All posts by Rounak Barman

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Tourist Places

Slow Death Of Tourism

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Tourism is dead! Dead for the next two years atleast. It’s going to stay dead for years to come unless a vaccine or a treatment springs out of somewhere. With Covid-19 raging with its full might, people are choosing to stay cooped up within the safety of their own homes instead of venturing out and risking their safety. Although the economy is slowly opening up, no one wants to risk falling sick in an unknown place with a deadly virus preying on them.

The exotic fruits, smell and visual splendour will cease to attract when a person’s well being is at stake! Small tours and travel businesses are closing down while the big companies are left groping for the scarce tourists to garner. The monuments, the different wonders of the world will lie bare with very few to gasp at their magnificence. The exotic cuisines will be left undiscovered by many while the world grapples to survive.

The Indian government and governments around the world promote travel and tourism as it helps the economy a lot. Japan recently in a bid to attract tourism has offered treatment for coronavirus for free if someone happens to contract the virus in the country. The economy is reeling under the impact of the virus and no one knows how long the pandemic will last and with some predicting that the virus isn’t going away anytime soon and the fact that we would all have to live with it is scary.

Vloggers are taking the place of actual tourists, providing beautiful and virtual tours of different places through videos. Popular vloggers like Volpe, Best Ever Food Review Show, Karl Rock etc have gaining followers for the same reason even before the pandemic. The virtual tours through the videos are captivating and addictive, providing an alternative to actual tourism through videos. Virtual tourism is economical and allows you to see the globe from the comfort of your homes.

Though Virtual tourism is growing at a rapid pace, it can never replace actual tourism wherein one gets to bask in the new smells, enjoy visually and savour new foods. The added excitement that comes with going to a foreign place without knowing what to expect can never be replaced virtually or otherwise. One can avail and purchase goods indigenous to a particular place or country. So many industries will suffer from the paucity of tourism to greet them.

With many places already strapped of tourism due to reasons like pollution and crime rate, Covid-19 has been like a final nail in the coffin for many places.  People will not travel or barely travel anywhere unless compelled to do so. Many are doing so for business purposes and for official work but apart from that people are staying away from booking the flight tickets to different places. No one knows what the future holds and for the time being people are taking virtual tours through the vloggers around the globe to enjoy the visual splendour of places that our planet has to offer.









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Education, Tourist Places

Post Graduation Opportunities In Australia

The world is your oyster! The world is yours to conquer after you complete your graduation in Australia. There are plenty of routes one can take to enhance their career or to settle down. Once graduation is complete, the students can apply for further studies to enhance their knowledge and creative pursuits. Like a candy shop for students, there are several post-graduate courses and diplomas available in various universities across Australia that a student can choose from.

There are various Visas that students can apply for. There is the attractive Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485) that students can apply for to stay longer(18 months) in the country to work and hone their skills and get work experience and eventually get a permanent residency. The 402 Training and Research Visa for students allow them to enhance and improve their skills for two years under the guidance of the employer. The 487 Regional Sponsored Visa leads to permanent residency with work for 3 years. There are other Visas like the 885, 886 and 887 Visa which allows permanent residency too.

There are various top-class universities in Australia that students can choose to do their post-graduate studies. The top 5 Universities in Australia according to QS World University Rankings are -:
1) University of Melbourne
2) Australian National University
3) University of Sydney
4) University of Queensland
5) UNSW Sydney

There are varying Master’s degrees for those who wish to continue with their academic studies.
1) Traditional Masters- This is the traditional form of Masters which allows students to study the subject of their choice in more details. This generally paves the way to research. 

2) “Change of direction Masters” -This is for students who want to gain information and study a new field which is different from their field of study in graduation.

3) “Professional development Masters”- This allows students to have a more comprehensive understanding of their field through training. For example, a teacher can enhance his/her skills by opting for Education management.

The various postgraduate programmes in Australia can cost the student anywhere between AUD $22,000 and AUD $50,000 per year (USD $15,100-34,305) for overseas students. However, like Universities around the world, different courses have different fees. A MA in Arts and Humanities will cost less while a course in Science will cost more.

Barring academics, students can opt to work in a field of their choice where the employer may keep the employees via Employer Nomination Scheme Visa and then they can stay in Australia for as long as they keep working under the employer. Students can also decide to take a break from academics and work and travel the country. The students can apply for the Tourist visa which allows international students to stay in the country for either three, six or twelve months. Australia has a lot of scenic tourist spots such as the Sydney Opera House, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Blue Mountains National Park, Bondi Beach to name a few which is a pleasure for the senses.

