"Upwardly mobile India"
Indians are strutting the streets of London, exploding from restaurants and shopping as never before
Holidays are over and schoolchildren are back in class. But, just a month or two back, some of them (those who could afford it) headed for Europe, especially the UK. In fact, there are more Indians roaming the Oxford Street than the British. From the rich, to the who is who, to politicians with their sidekicks, to bureaucrats who manage an official trip, including a daily allowance — all can be spotted walking the streets of London.
Despite the fact that the country is going through a plethora of crises, no one seems to be bothered. It is as if the charges of corruption, the CBI inquiries and the Government machinery coming to a halt has become routine. So, why spoil a foreign trip with the family?
It is amazing to see that most shoppers in London are either Indians, Chinese or Japanese. They are the ones who now boost the economy of Europe and the US.
Though the quality of service in England has gone down a few notches — blame it on the migrants who have recently come in from new EU member States with language problems — it is definitely not affecting middle class India visiting the country.
Restaurants are buzzing with Indian families trying out new cuisines. With elderly women dressed in Marks & Spencer jeans and tops, it looks that it is not just the food that they are experimenting with. Of course, the children are head to foot in designer labels and carry the latest cellphones.
What is even more surprising is what I saw during my visit to Edinburgh Castle which is built on a volcanic hill. There were busloads of Indians visiting the spot. Every restaurant in Edinburgh had more Asians than the Europeans. This shows how much our economy has impacted the middle class which can now take family holidays abroad, an experience that was, a decade back, limited to only privileged people.
And it is not just Indians who are reaping the benefits of the position India has recently acquired. Indians settled abroad have also found a new confidence due to the rise of India’s global positioning. It is very encouraging when you hear foreigners approving of the fact that at least the country has started to take action against high-profile people involved in scams.
Our Judiciary has made sure that all the corrupt are dealt with sternly. It is another matter that, with time, the cases might become weak and most people would have forgotten about it, like Suresh Kalmadi who now insists he does not have dementia.
We may have our problems but one thing is certain — today, every Indian can hold his head high while travelling abroad. Our economy boost has given us a sense of supreme confidence. We know that we belong to a nation which has a bright future, even though there are many hurdles we are yet to cross.
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