There simply isn't enough room on this planet for its six billion people, and the grossly over inflated undue enthusiasm that half of them display in the name of the new millennium's loving visit. Though personally, I would like to have as little to do with this upheaval as possible, the only matters I cannot quite get myself to discard are those pertaining to foresight. Of course, not one of us is going to live to see even a measly tenth of the millennium go by; so we had all in our right mind, best choose to look only as far as the next century.

The world does a 100 metre dash on an oval running track. Some are placed ahead to start with, and except at the end, they are all at different positions at different instants. It would therefore widen our perspective too much for comfort to want to keep all of the world in mind. India, at the crossroads, makes an ideal subject.

Our country has been rising to the top, starting at the very bottom, of a seven layered cake, which is far too much change in fifty years. The next century then should see us settling comfortably at the top, and see our mentality come of age after suffering it many confusions. I dream of seeing an India where the people love their country, less for its glorious past and heritage, and more for what it now is - a great group of people, potentially the most powerful in the world, working towards the unity that will eventually get them there.

Our understanding of 'Indian Culture', as it were, needs to be redefined. 'Indian Culture' has been rather narrowmindedly made to mean the culture that prevailed only upto the British 'invasion'. It seems that nothing new that we have to offer will ever become part of Indian Culture. It seems that the last fifty years were a waste of time, and nothing that came after our independence will ever become history. In their insecurity, the 'Guardians of Indian Culture' have rather indiscriminately attacked the west, without a sense of gratitude for their gifts - democracy, and the press and media, which today are our country's greatest strengths. So very closed is the chapter on Indian Culture, that if today I were to say that R.K.Laxman's works are national heritage, I'd get nothing short of cold stares that bespeak offence at my attempt to put something contemporary in the same league as the Vedas and the works of Kalidasa. I am yet to see a glimmer of hope for all of this to change.

The 'Guardians of Indian Lifestyle' are today painfully impervious to the contribution of technology, as it brings out their innate fears (fears, which thankfully are not worshipped!) of 'electricity' and 'chemicals'. Much to our relief, a couple of worthy leaders already see the need for change, and the need to think with a slightly more urban mind; to shift our focus, for once, from agriculture, and acknowledge the importance of other fields that humans pour their souls into. From the look of things today, this change may well be the first to properly set in.

On the other hand, the change that will be brought about probably only by a miracle, would be the equality and dignity of labour. As it stands, the contemptible hierarchy (having its roots in the even more contemptible ancient caste system) of occupations, and the respect in society that they command, is the greatest hindrance to our country's unity. The day that the concept of nth class employees vanishes is the day that India has all that an America or a Europe can boast of.

And of course, much before any of this can materialise, India should see its most badly needed, and what will be its most celebrated breakthrough - the displacement of the ugly misogynist, patriarchal society, by one which respects women as equal to men, rather than as inferior beings who just happen to be indispensable in their physiological and familial roles, which very sadly has been the case for a long time now. I shall love to see the death of chivalry and other such concessions, and see simple and plain equality in their place. Also, from the numerous examples of women's excellence that thrash the daylights out of male chauvinists everyday, I can only feel happier that the day of women's empowerment isn't far.

Somewhere in between, little mercies in the form of stringent copyright laws, observance of animal rights, and empowerment of teenagers and youth would be warmly welcomed. Even as I am now tempted to go further and dream and hope forever, I feel I may be encroaching on twenty second century territory, so I must very simply stop.