Australia, the largest country in Oceania offers a lot of opportunities for students to pursue post their graduation. It is up to the students to decide the direction they want to take. They can also decide to return back to their own country as a graduate degree from Australia is invaluable in any country and commands respect.

Business and Management, Education

What Will Kill First?

Businesses have been suffering and reeling under the impact of the lockdown enforced due to the Corona Pandemic. Although the Indian Government has announced a 20 lakh crore stimulus package for the Indian economy, the small businesses and the daily wage earners continue to struggle. The majority are left questioning as to what will kill them first, the Coronavirus or hunger?

People are being laid off jobs continually. Businesses are closing down. The underprivileged without savings have been left relying on the substandard government rations and subsidies. The middle class continue to suffer a lot as they are neither eligible for the rations yet they continue to be laid off their jobs. People who are testing positive for corona and recovering are being treated as a social outcast and are being asked to stay away from the office. The economy is stuttering with a record low growth. People in the private sector are being to asked to do the usual job at a fraction of their earlier salary to help the company to recover the losses the company has suffered. Even though the markets are slowly opening up, the customers are staying away from the fear of contracting the deadly virus. The popular markets and malls are recording the lowest footfall they have ever seen.

People are dying and some are traumatised having to stay put in their house month after month. Depression and anxiety are becoming alarmingly common in society. People are only buying essential commodities and luxury items are being shunned. With low and uncertain streams of income, people have stuck to only buying daily essential commodities. The stock market has gone for a toss with record low Sensex and the share price of companies plummeting. The tour and travel industry have been suffocating and will continue to suffer for the years to come. It will take all the industries a lot of time to return back to normalcy.

The educational institutions have been rendered moot with all of them shut with no classes in their institutions possible. The exams are being cancelled and the students and their guardians are finding it extremely difficult to pay off the monthly fees. Some institutions like Don Bosco Liluah, St.John school based in Howrah, a city in West Bengal have made relaxation in the fees structure to assist the parents in this time of financial crisis.  However, the schools are suffering from a paucity of funds. The corona crisis has led to a financial emergency in almost all of the sectors in the country.

No one knows how long it will take for the world economy to recover even if a vaccine for Covid-19 is made available. The devastating impact of Corona has led to the loss of lives, daily livelihood and scarred the 21st-century human civilization for life. The daily wage earners and the migrant labourers are suffering a lot. Some have already lost their lives due to hunger and some have lost their lives in the process of having to travel back to their villages.

Everyone is hoping for the nightmare to end soon and for the world economy to get back on its feet and keep moving ahead. Some people keep stressing on the fact that they would rather die from the virus than die of hunger. Thus they continue to risk their lives of travelling for their jobs to earn their daily bread. The pitiable condition of India is only
deteriorating daily with India climbing to the 4th position in the list of Covid-19 positive cases. As Rahul Gandhi rightly pointed out, India is on its way to winning the “wrong race”.










Science and Technology

The Smart Boom

A world without smartphones is a modern Shakespearean tragedy! It a gift by mankind to mankind to enable its smooth functioning. It has allowed the evolution of humans to take place on a technological scale, to equip them with the entire world at their fingertips. A smartphone is a powerful tool and its true purpose of design can be fully utilised only if one bends it to serve their purpose and extract its potential to fruition.

The smartphone has made our lives easier. Our alarming dependence on the smartphone goes to show how vital it has come become to our daily sustenance. From entertainment to information, the small electronic device has become a vital tool and an extension of ourselves. Though the smartphone has led to several problems like headaches, distractions and short attention span, there can be no denying the multiple uses of the device that has made our lives easier and better.

From switching off our electric devices remotely to researching on a topic and completing an assignment, the smartphone has revolutionised our way of life. From binge-watching Netflix to watching a documentary on youtube, the smartphone has kept us entertained in the comfort of our homes in this Corona pandemic. From working from home to doing an internship online, the smartphone has bridged the gap between the office and the home.

The smartphone allows the user to connect to others from different corners of the globe through video calls using applications like Duo, Zoom, Teamlink etc. People can see their loved one’s thousand of miles away in an instant through the smartphone screen. The smartphone has made the once seemingly impossible now a reality. The smartphone has allowed students to attend classes on a regular basis and stay updated with their class lessons. It has allowed people to stay safe whilst still earning from home. It has allowed people to stay connected to each other and allowed patients to consult with doctors online.

