Just Solitude and Life

“Be alone-that is the secret of invention: be alone, that is when ideas are born.”- Nikola Tesla 

Clutching on to the sheets, he lay flat on the bed, staring at nothingness on the ceiling above. Seconds go by, then minutes, then hours. He lay there unperturbed, just not being able to find the energy to get

up. He was alone in the house. So what is it he is experiencing? Loneliness, you would say and you that wouldn’t be far from the truth. But how can it be, when he has always been that sprightly happy-go-lucky kind of a person you’d call the soul of the party. How come that this cheerful unworried guy is feeling loneliness? Isn’t that emotion reserved for the frail and feeble? 

Loneliness, like love, hate, anger and spite, is one of the many emotional states we all experience at some point of time in our lives. Solitude in contrast to loneliness may even be desirable at times. I prefer solitude over companionship any day. I’ve always wondered why contemporary society focuses so much on sociability. I mean what can be a better company than your own. Right? I look around and see people pronouncing loners a little strange even though I believe they are perfectly all right. Do you know what is the harshest most vicious punishment given to a convict in the prison? Solitary confinement. How that is the harshest punishment is beyond my understanding. Yes, I understand the sociological reasons for the punishment. But I just can’t get my head around it. I mean one can fully understand one’s gamut of emotions, and the reason for being while living in solitude, which obviously isn’t possible while living a highly communal life. Call it a blessing in disguise then that forced solitude is beneficial and desirable. Solitude gives us the space for self-reflection and introspection. It gives us the fuel needed to dive deep into our consciousness and find reasons or explanations to our anxieties, anger, envy, distress and so on. 

Einstein preferred self solitude and often remained with his thoughts for months at a stretch. He found communication devices such as telephones horrible because of their ringing and preferred to stay away from them. He went sailing at times, alone, immersed in his thoughts. I don’t need to extol the most

brilliant and exceptional person who ever lived to sell solitude as some universal remedy. All great thinkers, philosophers, inventors and leaders have sought solitude. But to think that only great people need solitude would be missing the point entirely. I have actively longed for solitude and experienced that it transcends human thoughts and values. One actively learns to engage with oneself through one’s own company, giving rise to transcendental experiences in the process. As someone once said, “If you are lonely when you are alone, you’re in bad company.” 

For me solitude is bliss and I would never want to miss an opportunity to enjoy my own company. Some people call it a little too narcissistic for their liking, but I call it a necessity in today's fast-paced life. Of course, not everybody agrees, as for some solitude is akin to experiencing obscurity, the beginning of the end. 

- Sunny Gusain

*Views are personal

Offend the Offended

“Religion’s greatest trick wasn’t convincing some people that there is a God and that He was all-powerful, it was convincing everyone else that you couldn’t ridicule the idea.”- Ricky Gervais 

At the very heart of religious dogmatism and fundamentalism is the archaic notion that religious people hold regarding their beliefs being above scrutiny and scepticism. Belief and faith, for a rational mind like mine, are in fact under the lens more often than other matters. As Richard Dawkins describes in his book the God delusion, Faith, by definition, believes in things without evidence, which is a dangerous

proposition for the world in the 21st century. Once you allow people to hold beliefs and notions that are above criticism and scepticism, it more often than not results in a sort of rigidity in their psyche that any logic or reason-based explanation to the fallacy of those beliefs are brushed under the carpet as being offensive. It is not the religious believers who are at fault but the non-believers, (or apostates) who invariably tend to mild down on their censure of religion. The conscious endeavour of rational people not to offend believers for their anti-scientific beliefs, prejudices and notions has resulted in breeding fanaticism. “That’s offensive”, these two words put together have muzzled liberals and seculars to express scientific facts running contrary to the entrenched beliefs of the believers. 

