By Abid Hussain Rather
At present, numberless intellectuals from India reside in developed countries and thousands of people aspire to migrate to such regions for better living. They play a vital role in the development of these countries. Infact, 10% of the world’s high-tech business CEOs come from India and their number is only increasing. Yet it is pertinent to mention that keeping in mind the inclusive importance of researchers and health professionals in the collective development of a nation, their migration is the worst kind of brain drain.
Different people among us are engaged with different professions in diverse fields and every profession has its own substantiveness for the progress, advancement and development of a nation. Each and every profession plays a vital role in this course and no profession is abortive. But it can’t be denied that there are some professions that demand more engrossment, attention and respect as such professions are cardinal in every aspect as either the professionals and specialists of other professions exist because of the existence of former professions or such professions are essential for the health and well being of people.
In some European countries two professions viz. teaching and medicine are treated as most imperative and most respected professions and the salary given to the people engaged in these two professions is called as honorarium reckoning and acknowledging their honour and their essence as these people presume that nothing can be paid in return which can equivalence the service rendered by these two sectors. Here we can’t deny the fact that the health professionals are also the products of the teaching sector. The governments of most of the capitalistic countries of the western world pay special attention to their educational and health sectors besides being cautious about their defence sector and they always try to have their complete control on these three sectors so that these sectors may not turn into commercial hubs. These countries always try to build a strong, advanced and impeccable defence system for themselves and have a catbird seat in the arms and ammunitions as compared to developing and underdeveloped countries of the world. They don’t have their dominance and supremacy in the world only because of their modern high-tech warfare tools but they also earn a huge amount by selling their ammunition to developing countries. The manufacturing of these high-tech and modern weapons is the result of their scientific work and modern research which in turn is the higher level of knowledge and learning. These countries also earn millions of dollars from the people around the world who go for higher education and research work to these countries.
History is witness to the fact that there are examples of nations who advanced by leaps and bounds despite being undemocratic. But such nations had two good qualities: firstly, there was justice or they were corruption free; secondly, they had great teachers who could impart modern and scientific education.
Germany is the first and the greatest example of such nations, then Russia and now it is China in the contemporary world which makes the above notion a fact.
Proceeding further, it can be aptly said that the evolution of great powers of the world was due to their scientific research work. It was because of this scientific research that great powers like Britain and other European countries made the rest of the world as their colonies after the industrial revolution and this industrial revolution was in turn also the outcome of scientific advancement in European universities.
When teachers, intellectuals and skilled scholars leave India and go to some other countries, it leaves the nation vulnerable to mediocrity and lack of progress. This is brain drain – the migration of highly educated, skilled and talented individuals from one country to another, usually in search of better opportunities, higher salaries, or improved living conditions. It is the departure of educated or professional people from one country, economic sector, or field for another, usually for better pay or living conditions.
This phenomenon is typical to developing countries like India and can have negative effects on the country. When teachers, researchers, doctors, engineers, computer experts and other professionals leave their country in search of better avenues and opportunities, it turns their own country impoverished, destitute and desertified as it results in human capital dearth and then there is scarcity of such professionals who could harmonize the education, health, economic and other sectors of their country with the demands of modern times. Additional impact on these regions that experience brain drain is the loss of revenue. A mass exodus leads to a drop in tax receipts which can stunt economic growth and development. Likewise when the upper class of a country (who are often the holders of maximum wealth of a nation) emigrate from their country due to political or economic instability, it results in capital drain and the cumulative drain of wealth and intellectual class from a country results in poverty, backwardness, underdevelopment and marginalization.
In addition to brain drain, in Kashmir’s context, a peculiar trend of drained brains seems to be prevailing. Drained brains happen due to unfavourable conditions prevailing in a region which cause the best brains in the region defunct. Their abilities can’t be harnessed and their capabilities get either misused or wasted.
In Kashmir, there is an abundance of intellectuals, experts and researchers but they are unable to make an optimal use of these capabilities. Infact, political turmoil and economic instability also cause such hindrances which may take such a mental toll that it ultimately makes it extremely difficult for great minds and workers to generate any significant outcome or contribution. We are living in a region which has been facing political instability for more than three decades now. Even as our region is known for a rich intellectual tradition from ancient times, it is hardly keeping up with it due to such hostile conditions.
It has resulted in drained brains who have ceased to work and are unable to think logically and creatively.
According to a survey by the humanitarian organisation MSF (Medecins Sans Frontieres), nearly 1.8 million adults in Kashmir Valley – 45% of the population – showed symptoms of mental distress. The survey found that 41% of the population showed signs of depression, 26% showed signs of anxiety and 19% showed probable symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Besides political disturbance, J&K is one of the most corrupt places among the Indian states/UTs. Between 2018 to 2020 the ACB registered 219 cases against corrupt officials from different departments in J&K. With these numbers at display, Kashmir has turned into a land of drained brains which has badly affected its progress and development. All we need is a peaceful environment and a corruption free system to reinvigorate our drained brains so that we can keep pace with the technologically and economically accelerated modern world.
Views expressed in the article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the editorial stance of Kashmir Observer
- The author is a member of Kashmir Writers’ Association and can be reached at [email protected]
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