INDIA-AS A BRAND –PARADISE ON EARTH TOWARDS 2020

If we were to look over the whole world to find out the country most richly endowed with all the
wealth, people and beauty that nature can bestow in some parts, a very paradise on earth with a
perfect eco-system blessed with the beautiful flora and fauna with a amidst of forest and
mountains ………..I should point to INDIA.

MAX MULLER

PROFILE OF COMPETETIVE INDIA

 A nation that is prosperous, healthy, secure, peaceful and happy.
 A nation where the rural and urban divide has reduced to a thin line.
 A nation where there is an equitable distribution of energy and quality water.
 A nation where agriculture, industry and service sector work together in symphony,
absorbing technology thereby resulting in sustained wealth generation leading to higher
employment potential.
 A nation where education is not denied to any meritorious students because of societal or
economic distribution.
 A nation which is the best destination for most talented scholars and scientists all over the
world.

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE INDIA AS A BRAND

 BPO of the world- from the eyes of US employees who lost their jobs.
 People with the best brains- proved through Silicon Valley.
 The birth of great entrepreneurs- TATAS, MITTALS, PREMJI, MURTHY etc.
 Simply the land of Sadhus, Snake-charmers, mountains, and rivers, actually what India as
a brand is! It cannot be identified with a single image.
 India is a brand containing diverse culture, society and huge population.
 Illiteracy rate is very high but at the same time we are considered as the people with the
best brains.
 Most of our rural population doesn’t have access to basic medical facilities but our
doctors are considered as the best all over the world.
 Unemployment rate is very high but it is Indians who are responsible for the
unemployment of a chunk of US population.
 We are not visible in any truly global sports like football, but our cricketers are
worshipped like god.
So for a moment consider what should be the USP for brand India? Or it contains the bit of
everything but not any single as a whole.

There are several factors that could weaken China’s prospects, especially risk to political
stability and challenges facing its financial sector as it move towards a fuller market orientation.
India will be hard pressed to accelerate growth rates to levels above those reached by China in
past decades. India could well emerge as a brand by the end of 2020.

People with best brain definitely Indians are the people having best brain and it is the Indians
who have prove their excellence exploring the hidden potential in every nook and corner of the
world; whether it is SPACE, TECHNOLOGY, SPACECRAFT etc. Also if we examine the
faculty list of various leading universities of the world we are sure to find many Indian names.

Bollywood Corridor now bollywood has really gone global with our cinema penetrating new
markets in US, Middle east and other parts of the world. Amitabh Bacchan, Ashwariya Rai has
to tackle the same kind of mob outside also. Now Hollywood is copying Bollywood like Nicole
Kidman dancing on the tune of CHAMMA CHAMMA.

A true democrat indeed, India is the largest democratic country and nobody can disagree this.
Unlike China, Indians have the liberty to elect their own representatives.

Curry, Samosas, Indian food wah! Curry is making everybody in the world crazy. Now people
of US, UK are going crazy for Indian food. Clinton, Tony Blair has openly praised Indian food.

Land of spirituality India from the very stage is considered as a spiritual land where one can
find calmness and peace. Indian Ayurvedic medicines and Yoga is trusted by the world today.

So to sum up India has lots of attributes which can give it a brand image. Only requirement is
that every Indian should work honestly towards it!

CUT-THROAT CHALLENGES BEFORE US

There are certain challenges before us which are to be addressed collectively in the immediate
future to foster pace of national development. These are-

 Service to society
Our scientists should become civic scientists and contribute towards societal
development and transformation. Civic means concerning the community or the people.
In the new capacity, they should step beyond their campuses, laboratories and institutes
and move into the centre of the communities to engage in active dialogues and action
with their fellow citizens. They should ask themselves a question as to how their
knowledge can make an impact on common man’s life. Our civil servants should become
fearlessly people-oriented, have a positive attitude, responsive.proactive transparent and
provide unbiased services to the billion people.
 Primary education
The 86th Constitution Amendment Act provides Right to Education Bill for children
between the age group of 5 to 14 years. Urgent action is needed for providing suitable
school, infrastructure and appointment of good teachers for providing quality education
to the children blended with the modern technologies of e-learning and tele-education.
While doing so a review of the syllabus is also required to prevent overloading of the
children for ensuring blossoming of their creativity.