Being Offended is the principal defence behind which ludicrous beliefs of the people survive. If I were to claim today that my grandfather could lift a cow when he was alive and that he could jump across

rivers at the drop of a hat, I would be called a lunatic and a man of questionable integrity, but replace my grandfather with a mythological God and everyone enthusiastically accepts it to be literally true. They wouldn’t accept any scientific explanation to the implausibility of such an event ever having occurred. What I find to be the most fascinating thing about science is the ability of the observer or experimenter to shield outcomes from processes and experiments irrespective of his prejudices, faith and beliefs. 

The prime reason why people have such beliefs is childhood indoctrination. Impressionable minds would believe in flying monsters if taught from early childhood. It is my dream and wishes that children should never be exposed to religious dogma and superstition until they have lived long enough to develop rational thinking. All children are born cynics and sceptics with an aptitude for critical thinking and interminable questioning. I believe if someone could be indoctrinated on superstitions, dogmas and prejudices, they certainly can be “indoctrinated” on universal human values of integrity, compassion, love, ethics, morals and kindness. The trick is to catch them young. 

The spirit of enquiry is curtailed in a child from infancy and the civil society has allowed religious dogmatism and indoctrination to continue relentlessly throughout the modern world. It is time that we rise to challenge ridiculous dogmas and outrageous claims of the believers. 

You know what brings the death of a society, when being called an intellectual becomes an expletive. 

-Sunny Gusain 

Classic Democracy- Still Relevant?

You walk into an aircraft. The flight takes off smoothly. Everything is going as nonchalantly as it can. It's a long flight so you doze off, relaxed and satisfied. Suddenly you are woken up with a jerk, and even as you are frantically searching for the seat belt hooks, you hear the dreaded announcement. "The plane is going down as both pilots are unconscious, anyone with the necessary skills to fly the aircraft please come to the cockpit immediately." Fortunately, one trained pilot raises his hand among the crowd of passengers. Another one makes a passionate speech of why he should be flying the craft instead of the trained pilot although, he confesses, no experience of flying a craft. People decide to vote for it. They vote for the passionate one instead of the trained pilot. The jetliner, not surprisingly, dives to its death, killing everyone on board.

An amusing story with a tragic end. Sadly, the story is an allegorical account of the current state of democracy around the world today. When the ancient Athenians came up with the idea of Democracy around the 6th century BC, they would have never thought that it will spread like a wildfire around the globe. Even far-flung areas not inhabited at the time of the Athenians would accept democracy as a way of life would have been too farfetched for them to comprehend. So what happened to the sacred idea of democracy? Is democracy still thriving around the world or the romance over?

to be continued....

-Sunny Gusain

Mystery of Sushant's Death and The Way Forward

As Sadguru puts it, “In our eagerness to develop our economy and exploit the world, we have forgotten to fix ourselves.”

This is in continuance to the earlier article. Sushant’s suicide was no fluke. It is part of a larger pattern 

Sushant Singh Rajput

of suicides in the country. According to a Lancet study titled Global Burden of Disease Study 1990-2016, Suicide is the most common cause of death in the age group of 15-39 years in India. There is plenty of data available on suicide which is enough to scare anybody yet there seems to be a quiet acceptance of suicides in the country. I believe there is no bigger disgrace to society than seeing its young commit suicide. It pains my heart deeply. Students face huge stresses today than in the past. They carry the burden of expectations of their parents, relatives and society.

Coming back to Sushant, he wasn’t a failure by any stretch of the imagination. Yet, as per the reports, he was diagnosed with depression 6 months before his death and was taking medications for the same. Everybody faces stress and anxiety at some point in their lives. We talk about developing skills among the youth so that they can better utilise technology and tools to transform their lives but we forget to give them the crucial skill sets to deal with anxiety and stress. Sushant’s suicide wasn’t his failure but ours as a society. We have failed to understand that just like we need skills to get employed, we need skills to deal with anxiety and stress. A strong institutional and educational framework dealing with stress management could have prevented his death.

