Dear Santaji,

Merry Christmas to you! And not to mention, a very happy Christmas to your hard working globetrotting team, who would be in the thick of delivering gifts all over the world.

A doubt. Errrr….you learnt your logistical skills from Amazon or did Amazon get some lessons from you? One more doubt…..are you also planning to soon go online? Would be much easier but we would kind of miss sending you a letter; maybe this is the only time when kids go to the post office and actually see how “physical mail” works. But changing times and changing ways of life. Are you planning to adapt too or leave some old traditions untouched?

Well, getting back to the festive spirit. This is the time we would like to celebrate the child within us and make a few wishes. The sad truth though is that the child within us is mature and wants things, which, errr, might be a little difficult for you to deliver.

1: Right on the top of the list; can you pretty please, with cherry on top, clear the pollution all over India and the world? Its becoming more and more difficult to breathe and we wish we could use your magical powers and make the air like it was 100 years ago – crisp and clean, like a newly ironed dress.

2: We would also like you to give our environmental ministers and officers a sense of guilt and conscience. That we hope, might prevent them from giving a nod to each and every project, with their eyes only on money and less on the damage it is causing to the environment.

3: While clearing the air in Delhi, we request you to please drop into the homes of various ministers and give them the wisdom to understand that everything is not about GDP or Ease of Doing Business Index. They really need to look at quality of life, giving more value to human life and expand their vision beyond religion and caste.

4: And while on religion and caste, do you also have “quota system?” Do you employ people based on caste and religion or based on abilities, skill and talent? Wish you could change this quota system in India…..this, we know, is too much to ask even by your standards.

5: There is a growing sense of intolerance to everything and anything. Fringe groups are mushrooming up all around, dictating terms. Can you please set right the moral compass and stop this growing rightist feeling in the country?

6: Talking about moral compass, do you have a gadget or a shirt, which on wearing, makes a person grow conscience and they stop being corrupt? Now, that would be the best gift to be given to each and every minister!

7: Santaji, can you please make our farmers happy and debt free? No, don’t even think about loan waivers; that’s the curse of our political system currently. We would like you to ensure they get a good price for their produce and a good supply management system.

8: We have embarked on this ambitious “Make in India” program in India. Can you please ensure that land, power, water, infra bottlenecks are removed so that this does become a reality?

This is not a wish – just wanted to know – are all your toys and giveaways also ‘Made in China’?

Well, the list can go on and on but surely, you have millions of wish lists to go through and you must be super busy! Please give a thought to our wish list; maybe that’s all we will get – a thought?

Jai Ho and Merry Christmas!

India Inc

PS: In India, we do not have chimneys in cities; so please do not waste your time trying to find one. Try climbing up the stairs as it would be better to have a fitter Santa. Yes, being fat is no longer correct and you could send the wrong message to the children. Please don’t mind!