‘We teach kids all about religion, but don’t educate them main civic sense’: Santhosh George Kulangara

Express News Service

Santhosh George Kulangara wears many hats. He is an entrepreneur, media expert, and a model new age Guru with an unlimited fan following. He talks to TNIE about his journey experiences, the hypocrisies of Kerala society, and the importance of being constructive.

Excerpts:

You have an unlimited number of followers who assume you taught Malayalis to dream huge, and to journey…. That is sort of an honour.
Yes, it is. However, I actually really feel that the acceptability for my concepts and actions may very well be because of peculiarity of the present interval. If I had acknowledged the equivalent points some 25 years previously, I almost certainly would have been often known as a person who corrupted the youth! (laughs out)
 
One widespread comment that is seen beneath your films is ‘Santhosh George Kulangara, our next CM’…
(Chuckles) Ours is a extremely emotional society. So, each time people see a person doing points that they wished to do, they start wanting as a lot as him as a frontrunner. But this doesn’t suggest that if I become the chief minister, I’ll set all of the items correct by waving a magic wand.

What are your experiences as a member of the Kerala Planning Board member? Are your proposals being accepted by the state authorities?
I’ve been able to do some points. But, they’re however to utterly faucet into my  potential. However, that is not anybody’s fault.  

Can you inform us a number of tourism-related suggestion that you just put sooner than the federal authorities?
I had positioned sooner than the federal authorities a proposal that objectives at creating 25 tourism hubs inside the state. The thought is to create specific tourism zones with these hubs as a result of the focal elements and the villages located contained in the 30-km radius. I imagine this enterprise will happen eventually. But, it is taking numerous time.
 
What have to be the suitable resolution to go about strengthening the tourism commerce inside the state?
The state authorities shouldn’t be the one to fund tourism. But it have to be growing with tourism insurance coverage insurance policies. For a state that lacks any major industries, tourism is a robust earnings. But being unfavourable about all of the items progressive, which seems to be a character trait of Malayalis, isn’t going to work.

Why do you assume Malayalis have this unfavourable perspective?
Everything seems to be fallacious inside the eyes of society. The psychological conditioning over time has led to the construct up of a unfavourable mindset in Malayalis.

Every time a model new enterprise is launched at least 10 poems get revealed on why the enterprise mustn’t happen. You have travelled all around the globe. Does this happen wherever else on the planet?
Do you acknowledge one different place the place most likely probably the most number of so-called poems are written? That is Latin America. And what’s the state of affairs there? Just be a part of the entire dots and you will understand. (chuckles)

But how does Europe take care of it? How do they implement development duties with out inflicting environmental factors?
They have clear-cut authorized pointers and are public acutely conscious. Of course, they too have their very personal environmental activists or nature lovers. But their share is far much less compared with that in Kerala. I’m not saying that we don’t need these activists. It is crucial to have corrective forces or else points might exit of hand. But there have to be a stability.

New York Times had listed Kerala among the many many 50 places to go to. What is it {{that a}} abroad vacationer must see in Kerala?
What makes Kerala distinctive and stand out is its custom, traditions, life-style, delicacies, heritage, construction, and paintings sorts. Nowhere on the planet will a buyer get to experience the Kerala life-style. And that’s what a abroad vacationer wish to experience. Experiential tourism is important.
 
How do you assess Mohamed Riyas as tourism minister? Is he exhibiting actual curiosity in tourism?
I’ve on a regular basis seen him excited each time I supplied proposals and ideas. I’ve even seen him taking notes. But I’ve to say points are going down at a slower tempo than anticipated.
 
You can be the primary space vacationer from India. What is the present standing of the programme?
Well, solely Richard Branson could give the exact standing. Since it is a high-risk initiative, care must be taken.
 
How lots money did you pay?
When I booked a seat, it was two lakh {{dollars}}. The worth would possibly want modified for people who bought right here in currently.

Have you on a regular basis wished to face out from the gang?
To be frank, I don’t have the character to face out from the gang. Just take a look at what I’m doing now. I keep behind the digicam. However, I’ve on a regular basis wished to do one factor completely totally different.
 
