India, New Delhi, November 24, 1990.
Engineering College, Kanpur.
There was a large picture of Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam on the wall of a dorm room, and a few 21-year-olds were watching Doordarshan on a small black-and-white TV.
"Did the Prime Minister say no license? What about electronics?" Student number 1 asked.
Student 2, who was typing on his DOS computer, looked at the others and said, "I can finally use the jute processing system I designed. I will visit the bank tomorrow to verify everything. If it is true, I will go back to West Bengal tomorrow. I will open my own jute factory there."
"Hey, brother, we can do a partnership. You know that when I was in my 3rd year, I made a moisture sensor. My moisture sensing technology will improve the retting efficiency of jute." Student 3 looked at Student 2 and proposed to him.
"Hey, Bhai, do you want to block your own road? Listen to what the Prime Minister said. You can use your own ideas in your own way. If you open your own production factory and produce your own moisture sensor device and sell it, you will get thousands of customers like this Bhai."
Student 4 said.
"I thought I would go to America and settle down... but now my blood is boiling. For the first time, I feel like India no longer wants to survive, but India wants to invent."
Student 5 said excitedly.
. . . . . . .
Pune, at a tea shop.
In the tea shop were a farmer, an unemployed young man, a retired soldier, and a local businessman.
They were discussing newspaper headlines.
A tea shop is the only place in India where no one cares about your profession. You can participate in other people's discussions as you like. You can express your opinion. No one will ask you how educated you are and whether you know anything about this subject.
The retreat jawan thought about his service time and looked at the news headlines with emotion, "Do you see this line? [If industries set up their units in rural and backward areas and invest in the welfare of the people there, then they will receive 100% tax relief on their profits for five years.] I have served in the Northeast for many years. If every village gets a clinic and a school— that is the real nation building."
The local businessman said, "I run a chili drying unit. Tomorrow, I will go to the District Collector's office. I want to land in Satara. I will build a school there..."
The farmer said, "When my son works in your factory, then please admit him to your school, too."
. . . . . . .
Textile Trader's Office, Surat.
Two successful traders were listening to the broadcast.
The two traders are two brothers.
Brother 1 said, "This Aryan is serious...if we build our unit in Rural Navasari and build a clinic, then we will be tax-free for 5 years...this is a very bold move."
Brother 2 agreed and said, "Who says no? The old system is over. Let's go next week."
Brother 1 said, "Hmm, but I think it would be better for us to buy the land that the landlord offered us last year. We will open a clinic — but also a school. We will open a school with our name on it."
. . . . . . .
Dusiya Village, Chhattisgarh.
There is only one radio in the village. All the villagers come to listen to the news on the radio in the morning.
A farmer wiped away tears of sorrow and said, "If this project had started ten years ago, maybe my son would not have gone to another state and met with an accident there. Maybe he would have stayed with us and helped us in our old age..."
An educated woman from the village who teaches the children said, "Wait... if a factory comes here and we open a school here, doesn't that mean we will get proper books with which we can give the children a proper education?"
A small boy who did not understand anything innocently said to his father, "Baba! Baba! If you open our school, I will gain a lot of education and become someone like Kalam. I will be the first to improve our village."
"Haha! I'll wait then. But for that, the factory has to come to our village, not that we can get a school just by our thought."
"Hmm~!"
India is now in a state of excitement.
. . . . . .
Foreign media were curious. Early signals from Indian traders are very positive. Some Western media ridiculed Aryan's move. They say India has not learned from its past, which is why they are allowing foreigners to enter India.
Their opinions are like theirs. But the businessmen's vision is not as low as theirs. They see a big market before their eyes.
Some Singapore-based NRIs, with whom the External Affairs Minister has been in discussions for several days about investing in India, sent a fax last night: "Review immediate opportunities in the rural belts of Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra."
Aryan's PM office.
Aryan entered his office, jacket in his hand. Ramesh and Ravindra were already seated with a cup of tea.
When Aryan saw the dark circles under Ravindra and Ramesh's eyes, he grinned and asked playfully, "I hope you slept well last night~!"
Ramesh chuckled nervously and complained, "Umm, sleep? I still replied to the telegram at 3 am. CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) wants a press conference. FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) wants to have breakfast. And my wife wants to know if this government is giving me extra pay."
Rabindra shook his head, twisted his face, and said, "I had the worst sleep of my life last night. I only slept for two hours. But that sleep was luxurious for me."
He paused for a moment and glanced at Aryan, then smiled softly and said, "But I realized something last night!"
Aryan laughed at Ramesh's words but got curious after hearing Ravindra's words and asked, "Oho! What did you realize?"
"I've been in politics for twenty years...this is the first time in twenty years that I've heard that our country is no longer in fear."
"You've turned industrial reform into a moral promise."
Aryan listened and nodded, then he went to the window and looked outside. His eyes hardened as he said, "You know our main purpose is not to promise..."
Ravindra was confused and asked, "So?"
"We're not promising them! We're telling them what we're going to do. We're going to do it. Today, like the day before, a little girl is still waking up in the morning and walking barefoot in the field with a weak look in her eyes! Nothing has changed yet! Everything will change when that little girl wakes up tomorrow morning and gets ready for school." Aryan didn't stop them from celebrating their small successes, but he told them the hard truth of reality.
The two of them fell silent.
"Sir, your hasty plan initially surprised all the ministers...but overnight, things took a 180-degree turn just because of a few new changes you made. You made us heroes overnight." Ramesh and Ravindra are showing multiple files to Aryan. They are showing him what has changed in one night.
"But honestly, I'm also scared."
"We are afraid that one wrong move will turn us into liars overnight."
Aryan sat down in his chair and said warmly, "Then stop walking alone."
"You start walking with those who got you to this point."
"You choose who you know who actually wants to change the country, or who just wants to make promises but shows laziness from time to time. Bring them into your ministry, and you will no longer be afraid."
"They will be your strength...just like I have chosen you all."
"Do you think I chose my cabinet at random? I have studied all of you, I have known all your information, I know your nature, and I know that you are responsible and dutiful."
"..."
"So what now?" Ramesh asked.
"Your job is to finalize the blueprint for the Rural Industry Welfare Zone."
. . . . . . .