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By:

Naresh Kamath

5 November 2024 at 5:30:38 am

Indian Tourists Need a Reputation Reset

India has long taken pride in the philosophy of ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ - the belief that guests deserve warmth, respect and dignity. It is an idea deeply woven into the country’s cultural imagination, often been projected as a defining Indian value. As millions of Indians travel overseas every year, the conduct of a small but highly visible section of Indian tourists is increasingly shaping how India itself is perceived abroad. The issue is not about a single incident or a handful of viral...

Indian Tourists Need a Reputation Reset

India has long taken pride in the philosophy of ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ - the belief that guests deserve warmth, respect and dignity. It is an idea deeply woven into the country’s cultural imagination, often been projected as a defining Indian value. As millions of Indians travel overseas every year, the conduct of a small but highly visible section of Indian tourists is increasingly shaping how India itself is perceived abroad. The issue is not about a single incident or a handful of viral videos but a pattern that is drawing notice from hotels, tourism operators and local authorities across the world. The debate gained fresh momentum after reports emerged of a Swiss hotel issuing a notice specifically addressed to Indian guests. The advisory reportedly requested guests not to pack food from breakfast buffets for later consumption and reminded them to maintain silence in corridors and balconies. Hotels routinely issue guidelines. But when a particular nationality becomes the subject of a specific advisory, it inevitably raises larger questions about perception. “It is a sorry state of affairs. Indians, especially in groups, are displaying atrocious behaviour. This was anyway bound to happen,” says Subhash Motwani, founder of Namaste Tourism. Embarrassing Incidents Whether the notice was justified is another separate matter. The question is why such perceptions are emerging in the first place. Recent months have seen several incidents involving Indian tourists gain traction on social media. One widely circulated video showed travellers performing garba on an airport tarmac in Vietnam. Garba is among India’s most vibrant cultural traditions and a source of immense pride for millions. Yet airports are highly regulated spaces where safety protocols and discipline take precedence over celebration. The incident became symbolic of a larger problem. The rise of social media has encouraged some travellers to treat foreign destinations as stages for content creation. Public dancing, loud celebrations, disruptive behaviour and attention-seeking stunts may generate views and engagement online, but they can also leave lasting impressions on locals and fellow tourists. India is hardly the first country to confront such a challenge. During the 1950s and 1960s, American tourists acquired a reputation for arrogance abroad, giving rise to the phrase “Ugly American.” Britain spent decades dealing with the international embarrassment caused by football hooliganism. China faced similar concerns as outbound tourism surged during the early years of the twenty-first century. A nation’s image is shaped not just by its economic achievements and diplomatic influence but also by the behaviour of its citizens overseas. India today finds itself in a similar situation. Indian tourists are now among the most visible traveller groups across Europe, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. This is, in many ways, a remarkable success story. However, with visibility comes responsibility. Hospitality professionals across destinations frequently point to recurring concerns. Excessive noise, queue-jumping, disregard for local regulations, overcrowding hotel rooms and attempts to bypass established rules through jugaad are among the complaints often cited. Collectively, repeated experiences can create lasting perceptions. The most revealing aspect of the debate is that Indian travellers often display exemplary discipline in countries known for strict law enforcement. In destinations such as Singapore, the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, compliance with rules is generally high. Complaints tend to emerge more frequently in places perceived as relaxed or lenient. That suggests the challenge is not one of awareness. Most travellers understand the rules perfectly well. The problem is often a mindset that rules can be negotiated when consequences appear unlikely. Changing that mindset is far more important than introducing additional regulations or issuing fresh advisories. Every interaction at an airport, hotel, restaurant, tourist attraction or public transport system contributes to how a country is viewed. These everyday encounters often shape perceptions more powerfully than government campaigns or tourism advertisements. As India stakes its claim to a larger role in the world, its citizens must recognise that national prestige is shaped not only by economic achievements and diplomatic successes, but also by everyday behaviour abroad. The overwhelming majority of Indian tourists travel responsibly and leave behind positive impressions. Their conduct rarely becomes news because courtesy seldom goes viral. Yet a handful of highly visible incidents can overshadow thousands of positive experiences. The challenge is to encourage responsible travel and a greater awareness that behaviour abroad carries consequences beyond the individual. The conduct of Indian citizens overseas should reflect the confidence and values of a nation seeking not merely recognition but enduring respect. (The writer is a senior journalist based in Mumbai. Views personal.)

