The Government of India did not declare a holiday to pay homage to former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. This was to fulfil his last wish. The man of science believed in keeping busy till his last breath, which is how he went — addressing business management students. However, an already paralysed Parliament is closed for two days and several state governments have given a day, or days, off to mourn a remarkable man.
What is it with India when it comes to taking a day off with only the minimum of guilt? In January there were 16 options, besides Sundays, for declaring a holiday. True, a multicultural country like India must cater to all religious sentiments, and then there are the secular holidays to consider, although mercifully only three are truly nationally observed without fail.
Dr Kalam believed nation-building is a full-time task which leaves little time for letting the body and spirit recuperate. Not everyone could be expected to be so zealous. Even so, it is apparent India is more easily convinced that declaring holidays is one way to satisfy this desire for time off work. Given a national propensity to observe birth and death anniversaries of gods and mortals, it is not a wonder productivity levels are far below optimum. A non-political President has showed the way forward. Intriguingly, we have not taken the advice to heart and, far from working an extra hour to show we have learnt something from him, we still have a Tamil Nadu holiday on Thursday to bid him a tearful goodbye. Now that his work is done, may his soul rest in peace.
