You too can make a difference.

(This piece is the first of a series from Ms Odette Katrak, Gurgaon.  Odette is an HR professional, Soft Skill Trainer and a Social activist )

India is a democracy, a free country. You are free to exercise your choice on how you live as a citizen of this country. You have your right to education, your right to vote, your right to justice. Democracy also unfortunately has been interpreted as being free to break traffic rules, free to spit on the roads, free to litter, free to urinate in public – and sadly, these habits are what set India and other developing countries apart on the world map, as citizens conveniently choose to forget their responsibilities. Add to this mess, you have scams, corruption, etc. The irony is that the silent majority turns a blind eye; the rest make noises but do little to change things for the better.

In my twenties, I was too busy carving out personal success in my career and establishing a happy family to worry about much else. In my thirties, I achieved both of these and only then did the state of affairs everywhere begin to irk me - road indiscipline, poor roads, queue jumping, other examples of selfish behaviour - to touch but the tip of the iceberg. So I indulged in armchair criticizing, I raved and I ranted, I complained to everyone who cared to listen and even to those who did not – and I believed that in doing so, I was being an active citizen. On the rare occasion my complaining moved to any action, it was an angry outburst with only a negative impact. Then in my forties, it hit me. I could channel all that negative energy into positive suggestions. I could move out of the pit of complaining and rise to visible action.

A few years ago in Bangalore, I’d see the very same deep pothole day after day on my route (our roads were usually pothole-free). One fine day, it suddenly occurred to me that someone could have a nasty accident at night when the pothole was not visible. I emailed details of the pothole to the citizen’s grievance column of our newspaper. It was published the next day. The pothole was filled two days later. That was the first time I realised I could make a difference. The effect of having been able to influence something by just a little effort on my part was quite life-altering. For me, it was the start of a journey of trying to make a positive difference, wherever and whenever I can.

We recently had a new security agency in our building. The new guards were falling short of expectations. Everyone was grumbling. I completely understood where they were coming from. Remember, I had been there, done that! So what could I do that was different? I made a list of things they needed to do differently, and handed this over to the person in charge. As it happened, I ended up doing a soft-skills session with these guards, telling them ways in which they could do a better job than currently – in short, how to exceed expectations instead of falling short. Yes, concrete suggestions and some investment of time (half an hour was all it cost me) has resulted in a visible difference.

It gives me immense satisfaction today to know that I can make a difference in many such incidents every single day. Sometimes it is just a small difference, sometimes it is not so small. But I do regret that I let two whole decades go by – how much more I could have managed to change for the better, if I had my current mindset two decades earlier. Let me make amends by addressing you young adults of today – so you know now what I did not know then – and you do now, what I did not do then. Criticism or complaints will give only emotional release. (I’m hoping you have gone past the stage of inaction). Suggestions, on the other hand, will make a lasting difference. When something has gone wrong, your suggestions can prevent repeats and reduce inconvenience for others.

You, young ladies and gentlemen, are the change agents of a better tomorrow. You can sit back and ignore what is happening. Or you can be a part of a positive change. All you need to do is think positively and act.

Warm wishes as you embark on your journey to being responsible citizens,