What’s in a name they say? The name itself is not an anointment or a matter of prestige. A name becomes a name when the person who bears that name does deeds that make a real difference to society, to the country or to the lives they touch.
But in our country, honorary degrees, the naming of institutions and projects and many awards are often conferred on politicians and political leaders. Those from other walks of life do get recognition in the form of Arjuna and the Padma awards but these are annual awards given to a person among many. But when a name is given to an institution, a monument, a national stadium or stations and airports, it remains a landmark for posterity and for generations.
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But politicians, not grassroots heroes, get their names on monuments, institutions and public projects
Ruling party leaders continue to have roads, highways, bridges railways and airports named after them. Politicians from history also find their pride of place, only when an establishment which claims alignment to their ideals or political line is in power. A nation must introspect and ask if our development should be identified and linked to political leaders many of whom are known to stick to power and positions up to their deathbeds and their memorials are made on beaches.
When will we have writers, academics, and cultural heroes across science, theatre, music have their names and international projects and not halls or university departments.
Look the world over and see only a list of airports named after cultural icons.
l Budapest airport: Franz Liszt, composer, pianist and teacher
l Liverpool Airport: John Lennon, one of the greatest musicians ever known
l Donetsk airport, Ukraine: Sergei Prokofiev composer, pianist, and conductor
l Mar Del Plata, airport Argentina: Astor Pantaleón Piazzolla , tango composer
l Warsaw airport, Poland: Frederic Chopin, Polish composer and virtuoso pianist
l New Orleans, airport Louisiana – Louis Armstrong, trumpeter and vocalist
They are not named after Presidents, Prime Ministers or State governors but superb artistes
The decision to accord names to such places, therefore, needs deep, thought, great sensitivity, and extraordinary awareness of the ecosystem that is present in the area or the place where the institution that is to be named exists.
The selfless contributions made by those who have nourished the land with hard, work, zeal, brilliance and dedication need to be one of the first candidates for such honour. If an institution or a public asset like railways highways, airports or bridges has to be named, then the traditional owners or tillers of the land have to be remembered and honoured. They are those who have for generations enriched their soil, maintained traditions, and kept the cultural legacy alive.
Then one fine day the State decides to do “development” which may not quite be the basic development they need. Their lands are away, often with a very cursory and matter-of-fact “public hearing” where their objections are never taken seriously, only a formality is done.
Their cashew trees, lands, and even their homes are then “acquired” and at times getting the full compensation or rehabilitation takes years if at all. The reality of rehabilitation is that their lives are not better off or even equal to what they were. The tribals who gave up their land for the airport project have on paper been provided houses. But they are not habitable forcing them to look for alternate places.
The rich and the powerful do not lose land to these projects. The poor do. What the powerful and those who are connected do is buy land in and around a future project at throw-away prices and then wait for the price of the lands to shoot up and rake in.
Yes, there will be highways, residential complexes, airports and bridges but buried under them will be the hopes and the future of those who lived off that land for centuries.
Therefore, when projects have to be named, there should be some deference to these people and give them some kind of recognition. For example, if a big international project is coming up on the land which once belonged to dhangar tribals, call the area dhangar bhoomi so that the official postal address and Google pin will have this name.
The difference between a son or daughter of the soil or a passionate and talented artist and a politician is clear
The son of the soil and the exponent of art do not lead a life of power and recognition but just follows a passion or a commitment. Activists, social scientists, environmentalists etc, do the same. They have a mission in life and work for a cause. Even an exponent of music lives for and of his or her passion and almost always passes this down to generations to keep the art alive. A politician, more often than not, is on a selfish mission of power and greed at any cost. The perks and privileges they enjoy in the name of the people and in circumstances where they don’t really have the people’s mandate.
Therefore, an identity of a town, a city and its assets, monuments and public places should be a reflection of the true culture tradition and vibe of the place and not a recall of politicians who happened to rule it.
A true test of civilisation is when you honour your humblest, your indigenous people, as well as the greats who have enriched their land with their special talents thereby bringing recognition to their place. Australia never fails to remember the original inhabitants of their land in all their public announcements.
Liverpool is known as John Lennon’s home and New Orleans is known as the city of Jazz and Blues because of Louis Armstrong.
We have to pass this test of civilisation when we honour those closest to the land and have made their homelands recognised by their talent. Most importantly, these are decisions that should best be left to a group outside the government to spend a lot of time, delve into research, speak to a cross-section of people, deliberate and then take a call.
Yes, there is lot’s in a name. And hence they must be chosen well true representatives of the people and culture of the place and not of political greed.
