Several articles in Parsiana mention corruption, which appears to be a major problem in India at all levels. For example, in "The energy of education" (Parsiana, August 21, 2013) former principal of Nowrosjee Wadia College in Poona, Prof Hoshang Moogat is quoted as saying: "A slow and steady erosion of value systems brought about tragically in our country by corruption and exploitation."
In "A jurist’s jottings" (Parsiana, August 7, 2013) Fali Nariman writes about senior bureaucrat Dharma Vira referring to the "customary discount made out to the Government of India." Maoist ideolog Kobad Ghandy from Tihar Jail in "On the side of good" in the same issue states: "Corruption, dishonesty, fraud, injustice, greed, avarice, etc are Zoroastrians standing against all this." In "Shattering myths," FarrokhVajifdar of the Royal Asiatic Society mentions corruption as does Neville Vazifdar of Royal China restaurant who states: "Ten years ago there was less corruption."
Corruption did not happen overnight, but crept in gradually.
In the Philippines a new head of the Treasury has been able to collect four percent of the GNP (gross national product) by way of additional taxes that were not paid due to corruption.
All house and apartment sale transactions in India involve black money. Only three percent of Indians pay (income) tax, which indicates that this is not merely a political problem but one that is deeply embedded in the people of India at all levels and in all communities.
The courts are doing their bit, as they are in Pakistan as well. But that is not enough.
The poster boy of IIT (Indian Institute of Management) India, Rajit Gupta, was found guilty of insider trading. He was the head of McKinsey Consulting. A friend asked me how I would be able to get things done in India if I did not pay a bribe.
Behavior patterns cannot be changed but attitudes can. Decades ago when Indians first came to America some had difficulty with English as they had been educated in their mother tongue. So parents made an effort to remove this language difficulty in the next generation by creating the Indian Spelling Bee. Today, all the champions in the Scrip Spelling Bee held across America for the past four years have been Indian children. Three of the top five places are filled by Indians in America. Indian children at North South Foundation are winning competitions there as well.
Here is a solution for corruption. The North South Foundation has developed 15 modules of 30 hours to coach children how to practice and live their lives based on universal values. These modules include listening and acts of kindness. Depending on how long it takes for these modules to reach India and generation next to learn and practice them, we will have an India free of corruption with universal values.
Sending guilty Indians to jail and removing felons from (the Indian) Parliament would be a good start.
I would like to end on a positive note. It was awesome to read the story of the Yazdaan group of volunteers and their work in repairing and restoring agiaries ("Faithfully fixing fire temples," Parsiana, August 7, 2013). They signify the best in our community and respect for the dignity of labor. I salute them. Every Zoroastrian child should practice similar acts of kindness.