It is just a matter of prespective. Many years ago i was stuck in Bombay waiting for a flight to Zambia. The delay lasted 3 days - yes 3.. Anyway, i had the opportunity to explore Bombay and decided to get a taxi outside the hotel for entire day. The taxi driver was an accountant from south of india. Anyway, he showed me the city in detail and appreciated his tour. At lunch time, i wanted something to eat, so he took me to a place near the beach front. I asked him to join me and i was paying. He found it very very odd; the same when dinner and late evening snack. When he dropped me off he shook my and I gave him a hug for good friendship as well. He said something to me which i will never forget 'Sir, for the first time in my life i had a passenger who treated me like human being'.
Every country has issues but we have to try to rise above it; our country has seen the dark times and we are seeing some dark clouds right now still the caste, colour, religion and divisions I saw in India was unbelievable and yet interesting to fathom that a country still remains intact despite this huge and unprecedent diversity across multiple variations.
I have many friends from India in both academic and research areas.