You have travelled tons. But have you ever ever liked as a plain vacationer, preserving ‘Sancharam’ exterior?
I’ve thought-about it many events. But I’ve on no account been prepared to do that. Just like how one can’t stop your self from turning proper right into a journalist everytime you see a story even when you end up on a break, I can’t keep nonetheless as soon as I see one factor that have to be captured on the digicam.

One criticism in opposition to you is that you just usually study India with developed worldwide places, which have utterly completely totally different socio-economic situations. How will you reply to that?
Every facility that we use now, along with cell telephones, electrical power, internet, digicam, all of the items has come from the West. If we’re in a position to rely on the West for all of the items, what’s fallacious in copying their best practices and system. The West has choices for all points that we face at the moment. So what’s fallacious with emulating them?

But any person who’s listening to you would possibly become very cynical about India and its strategies…
Once they develop up and mature, they’ll take it inside the proper sense. Most of my criticism about our nation may be regarding the lack of civic sense and hygiene. If we nonetheless do not adjust to a queue system, if we nonetheless do foolish points, don’t you assume that have to be criticised?

Why will we, Indians, lack civic sense?
Our educational system would not inculcate values of civic sense in our kids. But we see to it that our youngsters examine regarding the religions that they had been born into and the beliefs associated to them. Why don’t we give the equivalent seriousness to instructing them main civic sense?

Why do you assume we’re so very hesitant to adjust to pointers? People would even resist the helmet rule…
I truly don’t know. We have this fallacious tendency to rebel in opposition to all of the items. Protest is overrated proper right here. We ought to grasp that it is extremely vital yield sooner than positive points supposed for the widespread good.
 
You have been going abroad since 1997. How has the notion of India modified over the interval?
There has been a dramatic change. Everyone is conscious of India is surging ahead. Also, they’ve realised that India is a big monetary system. Our military power, our technological advance, along with in space know-how, our IT professionals … all are being acknowledged. It won’t be that they love India, nevertheless they love the humongous Indian market. India’s image has modified dramatically for the upper since my first journey in 1997.

Why do you journey alone?
I prefer to be alone. That’s as soon as I assume and take up. If we journey in a gaggle, we are going to most likely be talking as a rule and may miss out on many points.

Your Gulf journey had earned criticism that you just confirmed palatial properties; not the lives of the widespread man…
We all perceive how life in a labour camp is, nevertheless we don’t perceive how Yusuff Ali lives. Isn’t that what I must current? (Laughs out)
 
Have you ever visited a country the place individuals are usually not nice the least bit…
Earlier, positive. But now every nation has realised the potential of tourism. If you go to a tribal neighborhood in Tanzania, they’re wanting to welcome us. This happens because of the native of us are made part of tourism. They all have realized to utilise tourism. It is we in Kerala who nonetheless have not realised the true potential of tourism.

Will you please make clear this angle?
Tourism ought to return to our villages. That is what the vacationers want to see. Tourists go to a Masai village in Kenya to experience the Masai way of life. Like that, our mundane day-to-day life might presumably be a unbelievable provide of shock for foreigners. Our villagers are nonetheless not outfitted to monetise that.
 
There are two completely totally different arguments about Kerala’s tourism development…there could also be one argument that we would like larger nightlife, pub custom and all…and the alternative is that vacationers come proper right here to see our scenic magnificence. What are your concepts?
I’d say we would like every. We mustn’t do one thing on the value of our scenic magnificence. Our Kumarakom, Varkala and so forth are very gorgeous. But that is not enough. We go on a tour to benefit from ourselves; to get entertained. Everyone wishes to rejoice. The tour is a fashion out from hectic routines. Where will you go to sit back out? In a spot with quite a few restrictions or a liberal, free place?

