Chapter 24
"What is the single most humanitarian victory of this century?" Akash asked Arnav and Khushi who were seated on sofa and reading.
Khushi looked up from the magazine she was reading and said, "Discovery of Penicillin?"
"Regulating nuclear weapons?" Arnav added his two pence.
"Well, these answers do come close but it's actually eradicating small pox from the face of this earth. In 1979 WHO issued a statement saying that smallpox is completely eradicated. The persistence of humanity to get rid of a disease in the time of high intolerance and ignorance is commendable and we should be proud of the fact." Akash replied.
"Why are you giving a sermon about humanity when you have two people in your living room in house arrest?" Khushi said being snarky and flipping magazine pages.
Ignoring her barb, Akash replied, "Do you know how many vaccines are available for smallpox?"
"By your tone I am not guessing it's not a lot." Khushi said looking up to Akash. "It's eradicated Akash and we were probably the last generation to get the vaccination done and have the permanent mark of skin and tissue scarring on our arms." She said and placed the magazine on the coffee table. "What are you getting at?" She asked.
"Imagine what would happen if someone were to drop a vial of smallpox virus which I am sure some research lab is holding it in a contained and secured facility, in a highly populous city?" Akash mused. Arnav dropped the book he was reading and Khushi looked stunned.
"What? The biggest threat to humanity is not a nuke dropping on our houses but battling a disease which doesn't have a cure; something that's created in a laboratory with the sole purpose of destruction as a parameter during synthesis. That's the new name of terror and that's what we should be fighting against in future," Akash said.
"Is this something we should be worrying about in coming few weeks?" Khushi asked blatantly. She didn't appreciate the subtle ways in which Akash spoke about the happenings of future which to her great dismay came true.
"I honestly don't know Khushi. Our country's contribution to science and technology has been significantly lower than most; either that or they are maintaining their below the radar status very well. But the point is, it is something we will have to be prepared for. Anthrax and other airborne fatal diseases could be what guns and nukes are today. It's only matter of time when biological warfare picks up as a mode of terror in our country too. If that happens, then all hope is lost." The panic in his voice was obvious and he didn't bother hiding it.
"Don't we have regulatory bodies which keep a check of breach in research facilities or what the facilities are up to?" Khushi asked Arnav.
"Khushi, as such the investment into research and development is far lesser in this country while compared to investments in other sectors." Arnav said standing up and walked towards the wall which had many photos nailed to it. "I once met this high ranking Japanese diplomat who took me to the side and asked me if I know any ways how bio-tech companies here did their research outside the purview of the regulatory bodies. It was his sales pitch to invest in our country's progress in understanding human genome to target specific sections so that there is advancement in evolution, and fund research as he believed, very genuinely mind you, that the corrupted state can be used for the good of greater humanity." Arnav said looking at photographs on the wall.
He turned around to see that Khushi was in front of Akash's vast book collection and was holding a book in her hand. Akash, however, was leaning on the wall adjacent to the book case and the one filled with photographs and a drink in his hand. The stark difference between three personalities occupying three of the walls in the room
"Isn't it too early for a drink?" Arnav asked holding Akash's gaze. Akash shrugged not letting the jitteriness he was feeling out in open.
Khushi, ignoring the exchange picked on the thread Arnav left open. "Regulatory bodies for science and technology are subpar for the size and the issues this country is facing. The impact of which is directly on utilizing natural resources effectively, mining, labor safety in manufacturing sector, controlling epidemics, predicting and preparing for epidemics, famines and floods, agriculture, infrastructure etc." She said turning pages of the book she was holding. "Where did you get this?" She asked surprise on her face.
"What is it?" Arnav asked.
"It's a commentary on Indian constitution with parallels deriving from Mahabharata; this is brilliant Akash, who wrote it?"
"I was twenty and held a degree in political science. My father gave me this assignment and locked me up in this compound till I finished working on it. It was most excruciating six months of my life and most fascinating one." Akash said pouring himself another drink. "But coming to your point…," he stopped to drive conversation back to its original path and take a sip of his drink.
"But coming to your point Khushi, the size of the country and the state in which we are now slows down the process of advancement in technological evolution. When television first came to country, CRT valves were the primary way how the TV worked. There were more than a dozen in house manufacturers who pumped in TV sets to the market. With the advancement of color television, few of these companies closed. The issue was not with a wide user base but the time required turning around from existing business model to a new one which included a new manufacturing line. The adaptability of Indian companies with advancement in technology has been always slow when compared to outside world."
"And then economic liberalization happened in early 90s." Arnav added.
"Correct. When few of the companies like Videocon and BPL managed to survive and thrive, many like Murphy, Bush, Dyonara and even government run EC went out of business in a span of decade. The reason primarily is with the non-readiness for any sort of advancement elsewhere in the world and the slow rate of adaptability. We don't lack resources, we don't lack talent and we definitely don't lack funds – at least the private sector doesn't, so what is stopping us from pushing the boundaries of technological advancement?"
"What kind of advancement are you talking about?" Arnav asked unclear about the route Akash suddenly seem to have taken.
