Thursday, December 25, 2008

What's with the statistics?

This is something that I wanted to talk about for quite sometime, since Kashkari was nominated to head the $700 billion bailout. Recently I read a news article where in IIT the Governor of Haryana spoke about how 36% of NASA scientists are Indian origins, 35% of Microsoft are Indians. Some might find it interesting. But I don't. While it is very clear that, of the 36% of so called Indian origin NASA scientists, most of them are US citizens. That would be same with Microsoft, silicon valley, MIT, etc., Why do we keep talking about this. I remember few years before I used to get emails about these statistics. some might argue, that these statistics are meant to motivate people. well good. but shouldn't that motivation be something that would benefit the country than the individual. while the entire US is full of immigrants, How many medias or institutions or individuals in Britain, Ireland, Germany, Italy, etc., talk about how their origins are leaders, scientists, CEO's of major companies in US. It would be very interesting to know that. some months ago, I was talking to one of my colleague here who came from India some 20-25 years before and is now a US citizen. I was talking to him about something in India, and told him "well, you know that because you are Indian". He said "You know, I am now a US citizen". I bet most of the 36% so called Indian origins would think the same way. They might keep touch base with India and Indians, just in case, if something goes down over in US, India can be their backup. Though they are the face of Indians over here, You don't have to spread that in india. You would want, the US media to report these statistics, the US corporate heads to speak out about Indians in their meetings, interviews.

Do you want India to be superpower in 2050, 36% Indian origins in NASA wouldn't help. You want 100% Indians in ISRO topping those 36% in NASA. 35% of Indians working for Microsoft wouldn't help. There is one more statistics that people have to remember. More than 90% of Indian IT Industries revenue, which India is counting on for being rich, comes from US and other countries. That means fate of India remains on the economy of one of these countries. For the news media rather than patronizing these statistics, try to focus on people in India who contribute to the development of the country than the individual, and for people who keep talking and forwarding emails on these statistics, please get a life!.

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