World must acknowledge our expertise

If, like Mahakal Standard Time, other countries adopt Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, it stands to reason that more people will be able to eat without paying what they currently do. After all, isn’t it better to have adulterated paneer (like they often do in Surat) than no paneer at all? Representation pic/istock

The world may soon have to get ready for MST (that's Mahakal Standard Time) instead of Greenwich Mean Time. If this sounds like news, you obviously haven't been paying attention to the more important things happening in this country. Earlier this month, India's education minister called for this significant change while visiting the city of Ujjain. He said it was important for the world to make this switch because the global standard had been determined by colonisers for too long. What he proposed was respect for Ujjain's own system, because that ancient city had long been associated with timekeeping.

I was surprised because I had never heard of Mahakal Standard Time before. Then again, it explained why India's best and brightest are placed in charge of the country's education system. From Maulana Abul Kalam Azad to TV soap opera stars, there is a wide spectrum of expertise associated with that role, and my illiteracy only embarrassed me. I couldn't understand why the people of Ujjain hadn't made more of a song and dance about this part of their history until now though. I assumed they were just modest about their ancestors and hoped the government would rectify this with full-page advertisements soon.

The more interesting thing about the minister's proposal, however, was how it signified a shift in India's global standing. While we wait for the inevitable move from GMT to MST after a few phone calls from the Prime Minister, I foresee an era where all standards start to follow what India is doing. There may be some hiccups along the way but, eventually, a lot more people will start to realise that our approach to everything is more practical than anything they're currently doing.

Consider India's version of food inspection, for example. Compare them to laws and regulations implemented by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which are often cited as among the strictest in the world. The European Union operates under a ‘precautionary principle' where any substance or process suspected of being harmful can be restricted or banned until proven safe. The result is approval processes for new ingredients that can go on forever.

By contrast, our homegrown Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has a more tolerant approach that encourages innovation, dispenses with the need for lengthy approvals, and ensures that everyone in India has some version of milk, ghee, or spices that come close to the real thing. If, like MST, other countries adopt FSSAI standards, it stands to reason that more people will be able to eat without paying what they currently do. After all, isn't it better to have adulterated paneer (like they often do in Surat) than no paneer at all?

Another global standard that's ripe for change: health care. I believe medicines are too tightly policed in the West, unlike India, where anyone with a few rupees can purchase some form of cough syrup or antibiotic. The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), arguably one of the pharmaceutical industry's most respected regulatory bodies, has long advocated what some might call a laissez-faire approach to drugs. There has been some criticism about this, along with complaints about manufacturing lapses, substandard drugs, enforcement failures, lack of transparency, and even unapproved fixed-dose combinations, but what these critics fail to acknowledge is that the drugs are available to everyone. You may not get a cough syrup that works, but we all know that what doesn't kill us only makes us stronger. In time, and in the event of another pandemic, I believe India's standards will finally get the respect they deserve.

I still wondered about the implications of switching to Mahakal Standard Time but assumed the erudite minister had already figured this out. Would it cause disruptions to global communication if every country didn't agree to following our system? Would there be an impact on trade? What about aviation or shipping? Could we all be at risk of logistical failures? I must admit there was some panic, but I put it all aside and decided to trust in the power of India's diplomacy instead.

The world's future will be increasingly defined by India's past, as more people start to recognise how great our ancestors were. We can start by changing how they see time and slowly implement changes to other aspects of their lives. If everything goes according to plan, every country on Earth will look just like India over the next 100 years. The future is starting to look bright, glorious, and sanskari.

When he isn't ranting about all things Mumbai, Lindsay Pereira can be almost sweet. He can be contacted at www.lindsaypereira.com
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