Three facts about India in the space of 8 months
1. In Oct 2013, when Cyclone Phailin struck the east coast, India successfully moved close to half a million people from the coastal regions. One of the world's largest disaster evacuation feat, there were 44 people killed in this cyclone. Remarkable considering just 14 years back, 10,000 people were killed in 1999 in the same region because of a cyclone.
2. In Nov 2013, India sent out Mangalyaan, a Mars Orbiter which is half way now across to Mars. It was achieved at a cost of $ 76 million, which was roughly 1/10th of the cost of the latest US Mars mission sent a few days later. Primarily India's mission is to demonstrate that it can successfully do interplanetary travel (4th nation).
3. Starting April 2014 till this second week in May 2014, India conducted the largest democratic elections in the world. 64% of 900 million eligible voters have exercised their democratic right.
I always see two yardsticks for developing countries. First is what is lacking? Second is how much more to catch up with?
India has a lot to catch up with, 66 years after attaining Independence. But it is a good India capable in diverse fields. India has demonstrated, time and again, that a set of good people with focused objectives can achieve bigger and greater things at ease.
1. In Oct 2013, when Cyclone Phailin struck the east coast, India successfully moved close to half a million people from the coastal regions. One of the world's largest disaster evacuation feat, there were 44 people killed in this cyclone. Remarkable considering just 14 years back, 10,000 people were killed in 1999 in the same region because of a cyclone.
2. In Nov 2013, India sent out Mangalyaan, a Mars Orbiter which is half way now across to Mars. It was achieved at a cost of $ 76 million, which was roughly 1/10th of the cost of the latest US Mars mission sent a few days later. Primarily India's mission is to demonstrate that it can successfully do interplanetary travel (4th nation).
3. Starting April 2014 till this second week in May 2014, India conducted the largest democratic elections in the world. 64% of 900 million eligible voters have exercised their democratic right.
I always see two yardsticks for developing countries. First is what is lacking? Second is how much more to catch up with?
India has a lot to catch up with, 66 years after attaining Independence. But it is a good India capable in diverse fields. India has demonstrated, time and again, that a set of good people with focused objectives can achieve bigger and greater things at ease.
