By: Abid Hussain Rather
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 teaching sector. The government of most of the capitalistic countries of the western world pay their 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.
There are two famous quotes associated with the most infamous and fearsome dictator of the past Adolf Hitler. He says that when people are dying during a war and everything is being scourged due to warfare, a nation should try to save and rescue its teachers and ensure their safeguard as they have the power to reconstruct and rebuild their nation. Hitler has also quoted that we should always be cautious of a teacher who has taught three generations because he has the power to bring revolution. To understand the essence and importance of these two quotes we need to know the whole history of the past and eventually we will comprehend the hidden message of these two quotes. History is witness to the fact that there are examples of nations who advanced by leaps and bounds despite being undemocratic but it has been discerned that such nations had two good qualities – firstly, there was justice or we can say these nations were corruption free and secondly they had great teachers who could impart them modern and scientific education.
Germany was the first and biggest example of such nations, then it was Russia and now it is China in the contemporary world which makes the above notion a worldwide fact and there is no need to discuss further about it to prove its validity. 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 industrial revolution and this industrial revolution was in turn also the outcome of scientific advancement in European universities.
Brain drain refers to the emigration or 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 typically occurs in developing countries and can have negative effects on the country losing its skilled workforce.
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 decertified 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 the present times numberless intellectuals from India are residing in developed countries and they play their vital role in their further development and thousands of people aspire to migrate to such regions for better living. 10% of world’s high-tech business CEOs come from India and there number is increasing which is celebrated throughout the country but it questions the Indian society and problem of brain drain associated with it. It is pertinent to mention here that keeping in mind the inclusive importance of researchers and health professionals in the collective development of a nation, their migration is worst kind of brain drain.
At times instead of brain drain there might be the situation of ‘drained brain’ in a region. Which means where there are unfavourable conditions prevailing in a region so that the best brains can’t be harnessed and their capabilities get either misused or wasted. When there is abundance of intellectuals, experts, skilled people and researchers in a region but they are unable to use their capabilities due to political turmoil or economic instability which may cause mental disturbance resulting in low outcome of their potentials. Sometimes lack of basic amenities, corruption, inflation, lesser value of local currency may lead to the situation of drained brain.
We are living in a region which has been facing political instability for more than a decade. Kashmir has witnessed mass genocides, bloodshed and brutality for decade now. These situations have demoted the economy of Kashmir valley. Our region is known for fertile minds since ancient periods but disturbance and corruption have adversely affected the research and creative abilities of our people. 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 (Médecins Sans Frontières) 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 modern technologically and economically accelerated world.
(The author is a member of Kashmir Writers’ Association and can be reached at rather1294@gmail.com)
