Modern India The Way I Know it - Synopsis

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Modern India The Way I

Know It

Copyright ©Ankur V. Vyas. 2008-2014. All rights reserved.

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Dedicated to my country.


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CHAPTERS

1. Indian Film Industry

2. Differences Between India And America

3. Society

4. Culture

5. Politics

6. Military

7. Superpower aspirations

8. Sports

9. Science

10.Education

11.Youth


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SYNOPSIS

Book size: 12 cm x 17.5 cm : Slight shorter than A5 international standard

Number of pages: 120

Cover: soft


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Chapter 1 - Indian Film Industry

Producing over 400 films in a year, you’d think that the Indian film industry would have international recognition, with its films in theatres all around the world being watched by people of all nationalities and not just Indians. Sadly, this is not so. And it’s really not difficult to figure out why. The films are all for the fickle, musical, illogical Indian audience. And the only reason why they make so much money is because of volume.

Chapter 2 - Differences Between India And America

If there is a Republican politician, he only has to worry about his Democratic opponent. In India, if there is a Congress politician, he has to worry not only about his BJP opponent, but rebels within his own Congress party. Another consequence of overpopulation.


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Chapter 3 - Society

The few questions that Americans ask is “What day is today?” because they’re so busy changing the world. Indian people, on the other hand, especially those working at municipal corporations, ask themselves “What year is it?” because infrastructurally everything looks the same as last year. I don’t know why they bother changing the calendars in their offices.

In Indian society there is not much standardization, mainly because it would be difficult to implement due to overpopulation. For example, when two people are exchanging telephone numbers, they say the numbers differently. They could say the 10-digit number with double, e.g. double 4, or triple, and sometimes two numbers at once, sometimes three numbers at once, and sometimes only one number. This leads to confusion, miscommunication, and too much talking. In America, it is quite different. For example, the standard is (000)000-0000. So an American Copyright ©Ankur V. Vyas. 2008-2014. All rights reserved.

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from whichever part of the country will first say the area code, then three digits, and then finally four digits. This totals ten digits. And it doesn’t matter who you ask, and whether they are talking or writing the number down, Americans will always say the telephone or mobile number with a certain standard. This leads to effective communication,and no misunderstanding. In India, because there is no standard way of communicating such a simple thing as a telephone or mobile number, it leads to problems including having to count for ten digits once the number has been said. I wrote this in an online journal that I kept, but years later I don’t know what happened to it so I need to write it again.

The justice system, though often slow, is one of the most important aspects of Indian life. The independent, hardly corrupt, system of judges must be protected at all costs. However, foreigners are going to think that we are a banana republic when they hear of court cases


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going to the Supreme Court presiding over such heavy matters as directing corporators to round up monkeys or stray dogs as is the case in Mumbai and Delhi. And the only reason why they have to pass such orders is because otherwise the work would not get done.

Chapter 4 - Culture

In whatever country you might be in, buy something for a poor child that will nurture their development and talent. For example, in India, where badminton is popular, there are millions (crores) of poor kids who will never get the chance to play so buy them a racket, net, everything, and who knows they might have talent to become a world-class player.

Chapter 5 - Politics

It is to India’s credit that the Election Commission can hold relatively peaceful


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elections. And the Army does not have to be called in to force politicians out of office.

Chapter 6 - Military

The American military, because of the political establishment, goes to war even when the cause is not righteous or just. Example: Iraq war. The Indian military, because of the political establishment, does not go to war even when the cause is righteous and just. Example: Kashmir 1999, Parliament attack 2001.

I think now is the right moment for India to say to the Chinese that if they want India’s cooperation in “One China, two systems” vis-à-vis Taiwan, then China must also believe and support in one India by returning China-occupied-Kashmir (CoK), and respecting the territorial integrity of India’s Kashmir.