Keralites seem to have a extremely fallacious notion regarding the time interval nightlife…Similarly, they’ve huge factors with opening a pub though they eat huge portions of liquor….
Yes, that is hypocrisy. We will oppose every new bar opened. Everyone wishes to journey from Kochi to Thiruvananthapuram in a single hour, nevertheless they’ll oppose high-speed rail. They will oppose multi-lane nationwide highways, they’ll oppose new airports. People assume it is stylish to oppose every new developmental initiative. We will oppose nightlife, pubs, and bars. But, Thailand might be probably the most sought-after vacationer trip spot for Malayalis. (Laughs out)

You talked about that everyone desires tempo. Do you assume Kerala desires a enterprise like SilverLine?
I’m not talking notably regarding the SilverLine. But I’m positive that I and the next generations must journey on the equivalent tempo as the rest of the world. If a Chinese specific individual can journey at 400kmph, my youngsters too deserve that sort of tempo. Some fool who’s caught in his little world, who would not ought to journey previous his village mustn’t get to resolve that no individual should journey in a high-speed put together. China is planning to increase the tempo of its trains from 400kmph to 600kmph. And we’re saying we’re competing with China (chuckles).
 
So you are in help of the SilverLine?
I’m not talking about one specific enterprise. But I want tempo. I want comfortable and safe journey. I’ve to achieve Thiruvananthapuram in a single hour from Kochi. I want to attain Kannur in a single and a half hours. That is my correct. Our future generations deserve that. That’s the tempo of the world. Why are we lagging?
 
You are moreover answerable for youth affairs and sports activities actions inside the Planning Board. What is happening on that entrance?
We are planning to have well being centres in every village. Everyone ought to have entry to well being centres for gratis. It must become part of our life.

Do you feel that the Kerala authorities won’t be using your expertise appropriately?
To say that my expertise won’t be getting used, I’m not a unbelievable any particular person. I’ve to grasp my very personal limitations. It won’t be appropriate to rely on that each one my concepts will most likely be accepted the second I present them. The authorities system has its private system and tempo.

You was very important of the federal authorities. Now that you simply’re sort of an insider inside the system, has your notion regarding the authorities and its functioning modified?
My experience inside the Planning Board has strengthened my notion that we must always proper the system. The full system have to be restructured.
 
Where is the difficulty?
The system could be run if 15% of the current workers is atmosphere pleasant. But I’m not saying that the rest of the people have to be dismissed. I do know it is a provide of income for a giant a part of people. If a personal organisation is working the federal authorities, they’d run it successfully with 15% of the current workers.
 
Even a powerful CM like Pinarayi Vijayan is unable to do this.
What can a CM do? The organisational power of presidency employees is so sturdy. The authorities is struggling even with introducing a biometric system, which may very well be very main.

If points shouldn’t going down appropriately even when a powerful CM is ruling the state, when will they happen?
This is the true question. Our youngsters who’ve realised this are these leaving this place. That our youngsters have larger thoughts than us is clear from this. How many youngsters ought to have left our land? It is clear that everyone wishes to depart.

Have you ever felt like leaving the state?
I can not get this type of leg space wherever. So I can not depart (laughs out). There are some who uncover options proper right here. I’m one amongst them.

One can see two varieties of people in Kerala. Those who brag that Kerala is main in all of the items and people who mock Kerala as a result of the worst place to reside…Where exactly does Kerala stand?
In the middle of every these arguments… There are so many good points going down proper right here. We, as a society, stand collectively in opposition to vices.
 
Where do you see Kerala after 50 years?
Drastic modifications can happen. One mustn’t take historic previous as a right. If there is a warfare in Europe or the US, all these migrants would possibly come once more. There might presumably be a day when India thrives… But our progress mustn’t rely on their fall (chuckles).

You had been as quickly as generally called an anti-Left specific individual. But the Left authorities made you a member of the Planning Board…
Did you uncover any anti-Leftism in any of my statements till now? I’ve on a regular basis been speaking like this. I’m not in opposition to anyone. I stand for tempo, safety, and professionalism.

Does your alternative suggest that Left has modified in accordance with the events?
Yes. The Marxist social gathering has modified drastically. We all ought to help that change. It is a constructive change.

How has travelling modified you?
All the journeys have influenced and adjusted me. Whatever I’ve shared with you till now’s the outcomes of my journey experiences.

What is most important to journey, money or will?
Will, actually. If you have the necessity to journey, all of the items else will fall into place.

