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From: sanjiva@tesla.UUCP (Sanjiva Prasad)
Newsgroups: net.nlang.india
Subject: Re: Some basic questions!
Message-ID: <339@tesla.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 5-Mar-86 15:58:15 EST
Article-I.D.: tesla.339
Posted: Wed Mar  5 15:58:15 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 8-Mar-86 20:58:20 EST
References: <75@gumby.UUCP>
Organization: Computer Science Dept, SUNY@Stony Brook
Lines: 33

> 
>     - Is there a description of a TYPICAL Indian?
> 

I hope not. One of the unfortunate things that might well be happening because
of a Pan-Indian attitude is the gradual quashing of regional and sub-regional
cultures. Who, for instance, knows very much about, say, Ladakh, Ladakhi 
culture etc. 

>     - Or, can one atleast say *SOMETHING* about an average Indian?
> 

That (s)he's average. His/her general living condition. The nature of problems 
(s)he faces. Think of yourself as lucky that you can avoid categorizing large
classes of humanity on the the basis of their "personality", whatever that is.
Benares is pretty much that part of India which can propagate its culture 
through sheer numeric strength, what about the lovely little cultures that get
buried in the search for a common / average description ?

> 
>     - If not, can one atleast describe a typical person from the different
>       regions of India?

Again, I hope not. What a bore it'll be.

>     - How infomative is a value for the per capita income of India?

Not very. Because several people who own land have small monetary incomes,
even though they may be nutritionally prosperous. 
And then  the rich -- GDBirla has no income but is he poor ?


Sanjiva