VANDE BHARAT

Published in the Sunday Vijay Karnataka on 11 August, 2024

Things indeed can be made appealing. The ‘Vande Bharat’ trains have showed us that situations can definitely be turned around.

We had a meeting with our sales partners a few days ago. As you know, most meetings are conducted on platforms like Zoom and Teams these days. Thanks to the makers of these platforms.
Last year, in San Jose, I parked my car outside the Zoom headquarters building and expressed my heartfelt gratitude. During the two years of COVID, Zoom stepped in like a saviour and helped us keep in touch with each another and thus kept us alive in a broader sense of the term. On that trip, Sunila and I also hired a car to visit the Apple and Google campuses, and we even visited the showroom at Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California, where we purchased a souvenir. Even though these companies are purely commercial, they have made our lives so much easier that they feel like modern pilgrim sites. We visit them to express our gratitude.

In our sales partners meet, anyone who wishes to join comes, and we interact with each other for three to four hours, as if we are detoxing from virtual meetings. The general agenda involves their questions and our answers, or sometimes there are no specific agendas. ‘Let's meet directly, have a talk, and then solve any queries’, is the only expectation. During one such conversation, a partner asked, ‘Why aren't we conducting tours by train?’ Before we could respond, someone else said, ‘No, no one wants to travel by train these days. Who has that much time?’ Many noded in agreement. Then a voice chimed in, ‘Oh, but have you ever travelled by the Vande Bharat trains? What amazing trains they are! Neat, clean, high-speed, automated doors, fire sensors, CCTV cameras, Wi-Fi, battery backup, GPS. These trains are really nice’. And thus began the conversation about Vande Bharat trains.

The most important thing I noticed was the pride everyone expressed towards Vande Bharat trains. There was a time when we and tourists used to travel only by train. Later, the option of train or plane became available. However, discrimination emerged between tourists travelling by train and those by plane. Among train travellers, those in second class were considered lower category, and those in AC class were considered upper. Similarly, among plane travellers, those who travelled AC class by train were considered lower category compared to those traveling by plane. In the past, when train and air travellers were on the same tour, some air travellers would keep the airline tag on their purses or bags to boast their richness. Gradually, time became an important factor, and air travel became a necessity of life. Train journeys faded from our memories and those of tourists. While traveling by train was time-consuming, the middle class liked the cleanliness and food facilities at airports. Of course, Rajdhani Express, Shatabdi Express, Tejas Express, Gatimaan, Duronto, etc., lived up to people's expectations and maintained respect for railways. Now, Vande Bharat has shown the maximum charm. People's faith in railways increased, and even those who never travelled by train expressed eagerness to do so. Vande Bharat became a topic of discussion in households and among friends. Travelling by Vande Bharat became an aspiration, and people turned towards railways. The feeling of inferiority while travelling by train diminished. Abroad, there is no discrimination between trains and planes. The only factor that is taken into consideration while travelling from one place to another is the convenience. This is how it should be. I can see this happening with Vande Bharat trains. The pride of train-travel is being revived among Indians.

Sudhir and I have also planned two journeys by Vande Bharat train. Thanks to Shri Sudhanshu Mani and his team, who made this train journey possible under 'Make in India.' Our Hon'ble Prime Minister continuously encouraged this project through 'Atmanirbhar Bharat,' and today, 41 Vande Bharat Express trains are connecting one city to another. They intend to manufacture 500 such trains. Sleeper trains are also coming in now. The important point is that Vande Bharat has rekindled interest in railway travel among Indians and instilled pride in our railways.

A situation can be created to experience an attraction towards something. The Vande Bharat trains have showed us that situations can be turned around. Instead of thinking, ‘Oh man, this time I have to travel by boring railway’, people now say, ‘Do you know, I will be travelling by Vande Bharat!’. ‘What a charming train. Such a good experience. Now I think the train is better than the plane’. Our own country, our own people have shown the ability to exhibit change, turning us from ‘I have to’ to ‘I want to’.

A meeting with sales partners got me thinking. This one train changed the situation and the perspective. It made something appealing, that wasn’t earlier. It made me reflect on my home. Am I homesick? Sometimes, I am out of Maharashtra or out of the country for six months of the year. Do I like to live abroad, or do I long to come home? If I feel like going out and don't feel the urge to come home, I need to find out why. Is it because the house is untidy? Because it's a hotbed of quarrels? Because people at home don't listen to me? Not only myself but also my family members should check whether they feel the urge to come home. Taking inspiration from railways, everyone should try together to change the situation. I think there must be a sense of homecoming. Our house helps, Varsha and Shruti, , were told in their induction, ‘You have to keep in mind that this is the only house we have, and we should all take care of it as a temple’.

What applies at home also applies at school. Here too, we should check whether our children are inclined to go to school. Schools should put in more effort to achieve this target. If children find it boring to go to school, the school should introspect. Children should be happy to go to school and have a desire to come home after school.

If you desire to go to the office every morning and come home in the evening, you can say you have managed your career, home, and life better. These things do not happen automatically; a lot of efforts go in for achieving this. It is said that life is a race of obstacles, and we should be prepared to tackle these obstacles with ease.

We have written ten commandments in our corporate office to be followed, one of which is ‘Am I popular and down to earth?’ We have to check ourselves constantly. There are many leaders in an organization, and while running the organization, these leaders should have a target. Do their team members feel the urge to be with the leaders, to speak to them? This should be considered. This should be one of the many things in a leader's success mantra, which the leader must constantly check. In short, you should have a habit of self-examination.

We should have affinity for our home, kids should have it for their school, and youth for their careers. Everyone should have love for their work. Above all, we should love our country. Politicians are largely responsible for carving a good country, but each of us who has played a role in building this country should fulfill the responsibility of being a good citizen. A lot of brain drain has already taken place. Let's wake up. Let's begin with ourselves; from our own homes. Let's perform our duty nicely and truly contribute to the next generation of our Sujlam Suphalam Bharat. We should do our best to attract not only Indians but also foreigners to visit India, and that should be our goal.