8 Incredibly Simple Ways All Of Us Can Contribute In The Growth Of The Nation

I have noticed a certain category of people around me. In my head, I call them the ‘so what’ people. If they hear a news about something good happening in X sector, they will say, “So what? You should talk about Y sector, it is going down.”

For every pro, they have a con attached to it.

I agree that the cons exist. There are so many things to work on. Where do we start? How do we bring about the change in the present status of the nation with our limited capabilities?

Then again, can capabilities be really limited? If we want to see a change in things around us, we, ourselves have to be the catalyst. Without being a social activist or joining a political party, we can simply adopt these small changes in our habits, that can eventually make a big difference.

With some research and some contemplation, I came across these ways in which all of us can contribute to the growth of the nation:

1. Bringing in the self-discipline of saying no to littering

It is a small effort (might even seem trivial to some), but it has the potential to bring about a major change in the physical appearance of our surroundings. When one person makes an effort, others follow, they see, they get inspired, they learn. It won’t even require much on your part, just a conscious awareness of the little things we take for granted.

2. Discouraging beggars by never giving in

We hear news about how the kids are drugged and forced to beg. We saw the fate of the kids in the film ‘Slumdog Millionaire.’ Whichever part of the country you are from, you must have seen some beggars around. It is a huge network, tough to fight all at once. How about saying a firm no to them, one at a time? When their work lords will see their business model failing, they might eventually give up, won’t they?

3. Contributing to the ones who need it, even though in small packages

Most of us spend our Sundays in bed or in a mall. Some of us plan a road trip. Plan a trip to a slum someday? Gather the kids, teach them a few greetings in English, teach them how to make some craft or how to defend themselves in a situation of bullying or violence. It won’t consume a lot of time, it will give you a perspective, and take it from me, it will give you a happy feeling for weeks to come. It’s quite addictive actually.

4. Avoiding the easy way out – abolishing bribery

I am guilty of bribing, I agree. It seemed like the easy way out. Give Rs 100 to the cop at the traffic, it’s okay if you don’t have a license. Give Rs 200 to the TC in the train, find a seat to sit till your destination. What I failed to realize is that it is rusting the system from its core. My acts are their encouragement, my capacity to afford a bribe is directionally proportional to how corrupt the system is. If I change, the system changes.

5. Opting for Indian made products/helping MSMEs

Opting for Indian made products not just saves you a lot of money, it gives at least some money to MSME which are struggling in the market of major multinational giants, and barely surviving. You might miss a chance to flaunt the brand name in front of your friends, but you are taking the chance of contributing to an Indian brand which might have a bright future someday. All because of you!

6. Respecting our culture and sharing it

Please don’t mistake me for our union minister Mahesh Sharma. I am as westernized as you are. But I am a huge fan of our celebrations, monuments, scenery, yoga, Kamasutra (basically everything Indian) and I can’t cease flaunting it in front of my friends who are abroad. I love to see a live concert of Bharatnatyam, and I always share stories about various lesser known art forms in India to people I meet while traveling. I feel that I am contributing in changing perspective of people about various cultures (not just internationally, but also eliminating the interstate stereotypes). It might seem small, but till we respect each other we can’t expect the world to respect us.

7. Supporting entrepreneurs and encouraging them

It requires major guts to leave your comfortable job and sacrifice luxuries to establish something of your own. The colleges that have an entrepreneurship cell along with the placement department have major respect in my eyes. Till we learn to create something, we won’t be able to grow. And the people who are doing it need our support. Their success doesn’t just improve India’s reputation, but also contributes to the nation’s economy.

8. Being aware

Read the news, know your laws, know about the Indian economy, revenue schemes, the state of Indian hospitals and education system. Ignorance is not really bliss. Until you know the problem you can’t help with the solution. It raises your intelligence level, makes you sharp, and people can’t fool you. You become better at taking life decisions that are not purely selfish, but helps the masses as well.

These points cannot solve everything that is wrong with India. Yet they can at least make an attempt at correcting few things that need to be brought in order. There are many more things that ordinary individuals like you and I can do to make sure that our country becomes better than the places where youth these days migrate to for a better lifestyle, often leaving their families behind.

Let’s not lose hope yet, please.

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