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Chapter 7 – Superpower aspirations

The Narmada Dam was a project started more than 30 years ago and as of 2008 it has still not been completed. Because the authorities involved did not properly provide adequate living arrangements for the displaced, NGOs stepped in and filed court cases and the NBA arose. Work was stopped. Then over time, gradually the height of the dam was increased by 10 meters or so every so often. So much money was wasted on the arguments, petitions, protests, meetings, endless newspaper articles written by staff members, debates, etc. It came to a point that Medha Patkar protested and led thousands of people against the authorities. Members of the BJP retaliated and then Aamir Khan stepped in and said they should be allowed to protest their views in a democracy. The BJP retaliated and called for a ban for his movie Fanaa all over Gujarat and demanded an apology. Some people ignored the ban and watched the movie at a private viewing at rotary


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clubs. To protest against the screening a youth named Pravin Joshi burned himself alive in a Jamnagar cinema. Joshi put petrol on himself and lit a match in the men’s restroom in the Amber cinema of jamnagar. He died. Rather than focusing on their own incompetent members who are the authorities overlooking the Narmada project, the BJP stormed the viewing. Aamir Khan said he was not going to apologize. People died, were displaced without homes, actors supported actors, street protest, BJP protests, court cases, development stalled, self-immolation, theater profits gone, no electricity. Talk about drama.

Contrast this with the development of the Three Gorges Dam which was started in 1993. In less than twenty years, it was a dam constructed by the Chinese authorities completed ahead of schedule and on-budget. Its height is approximately 150 meters and it is the tallest dam in the world. The Chinese authorities managed to provide housing not for hundreds of


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thousands but for millions of displaced Chinese villagers. No court cases. No protests. No drama. Probably one of the reasons why is that the Chineses authorities know that if they are caught in a corruption case, they could very likely get executed. So they don’t pocket the money and instead use it for the villagers. Indian authorites know they are not going to get executed so some of them who are corrupt divert funds meant for displaced villages into their own pockets and the results are the events described above.

Chapter 8 - Sports

On Chess:

Many Indians don’t know this but chess was actually invented in India. Kings played it in their spare time. But today, another country, Russia, and not India is the dominant country, producing players, like Garry Kasparov and Vladimir Kramnik. Copyright ©Ankur V. Vyas. 2008-2014. All rights reserved.

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Chapter 9 - Science

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and Defence Research Development Organization (DRDO) are among India’s biggest strengths. The scientists that work there are brilliant, intelligent, and have contributed greatly to India’s development and progress.

Chapter 10 - Education

In America, the majority of the population does not value education, but the educational system is among the best in the world. In India, the majority of the population values education, but the educational system is very weak for the majority of Indians. There are lakhs of young children and adults who are illiterate.

Chapter 11 - YouthCopyright ©Ankur V. Vyas. 2008-2014. All rights reserved.

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When they become leaders in India, they will definitely use violence to solve their problems e.g. police state to address domestic issues, and war with Pakistan to solve Kashmir once and for all; maybe even absorbing Pakistan and Bangladesh into India to create a Greater India.

One thing I do at least once a month is go to bed hungry. The reason is I remind myself that there are millions (crores) of people in India and around the world, who do not have enough to eat and so they go to bed without eating. It is difficult to get sleep on an empty stomach. I think children should not do this until they are old enough and physically fit but adults should try it out and then they will be grateful for their meals.

About the Author


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“ModernIndia The Way I Know It” has been written since 7 years and it is unique because it offers an American perspective and an Indian perspective.

As of July 2015, the author is looking for a publisher.

Accepting pre-orders for publication of non-fictional book. If you are interested in reading the whole copy you can inform me and once there are 300 pre-orders I will collect Rs. 100 from you. The printing costs Rs.30,000 so with the pre-orders I can fulfill your order.

As of July 2015 number of pre-orders left: 297

For further details, contact Ankur V. Vyas. Thank you. 91-97-2343-5600.

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Modern India The Way I Know it - Synopsis