Talking Point

Danny Boyle’s, eight Academy Awards winning yet controversial film Slumdog Millionaire, set and filmed in India, gave the country another name derivative – the Slumdog Land. The name tagging apart, the film also carried a deeper symbolism for India, a land of many contradictions.

As India surges forward in taking big strides of development, there are millions of slumdogs, aspiring to become millionaires all over the country in their own entrepreneurial ways. The making of new India thus needs a thoughtful blend of big ticket macro development as well as the inclusive growth of micro-small-mid sized enterprises for a sustainable growth path.

26th Feb 2009: True to assurances, the Air India flight to Trivandrum took off on time and after a brief halt at Kochi, touched down at Trivandrum at 8.50 am. I was met at the gate by a representative of a resort, the venue for the seminar. As we sped off from the airport, a massive billboard with the message “IF KERALA IS GOD’S OWN LAND, THEN YOU ARE IN HEAVEN” caught my attention. I looked out at the surroundings, spotting nothing heavenly in particular. However the landscape somehow looked strikingly similar to that of Bengal. The greenery, thatched roofs, frequent canals and hyacinth-covered ponds all looked very familiar. The profusion of the red ‘sickle-and-hammer’ fluttering from every conceivable vantage point also added to this sense of familiarity.

By now, we had entered the resort premises. My luggage was taken care of and I was efficiently escorted to my allotted room. The place was delightful, with lots of swimming pools and guests enjoying the leisurely ambiance. A bit too hot and humid, but serene. From my room on the second floor, I could see the Arabian Sea gently lapping against the embankment, hardly hundred meters away! The hot bath after the sleepless night and a change of clothes felt heavenly indeed! I hurried to the seminar hall, well in time for my 11.15 slot.

My presentation went off rather well. The lunch break allowed me to catch up with the other participants, many of whom were known faces. The afternoon session, as usual was listless, the heavy lunch having taken its toll on even the sharpest of minds. So finally, when at 6 pm it was decided to call it a day, everyone seemed to be greatly relieved.  That evening we continued our conversations over cocktails and poolside dinner. The weather continued to remain sultry and windless. Everything else seemed heavenly.  

To be continued …