There is no such thing as a free lunch

“There is no such thing as a free lunch” reminded the Nobel Laureate Professor Rolf M. Zinkernagel in his recent Convocation address to the graduating students of KIIT-University at Bhubaneswar. He was highlighting the value of women in society and how their efforts have often subsidized economic growth of communities, states and nations. Most societies, in return, have not done enough to recognize this valuable support extended by their women folk. Nations that have realized this, however, have given ample opportunities to their women folk and are on the path of rapid development. At the same time, cautions the Nobel Laureate, challenges related to accelerated development have to be handled carefully by balancing the cultural sensitivities of civilizations. Like Prof. Zinkernagel, his associates from Switzerland have been articulating similar messages during their several visits to this part of the globe in recent times. These are important messages in a world going global and supposedly with ingrained democratic values.

At the same time we see accelerated development luring young minds towards lucrative ventures promoted by “academics-turned-businessmen” in and around Cambridge, USA. Reports indicate how biotechnology companies have sprouted up around MIT and Harvard University spending billions of dollars for promoting research and development. [See report: Biotech Topples the Ivory Tower]

Thus, while scientists in Switzerland are reaching out to the masses (local as well as global) to justify their research spend; Corporations in America are trying to lure academics out of their ivory towers for boosting their profits.

India needs to be careful with its own compulsion of facing challenges related to inclusive-growth. Weighed down with a legacy of caste-based politics, it has failed to create structures to exploit greater global opportunities - leading to economic commentators ridiculing us of our fatalism and slow “Hindu-rate-of-growth”. This in part is, perhaps, due to our several social redundancies which are the result of ill-understood customs and traditions taking the form of ritualistic proportions. Blind adoption of rituals may lead us to dark alleys of yesteryears and mindless acceptance of global adventurism may force us into situations of ideological conflict. I urge the Indian community (at the basic level of the family) to consider what is socially relevant in participating in a healthy global economy.
It is time the Indian community faced religion with reason for accepting global opportunities with grace. The first step in this direction is a caste-less society which should internalize the Nobel Laureate’s message - “There is no such thing as a free lunch”.