Frittering Away Unseen

There is too much stress in India and a too little talk about it. Be it in schools, colleges or workplaces, everyone faces trauma and distress regularly. In an attempt to become successful at all costs, many young people succumb to death by suicide. The new Zeitgeist of succeeding at all costs seems to be one of the major reasons for suicide among the millennials. Just search for motivational videos on Youtube, and you are bombarded with results with recurrent themes of success at all costs. All costs? Even death? This result in a perennial dissatisfaction among the masses. We need not glorify success to the extent that it becomes a matter of life and death. Our mainstream media and society at large are responsible for glorifying successes and comparing one individual to the other. We need to teach and showcase to our youth that there is nothing abominable in failure. It’s a part of life and should be accepted gracefully.

Now let’s come to the solutions to this crisis. India, the land of yoga and meditation, has the tools to tackle this crisis. Acceptance of stress and anxiety as existing within one’s own physical boundaries and emotions is important.

1. Recognition of stress as a problem is paramount before we learn to deal with it. School and college curriculums should compulsorily carry stress management as practical approaches towards a fulfilling life.
2. Yoga and meditation should be made mandatory in schools and colleges. We have blindly 

   

   Ray of Hope?

   followed the western model of education sans physical and mental development. Yoga and meditation have the power to become the best tools for dealing with stress and anxiety. Having experienced it first hand, I can personally stand up for its efficacy. A mind without stress has the power to not only benefit the individual but also the country at large.
3. How does one define progress and growth? Progress should be measured by parameters of Wellness and Happiness than by abstract financial numbers indicated by GDP. Just imagine a country where the government is trying to keep its citizens happy.
4. On an individual level, families and parents should understand how life works before putting undue pressure on their wards. Unlike what Viru Sahastrabuddhi said in the movie 3 idiots, Life is not a race, if you don’t run fast, you will not be a broken anda. Lose your focus on being ultra-competitive. And we should remember what Keyness had once said, "In the long run we are all dead.” Would you rather see your child dead than not being successful at getting admission into an IIT or a Medical College or a Job?

The simple yet powerful steps above could help tackle not only the health crisis of suicide but also stress-related conditions such as diabetes, depression, migraine, Alzheimer’s, Obesity and Asthma. Lastly, for God’s sake, stop blaming nepotism, him, her, this, that for Sushant Singh Rajput's death. His death epitomizes the poor stress management skills we have as a society. Hopefully, it will work as a wakeup call for many of us to bring about changes in our lifestyle.

Rest in Peace, Sushant.

-Sunny Gusain

*Views are personal.

Mystery of Sushant's Suicide

An old saying goes, "A man has three faces, the first face you show to the world. The Second face you show to your family and friends. The Third face is the face you never show to anyone but yourself."

Sushant Singh Rajput

Sushant Singh Rajput's untimely death was shocking and distressing to the entire country. To see a lad, give up on the wonders of life is a sad commentary on the state of current human development. While there has been a raging debate about nepotism, groupism, favouritism and factionalism in the film industry whereby star kids apparently find it easier than the outsiders, everyone seems to have missed the wood for the trees when it comes at finding the real causes of his suicide.

At the expense of sounding philosophical, I wish to explore the dimensions which many elites from the glamour industry fail to comprehend. Actor Sushant's public persona was of an exuberant and joyous person. But we all know that public persona is the disguise actors have to flaunt in public to keep them in the spotlight. Fans look up to them for optimism and positivity, but the inner turmoil of many such public personalities remains concealed. The third face, as the saying goes, one never reveals to the outside world and is the truest reflection of what one really is. Depression, anxiety and other psychological disorders are often hidden from the public gaze. Celebrities become prisoners of their PR machinery. They can't be seen crying nor can they be seen displaying any forms of weakness in public due to their self created public persona. If and when they do open the Pandora's box, fans aren't charitable and graceful enough to accept infirmity from their heroes. The public regards them as infallible. Any sign of weakness results in the battering of their public image - the larger the weakness the bigger the loss of public affection. Heroes never fail, is the underlying theme propagated by the popular cinematic universe. Even if the protagonist faces struggles in the movie, ranging from fighting off a villain to grappling financial woes and courting a girl, by the end of the movie, he emerges triumphant. Real-life, unfortunately, doesn't end in three hours. Happy ending, therefore, isn't a destination that needs to be reached.

