My experience with Diversity

In my previous entry I wrote about the diversity. I had a first hand experience on this. I want to share it with you. You will understand how it is deeply anchored in our society. The institute where I study is considered the most elite in India. I am sure you have guessed it by now. So, I have a chance to discuss with students who are considered brilliant and bright among the Indians and would be considered intellectuals when they finish their studies from our Institute. For my studies I am living in the state where my institute is situated, which is not my home state. Before my stay here, I had considered the whole India is like my home state. I felt the diversity first hand from my stay out of my home state.

During my stay at the other state, I noticed the things which could be made better .I also noticed the nice things about its culture and people.So I started to bring up these topics with my fellow students who are from this other state, so that I could understand better about that other state. When I said nice things they loved that. But when I started to discuss about the things which could be made better the bitter diversity anchored deeply into our minds came into play.

I discussed these things as a concerned Indian who wants to make things better for his own country and his fellow Indian people. But they saw me and still see me as a foreigner. My colleagues did not like me commenting on their states. They said "Since you have lived here for an year , it does not make you understand our state." I felt their discontent about my roots.

This is a classic example of a typical Indian mindset. They don't consider me Indian , they consider me as a guy from the other state. Even the most brilliant, well educated in the India's most elite institute do have prejudice and to my amazement they still practice it.