Guru - the keeper of knowledge

For the better part of last year, while contemplating masters, I had to deal with questions on the utility of going for higher studies abroad, given the high costs involved. Few friends argued that the only difference in US and Indian education system is that rather than learning from the books, you would be learning from the authors. But I disagreed. My previous exposure had convinced me that the difference between various societies is primarily rooted in their thinking process. The choice a person makes (in any sphere of life) is a function of available alternatives, information and preferences. Nowadays with the advent of internet, information is freely available to almost all. Globalization has also ensured that people, especially those well versed with outside world know about the various alternatives available. But where the gulf still exists is in people knowing and thereafter pursuing, what they prefer.
What students in US might think cool, in India it might be perceived foolish. If lifelong learning is the manta of Europeans, then cowboyish adventurism (also known as entrepreneurship) is what drives an American. I wonder sometimes, how has India really changed from my parents time. Did Manmohan's reforms just liberalize the Indian economy, thereby opening it to the prevalent global free market climate or did he reform and opened the minds of an entire generation? If we look around, in every sphere, we see a more assertive, resurgent India. 10 year ago when people used to come to America, the first thing they did was apply for a green card. Now they dont care because they know, there is a place back home waiting for them to return and share their fruits of knowledge.I would say that the greatest change has been that people are now looking to move out of their comfort zone and do a lot more things than imagined before.The change has started but the question is- is that enough?
But I have digressed. Let me get back to my original point.I have supposedly studied in one of the best educational institute in India, an institute which attracts arguably the best students in the country in terms of brainpower. These are young,impressionist mind who have all the ingredients in them to become future scientists, engineers, businessmen and academicians. They enter these institutes with a curious, and knowledge hungry mind. Yet, when they leave, most of them have become so disillusioned by academics that they shirk and balk at anything remotely associated with their field of study. That mind, which was once the best in business, and which craved knowledge, now just wishes to rest on the laurels earned long before.What happens in those 4 years? And if that is the state of country's 'best' institute, which educates less than 1% of its total technical workforce, what must be the state of countless other institutes dotting India's landscape?
Why is it that Indians, who came to US for higher studies, found disproportionate success as compared to their friends back home? Is it just luck or is there something in American education system that fosters and rekindles at beautiful mind, thereby helping it reach full potential. I concede the huge gap in information faced by the previous generation, but the primary difference, in my point of view, is in the thinking process, which impacts one's decision making in the face of choices by changing his/her preferences. Be it any sphere (research, start-up, business), sometimes all that is required is some spark of inspiration. Its the exposure to visionaries and trend-setters that really makes a difference to the choices you make later on in life.In America, only the best in business are elevated to the pedestal of professorship and paid, in most part, handsomely for their services. They realize that the expenses involved are a short change for the impact that a good teacher can have on the psyche of generations of students and thereby on the social and economic fabric of the country. High quality educational institutions are unarguable the best investment a country can make, and the returns achieved can be reaped for generations to come. And teachers are the building blocks of such an investment. How many times have we read the biography of an achiever mention the name of his teacher as an initial source of inspiration? In India, most of my peers (myself not excluded), lost respect upon the profession of teaching because of the apparent disregard for the abilities of most of our teachers. But out here, I realize once again, how much social impact a teacher can have, and how much have we suffered and will continue to suffer, till the time we do not encourage our best to again take up the role of teaching. People have derided ancient Hindu customs because of their apparent caste bias and narrow-minded customs but whatever be their failings, they still had the virtue of placing Brahmins at the top of hierarchy list, acknowledging their status as the keepers of a society's know-how and progress.
In school, I used to learn and recite a poem which placed teachers the highest in a student's priority list(even above parents), coz of their status as a Guru and their impact on their character and personality.Somewhere along the line, I forgot that poem and all the interpretations associated with that. Coming here, I have again understood the meaning of 'guru' and have finally realized the difference between learning from 'books' and their 'authors'. I also believe that its the right time to launch another revolution and this time it would be aimed at making us self sufficient in education, rather than spending billions of hard earned money on schools abroad.

New setting, new experiences, new discoveries and resolutions

This entry took a long time coming. I havent really been writing much since my return from the exchange program, but I hope to become more regular from now on. My first quarter at Stanford is coming to a close and till now, it has been an interesting ride. Past two months have been a blur of assignments, homeworks, lectures and failed attempts at getting funding from professors. I have realized that I enjoy academics, but in a mostly applied sense. I am very interested in learning about mathematical (or other) skills that can have direct implications on the daily life as opposed to theorems and proofs which are mostly of interest to academics.
I have somehow become acutely aware of how lucky I am at having got an opportunity to study first at IIT and now at Stanford University, and thus want to make the most of my exposure. I cant help but compare myself to so many of my compatriots who couldnt get a decent education because of poverty, ignorance, lack of seats etc, and thus feel more responsibility towards making my education count. The past few months have made me realize that I can be good at academics and mathematics(U might think its a joke but IIT makes u insecure at times), given I try hard enough. So now the question is, just coz you are good at something does that mean you should do it for lifelong? I recently attended a very impressive talk by Tom Kelley, in which he talked about finding an intersection between what you are good at, what are you born to do and what can people pay you to do. He exhorted students to find out about what they are happiest doing and how they can keep on doing that forever. On deep introspection, I have realized that though I like maths and basically academics, I am not born to solve equations.I have seen people who are born to do so and derive most of their happiness deriving an equation or solving a puzzle. I, on the other hand, have mostly been the quintessential hard working guy with an above average intellect and ambition.
So what is it that makes me happy, what gives me the most pleasure? What kindles emotions ranging from exhilaration, achievement to self-worth inside me. What is it that ignites passion and gives life a sense of purpose and meaning? I had a wide variety of experiences in undergrad years, some good ones and others even better. But the ones which I consider best, and really feel happy about in retrospect, were not some random exams or exam projects, but ones in which we as a group harnessed the energy of youth and like minded individuals to achieve something spectacular.
I have now seen most of the Western world and can safely claim to know something about the culture and lifestyle of so called progressive societies. One thing unique about them is that every country, at some stage, has has a generation that has risen and resolved to make changes, bring about innovation and lay down the foundations for a prosperous future. They have created institutes of great excellence, laid out the infrastructure and set up the system that could then help percolate the fruits of progress to future generations. When I think of success, I think of college and how the grades and individual performances always took a back seat as compared to hostel pride. I wonder if that was just an impressionist youth mind at work or is that a prelude or a sign of something more.What does success mean to me in life? Is it to have a fat bank balance, fleet of luxury cars, foreign holidays and golf carts or is it to say with pride that I am an Indian and am proud to be so, that I am from a country which is known for the cultural tolerance of its people rather than the rigidity and excesses of its social classes, for the brilliance of its innovation rather than the crushing poverty and illiteracy of millions, for the institutes which are envy of the world and centers of excellence rather than being exporters of human capital. If that is what success means to me, then how can I contribute and work towards achieving my goal? How can use my education, my skills, my experiences best so as to make myself useful? I know these questions have no easy answers but at least now I know what is important to me. It is the first step. Long ago, me and my friend dreamt of one day occupying the highest positions in our college. Neither of us was able to achieve that goal, but the experiences gained made the journey seem worthwhile anyway. Lets see how far this philosophy can be extended to life's journey.