TNIE crew: Kiran Prakash, Cithara Paul, Anil S, Manoj Viswanathan, Anu Kuruvilla, Arun M, Harikrishna B, T P Sooraj (photos), Asif Baiju (films)

Santhosh George Kulangara wears many hats. He is an entrepreneur, media expert, and a model new age Guru with an unlimited fan following. He talks to TNIE about his journey experiences, the hypocrisies of Kerala society, and the importance of being constructive.

Excerpts:

You have an unlimited number of followers who assume you taught Malayalis to dream huge, and to journey…. That is sort of an honour.
Yes, it is. However, I actually really feel that the acceptability for my concepts and actions may very well be because of peculiarity of the present interval. If I had acknowledged the equivalent points some 25 years previously, I almost certainly would have been often known as a person who corrupted the youth! (laughs out)
 One widespread comment that is seen beneath your films is ‘Santhosh George Kulangara, our next CM’…
(Chuckles) Ours is a extremely emotional society. So, each time people see a person doing points that they wished to do, they start wanting as a lot as him as a frontrunner. But this doesn’t suggest that if I become the chief minister, I’ll set all of the items correct by waving a magic wand.googletag.cmd.push(carry out() googletag.present(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); );

What are your experiences as a member of the Kerala Planning Board member? Are your proposals being accepted by the state authorities?
I’ve been able to do some points. But, they’re however to utterly faucet into my  potential. However, that is not anybody’s fault.  

Can you inform us a number of tourism-related suggestion that you just put sooner than the federal authorities?
I had positioned sooner than the federal authorities a proposal that objectives at creating 25 tourism hubs inside the state. The thought is to create specific tourism zones with these hubs as a result of the focal elements and the villages located contained in the 30-km radius. I imagine this enterprise will happen eventually. But, it is taking numerous time.
 What have to be the suitable resolution to go about strengthening the tourism commerce inside the state?
The state authorities shouldn’t be the one to fund tourism. But it have to be growing with tourism insurance coverage insurance policies. For a state that lacks any major industries, tourism is a robust earnings. But being unfavourable about all of the items progressive, which seems to be a character trait of Malayalis, isn’t going to work.

Why do you assume Malayalis have this unfavourable perspective?
Everything seems to be fallacious inside the eyes of society. The psychological conditioning over time has led to the construct up of a unfavourable mindset in Malayalis.

Every time a model new enterprise is launched at least 10 poems get revealed on why the enterprise mustn’t happen. You have travelled all around the globe. Does this happen wherever else on the planet?
Do you acknowledge one different place the place most likely probably the most number of so-called poems are written? That is Latin America. And what’s the state of affairs there? Just be a part of the entire dots and you will understand. (chuckles)

But how does Europe take care of it? How do they implement development duties with out inflicting environmental factors?
They have clear-cut authorized pointers and are public acutely conscious. Of course, they too have their very personal environmental activists or nature lovers. But their share is far much less compared with that in Kerala. I’m not saying that we don’t need these activists. It is crucial to have corrective forces or else points might exit of hand. But there have to be a stability.

New York Times had listed Kerala among the many many 50 places to go to. What is it {{that a}} abroad vacationer must see in Kerala?
What makes Kerala distinctive and stand out is its custom, traditions, life-style, delicacies, heritage, construction, and paintings sorts. Nowhere on the planet will a buyer get to experience the Kerala life-style. And that’s what a abroad vacationer wish to experience. Experiential tourism is important.
 How do you assess Mohamed Riyas as tourism minister? Is he exhibiting actual curiosity in tourism?
I’ve on a regular basis seen him excited each time I supplied proposals and ideas. I’ve even seen him taking notes. But I’ve to say points are going down at a slower tempo than anticipated.
 You can be the primary space vacationer from India. What is the present standing of the programme?
Well, solely Richard Branson could give the exact standing. Since it is a high-risk initiative, care must be taken.
 How lots money did you pay?
When I booked a seat, it was two lakh {{dollars}}. The worth would possibly want modified for people who bought right here in currently.

Have you on a regular basis wished to face out from the gang?
To be frank, I don’t have the character to face out from the gang. Just take a look at what I’m doing now. I keep behind the digicam. However, I’ve on a regular basis wished to do one factor completely totally different.
 You have travelled tons. But have you ever ever liked as a plain vacationer, preserving ‘Sancharam’ exterior?
I’ve thought-about it many events. But I’ve on no account been prepared to do that. Just like how one can’t stop your self from turning proper right into a journalist everytime you see a story even when you end up on a break, I can’t keep nonetheless as soon as I see one factor that have to be captured on the digicam.

