To the young generation today , the word ” apartheid  ” may not ring a bell unless they refer to a dictionary or Wiki .  Here is a real situation where I encountered this process of social and racial separation perpetuated by the white population in South Africa for a very long  time till the eighties .

I was a participant in the  prestigious Defense Services Staff course in 1975 at Wellington , Nilgiris in South India . We were selected through an All India Competitive Examination and this was a tri services residential  program for 10 months.We also had many foreign officers from various commonwealth countries and other friendly countries from the middle east attending this program . The atmosphere was very congenial to open discussions on International Affairs  and one could express his ideas freely without any inhibition and the faculty encouraged this all the time.

During a central discussion on the hot topic of the times “Apartheid in South Africa ” , there were many  exchanges of ideas on its evil effects and why it should be abolished through International efforts . India has been always championing this stand and wanted Nelson Mandela to be released from prison .

One  student officer belonging to the Royal Air Force [UK] got up and asked the audience what is wrong with Apartheid. He said  he spent more than 10 years in South Africa and found the ”  Blacks ” well cared  for and looked after by the White Government whereas recently when he visited Madras [now Chennai] in India , he found beggars all over the streets pestering him for alms . According to this officer , if this was the state of India under a democratically elected government which preaches equality for color, race or creed , then ” apartheid ” is any time a better economic option!!!

The audience were taken aback for a moment by this outburst but one Indian officer got up and said ‘ My dear  Squadron Leader ——- , yes ,we agree we have many beggars in India but the main difference is that in India   they are free to beg for a living  whereas in South Africa under “apartheid ” the native population is denied this freedom !!!.

I understood the meaning of “apartheid ” then very clearly.


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