Tagore and Linux

Open source software believes in "knowledge being free".so did Sir Rabindranath Tagore.Hence for a recent Linux users enclave Tagore became the theme and his poem was splashed all across the venue..."where the mind is without fear, the head is held high, where knowledge is free........has not lost its way in the dreary desert sand of dead habit, into that heaven of freedom my father let my country awake"
Touched my heart. One of my fav poems and every time i read it or remember it, brings a lump in my throat.Isn't this the ULTIMATE freedom one can hope for?How could he have put it so well?When will we be able to say this truly?When will India hold its head high and realise its true potential?
Now some of my wish is getting fulfilled.Instead of India being a nation forgotten,(4 years back in Singapore, I did not see a single word about India or Indian goods in all the 15 days i read the newspapers; and we have here in India, singapore marketing itself all over newspapers) and at worst being mistaken for red Indians.India is now actually being courted by every country!And they are filling up airspace ,tv space and newspaper space with good words about Indians, their workhabit,their expertise in IT, Natural flair of Indians in mathematics,the ability of Indians to think outside the box,their capability to working in teams.The list is endless.I am amazed at this turn of events. Granted the entire exercise is aimed at tapping into our potential as a growing market, but then if it is physical numbers we had them all the time and were told it is a liability!That we have the largest percentage of working population and also largest ratio of population below age 25 and this is anre an attraction for the goods manufacturers. Yes, when the world demography is undergoing significant change, Indian market appears lucrative.And of course outsourcing and cheaper cost of operations is making all global mncs make a beeline to India.
It seems flights from the US to India are running full.We are not seeing very many Indian ministers of central and state cabinets selling India abroad as a good destination. Now the traffic is on the reverse.
India has arrived.Indians can hold their head high.
I was telling kumar the other day , as a country" from a girl's family we have metamorphasised into a boy's family".
Disclaimer:Gender issues not intended,only past social mores are emphasised to make a point!!!