Quizzing

There was a time when I used to love quizzes. I used to answer the questions posed at me and I took pride in answering them. Soon I realized that I had decent knowledge about India but when it comes to world, I am as good as anyone. I did participate in few quizzes in school and won as well (not necessarily because of my contribution).

Nevertheless, I came to college and I actively participated in quizzes. Oh I know some answers, I helped my team get some score but every time I did not clear the preliminary round. It was sad but I did not lose hope. I persevered for a complete one year before realizing it was futile. I had to either get a partner whose knowledge complements me (world, sports, entertainment) or I had to raise my comfort level in the weaker fields. Unfortunately, I failed in both and lost interest in quizzes. Despite this, I did seldom frequent quizzes. After all these years when it's almost time to say goodbye to college, something unbelievable happened. We cleared the first round though by sheer luck and finished third in a tie (4 finalists). I know it's not great but still it was a refreshing moment.

One would wonder why I would recall these things here. It's a valid question and I do have an answer.

The theme of quiz was India and though we managed to qualify for the finals, one thing was clear. It's not sufficient to know just about India. In a global world, it would be foolish to call yourself aware if you are aware just about India. There are numerous things associated with the nation or have/ can have impact on the life or psyche of its citizens. Shutting oneself in seclusion is not a good choice. There is free flow of ideas, goods, people. With their intermingling, a new world is evolving. Its said "learn from others' experiences". Isn't it better to know what other countries are doing to solve persistent problems like traffic management, illiteracy, food security and development of their people. I believe there is lot to learn from others and in this process evolve solutions that would suit us as per the local situations.

The keyword here is innovation. Innovation does not occur if we close our minds. We need to free ourselves from prejudices and think how best we can solve the problems of society and become a great nation. Amid chaos all around, conflicting thoughts and ideas, a mixed sense of joy and dismay about our nation, the poem by Rabindranath Tagore aptly defines our aspiration :-

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
By narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake