Quote Meaning - The Indian elite send their children to expensive private schools, bypassing the public school system. They have their own infrastructure for water, with sumps to store it, pumps to lift it, and fancy filters to de-risk from erratic, polluted government water. Most access private healthcare to bridge the health services deficit.

" The Indian elite send their children to expensive private schools, bypassing the public school system. They have their own infrastructure for water, with sumps to store it, pumps to lift it, and fancy filters to de-risk from erratic, polluted government water. Most access private healthcare to bridge the health services deficit. "
- Rohini Nilekani

The quote highlights a stark divide within Indian society where the wealthy class opts out of using public services and instead relies on private alternatives to meet their needs. This includes sending their children to expensive private schools, setting up personal water storage systems due to unreliable government-supplied water, and utilizing private healthcare facilities to circumvent shortcomings in public health care.

At a deeper level, this observation underscores the systemic issues faced by India's public sector institutions and the widening gap between different socioeconomic groups. By choosing private options for essential services like education and healthcare, these individuals not only avoid the flaws of public systems but also contribute less to the improvement and development of those very same public services. This behavior can perpetuate a cycle where public services suffer from lack of investment and support while the wealthy class benefits from the better quality offered by private entities.

Rohini Nilekani is an Indian philanthropist, author, and social activist known for her extensive work in education and water management. She co-founded Arghyam, a foundation dedicated to sustainable water solutions, reflecting her commitment to addressing systemic issues highlighted in her quote.