Entertainers, as they say, are entertainers and should not be taken at face value. But in a nation filled with idol-worshippers or bhakts, every move of the public figure is under intense scrutiny. The celebrity is expected to be idealistic and virtuous. The entire film industry is, amusingly enough, an industry. And just like any other industry, the film and entertainment industry is also teeming with stress for the stakeholders. Call it whatever you want- stress, pressure, depression, unhappiness, workload etc.- but it is an integral part of the industry.

A cursory look at the NCRB data below paints a grim picture of the society at large. More than 1.3 lac people perishing by suicide every year for the past few years is in itself a public health emergency. Contrast that with the number of deaths due to COVID-19 in the country so far, 15000, and you're astonished to find out the different treatment given to the two, if I may call so pandemics. Why a knee-jerk decision of a lockdown for one and nothing for the other? Aren't suicides a priority for any health ministry of any government in the country?

Number of Suicides over the Years

Just visualise 70,000 deaths due to COVID-19 by end of June, wouldn't the government be taking remarkable actions to prevent or at least lower the mortality rate then? Why it is then that suicide is given a step-motherly treatment?

I'll continue the subject in the next blog with more personal insights and possible solutions.

-Sunny Gusain

*Views expressed are personal.

Curious Case of Patanjali's Corona Cure- Coronil

Peter Parker's uncle once said, "With great power comes great responsibility". Similarly, Patanjali's 

Evidence or Miracle?

Magnum Opus curtain-raiser Corona medicine, Coronil's tall claims should be accompanied by equally extraordinary research and clinical trial data on the efficacy of the medicine. COVID-19 is no joke neither should it be allowed to become one. Even as millions suffer around the globe, some companies are leaving no stone unturned in raking financial benefits out of this calamity. Patanjali seems to be one of the many companies who do not want to miss the bus when it comes to finding a cure for COVID-19. Reasons?  Financial rewards, both global and domestic, are huge. The entire world is in such a state of despondency that any little hope of a vaccine or medicine enlightens the entire world. Companies are racing against time to bring about overnight success. Drug trials are being expedited by medical bodies like FDA and ICMR, which otherwise take years for approving a medicine. As of today, Patanjali hasn’t released data of the drug trial conducted by it for public scrutiny and peer review.

The brazen manner in which the electronic news media covered the unveiling of the drug by Baba Ramdev speaks a lot about the falling standards of Journalism ethics in the country. Nobody bothered to ask tough questions from Ramdev in the press conference due to their overzealous adulation for him. It was only when some actual journalists posed questions about the drug to ICMR- the apex medical body overseeing and approving any Covid-19 treatment in India- that we came to know that the drug is unapproved as of now. ICMR distanced itself entirely from Coronil’s tall claims and passed the buck to Ayush Ministry, which amusingly tried to pass the buck again to ICMR before releasing a press note (read the link below). ICMR shifted the ball on technical grounds of Coronil’s ayurvedic origins being outside its purview and consequently being within the subject domain of Ayush Ministry. Ayush Ministry put out the below press release and minced no words in demanding a clarification from Patanjali regarding technical details of the drug.

 Statement issued by the Ministry of Ayush on claims of Patanjali Ayurved regarding treatment of COVID-19

But by the time the press release happened, Ramdev’s overzealous chauvinist army had already blown the trumpets all over social media, particularly Whatsapp, Twitter and Facebook universities, regarding

Magic Corona Pills?

the superiority of Ayurveda over any other forms of medicine being practised anywhere in the world. Patanjali would have received admonition and a legal notice from the Government if not for Ramdev’s close association with the ruling party. He provides a rare blend of chauvinism, Hindu cultural superiority discourse and cow worshipping, which the ruling party itself stands by earnestly. No wonder then that Ramdev will ease past the Ayush ministry authorities this time as well.  

