'Knowledge' - India is losing, while others are gaining!

According to Ghemawat, today's world is semi-globalised, not fully flat. This has helped us partially to bring information at our finger tips through the development of communication and technology. 'Any doubts? Google it!' Search Engines are more or less like a service person who is in direct contact with costumers asking 'How can I help you, Sir?' Anything and everything has an answer and is in front of you 24x7. But the question arising is - Will this help in improving the knowledge of an individual?

Through the advent of internet, information is overloading. Mere information does not increase knowledge. Knowledge is the application of information; that is information in action is known as knowledge. Without the proper mind set to apply the information at the right time through the right approach and at the required place, no knowledge will be developed. Thus knowledge is the integration of various perspectives of applying information in a focused, concentrated manner.

Although many are claiming that India is developing day-by-day, it is not the truth. It is only some figures, especially the financial, growth figures that shows India is climbing the growth ladder. But the real fact is India is losing. For any country, the main asset is its (hu)man power. And this makes India in a strong position these days where more than half of Indian population are youth. This will finally help India to be at par with China where the majority of population is aged with their single child policy.

Mere (hu)man power does not make a country rich or developed. Adversely, it will over burden the country. But the real asset is where the human resources are properly utilised for the development of the nation. When we dig the history of ancient India, it was the knowledge of human resource that made India in a proper position among other coutries. This is the nation of Aryabhatta, Sushrutha etc. They applied the information that they got from their Guru. Acquiring knowledge was a part of the society in those old days; but now education is a part of society which does not bring the real value of education.

The ancient Indian life style was very disciplined which prepared them to acquire new information, without using any books or sciptures. The knowledge of Guru was directly transmitted to the disciples which they memorize on the spot. The students were smart and had knowledge about everything in the universe. Indians and Romans were very good in Mathematics which is the mother of all sciences. But this has changed on course of time. Acquiring knowledge gradually reduced to acquiring information, with the advent of books. This has even diminished by the new technologies. Those who are inventing the new technologies are applying the information that they have, but others are losing. Thus the number of people possessing the knowledge decreases from the ancient days.

At the same time, other nations who realised the potential of Indians and India's wealth, made use of them and are still utilising. But Indians are not realising this. Thus Indians become just the information gatherers and the foreign nationalities put this information into reality. There are Indians who apply the information what they have. But the percentage is very less - may be less than 10%. Not a single student is acquiring knowledge unless (s)he is applying what (s)he has learned from schools/colleges.

True learning will be complete only when the information learned is applied some where. Thus India has lost what India was in those ancient days. At the same time, others gained a little bit from no-where. Eventhough politicians are claiming growth in Indian economy, the 'real' growth is not taking place. It is essential at this point of time to filter out the unwanted information and select and focus on those information which is relevent to a person. Apply those focused, filtered information to be a better Knowledge Capital - a better India. Similar to 'outsourcing' refers to Bangalore, the word 'knowledge' must trigger a thought about India. India - the Knowledge Capital of the world!