Even at partition Azim Premji's family represented the modern face of their Muslim past. In that he is more at home with most Hindus who are comfortable with modernity and science than with the religiously indoctrinated Muslim majority. The Wall Street Journal reference to his family declining Jinah's offer to join him in Pakistan is a clear illustration of this.
So much for his public face. Just as he does not dance to Islamic orthodoxy, he is also liberated from the rituals and prejudices of his Hindu ancestors. Azim is no doubt the role model that Muslims should aspire to. Could political parties of the left (Congress, Communists et al) ever be weaned of their dependency of vote bank politics, which has kept them in blindness and ignorance? In such manner they may kept alive the dream of the past when as Muslims they lorded it over the Hindus, but now stand imprisoned in a way of life and thought of a bygone age.
The British in their pique of resentment have often pointed to the poor and downtrodden Muslims of Bharat. The Kalams and Premjis in their millions are clear examples of Muslims who as Indians could never have embraced the theocratic Pakistan State.
The West found their answer in emulating the manners and customs of their cultural superiors, the Greeks and Romans. Surely, there are some lessons to be derived from the ancient history of our country that could the same or similar purpose?
