I received this interesting email from a GP friend. I found it thought provoking. Have a read!

The email goes like………

AN AMERICAN VISITED  INDIA AND WENT BACK TO  AMERICA
WHERE HE MET HIS INDIAN FRIEND WHO ASKED HIM
HOW DID U FIND MY COUNTRY???
THE AMERICAN SAID IT IS A GREAT COUNTRY
WITH SOLID ANCIENT HISTORY
AND IMMENSELY RICH WITH NATURAL RESOURCES.

THE INDIAN FRIEND THEN ASKED ….
HOW DID U FIND INDIANS ???

INDIANS??
WHO INDIANS??
I DIDNT FIND OR MEET A SINGLE INDIAN
THERE IN  INDIA …
WHAT NONSENSE???
WHO ELSE CAN U MEET IN  INDIA THEN???

THE AMERICAN SAID …
IN  KASHMIR I MET A KASHMIRI–
IN  PUNJAB A PANJABI…
IN BIHAR,MAHARASTRA,  BENGAL ,TAMILNADU
I MET A BIHARI,MARATHI, BENGALI,TAMILIAN…
THEN I MET
A MUSLIM,
A CHRISTIAN,
A JAIN,
A BUDDHIST
AND MANY MANY MANY MORE
BUT NOT A SINGLE INDIAN DID I MEET
…………………………………………………………..
FIGHT BACK –
ALWAYS SAY 
“WE ARE INDIANS”

The email does describe how many of us act in our day-to-day interactions.

Is it not the time we become Indians FIRST before being a Maharastrian, Punjabi, Bengali, Gujarati, Keralite, Tamil, Kannada, UP Wala, Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh or anything else?

The tendency to divide us based on our regional or religious identities is not a great thing.

We are all Indians and that identity must be actively and assertively promoted by all of us. This is more true for our leaders whether they are in India or Australia.

Dr Yadu Singh/Bowral/12th Sept, 2009

* I am attending a conference in Bowral, NSW.