Since the last anniversary - the diamond jubilee - of Indian Independence, readers of a leading Indian tabloid have been cajoled, enthused and shaken-to-be-awakened to the reality of 'Indian system'. Those with sincere (as in willing work full-time) intentions of bringing about a transformation in Indian system have been challenged to come forward and spearhead the 'Lead India' campaign. At the end of a process that was a mix of job-or-B-school-interview and election campaign and which generated excitement a la American Idol with its SMS polls, city-level winners were announced today.
All is good, so far. A company, and quite ably in the publishing and visual media domain, has taken this up. A media firm of its size is apt for this type of initiative simply because it has the muscle and the means to garner sponsorship, information and publicity that the initiative would need. At least someone is doing something about it! With the tabloid's existing readership demographic, the campaign will probably reach the right people who ought to and may care - the youth.
A report card, in the paper today, then stated the next steps of this process. Apparently, the next part of the selection process will be a TV program where in the winners of the city-level competitions will compete in a 'live reality show'. Now, why did I not see this coming?
Reality Show is the order of the day.You give some and you get some. And the media company in questions makes no claims about 'Lead India' venture (that should be the correct term, it is not just an initiative) being a charitable one. No problems with that. It would make no business sense for the tabloid to invest crores of rupees in dedicating hundreds of square inches of advertising space over several weeks to 'jagao' the public about this venture and invite dedicated individuals into this mission.
The keen sense of marketing used behind this is worth noting . They identified the right theme-transform India, they chose the right time- the diamond jubilee, they chose the right medium -a tabloid popular with the youth, and now in a symbiotic operation the group will use print and visual media together to propogate, provoke and prompt the citizens to stand up for themselves and be led by the chosen one. I hope the intentions and the drive can be sustained.
Until a critical mass is reached, any transformation of almost a revolutionary scale is not possible. NGOs and other social activists have been trying to do what 'Lead India' is attempting. The difference is that the former groups' voice did not reach as far what Lead India campaigners have managed to cross (?). So, commercialization (Priyanka Chopra and Shah Rukh Khan are two of the public faces of this campaign) is the way forward. Mass movements require mass communication and today television is no doubt the best mass influencer. The reality show show that will identify the champion for Leading India will probably also find the TRP ratings the network is looking for. After all, we all want India to improve and we all want to have a say in who will do it on our behalf. And if you can involve everyone through their TV sets, it is a win-win-win (sic) for the people, the network and the sponsors.
How for will this go?
Cliched it may be be, but it needs to be said that one needs to have political clout as politicains call the shots at the administrators and bureaucrats. I think 'Lead India' campaign will lead to the emergence of a political party in the next few years, if the initiave- sorry, the venture- finds people's accpetance. One that will have a secular, progressive, anti-corruption based mandate (I can join a party with this jargon!).
While the 'Lead India' campaigners have hit upon a great idea and will probably see it through (over many years, if not decades that it will require), one can almost expect opportunistic businessmen build around this idea to set-up similar ventures to exploit the let's-change-India-weakness of the educated masses and to rake in moolah in the process. It could then become a ropeway for the publicity-hungry and wannabe-but-don't-have-it-to-be publicity mongers. The contribution of such people would be as much as those of item numbers to classical dance.
Anyway, this is a beginning. What seemed like a publicity stunt is increasingly seeming to be a genuine effort to identify true leaders who have it in them; this going by the profiles of those shortlisted. But it may be too soon to talk about the efficacy of the operation.
But will they be able to change India? I cannot say, but I do hope. A reality show may help get the balls if not the hearts to achieve this.
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