Incredible !ndia

Apparently, Priyanka Chopra is lobbying hard for the role of brand ambassador of the Incredible !ndia campaign. I would doubt authenticity of anything that comes on Zoom TV, but I was genuinely pleased at some level. Don’t get me wrong -- we are all proud Indians; but it’s not very often you get to hear of people going out of their way to associate themselves with brand India. (Slightly besides the point -- but from what I hear, it's sort of a symbiotic equation, the person probably gains as much in terms of popularity from being the face of the campaign, if not more.)

And is it high time brand India is vindicated! I am not delusional and I don't deny that things (standards of living, infrastructure to name a couple) need improvement -- but what needs to be revamped manifolds is the image of India that has been projected for decades. -- the stereotype perpetuated by activists, NGOs, film-makers, writers (and Indians might actually be more guilty of this than foreigners). I mean, for God's sake, thousands don't die of hunger, or of leprosy (or of anything, really!) on pavements along streets of Kolkata... Neither is half of Mumbai occupied by slums. Need I go on?

Let’s specifically consider the context of tourism in India. Now, I can’t claim to be much of a traveler and USA is the only other country I have been to (so naturally she has to bear all the brunt of comparison :) ). And so what, if you aren’t going to give me enough credit for being objective about all this -- but as much as I was impressed by architectural gems that skyscrapers of Manhattan are; I was even more blown away by beautiful temples of Dwaraka and Somnath (may be it has got to do with my preference for details over scale)... Bridges are my most favorite man-made structures and you possibly don’t get more iconic than Golden Gate or Brooklyn in that department, but Howrah just convincingly beat them on “personality” (especially if you are into taking long walks)! Where do you think I would choose to go back  – meadows of central park or idyllic tea plantations of Munnar? Rock Creek Park in all its glorious wilderness or coconut orchards along western coast? Very honestly, it would be great to experience the new year’s eve at jam-packed Times’ Square, but boy, do I wish I get to experience company of millions chanting at Kumbhamela or (Jagannath Puri's) Rath yatra at least once in this lifetime! 

I understand it’s unfair to continue along those lines -  to compare these different experiences; but the point I am trying to get across is that there is just so much India has to offer. India has things so unique and diverse than those cliches of colors and spirituality -- Magnificent Humayun's Tomb. Majestic Red Fort. Marvelous Mysore Palace. Gorgeous Hawa Mahal. Imposing Stupas of Sarnath. Tranquil Belur Math. Pristine Victoria Memorial... (Well, I have earned my fair share of bragging rights, you see!). Truly and frankly, we don’t seem to be doing a good job of promoting tourism for India. Just slogans and ads and posters aren't enough. It has to get into our DNA at a much more fundamental and subliminal level. Like that guide accompanying us on night tour of Washington DC, who would go on and on about FDR and Eleanor, about JFK and Jackie. It mattered not that it was freezing cold as we stood by the memorial – “Lincoln is my man” was argued with such conviction and passion - almost as if the guy personally knew him from previous birth! Freedom Trail tour in Boston is done with such flamboyance, it feels like a broadway show with colonial times back on the streets! Contrast that to our guide in Jaipur who won’t stop talking about locations at spectacular Amber Palace with references to shooting of Bollywood movies! 

How I wish we had a formal observation deck that offers aerial view of Queen’s necklace and Worli Sea-link somewhere in Mumbai -- because trust me, the view of New York City from Empire State building is truly breathtaking and not at all overrated! In Capitol, you get to watch a dazzling A/V that showcases America and her history -- I could think of at least five places in India where something like this makes perfect sense -- but only similar experience I recall is watching a brilliant video in Akshardham temple in Gandhinagar. I am not into spirituality much, but even with the unique experiences on offer – whether it’s aarti at Ganga ghats or dips in triveni sangam at Prayag, holy cities of Varanasi and Allahabad are big-time let-downs and need to be taken back to the drawing board if they are to be world-class tourist attractions. I could have spent all ten days I had in DC around National Mall  going through those incredible museums.. and a weekend was nowhere near enough to go through MET in NYC. And in comparison, museums at world heritage sites across India feel so under-stated and under-funded. Why can’t we take a more academic and methodical approach to celebrate our culture, art and history?

Of all the campaigns going around, I sincerely want this one to succeed the most. And though I believe that externally oriented portrayal of India needs a makeover, I do not think wooing foreigners should necessarily be the major focus here. An aspirational upper middle class emerging in today’s India is much more easily approachable target audience that could help prosper and in turn further evangelize brand India. Sometimes we seem to forget -- for one sixth of the world's population, India is already the greatest country on earth.. And why not -- tell me one other place where love gets as “wonder"ful as this: