WHAT MAKES GREAT NATIONS-GREAT

Stand up and Make It Count

What makes great nations - Great? This question had troubled me for almost over 2 decades now. A careful analysis points to many factors but the one that actually stands out, is its people. People, who simply stand up and make it count.

Towards the end of the year 1997, many countries in South East Asia suffered from a massive financial crisis. Amongst those, South Korea was perhaps the most affected, where the Korean currency “Won" depreciated so much so rapidly, that it left a huge USD 50 Billion hole in the country’s economy. This rapid downfall collapsed and crushed the very backbone of South Korean economy, prompting the International Monetary Fund to extend billions of dollars of a tough bailout package.

Many banks and industrial houses had to close down and thousands of citizens lost jobs. And yet the way these very citizens responded to the national calling is probably a unique example in history. I distinctly remember watching this news on TV, sometime in the early part of 1998. The question that I ask myself is why do I remember it after almost 18 years?

In January 1998, South Korea started a campaign called “Collect Gold for Love of Korea” with the help of Samsung, Hyundai and Daewoo corporation. The government simply appealed to citizens to donate their gold voluntarily. And to the surprise of the entire world people gave away almost everything that was dear to them or had worked hard their entire life for. Housewives donated wedding rings, athletes donated medals, lucky keys, charms etc., and all this was done on the streets on Seoul where officials from these 3 companies would just roam the streets with huge bags, simply asking people to donate gold and people would simply reach out to their rings and put them in the bags, with eyes full of tears. No written accounts of who donated what, no promise or commitment that someday the country will repay it back to you. Nothing. And the outcome?

South Koreans collected almost USD 200 Million worth gold from its Citizens. Simply given away to the country. Obviously given the magnitude of the debt, this amount hardly made any dent but considering the population in 1997 was just over 45 Million, it was a “Herculean" effort.

During the same period the world was taken by storm by the movie, Titanic. But in entire South Korea, not one ticket was sold for the first two weeks. When international reporters interviewed people on the street, the answer was simple. “If we buy tickets in Won*, it would get converted to US Dollars and would leave South Korea. We cannot afford Dollars.”

The above two events have left a very deep and indelible impression on my mind. South Korea came out of the financial crisis quickly (by end of 1999) and today ranks amongst top 10 economies in the world. Years later, when a friend of ours, opened his office in Seoul, he asked Minh-Su (his country Manager, South Korea) about this and she verified it with a sense of national pride and moist eyes. Her face just said, “We made it Count”.

Today, we stand at a cusp of what can transform India into a great nation, and no one is asking for gold nor asking to give up all that we have legitimately accumulated through diligence and hard work. All that is expected from us is patience, faith, bit of hardship too; for about 3 months and additionally if we can manage, then some love for the country. That's all, and we will have an opportunity to carry that sense of pride on our chest and sleeves for generations to come and look in the eyes of our children and grandchildren and say to them, “We made it Count”.

Selflessness motivates me.

Immense national pride motivates me.

Optimism motivates me.

Let us stand up and be counted………

Leave these Bharat bandh jokers discounted

BY Navneet Singhal