Whether modern medicine procedures regarding approval were bypassed or not, only time will tell but religious and cultural myths over scientific facts and processes, seem to be the mantra for Patanjali. I have nothing personal against Ayurveda. In fact, I strongly believe in Ayurveda for its unique approach towards human well being through the use of natural herbs and ingredients but the tall claims of Ramdev should be taken with a pinch of salt until more details emerge from the ministry. All said and done, I appreciate and admire the swiftness with which Patanjali came up with the medicine. I hope it works and that Patanjali passes the clinical trials and laid down procedures as mandated by Ayush Ministry or ICMR. After all, India needs entrepreneurs and an entrepreneurial Baba seems to be the icing on the cake.

-Sunny Gusain

*Views expressed are personal. If I offend you, please stay away

Petrol, Diesel Price Rise- 15 Days 15 Hikes

Jet Set Go?

Only two things are progressing exponentially in the country today, one is the graph of Corona cases, and the other is the fuel prices. The double whammy of rising fuel prices and economic distress caused by the pandemic has burdened the lower and middle classes. So the question arises, are the fuel price hikes inevitable? Does the government have no choice left but to increase the fuel prices? Unfortunately, the answer to both questions is an overwhelming “NO”. Comparing the international crude oil prices through global oil benchmarks - Brent, OPEC or WTI- one cannot help but feel sorry for oneself as a consumer.  

 A cursory glance at the below table makes it abundantly clear that the end consumer like you and I have suffered the most. Just compare the two dates- 21 June and 06 Jan- of the year. 

Date	Petrol Price (Uttrakhand in₹)	Diesel (Uttrakhand in ₹)	Global Brent Crude Oil (in  $/Barrel)	Global OPEC (in $/Barrel)
21 June	80.69	71.00	39.72	35.09
11 May	74.57	64.18	29.63	22.71
28 April	72.55	63.17	20.46	12.41
07 April	72.55	63.17	22.67	31.87
06 Jan	77.31	69.18	68.44	68.89

A 42% drop in global crude prices hasn’t resulted in the same corresponding decrease in domestic fuel prices. In fact, since January, fuel prices have stayed put even as global crude prices fell to historical lows. So, are the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) raking in the moolah? Surprisingly, No. One important dimension to explore in this case is that the Government deregulated state control of petrol prices in 2010 and diesel prices in 2014. But the harsh reality is that whenever the prices fell in the global markets this Government has disingenuously increased excise duty thereby nullifying the benefits of any decrease in prices to the end consumer. In fact, since 2014 the excise duty has increased by a whopping 258% on petrol and 820% in diesel. The only coffers that have filled are the Governments. The poor middle class has taken the brunt of high fuel prices-both directly and indirectly. Indirectly through a rise in prices of commodities which are primarily transported by diesel consuming vehicles like trucks and directly through the purchase of petrol or diesel from pumps for personal transportation needs. One estimate puts the Government’s earnings through excise alone in the last 6 years at a monumental ₹ 18,00,000 crores.

As per IOCL website data, Price build-up of petrol at Delhi as on 16.06.2020 puts the total taxes at a staggering 225% of the fuel price. This figure is unacceptable and, to put it more bluntly, is like rubbing salt in the wound except that the wound also has been inflicted by the Government.

A barrage of questions arises, when the Government raked in such a humongous amount of money why did it appeal for charity one month into the COVID crisis? Did the Government deploy the generated resources into productive schemes or to build the much-needed infrastructure in the country? Don’t the middle class deserve some form of Income Support Scheme from the government during this unprecedented financial crisis?

Even when a father lends money to his son for business there is the expectation of handsome returns, so is it wrong for the common man, like you and I, to expect the Government to start giving us handsome returns for our investment?

Numerous questions arise but the Government has no answers. Meanwhile, the fuel prices have been hiked for the 15th consecutive day (as on 21st June). The bottom line is, the high fuel price regime is here to stay, whether we like it or not. Embrace it. Grow your vegetables and start training bulls, for you may require them for your bullock carts.  