It has allowed candidates to submit job applications on various portals like Naukri.com, Indeed.com, Shine.com etc from the comfort of their homes without the unnecessary hassle of travelling to various offices to submit their CV. It has allowed customers to shop daily essential items on various applications, order cooked food online and shop for garments online too. The smartphone has necessitated and helped in the smooth transition from buying from brick and mortar stores to online stores.

Businesses can reach out to customers easily because customers have access to affordable smart devices. It has led to the boom of the capital markets, the startup culture and the various online courses. However, all things can be used to a negative effect. This can be explicated in the manner in which hackers hack the smartphones and can access easily available private data of users and blackmail and extort them. The amount of readily made sensitive data inputted by the users makes the users vulnerable to hackers. Like everything, even the smartphone should be used sensibly and in moderation so as to avoid any such unpleasant experience.

Science and Technology

The Green Way

With the world going green, the automotive industry is remoulding itself to making the world a better planet by switching over from fuel to electric. Electric cars are a much better option with no emissions and thereby reducing air pollution drastically. In heavily populated countries like India and China, there is a grave need to reduce air pollution. Beijing and New Delhi are two of the most polluted cities in the World with regard to air quality index. Greener options like electric cars would pave the way to the global community having a better AQI.

With the introduction of electric cars and vehicles, the global community may have found a solution to the nagging problem. The West Bengal government and the Delhi government has already started introducing electric public buses into their fleet to meet the growing demand for buses and curb air pollution at the same time. During winter the AQI in some parts of West Bengal and New Delhi cross 500 and beyond which is hazardous and may lead to breathing problems and lung diseases. Governments around the world have recognised the need to keep the AQI in check. The Delhi government had introduced the odd and even scheme to reduce traffic and the AQI but it was not successful.

Tata Nexon EV, MG ZS EV, Hyundai Kona Electric, Tata Tigor EV, Mahindra e2o Plus, Audi e-tron are some of the electric cars which are available in India. Tata Tiago EV which is expected to launch in September 2020 is estimated to have a price of 5-7 lakhs which is quite affordable going by private car standards. Affordable pricing, an efficient car with proper service centres are some of the key aspects if E-Cars are to replace fuel-based cars.

Electric Totos are already plying in various cities around India. These Totos are energy efficient and helping curb the pollution contrary to those induced by other transport vehicles like Auto-Rickshaws and public buses. Affordable and comfortable, the public in India has gladly embraced the battery-operated Totos as a means of short-distance transport.

The Tesla electric cars are taking the automotive industry by storm. Economical, green and safe Tesla will be the leading carmaker in the years to come. Elon Musk has promised a $35,000 Tesla car which is approximately 25 lakh in Indian currency which is quite economical by global standards and the advanced features that a Tesla car offers.

The automotive industry is scampering to turn electric and grab the market share. Electric buses not only ensure the stoppage in unwanted emissions but also keeps private cars off the road by providing an economical alternative for travel. With the rising number of lung diseases in India, the government must slowly replace fuel-based cars with electric. Renewable energy to recharge the Ev’s would further ensure a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Electric vehicles are easier to maintain and charging the EV is cost-efficient too. Electric vehicles are quieter compared to fuel cars and is thus a pleasant driving experience contrary to other cars. Electric cars will be another way to fight and combat climate change. The many advantages of electric vehicles make the future for EV’s bright and more appealing.

Education

Let’s Talk About It

The silent killer, the grave murderer often unspoken of while it rages wild and uncaged amongst the generation of today. Depression severely affects the mental health and well being of a person. It sprouts from umpteen reasons and some sadly succumb to it. Ranging from young children to senior citizens, this deathly killer affects all.

Depression doesn’t discriminate between the rich and the poor or the gender of a person or their sexual orientation. It affects all. Some manage to escape from free-falling into the hollow abyss of their mind whilst some are compelled into submission. Recently we have seen a spike in the number of suicides taking place around the globe. Some ask for help and are unheard while some fail to reach out for help.

Schools have recognised the need to have counsellors to guide students at the grassroots level with exclusive one on one private sessions. This is an initiative toward helping students manage the syllabus pressure and to help them overcome any personal issue which may be bothering them silently. It is noticed that students often fail to open up to their family members and thus counsellors readily available in schools help the students weed out any trouble which might later spring into a major issue.