One criticism in opposition to you is that you just usually study India with developed worldwide places, which have utterly completely totally different socio-economic situations. How will you reply to that?
Every facility that we use now, along with cell telephones, electrical power, internet, digicam, all of the items has come from the West. If we’re in a position to rely on the West for all of the items, what’s fallacious in copying their best practices and system. The West has choices for all points that we face at the moment. So what’s fallacious with emulating them?

But any person who’s listening to you would possibly become very cynical about India and its strategies…
Once they develop up and mature, they’ll take it inside the proper sense. Most of my criticism about our nation may be regarding the lack of civic sense and hygiene. If we nonetheless do not adjust to a queue system, if we nonetheless do foolish points, don’t you assume that have to be criticised?

Why will we, Indians, lack civic sense?
Our educational system would not inculcate values of civic sense in our kids. But we see to it that our youngsters examine regarding the religions that they had been born into and the beliefs associated to them. Why don’t we give the equivalent seriousness to instructing them main civic sense?

Why do you assume we’re so very hesitant to adjust to pointers? People would even resist the helmet rule…
I truly don’t know. We have this fallacious tendency to rebel in opposition to all of the items. Protest is overrated proper right here. We ought to grasp that it is extremely vital yield sooner than positive points supposed for the widespread good.
 You have been going abroad since 1997. How has the notion of India modified over the interval?
There has been a dramatic change. Everyone is conscious of India is surging ahead. Also, they’ve realised that India is a big monetary system. Our military power, our technological advance, along with in space know-how, our IT professionals … all are being acknowledged. It won’t be that they love India, nevertheless they love the humongous Indian market. India’s image has modified dramatically for the upper since my first journey in 1997.

Why do you journey alone?
I prefer to be alone. That’s as soon as I assume and take up. If we journey in a gaggle, we are going to most likely be talking as a rule and may miss out on many points.

Your Gulf journey had earned criticism that you just confirmed palatial properties; not the lives of the widespread man…
We all perceive how life in a labour camp is, nevertheless we don’t perceive how Yusuff Ali lives. Isn’t that what I must current? (Laughs out)
 Have you ever visited a country the place individuals are usually not nice the least bit…
Earlier, positive. But now every nation has realised the potential of tourism. If you go to a tribal neighborhood in Tanzania, they’re wanting to welcome us. This happens because of the native of us are made part of tourism. They all have realized to utilise tourism. It is we in Kerala who nonetheless have not realised the true potential of tourism.

Will you please make clear this angle?
Tourism ought to return to our villages. That is what the vacationers want to see. Tourists go to a Masai village in Kenya to experience the Masai way of life. Like that, our mundane day-to-day life might presumably be a unbelievable provide of shock for foreigners. Our villagers are nonetheless not outfitted to monetise that.
 There are two completely totally different arguments about Kerala’s tourism development…there could also be one argument that we would like larger nightlife, pub custom and all…and the alternative is that vacationers come proper right here to see our scenic magnificence. What are your concepts?
I’d say we would like every. We mustn’t do one thing on the value of our scenic magnificence. Our Kumarakom, Varkala and so forth are very gorgeous. But that is not enough. We go on a tour to benefit from ourselves; to get entertained. Everyone wishes to rejoice. The tour is a fashion out from hectic routines. Where will you go to sit back out? In a spot with quite a few restrictions or a liberal, free place?