As Thomas Paine once put it, “Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.”

-Sunny Gusain

*Views expressed are personal. If I offend you, please stay away.   

 

Galwan Valley and the Curious Case of Anti-China Sentiment

As if the already faltering Indian economy due to the pandemic wasn’t painful enough, the Chinese 

Peace anybody?

adventurism on India’s territory, particularly the Galwan valley, and consequent barbaric killing of 20 brave Indian soldiers has further eroded India’s self-confidence and is likely to further deteriorate the relations between the two nations. At the outset, I wish to confess that I’m neither a defence expert nor an economist, but then neither are those spreading jingoistic propaganda against China without understanding the ramifications of war. As China has progressed over the last several decades, it has slowly but surely transformed into a rogue nation endeavouring to usurp disputed territories by aggression and its military might. The killing of 20 odd brave Indian soldiers is a grave provocation and India would do well to renounce its “eschew violence” policy with China. 

Yes, China has an enormous GDP of $16 trillion compared to India’s GDP of $3 trillion. Yes, China has

Naive Notions

a military budget of $ 261 billion as compared to India’s military budget of $ 71 billion (as per 2019 data of Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)). But to think that India would lay flat on its back when the Chinese come knocking, would be a gross misjudgement on the part of the Chinese. The experiences and tactical advantages, along with world-class military arsenal, which the Indian military has acquired through wars and skirmishes with Pakistan, will come in handy when push comes to shove from the Chinese. India is not only a nuclear-capable country but also has one of the largest and most skilled armies of the world. Having said that, India should refrain from War and maintain its commitment to peace with China as we have more to lose than gain if a war takes place. India needs to be on its toes with its multifarious approach, ranging from boosting manufacturing and modernising army to building defence infrastructure and realigning itself around China’s vulnerabilities.  

 While some chauvinists have begun warmongering on Whatsapp and Facebook Universities, the reality on the ground, militarily and economically, is grim. Infantile Whatsapp forwards prodding the reader to delete anything that contains Sino investment or name are doing rounds in the country. What those

Condolences to the brave souls

imbeciles fail to comprehend is that India will suffer more if we shun all economic activity with China. For instance, as per 2018 World Bank data, total Sino exports to India constituted only around 3% of its total exports while the figure is much higher 5.08% for India. I could elucidate it further but not in this article. The bottom-line is India progresses better, faster and stronger with China’s investment and until we make ourselves self-sufficient we can use the money China invests in India. It’s a game of endurance which India cannot afford to lose. We do have the resources and experience to deal with any Chinese aggression on our territory, but before we embark on the path of aggressive retaliation we should consolidate inwards. 

As Swami Vivekanand put it, “All power is within you.”

- Sunny Gusain

*Views expressed are personal. I am not sorry for any offence caused. 

     

Bankers- Unsung heroes of the COVID era

Bankers, particularly the mid-level and entry-level employees, have been the unsung corona warriors. There has been no

Banker-in-arms

 panegyric on the risks these unsung heroes have exposed themselves to while providing banking services to the most underprivileged in the country.  Yet they have worked relentlessly and assiduously over the past few months. Even amidst the churn created by COVID-19, these indefatigable spirits have made sure that the last mile cash deliverance is carried out with finesse. It is not the Middle and Higher-Income-Groups which suffer when the Government announces draconian and unilateral measures such as demonetization and lockdown but the least privileged classes that do. As much progress as India has made in making its economy cashless, the fact is cash is still the king and will remain so in the foreseeable future. In both the events, Demonetization and Lockdown announced with much secrecy and this government’s favourite shock-and-awe approach, the Government forgot about these vast sections of the Indian hoi-polloi.  These unsung COVID warriors have ensured a sense of normalcy by providing not only the much-needed banking services but also assuaging the fears of the poor about the virus and its impact. Public Sector Bankers are the Government’s arms dealing with these disadvantaged groups.

