Kedar Joshi

I pretty much disagree with the views I once expressed through the article on Shivaji Maharaj. And I deeply apologise. Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was an immensely great leader, warrior, son, king, and he should be a great inspiration for the entire humanity. However, at the same time, I strongly condemn the prejudice and bias that exist in the Indian society. Indian society has been too insular for a very long time and solely hailing the national heroes is a sign of backwardness and a high level of bias and insularity. Throughout history, there have been too many great figures worldwide, and people and media should learn to take interest in their lives and times as well. And I don’t really understand exactly what sort of inspiration people in India take from Shivaji Maharaj. Shivaji’s honesty, humbleness, and integrity are rather hard to find in the Indian society, and corruption, arrogance, chaos, and backwardness are abundant. How many programmes about science, western philosophy, commerce, and notable non-Indian historic as well as present figures exist on Marathi TV channels, for example? Almost zero. That much is the degree of lack of interest in the Indian society about science and the great developed world outside India, and about things that really matter. There are statues and universities and parks and roads and bridges and airports on the names of great Indians, but hardly any on the name of a great non-Indian, who may have enriched the quality of human life through scientific and technological discoveries and inventions. The British are blamed for ruling and robbing India, but the modernisation India gained from the British Empire is overlooked. The sort of dreadful state India would be in and the sort of state she is without the British and their administration would be needless to mention. The situation is truly pathetic! And if not improved, I see India becoming next Taliban in not too distant future.

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