Getting bullied, scoring poor marks, low self-esteem, being scolded and mistreated are just a few of the innumerable reasons as to why children suffer from depression from a tender age. Often such issues are not addressed and they lie dormant and appear again in bouts in adulthood when they encounter or are subjected to similar distressing situations.

Depression affects people of all ages. Popular celebrities like Chester Bennington, Tim Bergling took their own lives not long ago. An incredible fan following and riches beyond anyone’s imagination couldn’t stop them from taking their lives. What most people should realise is that money and material wealth cannot feed the mind. One can be surrounded by a lot of people and still feel that he or she is all alone. Depression is a battle of the mind and there are several symptoms which should be recognised as warning signs.

1) Wanting to stay aloof from everyone and not wanting companionship.
2) Drastic increase or loss of appetite.
3) Disturbed sleep.
4) Suicidal thoughts.
These are a few of the warning signs of depression.

There are several helplines available in each country where people assist the one’s seeking help. Universities and Colleges across India have set up a students helpline during this lockdown period where students can interact and discuss their problems with professionals. Being cooped up in their home for months is starting to take a toll on everyone with domestic issues/abuse being reported at various helplines. People are frustrated and are taking it out on their family members. The uncertain future and unemployment have led to increased people seeking guidance at the various helplines.
According to a paper published by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), one in every seven people suffers from a mental disorder. People should be encouraged to open up and seek help when required to do so. Depression is a silent killer that snakes up, messing up one’s lifestyle and sometimes even ending it.





Culture and History, Social Studies

The Musical Change

Throughout the centuries people have talked about pertinent social issues either through their novels, poems, movies or through music. The 21st century has seen the music industry talking about grave social issues that have taken a firm hold over society. While early novelists and dramatists used to subtly talk about social dynamics which they disapproved of, the current generation is blunter while talking about the social issues.

The pop stars, the rappers have unabashedly addressed some social evils and issues that needed catering and to generate awareness and weed out some evils. Pop stars like Lady Gaga, Alessia Cara and rappers like Logic, Childish Gambino, Dax have talked about social acceptance, ruthless violence, racism and prevention of suicide.

Lady Gaga through her song, “Born This Way” talks about the LGBT community and being comfortable in one’s own shoes no matter who they are for everyone is beautiful in their own way.

“No matter gay, straight, or bi
Lesbian, transgendered life
I’m on the right track baby
I was born to survive
No matter black, white or beige
Chola or orient made
I’m on the right track baby
I was born to be brave”

Lady Gaga, a rape survivor, has opened up about the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) she had to suffer after being “raped repeatedly” at the tender age of 19.  Her song, “Till It Happens To You” speaks about the gruesome effect of rape on the victim and the trauma which they have to go through. The song was an attempt to raise awareness against sexual assault which received critical acclaim.

“You tell me it gets better, it gets better in time
You say I’ll pull myself together, pull it together
You’ll be fine
Tell me what the hell do you know
What do you know
Tell me how the hell could you know
How could you know
Til it happens to you, you don’t know
How it feels“

The song “1-800-273-8255”  by  Logic ft. Alessia Cara and Khalid raise awareness about mental health. The video talks about the social stigma and disapproval that the LGBT community has to face from their own families.

“I’ve been praying for somebody to save me, no one’s heroic
And my life don’t even matter, I know it, I know it
I know I’m hurting deep down but can’t show it
I never had a place to call my own
I never had a home, ain’t nobody callin’ my phone
Where you been? Where you at? What’s on your mind?
They say every life precious but nobody care about mine”

Childish Gambino through the music video ” This Is America” raises awareness about the gun violence, racism and brutality of the police authorities in the USA.

