Happy Independence Day

It would seem that everywhere I live has an annual day where they celebrate freedom from the tyrannical rule of the British in all manner of colourful forms. And India is no exception. Today is the 60th anniversary of partition and we were awoken at what seemed like the crack of dawn to much singing, chanting, and even fireworks, eminating from the Tibetan hostel down the lane. The newspapers and TV are full of independence stories, appropriate movies, and celebrations of India's rise from the ashes. While there is no disputing that India has certainly stepped out from the shadow of colonial rule, and many of its industries are thriving, it seems to be at a cultural crossroads that will take patience and flexibility to navigate. Younger Indians today find themselves with the choice of moving into office based positions, but are often the first generation of their family to do so and the transition can be challenging. And while they are earning good money and building their careers, they can still be held back by deep-seated beliefs and attitudes: the bright young female executive who has to marry and leave her hometown to live with her husband's family, giving up work, or, the inter-office sexual harrasment borne primarily out of the fact that for many, this is the first time these young men and women have been able to co-mingle so freely. These are issues that western companies seldom face. Another startling issue here is the amount of people who resort to suicide as a 'get out' clause when problems arise, giving South India the highest suicide rate in the world. The news is full of horror stories, day in day out, such as the four young girls who tried (half of whom succeeded) to poison and kill themselves when one learned she was to marry against her wishes; or the woman who was bullied, day in, day out, at the hands of her mother-in-law with whom she lived, so she poisoned herself; or the man whose family was being pressurised to pay such a high dowry to their daughter's future in-laws that he hanged himself. Most of these situations seem to stem from a clashing of old and new beliefs and instead of fighting against them and creating change, many sadly feel left with no option but to check out. One can only hope that the next 60 years sees a cultural change that blends the best of the old beliefs with the all the promise that the new generation has to offer.