralysis” and other accepted ailments, there are as many – indeed, more – who are looking at 18 to 20 per cent growth next year, thank you very much. And this doesn’t even include the IT industry.
So, why is it that every time you pick up a newspaper or turn to any TV channel you only hear one side of the story?
Is it that journalists are predisposed to only look for the dark side? Is it that only bad news sells?
To my mind, that may well be the unfortunate reality behind traditional media company mindsets. Rape, murder, robbery, corruption, accident (or other tragedy) — shuffle the deck, and voila! Here’s your morning edition!
I would challenge any editor to come up with a single day’s newspaper (or a week’s news broadcasts) that contains only good news. I had tried some 25 years ago, when I asked a friend of mine, who worked at that time for The Independent, to collate all the good news stories she could find. In scouring three weeks of wire service reports, all she came up with was three stories. Of course, this was before Google, so her search was hardly as exhaustive as it could be today.
Perhaps, today it is possible to collect a sufficient number of positive stories and put together a meaningful editorial thread. I leave it to any editor including mine (who will certainly read this piece) to try.
But, in the meantime, the rest of us need to distill the hai hai from our lives and get our chins up. I mean, let’s recognise that many of the large companies that are finding their projects held up by the much-talked about policy paralysis are sitting on buckets of cash. That’s a plus, and one that suggests that when the wheel turns – and, as we all know, it always does – the recovery will be very quick.
Inward foreign direct investment (FII) has risen by 50 per cent this year over the last — so much for global investors losing interest in the India story.
Food inflation is down to its lowest level in years — clearly, it’s more than time to jump on government bonds for a free ride, as the interest rate cycle has turned. Indeed, FIIs are already playing this game aggressively.
So, why the long faces? And worse, the dreadful sound-bites?
Sure, growth is down, but anything around seven per cent ain’t bad given both global and domestic circumstances. The global wheel is turning upwards – and you can call me on that in a few months – and of course, we can do better, much better. But that requires each one of us – that means you and me – to commit much more time and energy than we have so far done to ensure quality governance.
I mentioned a few organisations I know that are out there working for all of us: Sanctuary, Praja and PRS. Support them and their myriad relatives. Get more involved. Earn your right to complain.
And, you know what? When you do get more involved, you’ll find less and less to complain about — you will have less time, for one, and besides you will see the problems from a different perspective and recognise the exciting reality that a huge number of positive forces are working painstakingly, and in good humour, for change. The last thing you will want to do is pollute their efforts with negativity.
I believe that sustaining an upbeat mood is a necessary condition for positive change — that’s always been my job, and one that I (think I) do well.
It is, after all, the start of a new year — let’s make 2012 the year that India surprises itself.
Happy New Year!
