Educational Institutes and the building mindsets

We always talk about empowering youth. We talk about globalization. We talk about equality. We talk about our changing mindsets.

I have grown-up in a small town, where talking to a boy was a crime. People would talk ill about you, and even the most educated upper middle class women would gossip about how bad the 10-12 years old girls were when they used to talk to boys. Fortunately my parents were brought-up in a very urban family, and never really restricted me on interacting with boys. I always thought it’s just a small town thing, and people in Mumbai must be open-minded (Mumbai was a fascination back then for me). Well, my opinion changed in just a year after I shifted to Mumbai.

Now let’s get to the point. Recently I attended a college festival of a quite well-known college in Mumbai. One of my friends was performing there. I was in the audience when I saw that there was a barricade put in the middle on the sitting area, one side was for girls and the other for the boys, that was the first shock. There were NSS volunteers standing around the barricade. Now what these volunteers were told to do is, not to let any guy and girl talk to each other from above the barricade. That was another shock. There is already a barricade put, there are a lot of volunteers to make sure that people don’t jump over the barricade, there are also teachers standing around, keeping a look on all the audiences, then why are these volunteers asked not to allow girls and boys talk to each other? And look at the irony, there is dance & fashion show competition going on, with all kinds of romantic tracks, girls and guys dancing together, hand in hand. Backstage I see girls and guys sitting on each other, chatting having fun and here they are trying to prove that they are much disciplined?

Well, whatever was the reason, Educational Institutes should be concentrating on educating students, I never believed that colleges should inculcate moral teachings, it should in-fact talk about how prejudiced is the society and talk about equality between girls and boys. I don’t know how right I am but this, don’t talk to each other, stand apart, and watch your friends performing is just not right. It is a very sick attitude.

A Language doesn't limit you, human nature limits you

Recently a really talented friend, asked me a question, 'Is English language necessary in every sector of Media?'. A Maharashtrian, enthusiastic, confident and talented girl is what I know her as. Since I have known her, she has always been trying to learn how to communicate in English, and she has improved. When she asked me this question, I was taken aback, she isn't someone who would be demotivated, who would ever think she is any less capable than her counterparts. The point here is the answer of the question she asked.

Well, unfortunately or fortunately, English is one of the necessities today. But if you cannot properly communicate in English does not mean, you cannot grow personally or professionally. Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Bengali etc. define the essence of India, they mark the culture, the traditions of India. Media is for Masses, and thus Regional media is here to stay, is my opinion, but of-course, a lot of scholars argue that survival of Regional media is under threat, taking in account the globalization. 

Haven't we forgotten what is media, and why is media? Development, Globalization. Westernization, cannot change the basic motto of media. Media is to inform, to influence, to change, to empower the masses, and most of the India still depends on regional media. I have known people, educated, well-versed in English, and yet prefer reading a Marathi, Gujarati or Bengali newspaper. And in my opinion, the power of English, as a language cannot be as influential as a regional language! The ease that a regional language provides to express ourselves cannot be provided by a foreign language.

Now on a personal level. How many Indian clients, we meet today, know how to converse in English properly? Okay forget that, how many Indians will laugh at you when you talk to them in their mother tongue? Aren't there any successful, filthy rich, well-known Indians who still struggle with English while talking or writing? Yes English is a global language, and it is important to be able to communicate in English, but not being able to communicate, does not limit you, it becomes difficult to grow and survive at a point, but not impossible. Growth majorly depends on what you communicate and how you communicate, not on what language you communicate in. I find myself highly incompetent when I can't communicate properly in Marathi, in-spite of living in Maharashtra from past 21 years, I find myself highly incompetent when I cannot communicated in my own mother-tongue. I find myself highly incompetent when I cannot understand certain words in Hindi, in-spite of Hindi being the national language of India.

So, my dear friend, trust me, you are a talented female, and your efforts in trying to learn is commendable. Do not let anything demotivate you, because, a language doesn't limit you, human nature limits you. The people who think you won't grow if you don' know a language, limit themselves. Nothing can ever stop you, unless you want it to stop you.