Incredible India

Dileep Kumar to AR.Rahaman to the Oscars. What a journey for one of India's foremost composers.

This has to do with Rahman’s conversion from Hinduism to Islam about 20 years ago. Rahman was born Dileep Kumar and remained so for much of his extraordinarily difficult early years. His conversion to Islam came in 1989, after his sister went through a serious illness that was cured by a Muslim cleric, soon after which he had a dream to convert. Today, Rahman is a devout Muslim, finding enormous solace in his faith.

Is there a problem with this? Is he less of an Indian? Unfortunately for some it does. Rahman's triumph is India's triumph. It shows an India where talent goes beyond religion or narrow divisive interest, something our neighbors cannot boast of.

After all, it is our diversity that makes us Incredible India.!