“This is America
Don’t catch you slippin’ now
Look at how I’m livin’ now
Police be trippin’ now
Yeah, this is America
Guns in my area
I got the strap
I gotta carry ’em
Yeah, yeah, I’ma go into this
Yeah, yeah, this is guerilla, woo
Yeah, yeah, I’ma go get the bag
Yeah, yeah, or I’ma get the pad
Yeah, yeah, I’m so cold like yeah
I’m so dope like yeah
We gon’ blow like yeah”

“Black Lives Matter” by Dax talks about racism and the ruthless homicide of George Floyd by white police officer Derek Chauvin

“See nobody’s born racist man it’s something you learn
Deep-rooted in your brain from the day of your birth
I think it’s time that we repair All of the bridges we’ve burned
And let love out of our hearts onto cheeks we turn
Spread love, show love, let’s get rid of this curse,
Don’t wait for anyone to act man you go first
400 years wasted let’s get rid of this hurt cause that’s the only way we’ll ever see peace on earth”

These popular songs are just a few of the many social awareness songs available. Artists are representing the socio-political situation and various social evils that need to be weeded out from society through the power of music. Music is such an influential tool and big artists talking about their personal experiences like sexual assault is instrumental in bringing about a gradual and influential change in society. Bricks are laid one at a time and music is healing and reforming the world one brick at a time.

Education, Science and Technology

THE E-WAY

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Like an endless loop of strings, E-learning opens up multiple avenues for the students to choose from the comfort of their homes. Through E-Learning students in India can do varied courses offered by Harvard University ranging from a programming course such as CS50’s Introduction to Game Development to a social sciences course such as American Government: Constitutional Foundations.
Universities and their invaluable courses continents away can be accessed easily without the unnecessary hassle of the physical presence in the classroom.

E-Learning has brought varied courses around the globe in the comfort of one’s own house. E-learning has been successful in bridging the quality of education that one can access in the developing nations. It is a more economical and appeasing form of education in world crises such as the raging Covid-19 pandemic. It has ensured the unhindered transfer of knowledge when one is unable to be physically present in classrooms.  Schools and colleges have taken up E-Learning to ensure social distancing is not an issue they have to deal with so they can solely focus on the quality of education imparted to the students.

Despite its many perks, E-Learning also has its fair share of drawbacks. It is often difficult to cater to and overlook the progress of the students online which would have been a far easier prospect in the in-classroom mode of education. There are different challenges such as poor internet connectivity in the remote places and often the underprivileged do not have access to proper electronic devices. Some struggle with technology and thus are often unable to have a seamless E-Learning experience.

Though it is not without its fair share of challenges, E-Learning has been successful in the re-moulding the education system for the better. It is undoubtedly the mode of education for the future. It has been successful in providing affordable education to people in the different corners of the Earth. It has enabled some institutes to do without the physical infrastructure and additional costs that come along with maintaining physical classrooms.

There are several applications like Zoom, TeamLink, Google Meet, Duo etc which are being used by teachers and institutes to impart lessons to the students. The dangers of video lessons can be seen in the multiple instances of hacking and misuse of these applications. Data are stolen by hackers of the users of the application who misuse the data to their own fruition. The applications should be secured from hackers for seamless usage and to ensure that the users can operate it without any fear of their account being hacked.

E-Learning may, however, lead to a loss of jobs for a majority of people who used to assist in the seamless functioning of the brick and mortar classrooms. Publishing houses may suffer as learning moves online resulting in a sharp decline of hard copy textbooks. Publishing houses too shall have to adapt and move their publications online. Small publishing houses may fade away with time. The implementation of the proper 5G network would ensure an immersive learning experience. Physical libraries are slowly becoming defunct with even libraries uploading their content online. Information is available to Scholars very easily. Research has become easier than before. Some people have found it hard to cope up with the technological advancements while some have become unemployed with technology replacing manual labour. However, technology has changed the world for the better and made our lives easier. We should embrace technology as an inseparable part of our lives.



Culture and History, Law and Order, Social Studies

The Big R Or The Invisible C?

Amidst the raging Corona pandemic, another widespread form of a virus known as racism has resurfaced and come to light and is making waves amidst the global community currently under lockdown. George Floyd, a black 46-year-old man died after a white police officer Derek Chauvin put his knee on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes leading to his untimely death. This incident took place in Minneapolis, Minnesota leading to mass protests throughout the US and soon leading to global protests with around 50 countries like UK, Australia, Germany, Austria etc joining in the protests.

The protests are taking place whilst the corona pandemic is raging throughout the globe. People have been flouting social distancing norms with no regard for their personal safety. People have been protesting throughout the globe through mass gatherings. So the big question that needs to be answered is what do the people fight? An invisible enemy that takes lives or the grave discrimination that profiles humans based on skin colour?

Darren Sammy, a West Indies cricketer pointed out that he had been racially profiled as “Kalu” in India which he had mistaken as a compliment during his stay as an IPL cricketer. The tendency amongst humans to judge their superiority based on their skin colour is foolhardy. Kids grow up emulating those around them and observing blatant racist jibes and practices which mould them into toxic human beings from their tender years. Often black children are bullied in schools and mistreated leading to them suffer from depression, low self-esteem and some eventually succumbing to the emotional abuse through suicide.

