Leave aside political affiliations and the flag-waving, slogan shouting, adrenaline pumped personas we adopt while watching cricket and ask ourselves a simple question. To what extent are we invested in our country, and what are we willing to sacrifice for its well-being and progress?
Ukraine, for example, has a population of about 43 million. More than a fourth of this, mainly women, children and the aged, have been either internally or externally displaced by the ongoing war. By most estimates, over a hundred and fifty thousand are dead or wounded, which includes over 30,000 civilians, and counting. The country’s infrastructure is in ruins and despite this, their leadership, wholly supported by the people, fights on resolutely, with no quarter given or asked for. Determined to fight till they succeed in driving the Russians out of their territory, regardless of the time or toll it takes.
In sharp contrast, we have lost over a 1000 square kilometres, of what we claim as our sovereign territory in Ladakh, without even putting up a semblance of a fight. What is even more shocking is that our government, for whatever reasons, has yet to publicly acknowledge this loss. Instead, we have had to face the ignominy of the External Affairs Minister, publicly stating that China is far too powerful for us to confront. What does that say about us?
Read MoreFeatured Image: Council of Foreign Relations
