Illuminating the Arts-Policy Nexus 

India: The largest English-speaking democracy in the world has loads of untapped talent. However, India has not been able to shine like other players of the Asian miracle. Engineers run the show in PRC and their numbers speak volumes. In contrast, India's largely incompetent bureaucracy continues to be a farce for a nation vying for a rightful seat at the table on the world stage. Unless there are drastic improvements, I'd myself suggest that the world not take India seriously unless it can articulate a vision. Thanks to the largess of others, there are already ridiculous quotas for Dalits and Muslims. Have any diamonds come out of the grand giveaway in 60+ years? Has there been a study to estimate staggering losses from denial of education and posts to the highly qualified which were instead thrown away at average quota claimants? A huge landmass was generously given away as Pakistan during the partition all in the name of Islam -- has Pakistan produced a single world class scientist or a noteworthy invention? Instead of eliminating the legacy of the caste system, has the socialist era quota system not reinforced silly fault lines of the 20th century, along with backward divisive politics of vote banks? What is even more interesting is that the Congress Party has been instrumental throughout in promoting caste-based politics, and giving election tickets to dubious "connections". A lack of vision is so obvious. Given that in the 21st century India is finally on the road to economic progress, why not Indian politicians wear proper suits during foreign visits instead of donning uptight stodgy Mao-wear or the trademark cotton pajamas (cleverly used for fooling vote banks too)? No change in mindset or apparel -- the body language speaks for itself. Regardless of the party that holds the reins, leadership should be based on qualifications only i.e. pure meritocracy, not any other criteria, and definitely not birth certificates! History shows that dynamic countries lead, others follow. India can't afford giveaways anymore. What India needs is to reinvent itself.