I don’t find it surprising that India doesn’t even come up in any American’s mind when discussing any relevant ideas. Indians haven’t yet learned the art of media/image management. They are still stuck in the outdated ideas that media doesn’t matter. You just have to watch the American media when an Indian Statesman comes to America, to realize the helpless and mediocrity of Indian officials in getting their message out.
Just check out following section …
Is America Ready for Hillary or Obama? – Newsweek Politics – MSNBC.com
By contrast, African-Americans represent only 13 percent of the American population, and minorities rarely serve as heads of state in any country. Only two blacks—Douglas Wilder of Virginia and, this year, Deval Patrick of Massachusetts—have been elected governor since Reconstruction, and only three have been sent to the Senate—Edward Brooke of Massachusetts, Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois and now Obama.
As a Indian citizen, I strongly disagree with the proposition that “minorities rarely serve as heads of state in any country”. In the largest democracy of the world, India, its President is a Muslim, its Prime Minister is a Sikh and most powerful politician is an Italian Catholic women. However, this will rarely be known outside India & Indians circle, because Indians haven’t mastered the art of selling themselves. They don’t know how to sell their ideas, sell their image and show their abilities to others.
I recently learned that Santa Claus was a marketing invention in 1920s and Diamond’s demand was artificially created by media campaign beginning in 1930-40s in America. To me, this proves beyond doubt the power of engaging media and necessity of creating positive public perception about India and Hinduism in general public all over the world.
5 responses so far ↓
JV // December 19, 2006 at 5:09 am |
Really , the power of media is not understood by most of Indians, and such power is withing control selected class of people buinessman and politician etc., who use for their benefit and not intersted to bring the true glory of India.
I can see a small nation like Malesia boasts about being ‘truly asia’ where true asia (india) is unaware about its own wealth and heritage.
I can feel your fury about unawareness among Indians.
JV // December 19, 2006 at 5:10 am |
yes… and I forget to mention whenver foreigner or many NRI come to India they project the darker side of nation and which are published everywhere.
Till this day I see many photgrpahs in Time and Newsweek showing photogrpahs of rural pverty as India…..
dinu // August 16, 2007 at 9:54 am |
SOUTH INDIAN MOVIES ONLINE
http://desipalace.blogspot.com
Manny // October 15, 2007 at 11:49 pm |
and Indian men in hindi movies acting goofy and jumping around trees .
thats the image of Indian men comes up when you think about them.
vomediague // March 9, 2009 at 11:35 am |
“As a Indian citizen, I strongly disagree with the proposition that “minorities rarely serve as heads of state in any country”. In the largest democracy of the world, India, its President is a Muslim, its Prime Minister is a Sikh and most powerful politician is an Italian Catholic women. However, this will rarely be known outside India & Indians circle, because Indians haven’t mastered the art of selling themselves. They don’t know how to sell their ideas, sell their image and show their abilities to others.”
Really well written Abhi, & hey it is very true. Then again you think of people like AR Rahman or even just the Bollywood industry as a whole – i think they’ve projected themselves relatively well on the global stage. On a recent trip to rurl Cambodia there were kids in villages with just 1 common TV who used to go around singing Dhoom Machale. I dont know about you guys but that just stunned me – a far cry from Indian men ‘acting goofy & jumping around trees’ by the way.
Sorry for the mini essay!
-Zahra