By Sanjay Tripathy

Bengluru. The News. Amid public anger over floods, unemployment, bank frauds and corruption, there are also some positive stories that India should be proud of.
Had legendary filmmaker Guru Dutt been alive today, perhaps he would have made another Pyaasa and asked the same haunting question: “Where are those who are proud of India?”
Well, amidst all the disappointment and frustration, there are certainly some reasons for hope. India is gradually moving towards becoming a self-reliant nation. More importantly, self-reliance is no longer confined to political slogans. The country is developing technologies in several areas for which it once depended heavily on foreign countries. Now, preparations are also underway to export some of these indigenous technologies.
Take aviation and weather technology, for example.
When you land at an airport, you often hear an announcement informing passengers about the outside temperature, weather conditions and visibility. Accurate information about weather and visibility is extremely important for aviation safety and operations.
India once depended on foreign technology and equipment for such systems. Today, that situation is changing.
The successful use of ‘Drishti’, an indigenous technology designed to provide accurate visibility and weather-related information, is an important example of India’s growing technological capabilities. A technology that once had to be sourced from abroad is now being developed within the country.
This is not merely the story of a machine. It is a story of India’s growing confidence in its own technological abilities.
The story does not end in the skies. ‘Saras’, India’s indigenous aircraft programme, is another example of the country’s efforts to strengthen its capabilities in aircraft manufacturing. Necessary formalities are being pursued for its export. The idea that India can develop an aircraft and eventually take it to international markets represents a significant shift in the country’s technological journey.
Self-reliance is also making its presence felt in the food-processing sector.
Technologies are being developed to convert different fruits into powder, allowing them to be preserved and used for longer periods. This opens up several possibilities. Instead of depending entirely on bottled beverages, fruit-based powders can be used to prepare drinks and in a variety of food products.

Such technology can also help reduce post-harvest losses, create value for farmers and open new opportunities for the food-processing industry.
Of course, none of this means that India’s problems have disappeared.
The people facing devastating floods cannot be told to forget their suffering. The unemployed youth cannot be asked to ignore the lack of opportunities. Citizens affected by corruption, financial fraud or administrative failures have every right to demand answers from the government.
These questions must be asked. They are essential in a democracy.
But at the same time, we must also ask another question:
What is India creating?
There is an India struggling with floods, unemployment and corruption. But there is also another India working in laboratories, developing indigenous technologies, building aircraft and finding new solutions in food processing.
Both realities exist simultaneously.
Criticism is necessary. Accountability is necessary. But recognising achievement is equally important.
Self-reliance does not mean isolating India from the world. It means developing the capability to create at home, reducing unnecessary dependence on foreign technology, and eventually taking Indian innovations to global markets.
So, while we must continue to speak about what is wrong with India, we should also talk about what India is getting right.
Because pointing out the country’s shortcomings is necessary—but recognising its achievements is also a way of being proud of India.
And perhaps, if Guru Dutt were alive today, the question from Pyaasa would take a slightly different form:
“Where are those who are proud of what India is achieving?”