David Bridle Design

Soft Power the Way Forward

This video show how the world could learn some great lessons from India’s ability to use its soft power.

There is a fantastic point in this video where he is talking about Indian Restaurants in Britain, which I thought was brilliant.  This is what he says:

“Indian restaurants in Britain employ more people than the coal mining, ship building and the iron & steel industries combined.  The Empire can strike back!”

- Shashi Tharoor, TED Talk, Nov 2009

As much as that is funny, there is more to what he is saying.  He also talked about the Indian elections 5 years ago he said:

“The fact is tat the last elections 5 years ago gave the world extraordinary phenomenon of an election being won by a women political leader of Italian orgin and Roman Catholic faith, who then made way for a Sikh, to be sworn in as Prime Minster by a Muslim President, Abdul Kalam, in a country 81% Hindu.”

- Shashi Tharoor, TED Talk, Nov 2009

I know we don’t always see the best side of India in the news.  With terrorists attacks and disputed elections, but there is something about this ancient place that could help the world to understand a little better about how to be more tolerant and helpful to each other.