"So, I will say this — Indian men can also be among the kindest in the world....."
"Let me introduce the Common Indian Male, a category that deserves
taxonomic recognition: committed, concerned, cautious; intellectually
curious, linguistically witty; socially gregarious, endearingly awkward;
quick to laugh, slow to anger. Frequently spotted in domestic circles,
traveling in a family herd. He has been sighted in sari shops and
handbag stores, engaged in debating his spouse’s selection with the sons
and daughters who trail behind. There is, apparently, no domestic
decision that is not worthy of his involvement.
There is a telling phrase that best captures the Indian man in a
relationship — whether as lover, parent or friend: not “I love you” but
“Main hoon na.” It translates to “I’m here for you” but is better
explained as a hug of commitment — “Never fear, I’m here.” These are men
for whom commitment is a joy, a duty and a deep moral anchor.
At its excessive worst, this sensibility can produce annoyances: a
sentimentalized addiction to Mummy; concern that becomes judgmental and
stifling; and a proud or oversensitive emotional landscape.
But when it is at its best, the results, in women’s lives, speak for
themselves. If the image of the Indian female as victim is true, so,
too, is its converse: the Indian woman who coexists as a strong
survivor, as conqueror, as worshiped goddess made flesh. Indian women
have served as prime minister and president. They head banks and large
corporations. They are formidable politicians, religious heads, cultural
icons, judges, athletes and even
godmothers of crime."........."A successful woman is very likely to have had a supportive male in her life: a father, a spouse, a friend, a mentor."