 The brand image of higher education

The nation’s vision of developed India requires thrust to scientific and technological
advancement. All our IIT’s and IIM’s have graduated as world class brand institutions.
These characteristics should be nurtured and preserved. We should also encourage
universities to become cradles of higher learning and research, contributing generation of
high skilled global human resource force.

 Examination Reforms
We have witnessed that many national examinations have been the target of attack by a
select group of corrupt individuals who undermine the very fabric of secrecy and
transparency of the conduct of these examinations. While we should deal with these
individuals with sternness to protect the image of our national selection system and
quality, we should also find technological solution that can ensure tamperproof
examination system.

 Agriculture and Agro-food processing

With framers in focus, farming technology as their friend and food processing and
marketing as partners is indeed the second green revolution. From now on to 2020, India
would have to gradually increase the production to around 400 million tons per annum.
The increase in production will have to be done under the reduced availability of land
with reduced water availability using technological inputs.

 Pharmaceuticals
Institutions of pharmaceuticals sciences and Pharmacy industries need to evolve an
integrated and comprehensive National Pharmacy vision to meet the challenges to design
drug development, production and marketing. The major challenge before the pharma
community is to prevent the entry of spurious drugs and eradicate its presence in the
market.

 Space research
With our self-reliance in space programme,it is time we should enter into the global
market aggressively. The exploration of the moon through ‘Chandrayaan” and keeping
sight on Mars will electrify the entire country, particularly young scientists and children.
 Defense
Modernization of our armed forces with force multipliers is indeed progressing to meet
the national security needs. Defense technology has led to the development of long range
missile systems and supersonic cruise missiles, light combat aircraft, electronicwarfare
system, radars, under-water sensor, combat vehicles and armaments. The Indo-Russian
joint venture programme-BRAHMOS is one of the leading examples of development,
production and marketing of state-of –the-art missile system.

 Energy sector
India has the power generation capacity of hundred thousand megawatt which could be
tripled by the year 2020. In addition to the power generation from the conventional
sources we need to enhance the power generation capacity through non-conventional
energy sources to attain power security. Desalination plants can be co-located with future
nuclear power plants for converting sea-water to drinking water. We need to establish
large solar farms of 800 to 1000 megawatts capacity in many areas to augment the energy
requirements.

 Cleanliness is next to Godliness

The status of environmental cleanliness is one of the indicators of development of a
nation. As a nation, we have to keep our environment clean and tidy. This is essential for
better health conditions of all citizens and also for presenting a wholesome and aesthetic
atmosphere for us and for the tourists visiting India. It is essential that we keep all our
places of worship and rivers clean and tidy to preserve their innate divinity. Each state
should promulgate appropriate local laws for promoting harmonious environment in their
regions.

CONCLUSION
A challenge that test our strength of body and mind, a mystery that baffles our
understanding; a riddle that gets more complicated the more we try to figure it out; a
tough exam where you are called upon to solve the most complicated and unexpected
questions. The path of success is not strewn with roses but one meets with most deadly
thorns, dangerous curves, and unexpected turnings that frighten and exhaust ordinary
models. Similarly the vision of seeing a developed nation is not an ordinary task but it is
also not impossible provided we all Indians strive hard to attain it.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

 INDIA: An Emerging Superpower in the 21st Century- National US India Chamber of

Commerce.
 INDIA: THE NEXT GLOBAL SUPER POWER?- by Namita Bhandare (Ed.) Year:
2007. ISBN: 978-8174365101
 India : The Emerging Economic Super-Power : An Agenda for the Next 50 Years-P.V.
Rajeev and C.K.G. Nair, Deep, 1998, x, 186 p, ISBN : 81-7629-101-3

 India: The Next Global Superpower-Author: Hindustan Times, 6 th Edition, Publisher:

Roli Books ISBN: 8174365101
 www.indiastudychannel.com- Last access on 28th June 2010.

 Indian Companies in the 21st century- A survey by WWF’s Trade and Investment
Programme,Mohammed Saqib, The Rajiv Gandhi Foundation Rajesh Sehgal and Dennis
Pamlin, WWF