New Delhi, January 01: Corruption scandals that rattled the country in 2010 topped the end-of-the-year online popularity poll conducted by Dentsu India.
The FIFA World Cup and the Radia tapes secured the No. 2 and 3 spots in the ET-Dentsu Top Hits 2010 survey that polled 2,271 Indians in the 16-65 age group.
The survey ranked anything from popular content to social phenomena, changing consumer habits to products that may have left a mark on Indian minds. Individuals were excluded from the list as it only captures trends, not personalities. An initial consumer research brought down the list from 100 to 25, which was then included in the e-survey.
From the Indian Premier League and the Commonwealth Games scandals that involved sports administrators, to the Adarsh Housing Society and telecom scams that saw the exit of a chief minister and a union minister, corruption dominated Indian minds for most part of the year. Those surveyed felt corruption was the biggest event for the country in 2010. This was a complete turnaround from the previous year when positive sentiment on economic stability and growth captured popular consciousness.
The FIFA World Cup in South Africa came a close second in the survey with its ‘Waka Waka’ chants and Vuvuzela monotones. Octopus Paul, which correctly predicted the outcome of many matches, resonated well despite the nation’s pre-occupation with cricket. The previous world cup had ranked No. 9 in the Top Hits 2006. Football’s climb in the poll augurs well for the future of the sport in India, the survey said.
The leaked phone conversations of corporate lobbyist Niira Radia ranked third on the poll. While the tapes humbled high-profile bureaucrats and media celebrities, they tainted the government for its amenability to influences in political appointments. The common man, however, found more juice in the tapes than any popular soap opera on television.
“This is nothing but the serious reality of our country playing itself out in the open,” Dr Anurag Yadav, a respondent from Delhi was quoted in the survey.
Some moments of hope & joy
“There is nothing to get worked up about what Niira Radia was doing, but it is the holy cows in the media, industry and the government who have lots of explaining to do.”
As the nation debated corruption and controversies, people did find their moments of anticipation and joy. For instance, the imminent launch of third-generation (3G) mobile services. Although, not everyone seemed to fully understand what 3G will bring in its wake, anticipation and expectations were universally high, lifting it to the No. 4 position.
The management of the Commonwealth Games, which initially brought smirk on people’s faces, began on an optimistic note and ended on a high.
While the run-up to the opening ceremony was full of angst and bad blood, the inauguration itself was redemption and ecstasy. All in all, the Games made a mark on India with much better performance on the field. The survey ranked the Games at No. 5, up two positions from the previous survey.
US President Barack Obama’s visit, too, made a mark on respondents who voted it to the No. 6 position.
It was followed by the Ayodhya verdict at No. 7. Respondents saluted the maturity with which the verdict was received across the country, saying it augurs well for the country’s future.
If anything evoked pride in young Indians in 2010, it was the new rupee symbol. Younger respondents (16-35 years) across cities actually voted the symbol to the Top 5, but it slipped to No. 8 on overall rankings across all respondents.
“The rupee symbol makes us feel like a global superpower,” Mukul Garga, a class 12 student from Patiala said in the survey. “I know it will take time, but it will look good to have our rupee on every keypad!”The ‘Save our Tiger’ initiative seems to have reverberated strongly with the respondents, who voted it to the ninth position.
The tiger was closely followed by the old warhorse of cricket, Sachin Tendulkar, whose ODI double ton and 50th Test century clinched the No. 10 spot in the list.
Courtesy: Economic Times