India is 63 years old

Its been 63 years since independence from Britain. While the country has no doubt made a lot of progress, a lot remains to be done and in some ways it is regressing. Progress is mainly in terms of producing enough food to feed every Indian, but the sheen is off due to an inefficient public distribution system and rudimentary storage mechanisms which ensures that a lot of the food rots before it reaches the consumer. Hopefully the new entrants into the food service market will bring better efficiencies. Progress in achieving a mobile penetration rate of about 50% and the lowest prices in the world; set back by a greedy politician offering cheap licenses to a few newcomers at throwaway prices(for a donation to the DMK benevolent fund?), injecting unhealthy competition to an already fragmented market. Top that with the sky high rates that the mobile companies paid for the 3G liscenses, more to get elusive spectrum than to serve a need for 3G services. Surely these companies will not have the money to spend on 3G equipment, resulting in a delay in introduction of true 3G services in India. Progress in terms of producing millions of engineers; tempered by the fact that 60% of these are not employable, because of the poor training imparted to them by a inconsistent regulatory system in many parts of the country. Progress in terms of producing thousands of high quality graduates through a heavily subsidised network of IITs, IIMs, Govt. Engineering colleges, and Arts and science colleges, contrasted against a significant majority of school children not being able to read. The country has regressed in terms of politics, with only the most venal individuals in society being able to flourish in the dirty game. Metros that were supposed to be engines of growth and commerce allowed to go to seed (with the sole exception of the neta's pet New Delhi). Regression in the attitudes of urban citizens who do not bother to vote. Regression in the way we dispense our charity. Millions to the teeming temples, churches and mosques. And a pathetic amount to investment in education, healthcare or women's rights.

Anyway, I hope the next 63 years will be better than the last.