India’s Toxic Work Culture: A Silent Mental Health Crisis

Updated: Oct 21, 2024

India’s Toxic Work Culture: A Silent Mental Health Crisis

In the middle of a particularly busy workday, earlier this week, a friend sent me a WhatsApp forward which I grudgingly opened. It was a news report announcing that a 26-year-old chartered accountant working with a leading consultancy firm in India had died. Her mother accused the organisation of “stress” over the past six months that could have led to her daughter’s death. Can mental stress cause death? I am not sure. But then, I do not have the medical credentials to attest or dispute that claim. What I am convinced about is that prolonged stress can—and does—lead to various ailments and as we know by now, most diseases originate in the mind!

I have seen the impact of ‘toxic workplaces’ on my colleagues in a different organization: a young lifestyle writer developed stomach ulcers after suffering ‘intense mental stress’ for three years at the hands of a very difficult, demanding and nasty boss. A young photographer had a mental breakdown after having a raise pulse rate each morning as she walked in through the office door and into the newsroom. What did they do? Complaints to the management were brushed aside because the question was “how could long stressful hours lead to hospital visits?”

Work pressures have, indeed, increased over the years with greater competition to keep the top job, or rather, the job you have in hand. It is only in recent years that people have started recognising the impact of workplace stress on mental health.

There are studies that corroborate this. And conversations revolving around mental health are more open and prevalent. A survey done by Deloitte this year revealed that a staggering 80 per cent of the Indian workforce reported experienced mental health issues in the past year. Another study by the National Sample Survey Office found that over 60 percent of Indian employees grapple with stress at work. The World Health Organization’s data shows how pervasive the concern is - it says that nearly one in four employees in India suffer from work-related stress.

The notorious ‘burnout’ is happening much sooner. High achieving professionals in their early 30s grapple with exhaustion and fatigue. The nature of the stress differs across geographic and demographic variations. If corporate offices exert pressure to meet deadlines, job insecurity is a factor in low paying, less skilled jobs. No matter what you do, you cannot escape stress if you work in India.

On a visit to Vienna a few years ago, I was fascinated by their 35-hours-per-week work rules. At 6 p.m., it was common to see people sauntering into cafes with their dogs to have coffee with friends; the parks were bustling at 5 p.m. And these were not retired seniors, they were all working professionals who knew when to cut off from work. India does not appreciate a work-life balance. Long hours at the desk have been glorified and hailed as ‘professionalism.’ Working weekends add to the scores during appraisals and going incommunicado post work for a family dinner or movie is a mark of ‘not being serious enough.’

This cultural shift began two decades ago, as multinationals brought with them an American work culture of rushed breakfasts, heart-pounding deadlines and the belief that longer hours equal greater achievement and therefore, fatter paychecks. What has been overlooked is that a burnt-out workforce cannot deliver results.

India’s burgeoning population means there are several contenders for the same skilled jobs leading to cut throat competition at various levels of the workforce. People in ‘private companies’—or non-government organisations—are dispensable. A hospitalised employee can very well find his job changing hands; a new mother raises her infant while worrying about keeping her job.

Round-the-clock connectivity comes at a huge personal and mental health price. Late night discussions on WhatsApp chats and dreaded emails at 4 A.M. disrupt sleep and peace. The pandemic and the work from home culture it started also has its share of blame. A senior manager at an OTT major complained that there is no cut off time when he works from home. Mornings and nights are the same as mid-day. Mental health experts tell you that disconnecting and focussing on other activities helps the mind de-stress.

Rising stress, often silent and unspoken, is a looming crisis. Few seek help, assuming it is temporary, but the toll on health, families, relationships, and productivity is severe.

Organisations lose work hours to absence caused by mental ill-health; productivity suffers even if the employee is physically at-work. Family and social relationships are taking a downturn and personal mental health is the biggest sufferer.

The change lies in new policies. In 2019, Member of Parliament Supriya Sule introduced a Private Members’ Bill called the ‘Right to Disconnect’ under which employees can refuse work outside of reasonable work hours. Australia offers employees protection from professional exploitation through a similar law where people can refuse to work outside their stipulated hours.

India Inc. is gradually waking up to the new demands for mental healthcare with counselling sessions, wellness care leave, childcare facilities and flexible work arrangements. But the implementation should be in spirit and not only on paper. Government policies such as the right to disconnect will further boost people’s ability to refuse after-hours work. Mental healthcare should not remain just lip service or a one-off human care initiative. Workplaces should be turned into safe havens, both, physically and mentally.

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