Indians most proud of their culture: Survey
14 Aug 2007, 0010 hrs IST,TNN

One-sixth of young people, those in the age group 15-25 years, feel politics is the key area in which India must progress if it is to become a developed nation (AFP Photo)

NEW DELHI: A survey conducted by AC Nielsen found that one-sixth of the young identified infrastructure as a key area of focus if real progress is to be achieved.

Only a little less than the 24% who saw education as the key, while 20% felt poverty eradication must be the top priority.

So, what is it that makes Indians so proud to be Indians and why are they so keen to be reborn in this country?

In response to a question on what are the best aspects of living in India, the top answer was the culture of this country. Almost half the respondents, 45% to be precise, gave this as the best thing about India. That included factors like India's diversity and multi-culturalism, its long tradition and so on.

Next in line was the fact that ours is a free, democratic country, one that gives individuals multifarious freedoms and is essentially a country living in harmony. A little under one-fifth of the respondents felt this was the best aspect of life in India.

For an almost equal proportion, the answer was simple � India is their motherland, it's the place where they can be among their own people on their own soil. About one-seventh said family bonding was the best thing about life in India.

Again, it is noticeable that almost all the reasons cited lie in the realm of civil society. There is little in this list of the best aspects of life in India that can be credited to good governance. If anything, the implication seems to be that life in India is good, but it's no thanks to our political leaders.

The same angst about governance is evident in the responses to more detailed questions on what are the important factors influencing progress in various areas � business, science, education, sports and so on. In area after area, corruption, bureaucracy, judicial delays and political interference came up as the most important impediments cited by the respondents. 
 
 
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