Why Sam Pitroda needs to learn a lesson or two from Sanatan?

New Delhi: Satyanarayan Gangaram Pitroda, better known as Sam Pitroda, described the diversity of India by stating that the "people in the east look like the Chinese, people in the west look like the Arabs, people in the north look like, maybe, white and people in the south look like Africans."

“It does not matter. All of us are brothers and sisters. We respect different languages, different religions, different customs, different food,” Pitroda said in a podcast.

Billed as the father of the communication revolution in India during the Prime Ministership of Rajiv Gandhi, Pitroda forgot that politicians are always hungry for such issues, especially at the time of elections.

Being an Indian-born, Pitroda should have learned a lesson or two from the following Sanatan shloka.

"सत्यं ब्रूयात् प्रियं ब्रूयात्,
न ब्रूयात् सत्यमप्रियम्।
प्रियं च नानृतं ब्रूयात्,
एष धर्मः सनातनः॥"

"Speak the truth, speak pleasantly,
Do not speak unpleasant truths,
Do not speak pleasant untruths,
This is the eternal law (Dharma)."

It emphasises the importance of speaking the truth in a kind and pleasant manner, avoiding both harsh truths and pleasant lies, as it upholds the eternal principle of righteousness (Dharma).

Had he known it, perhaps he would not have given such a statement. What Pitroda said was against the Sanatan way.

His remarks sparked an uproar in the political circles. While the BJP got a handle to attack the Congress and the Gandhi family, the grand old party disowned his statement. Weighing the gravity of the situation, Pitroda on his own took a call and resigned from the post of the chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress.

India is a country known for its rich cultural and ethnic diversity, which includes a wide range of racial groups. The racial diversity of India can be understood through historical migrations, cultural interactions, and genetic admixture.

Following are some key points to explain the racial diversity of India:

1. Historical Migration: India has a long history of migration and settlement by various racial groups. The earliest inhabitants were the indigenous tribal populations, followed by waves of migration from Central Asia, Iran, and other regions. These migrations brought diverse racial characteristics to different parts of India.

2. Indigenous Tribes: India is home to numerous indigenous tribal communities, each with its distinct racial features, languages, and cultural practices. These tribes have inhabited different regions of India for centuries and contribute to the country's racial diversity.

3. Indo-Aryans and Dravidians: The migration of Indo-Aryans from Central Asia and their interaction with the indigenous Dravidian populations in the Indian sub-continent led to the development of diverse racial characteristics. Northern India has a higher concentration of Indo-European racial traits, while southern India has a more pronounced Dravidian influence.

4. Mongoloid Influence: The northeastern regions of India, including states like Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh, have significant Mongoloid racial characteristics due to historical migrations from Southeast Asia and Tibet.

5. African and European InfluenceIndia's coastal regions, especially in the south, have experienced historical interactions with African and European traders, leading to some degree of racial admixture and diversity.

6. Caste System: India's caste system, although primarily a social and economic structure, has also influenced the perception of racial diversity. Different caste groups often exhibit distinct physical features, contributing to the overall racial diversity within Indian society.

7. Genetic Admixture: Genetic studies have shown that Indian populations have complex genetic admixture, reflecting the diverse ancestral contributions from various racial groups over millennia.

In a nutshell, India's racial diversity is a product of historical migrations, cultural interactions, genetic admixture, and the coexistence of numerous indigenous and immigrant communities across the country.

Perhaps Pitroda should have known this.