We owe a lot to the Indians, who taught us how to count, without which no worthwhile scientific discovery could have been made!"

                                                                   Albert Einstein

Not only this, we have also gifted world the grammar and logic, philosophy and fables, hypnotism and chess, and above all numerals and the decimal system. This is what makes India, India! A nation of hope of more than one billion people, a nation which is all about celebrating life! All this makes India Shine, a country which is full of hope, enthusiasm and spirit.

But is India really shining? India has been the country hit badly with most number of terrorist attacks last year, inflation has now reached a new height, some villages are still waiting for electricity and basic amenities, in quality education we've a lot to do and achieve, dowry deaths still take place in India.But ,As someone said, if you cannot solve or take initiative to solve the problem, you are part of it! So lets make India what it was or at least take a step towards it…

Jennifer Winget:

Do you think India is shining?

Of course, India is shining. If you compare the life 20 years back to our present, you will see the difference. We have many exceptionally talented and intelligent people in our country and they are the ones who contribute to our growth.

What do we need to improve upon to be a developed nation?

I think there is a lack of awareness in all the fields. When a person wants to make a home nice, and he does not know how to go about it, then is there any use? And education is the way in which we can spread this awareness everywhere. If education is the key, then awareness is the also a key to better future.

One thing that you've learned from last year as an Indian.

Last year was not a good year at all, especially the way in which it ended. It was tragic and I think if we are to avoid such incidents in future, we need to upgrade our security and protection. Instead of crying over spilt milk, we need to learn the ways of tackling it even before we face it.

The most proud moment of India according to you, of last year..

I don't know about last year, but this year it has to be Rahman">A.R. Rahman winning the Golden Globe Award. He has brought us into the international picture, and made the entertainment industry proud. He has given us a new hope to visualize our dreams.

Which politician/personality do you think has the potential to be Indian Obama and why?

I think our politicians are competent in their own way. But instead of thinking all this, they need to take the situation in their hands and do their best.

Kunal Kapoor:

 Do you think India is shining?

Yes India is shining but for the wrong reasons like terrorists attack, scheming politicians and recently the Satyam scandal. However, Slum Dog Millionaire and A.R. Rehman has really made India shining.

What do we need to improve upon to be a developed nation?

 Firstly we need to be humans, and then we need to be less ignorant, and should take charge of things. The young crowd should wake up and we should vote for the right person. I too never used to vote, but I have realized my mistake now and will vote from now on.

 One thing that you've learned from last year as an Indian..

Unfortunately due to terror attacks, we Indians have learnt not to be ignorant and to take charge of situations.

 The most proud moment of India according to you, of last year..

I think the terror attack was the moment which proved that we are so much united. I know the terror attack was bad, but the unity shown by all should be appreciated.

 Which politician/personality do you think has the potential to be Indian Obama and why?

I think Rahul Gnadhi and Shahrukh Khan have the potential. I think SRK should get into politics as he is very intelligent and clever.

 

Aastha Choudhury:

Do you think India is shining?

Yes I think India is shining as we all know that most of the countries outsource doctors and engineers from India. In that way, we are all well known outside our country too.

What do we need to improve upon to be a developed nation?

 I think education is the only field which can help India to develop. So the Government should encourage more and more institutions and provide more scholarships to the needy.

One thing that you've learned from last year as an Indian..

We have learnt that our security system is very weak, and we need to work on that..

The most proud moment of India according to you, of last year..

The proud moment was when everybody was out to protest on the road against terrorism.

Which politician/personality you think has the potential to be Indian Obama and why?

I think all the young and budding politicians should be given the task of managing the country, while the older ones should step back.

 

Sharad Kelkar:

Do you think India is shining?

Looking at the current scenario nobody is shining bright due to recession. However, the situation is slightly better now. The way we are going about fighting terrorism is right, and for this, I can say India is shining.

What do we need to improve upon to be a developed nation?

Of course we need to improve and there are just two important things that need to be looked upon. Firstly, the problem of population� It has been increasing immensely and that needs to be controlled, and secondly its corruption which arises due to over-population. We should stop blaming others and start taking initiatives.

One thing that you've learned from last year as an Indian..

The way we fought with terrorism. Everyone could see the unity in us including the foreign countries. There is no cast or racism factor seen these days. It makes one feel good.

The most proud moment of India according to you, of last year..

I think India has really excelled in sports last year. We got a bronze and a gold medal for boxing and shooting respectively which is indeed a great achievement. We have also excelled in technology.

Which politician/personality you think has the potential to be Indian Obama and why?

Rahul Gandhi and Omar Abdulla are the two personalities who can be compared to Obama. They are of the new generation and can balance things well. Their ideologies will be good for the country, as today the world is going through lots of changes and these personalities can easily make the changes keeping the current era in mind.

 

Aamir Ali:

Do you think India is shining?

Absolutely!! Even though recession is going on now, our economy is very strong. In fact, about 85% is manufactured and consumed by us, and this will help us progress at a good rate.

What do we need to improve upon to be a developed nation?

We have seen many ups and downs last year. However, after every night comes a new dawn. I used to be in shock seeing people lose so much money in shares, people losing their lives in ghastly terrorist acts etc. But touch wood, all has got better. We need to learn from our mistakes and progress.

The most proud moment of India according to you, of last year..

Irrespective of cast and religion, we stood tall against terrorism, and I think the entire nation has learnt this the hard way.

Which politician/personality you think has the potential to be Indian Obama and why?

I am really impressed by the way Omar Abdullah handles things.

 

 

 

 

Reporter: Srividya Rajesh, Ranjini Nair, Rachana Trivedi

Banner & Pictures : Shagun

Concept & Author :Nishtha