Four from India in the Forbes Top 10 Richest in World

Eventually India is rising and glowing red hot among the world as the most developing countries with the growth rate of nearly 7% for the last decade. And the latest example will be the four Indian Billionaire’s name in the top ten richest persons in the world according to the Forbes List of Richest Persons. Morale of Indians is boosted and of course we are feeling like the Boss at this moment. The Steel Czar Laxmi Mittal is at the fourth, with Mukesh and Anil at the fifth and sixth position and the DLF owner K.P.Singh at the eighth- while Warren Buffett dethrones Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates as the world's richest man. These achievements really make us feel proud as the common people of India.

But the real question is that-is it something that we should be proud of? Is it the measure of our growth and the India being strong? Do these numbers and positions really reflect the reality that we come across in our real day to day life? If you think that the answer is RIGHT than you are WRONG. With the 28% percent of our people Below Poverty Line by Indian Standard (Calorie Standard in rural areas was 2400 calorie and was 2100 calorie in urban areas, 1978) still it is a dream even of becoming world giant where as in U.S it is merely 12% to 13%. Also there is another Underlying Problem- the International Standard of calculating the Poverty Threshold is per Head of Purchasing Power Parity, which if under 1$ per day depicts Extreme Poverty. According to that calculation 45% of Indian People are extremely poor and 80% of Indian people are poor (2$ per day). So, if the standard is kept the same then the BPL in India will rise to 45% and in U.S it will be 13%.

Now comes the next question what is our position with this regard. Is it a false hope that we are bearing in our heart which will become a burden any day and haunt us or shall we celebrate the development of our country for the past six decades? From my point of view yes, we have done good and also we need to do much better. And of course there is no glory for us and cause for us also to celebrate the four Billionaires in the Forbes top ten richest list. They are the representatives of their own wish, will and of course hard work. But they are not the face of India, better they are the exceptions. With people dying for hunger (Amlashole in Bengal) [1] and committing suicides for debts (in Andhra)-shall we boast of these media created hypes like Richest in the World or Miss Universe/ Miss World [2] ? Or shall we use the newsprints for those who actually needs them? May be we know the answer very well.

[1] – The Telegraph Apr 26, 2005 (“The report said that at least 23 people had died in Amlashole and Kankrajhor from starvation and malnutrition. Most were children between one and four years old.”)
[2] – Before reform period we had no Miss Beautiful!!! (Except 1966-Miss World) and suddenly from 1994 we are having them in tonnes!!! Large Indian Market got open for beauty products and hungry marketers… easy puzzle I think.

(courtesy Wikipedia, usefilm.com,The Telegraph)