Serpentine queue 

Delivery of various schemes of the government like PMJDY, PMGKY, Mudra Schemes and Direct Benefit Transfers are made successful even during the peak of the pandemic by these bankers. Just consider this, 19.86 crores Jan Dhan accounts held by women are being credited each month with ₹500 each under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojna resulting in long queues outside banks’ branches’ with little to no physical distancing being followed. Bankers are providing services to all these people without worrying about their safety from the virus spreading from these people. The fact that a lot of bank personnel with co-morbidities and pregnant women staff have continued working even though they are at a higher risk of fatality says a lot about their commitment and devotion to duty. 

All this coming at the backdrop of bank mergers causing pandemonium among the merged banks and its employees makes it even more remarkable. Unfortunately, while in the line of duty, many bankers have lost their lives due to Covid-19 without any gratitude being expressed either by the customers or the Government. We need to recognize the excellent work being put up by these corona warriors and give it the much-deserved appreciation and admiration. Thank you to all my former colleagues and current warriors for being compassionate and diligent during these extraordinary times. You work is highly appreciated. This country and I will forever be grateful.

-Sunny Gusain

* Views expressed are personal. If anyone is offended, I've succeeded.

We are sorry Mr Darren Sammy-the Stallion

I couldn’t hold it anymore. So what got me out of slumber, you’d think. The simple old bête noir of the developed world, Racism. The alleged use of the word Kalu (blacky in English) by some Indian

players for Darren Sammy, a St.Lucian cricketer who played international cricket, during his stint with the IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad got me thinking. Is it even fathomable that brown men can be racists? I mean, in reality, how many fair-complexioned brown men do you see in India? Not many I suppose. Aghast by the allegations against the Indian cricketers, I took a plunge down the memory lane and, holy moly as it turned out, we are racists. The sight of a black person in the office invites jeering. Black children are bullied in schools. Black sportspersons are called names. Dark complexioned people are seen more suspiciously in public life than otherwise. I mean it is such a common sight in the country that hardly anyone seems to care, that is until you are Darren Sammy.

I can’t imagine the shudder and repulsion he must have felt when he learned the actual meaning of the word. The fact that none other than Ishant Sharma, the lanky spearhead of the Indian cricket team, used the racist word Kalu (blacky in English) for him must have been degrading for him but to be fair to the pacer he must have used it as nonchalantly as any Indian does. I am sure he didn’t mean any malice or degradation towards him when he said that word. It’s just the way we are. Delhi, in

particular, seems to lead when it comes to racist attacks. I mean these Dilliwalas wouldn’t even spare their compatriots from the North East and the South. What else do you expect from them? Recently, a Manipuri girl was spat on by a North Delhi man, calling her Corona in the process. You can dismiss it as a one-off incident arising out of abhorrence for the beleaguered Chinese, but then you must be living in obscurity and ignoring the reality. Indian society, in general, is obsessed with fair skin and, quite naturally, therefore, is repulsed by black skin. I mean you’d have to be extraordinarily ingenuous to believe that we aren’t repulsed by the sight of black skin. Just look around and see the kind of advertisements we encounter on print and television media. Oh, you poor baby must be outraged, how can a black man accuse us Indians of racism, even though we are giving him greenbacks in the IPL!

Dear Mr Sammy, I apologise on behalf of us Indians for being racists and discriminating based on colour. I understand the outrage you must have felt when you learnt that Kalu doesn’t mean a great stallion as you had previously thought, but instead meant blacky. I myself was bullied in school for my not so fair complexion and I empathise with your feelings. We love cricketers irrespective of their colour, caste, class and creed. Do not wait up for any public apology to come from Indian players. Tell me, have the Gods ever apologised for their blunders? If you thought this would cause public outrage in India, you couldn’t have been further from the truth. The news wasn’t even a part of the National media circus, which had more significant issues to cover, pun intended.  

We owe you an apology, and we owe an apology to our fellow countrymen as well. I am sorry for being racist. 

-Sunny Gusain

* Views expressed are personal. If you get offended then I've succeeded.