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A career in politics

Assuming you are a teenager, what do you aspire to become? An engineer, a doctor or a lawyer? Or maybe a movie director, a film star or a cricketer?

Why not a politician? Why not?

The point is, the youth of today don't think of politics as a career option at all. Their frame of mind is tuned in such a way that their aim is to study well, earn well and lead a good life with a good wife/hubby. That's the mindset now.

"No cousin of mine has ever thought of politics. They have all gone to the US to study god-only-knows-what. No pal of mine has even talked about politics as a career option. That's why I am not interested. Actually, what should one study to become a good politician? IAS? I really dont know...," trailed young Raghav. That leads us to an interesting question - what do we have to study to become a politician? (Let's leave the good part of it for now!)

Raghav cannot be blamed. The blame is to be put on the entire system that governs us; a system that grinds us to study well, work hard and settle down; a system where if a child says he'll take to politics, he'll be called 'crazy' by his elders.

Then again, we cannot blame the elders. When they hear news about TANSI, SPIC, etc., when they hear of midnight arrests, when they hear of all the corruption charges, who will actually be keen?

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hi im 17 yrs old. but im in c..... - the savior, mysore, 9/25/2005

a group, raising slogans again..... - nachiappan(Hindu author), chennai, 4/22/2005

Your article is quite patrioti..... - Praveen, Chennai, 1/31/2004

Interesting article. Youngste..... - Rajagopalan, USA, 1/29/2004

States are not moral agents, people are, and can impose moral standards on powerful institutions. What are the moral standards that we have set? What have we done to encourage 'good' politicians and kick out the bad ones? Questions that can be easily asked and so tough to answer...

When a perky child, all of 10 years, can stand erect and say, "I want to become a politician," with voice as firm as clenched fists, with the conviction that one can associate with the magical line of - 'I WILL do it', that day will be the day when India really 'shines'; that will be the day when Kalam's dream world will become a realty; and that child, whoever it is, will go on to become a major influence on our country. Jai Hind!

Srinivasa Ramanujam
Published on 29^th Jan, 2004

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