While travelling to work in an auto rickshaw, the driver asked me, “Madam aap TV dekhte ho kya?” (Madam, do you watch TV?)
Wondering what would come next, I replied with a nod.
“Hamare desh mein agle saal khel hone vale hain, mehmaan ayenge magar mehmaano ke liye humne kya kiya? (We are going to have games in our country next year, guests will come but what have we done for our guests?),” he asked.
With a very miserable expression he further said, “Padhe-likhe log bhi sadak pe kachra aur thook fekte hain.” (Even educated people spit and litter the streets)
The auto driver is not the only one concerned about this issue.
Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram remarked recently that people should learn to behave like citizens of an international city.
“We want to encourage people to change their mindset,” he said.
The Indian Olympic Association has expressed its concern over the logistical preparations for the event, but who is going to check on how the people behave?
Beggars in the national capital are also looking forward to the Games. A large number of tourists would be a windfall and beggars are leaving no stone unturned to be prepared.
An informal academy has been set up in New Delhi’s Rohini area where children are taught to beg in different foreign languages.
Countries like Germany and China had taken the initiative to train their citizens to behave properly when they hosted the football World Cup and the Olympics.
Should India also start a similar training program or is it too late?
The Indian Tourism’s tagline reads - ‘Atithi Devo Bhavah’. (Our guest is blessed and our visitor is God)
Do you think people will adopt this tagline in the months to come? Are we really ready for a global event like the Games?
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the NCR is in such a shabby state, incomplete venues, poor roads, idiot drivers and garbage everywhere. the governor wants the denizens of the capital to acquire manners and politeness in 200 days. they have not done so in the last 200 years!! we will be mocked and derided for the next 100 years at least for our shocking incompetence and poor performance. and this when we had 8 years to organise ONE city!! this is india, friends. public urinating and spitting on walls, even in government offices and banks, the walls are smeared red and malodorous because men are not tpoilet-trained here. what will the visitors see when they want to travel by train to agra, jaipur, udaipur, mathura, banaras? filthy platforms, even filthier facilities, unruly crowds at ticket counters. what does the government think? that the visitors will be forced to stick to venue-hotel-venue? how will the businessmen make money if the visitors are not allowed to sample what this lovely country has to offer? there is still time - hand over the games to another country better equipped. all they have to do is a little sprucing up of their stadiums, that is all.
- Posted by msA lot of pessimism is oozing out here.
Willy:
@Indian vs China.
@India will organize its mini olympic games without investment in infrastructure-road, railway, accommodation etc. Western contries is pressing India to match and ape China. However there is big gap between reality and Bollywood.”
- Posted by Willy Vee
—I do not think the West is pressing India to match China given the fact that China managed Olymics like no one else did before and the London must be under pressure to match the Chinese. Is that not understandable? The gap is due to the Indian democracy vs Chinese communism which translates into efficiency.
But nothing at all will explain poor management of the games.
- Posted by rajeevI don’t think India has the adequate infrastructure and facilities to host the biggest international sports event of the world. If the Indian Olympic Association and the Govt. are really doing something, its neither sufficient nor satisfactory. Besides it is too late now. The Govt. and IOA have condemned India to international ridicule by their lethargy and corruption.
- Posted by mridulDon’t drink milk with closed eyes… a request to Indian Authorities.. World is watching us. However, there is no need to panic, nobody is fool to kick start the games unless everything is complete.
- Posted by BhushanTo Willy
I really do not believe the West cares to expect India to match China’s performance on Beijing Olympics or to compare it to any other nation(s). Every International Sports committee expects adequate facilities and hospitality by the people hosting the events. Indians should not feel or think of insecurity. Any nation or peoples must simply galvanize their population & focus on the tasks that need to be completed. Many other people have hosted major sporting events: Russians, Japanese, Germans, Brits,… the list goes on. The Chinese were very determined to show off to the world. They have self-confidence and are looking towards the future. Btw some of the English used in the comments by folks is absolutely terrible.
- Posted by RickA possible Solution:
Give this task to BOLLYWOOD.
All Indians get inspired from Bollywood very quickly.
OR Let cricketers do those commercials to alter ‘the mindset’ of Indians so that Indians(even the educated ones) behave like ‘civilized beings’.
Even if a fraction of 1 billion people change, behave like responsible citizens, the idea would prove its worth.
Someone said that Govt. should not be blamed and we citizens should ‘act’…
Lets consider you , I and 75000 others acted. What about the other 1250000000000 people. Not all speak the same language. Thanks to India’s diversity, we would need 100s of leaders to influence their respective followers (citizens)
What I think is…we Indians have always looked upon someone to administer us…manage /govern us. we have never, ever learnt to act ourselves(be responsible).We are like buffaloes, we need someone to show the way.
In other words, most of us are followers rather than leaders.
There is no denying of the fact that India has a great history of Leaders, BUT that era is long gone.
All the great leaders are dead .
The people or citizens who have the potential of a LEADER will never get the opportunity or the medium to become one. Thanks to corruption, beauracracy, Red Tapism etc.
Another solution, I love the most( and I am sure no one would like) is to invite Germans to our country and give them all the power and freedom to change us.Govern us. No interference from the Govt. They should be allowed to do whatever they want. Hard to imagine for some..I know…but the quickest solution for someone interested in quick and great results.
So, you see all the problems are interconnected. So, its no wonder to imagine that the Commonwealth Games would be a disaster .
- Posted by An Indianclick here to know more
- Posted by nehaurl name=’http://www.google.com
delhi commonwealth games 2010 is luxury on indian govt.
- Posted by kota srinivasaraoNo government program can teach civility to people. Educated people should be setting examples. But if educated people are setting bad examples then what to do?
Making laws and penalizing people for littering etc… is going to create few more departments in the government, increase taxes, increase corruption etc… Yes, Hawaldars will be able to make more pocket money.
Installing bins is a good idea. Atleast it gives people an option. An option to litter the waste or dispose it.
P.S: It better be concrete dustbins.
- Posted by SujayDon’t lose hope , India alway a last moment guy to get into train … forget blame business rather create awareness of the improtance of the games . India needs to work 24/7 to meet the deadline of games else tagged as Slumdog Millionaire.
- Posted by SahidAccording to Sepp Blater India is not even in a position to host a world junior tournament due to lack of investment in infrastructure and incapacity to mobilize its people. Moreso much of India’s money is going for the purchase of future US military equipment. What people is seeing in Bollywood films are far from Indian reality.
- Posted by Willy