The Book of Life

Germany, China, Spain, Hungary, South Korea, Cuba, France, and Australia. This is not an isolated case. Those who travel abroad or follow global developments know that, at the international level, India’s presence is relatively limited. For example, it does not figure prominently among the leading industrial nations. In modern scientific research, its contribution is often not widely recognized. Similarly, in terms of quality, many of its educational institutions are placed among the lower ranks. What is the reason for this backwardness? One observer explained it in these words: people’s minds are lost in trivial matters. They do not focus on the truly important issues of the time: “Men’s minds are lost in trivialities, and not attuned to the challenging issues of the time.” Whether it is an individual or a nation, the secret of progress in this world is to ignore small matters and concentrate only on issues that truly shape the future. Indians have not learned this difference. That is why, despite half a century of upheavals, they have made no significant progress. A STEP BEYOND THE JOB W ing Commander Muhammad Yusuf Khan (born 1943) is a pilot by profession. In addition to this, he has a passion for journalism and regularly contributes