It is a weakness of Indians that they give too much importance to Western recognition and approval. This mental conditioning is nothing but a residue of colonialism and the kind of Nehruvian "modern" education that the Indians get in an impressionalbe age which prevents them from taking pride in their civilisation. The Goras have exploited this shrewdly by making their awards a strategic tool for their political agenda of subverting Indian native nationalism.
The Western awards are strategically given to either the leftist / communist writers (Romila Thapar and Arundhati Roy types) and "social workers" who are hostile to Indian right wing and thus pursue western agendas (Medha Patkar types) or to those who peddle Indian poverty through their works (Mira Nair types of "Salaam Bombay" fame). The profile of the first group is raised as a counter-balance to Indian nationalists, and of the other group to shame Indians and create a low-self esteem in them about everything that they hold dear.
This problem will be solved the day Indians learn to flush Western awards down the toilet, and ridicule people who owe their "stature" exlusive due to to White Man's recognition.
Goras have begun to give awards to Indians at a feverish pace. You will find that in the last five years, Indians account for 90 percent of all Asians combined who have recieved White Man's award. Either Indians have become exceptionally bright overnight, or there is something else behind the rain of awards
Re: aha
by Guest on Jun 06, 2009 02:46 AM Permalink
Indians may have become bright overnight, hence so many literary awards! Colonized minds find that idea difficult to accept!
Re: aha
by Guest on Oct 16, 2008 01:38 AM Permalink
I have to agree with iceberg, even though I am not an Indian. There is no need to put so much emphasis on western awards. Dear Madhwa, you need not to be aggressive or personal when making a point. That is a problem with most deshis. We can't take a constructive criticism.
Another alarming thing is, most awards in the last few years are only given to the Indians who criticizes or belittles the land. No awards are given to the ones who champions the humanity or heritage of India.
I am yet to see a real Indian, who has been raised, educated and worked in India and writes in non-English language and who does not sell the poverty and disparity of India - getting a Western award.
Re: aha
by Aditya on Oct 16, 2008 03:14 AM Permalink
It seems u have a problem with the West. English is a western language and recognition from the west for a english author be it indian or otherwise is somethign that worth its weight in gold. For you to think West gives awards to strategically balance indian natinalists is conspiracy theory at its best.. so now u seem to be blaming the west for the so called nationalists not being able to write good books..