Keralites seem to have a extremely fallacious notion regarding the time interval nightlife…Similarly, they’ve huge factors with opening a pub though they eat huge portions of liquor….
Yes, that is hypocrisy. We will oppose every new bar opened. Everyone wishes to journey from Kochi to Thiruvananthapuram in a single hour, nevertheless they’ll oppose high-speed rail. They will oppose multi-lane nationwide highways, they’ll oppose new airports. People assume it is stylish to oppose every new developmental initiative. We will oppose nightlife, pubs, and bars. But, Thailand might be probably the most sought-after vacationer trip spot for Malayalis. (Laughs out)

You talked about that everyone desires tempo. Do you assume Kerala desires a enterprise like SilverLine?
I’m not talking notably regarding the SilverLine. But I’m positive that I and the next generations must journey on the equivalent tempo as the rest of the world. If a Chinese specific individual can journey at 400kmph, my youngsters too deserve that sort of tempo. Some fool who’s caught in his little world, who would not ought to journey previous his village mustn’t get to resolve that no individual should journey in a high-speed put together. China is planning to increase the tempo of its trains from 400kmph to 600kmph. And we’re saying we’re competing with China (chuckles).
 So you are in help of the SilverLine?
I’m not talking about one specific enterprise. But I want tempo. I want comfortable and safe journey. I’ve to achieve Thiruvananthapuram in a single hour from Kochi. I want to attain Kannur in a single and a half hours. That is my correct. Our future generations deserve that. That’s the tempo of the world. Why are we lagging?
 You are moreover answerable for youth affairs and sports activities actions inside the Planning Board. What is happening on that entrance?
We are planning to have well being centres in every village. Everyone ought to have entry to well being centres for gratis. It must become part of our life.

Do you feel that the Kerala authorities won’t be using your expertise appropriately?
To say that my expertise won’t be getting used, I’m not a unbelievable any particular person. I’ve to grasp my very personal limitations. It won’t be appropriate to rely on that each one my concepts will most likely be accepted the second I present them. The authorities system has its private system and tempo.

You was very important of the federal authorities. Now that you simply’re sort of an insider inside the system, has your notion regarding the authorities and its functioning modified?
My experience inside the Planning Board has strengthened my notion that we must always proper the system. The full system have to be restructured.
 Where is the difficulty?
The system could be run if 15% of the current workers is atmosphere pleasant. But I’m not saying that the rest of the people have to be dismissed. I do know it is a provide of income for a giant a part of people. If a personal organisation is working the federal authorities, they’d run it successfully with 15% of the current workers.
 Even a powerful CM like Pinarayi Vijayan is unable to do this.
What can a CM do? The organisational power of presidency employees is so sturdy. The authorities is struggling even with introducing a biometric system, which may very well be very main.

If points shouldn’t going down appropriately even when a powerful CM is ruling the state, when will they happen?
This is the true question. Our youngsters who’ve realised this are these leaving this place. That our youngsters have larger thoughts than us is clear from this. How many youngsters ought to have left our land? It is clear that everyone wishes to depart.

Have you ever felt like leaving the state?
I can not get this type of leg space wherever. So I can not depart (laughs out). There are some who uncover options proper right here. I’m one amongst them.

One can see two varieties of people in Kerala. Those who brag that Kerala is main in all of the items and people who mock Kerala as a result of the worst place to reside…Where exactly does Kerala stand?
In the middle of every these arguments… There are so many good points going down proper right here. We, as a society, stand collectively in opposition to vices.
 Where do you see Kerala after 50 years?
Drastic modifications can happen. One mustn’t take historic previous as a right. If there is a warfare in Europe or the US, all these migrants would possibly come once more. There might presumably be a day when India thrives… But our progress mustn’t rely on their fall (chuckles).

You had been as quickly as generally called an anti-Left specific individual. But the Left authorities made you a member of the Planning Board…
Did you uncover any anti-Leftism in any of my statements till now? I’ve on a regular basis been speaking like this. I’m not in opposition to anyone. I stand for tempo, safety, and professionalism.

Does your alternative suggest that Left has modified in accordance with the events?
Yes. The Marxist social gathering has modified drastically. We all ought to help that change. It is a constructive change.

How has travelling modified you?
All the journeys have influenced and adjusted me. Whatever I’ve shared with you till now’s the outcomes of my journey experiences.

What is most important to journey, money or will?
Will, actually. If you have the necessity to journey, all of the items else will fall into place.

TNIE crew: Kiran Prakash, Cithara Paul, Anil S, Manoj Viswanathan, Anu Kuruvilla, Arun M, Harikrishna B, T P Sooraj (photos), Asif Baiju (films)