The Social Revolution in India

No one realized when it entered our nation. No one knew when it started to grip the nook and corner of our country. But now the social revolution is making it's presence felt whetjer we want it it or not. You get laughed at by a cab driver when you tell the your starting salary as an IT engineer. It's not unusual nowadays to find a autovala's son securing admission into an IIT. It's a usual scenario these days to find your maid asking for some money to pay her son's school fee. Recently we witnessed how athletes from lower strata of the society earned laurels for India at Commonwealth games without much of government support. All these incidences point to a quiet social revolution which no one realized when it materialized. The lower strata of the society has been empowered with not just money but with opportunities.

But what actually happened that this empowerment happened?Did it come along the economic reforms? Or did it occur by chance? Or did the lower strata gradually changed their destiny by sheer dint of their hard work? Or was it the lack of respect towards them by the well off that gave a festering wound which kept urging them to fight against their destiny?

When questions come up like a high tide then it becomes imperative to put the things in perspective to ebb them. Every change involves actions. Every action starts with a motive. History speaks volume that actions driven by a dented heart are as powerful as those driven by good faith. So, it all started with some bruised hearts which let their wounds fester.

Every time a have humiliated a have not, every time you abused your driver, every time you scolded your maid - every time you gave them a reason to ensure that their son or daughter will not live such a life. You hurt their dignity.

You gave them a motive to ensure that their child goes to school at every cost. In fact, you did a social service to the nation. They were hungry for dignity respect and a descent living standard. Education, once a the ladder of success for the middle class, was now a tool for them. And they used it well.

And now you find that your clerk's son earns in lakhs as an IT engineer while your son thrifts money on sports cars.

Was it education alone that empowered them? Not exactly. The growing economy of India and the unignorable IT industry in specific created a environment where earning money was no longer a dream but reality if you are ready to study and slog. When it comes to slogging it out, they are the best. That's precisely what worked for them. They were ready to go to any extent to get dignity and earn money.

There were many other reasons that worked in favour of this empowerment like a competitive market,an educated middle class which believes that merit is above is class, an electronic media which glamorized social service, display of values and support for education.

But it all started with their desire to climb the ladder. It's good for the country that such a change is happening now. But then the attitude of most of the lower strata people is yet to change. Education in India has never been able to change the attitude of the people. It will take time. But then it's also upto the well off to take the new empowered "no-longer low class" with open arms. If we get united and share ideas and views openly, nothing can stop India from achieving the status of a super power.