On the other hand, over 70 lakh people have been globally infected with Covid-19 as on 8th June 2020 with over 4 lakh deaths. Thus one may question as to why people would have mass protests with thousands huddled together, flouting the social distancing norms and risk personal safety and pose a public hazard.  The answer may lie in the repetitive instances of insensitive discrimination based on race and skin colour. People are frustrated with already having to deal with a deadly virus and then tolerating gruesome racist treatment from people who are no less than the human incarnation of viruses. The wrath of the people could be visible in Bristol where they pulled down the statue of a controversial slave trader named Edward Colston who worked for a company that had transported 80,000 men, women and children to America.

We need to work towards eradicating Corona from our planet yet such sad incidents like the George Floyd murder impedes our progress in doing so. The wrath and intolerance of people towards such incidents are totally justifiable yet the mass protests, devoid of social distancing may have laid seeds for an even bigger monster and may end up costing the global community more lives than just one. We need a community devoid of prejudice towards our fellow beings. We are one and black lives do matter. However, we have to be wise in fighting and combatting both these grave impediments to a flourishing global community.

While the fight against Covid-19 may have an eventual end with a vaccine but the fight against racism will continue for ages to come. The seeds of racial profiling and discrimination have been embedded in our global culture through our ancestors and put into practice by our society. A deeper psychological evaluation may lead one to discover that the constant need to feel superior from other races may evolve from deep-seated insecurity of one’s own culture and race. The big R or the invisible C? We can’t choose one over the other. We have to fight both of them wisely.














Law and Order, Science and Technology, Social Studies

The Chinese Invasion

The Covid-19 virus, the Ladakh standoff and the Indian Prime Minister’s stress on self-reliance have led to multiple calls for the boycotting of Chinese products and the Asian country in its entirety. With the government announcing a 20 lakh crore package and Sonam Wangchuk detailing the various reasons to boycott Chinese products, the call for self-reliance has only gotten stronger.

The Make in India campaign has so far been unsuccessful in fulfilling the vision that the BJP led Indian government had set out to accomplish. However, it was a step in the right direction as the much-needed impetus for the Indian economy. Yet a total boycott of a country and it’s products is not feasible for a country like India and will take time. The superior quality Chinese products at affordable pricing are what led to the invasion of Chinese products in almost all countries including India. The “Atmanirbhar Campaign” will act as a catalyst to the dwindling “Make in India Campaign” that has underperformed.

However, a total like to like replacement of the Chinese hardware and software will take a lot of time. The current Indian hardware and software fail to match up to the Chinese standards. Yet the Indian industries will fail to develop and mould itself quickly unless there is a surge in demand and a dire need to do so. Thus the exclusion of Chinese products is a necessity for the Indian industries to develop which in turn will lead to a creation of jobs that will serve the economy and aid in much faster growth.

Indian citizens have been quick to attack Chinese products and softwares from its creation of the, “Remove China Apps” app that removes Chinese applications installed in your phone. TikTok, a Chinese app that has 467 million Indian users has contributed substantially to the revenue generated by the Chinese application. Initially, Indian netizens had first attacked the Chinese application over a feud between a TikToker and a Youtuber which led to the app being downgraded to a 1.3 rating from its initial 4.9 ratings. However, Google was quick to remove all the recent one-star ratings from the application. With Google pulling down the recent 1-star ratings, Indians have started uninstalling TikTok along with other Chinese applications like UC Browser, CamScanner etc over the Ladakh feud and with Sonam Wangchuk leading the campaign to remove Chinese apps within a week and Chinese hardware in a year. India imports goods worth more than 50 billion dollars from China in contrast to a miserly 2.5 billion dollars in exports to China.

If India proceeds with putting a halt to the Chinese invasion in its market, India would suffer from a paucity with regard to capital goods, machinery, electricals, chemicals to go along with intermediate and consumer goods. India’s heavy reliance on China makes it difficult to put an end to imports cold turkey. India should focus on a gradual decline in imports while developing a sustainable infrastructure for the production of goods in their own country. A sound infrastructure and production in India will give a major boost that India is in desperate need of. India can then finally be independent and their over-reliance on FDI can diminish.