"I am talking about medicine. I am talking about high precision instruments in manufacturing. I am talking about research. I am talking about space travel. I am talking about seeing what our country's talents are capable of. I don't care about the Nobel Prize wins Arnav. I care about contributing to society – for its betterment and advancement. I'll give you an example. CFTRI – Center Food Technological Research Institute, for example, develops technologies for better production of food products, preserving, exporting, modernize etc., but again, suffer due to insufficient funds. Being the largest food producer in the world, we should be having a center like this in each state or more than one center where agriculture is prominent. But we aren't close to having one in each part of the country let alone a state. Large corporations commission research and technologies for commercial benefits which in turn benefits the country at large."
"Funding is not the only problem these institutes are facing. The required talent, the intelligence is being drained or has already been drained out of this country in past couple of decades. How many of your own friends and classmates live in this country? Educated in science, engineering or medicine, these men and women pursue doctorates in foreign nations just so that their thirst for knowledge is quenched. Reason – our research institutes here aren't updated enough with the latest on goings. These migrations have obviously affected the advancement in sciences," Arnav said.
"Are you talking about brain drain, Arnav? I thought it was the most popular group discussion topic in civil services exams in early part of last decade," Akash said mirthlessly.
Khushi said, "Eighty-eight per cent of Indians who obtained doctorates in 2002-05 affirmed that they planned to stay on in the USA. Sixty-three per cent indicated that they had 'definite plans' to stay on in that they had firm offers which they had accepted." [See, National Science Board, Science and Engineering Indicators, 2008, Volume I, pp. 2.6, 2.35, 3.45, 3.51, and the corresponding Appendix tables.]
"You are freakishly good at statistics," Akash noted smiling slightly at Khushi. She smiled and shrugged in non-committal way.
"But Khushi, this has been the case for several years. When the promised industrial revolution died within a decade of its inception, many started migrating out of the country. The primary reason being -"
"Education," Khushi said cutting Arnav mid words. "The deterioration of which and involvement of politics in running universities made the system very complicated. Add reservation to this mixture, you got a crucible for brain drain. Students had merit but couldn't make it to a prime college because of this very system."
"Exactly. Root cause of it all – education," Arnav said. "Colleges still worry about their affiliation with UGC or AICTE just so that the grants they receive from state government are kept intact. To ensure uniformity and maintain a specific standard of education, more powers are given to these institutions. Instead of liberalization which education system desperately needs, more affiliations are taking place." Arnav replied.
When Khushi didn't reply immediately, Akash asked, "No statistics or anecdote to summarize Arnav's argument?"
"Well there was one thought process which eliminated the concept of colleges," Khushi said. It goes, "As a thought experiment, suppose India simply abolished most of its non performing universities and dispensed with formal requirements of having a degree and instead put in place a series of well-designed exams, which students can take at periodic intervals. How they would choose to "study" for these is left entirely upon them. These exams would be such that they would carry the kind of credibility IIT-JEE does at the moment; except that they would send credible signals to employers about the "quality" of recruits." [See - Devesh Kapur and Pratap Bhanu Mehta, "Mortgaging the future? Indian higher education," Brookings-NCAER India Policy Forum 2007, 26 December 2007]
They were silent for few minutes.
"What's bugging you, really?" Arnav asked Akash who started out on a completely random topic. Arnav now knew Akash for far too long after living with the guy for months now and his facial cues were more than enough to theorize the possibility that something was seriously wrong.
"How long have you both known who I was and what I have been really up to?" Akash asked pouring his fourth drink. He had incredible tolerance for alcohol, something Arnav prided himself in.
Arnav and Khushi looked at each other and Khushi nodded at Arnav as soon as their eyes met. "Since 2000," Khushi replied. "We were in a small lecture hall where the previous chief election commissioner was giving a lecture on transparency to be exercised by the committee during elections. You questioned him on his reason behind expanding his role by creating two new jobs under election commissioner role. A fraction of the manifesto flashed in front of us that day," Khushi said taking Akash's book and walked towards him. "We have known you were for a very long time Akash," she added standing next to him.
Arnav leaned away from the wall and went where Akash and Khushi were standing. He took the glass from Akash's hands and muttered, "That's enough." Akash looked at his prisoners' helplessly.
"We had to become morally corrupt so that you could strengthen your beliefs. We had to take a path different than yours so that you could do your job without too many eyes on you. Things had to be done Akash and with your growing anger towards our atrociousness in political arena, your resolve to fix became stronger and stronger. Frankly, that's what we wanted too." Arnav said standing shoulder to shoulder.
"You will never stand next to me and fight, would you?" Akash asked softly.
"No, we won't. Do you know why Akash?" Khushi asked looping her arm with his. He turned to his left and shook his head. Khushi smiled.
"To call someone a hero, a villain is needed." She said.
"Did you choose me to be that hero?" Akash asked, a little incredulous.
"No Akash, that was all you. We just became villains," Arnav said serenely. "And we will continue to be so," he said unblinking.
"Why?" Akash asked hoarsely. "Why would you give up your integrity for..." He couldn't bring himself to say "me".
Arnav stopped when he saw one of Akash's men stumble into the room. Without another word Akash walked to the man who whispered urgently. Khushi threw him a look of question to which he simply shrugged. Akash was back in less than a minute, his face grim.
"Vikramaditya Rathore was shot today."
Pati Patni Aur Panga
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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