Unique Historical Opportunities (UHO) thrown up during the lifetime of individuals and nations can matter a lot. Indian nation, which has been stagnating with the miserable tag of a ‘developing nation’ for the past six decades, is a best case study for missed opportunities. In the past one hundred years, India passed through at least a dozen UHOs’ when a different decision by those in power then would have made us citizens of a developed nation by now.

The whistle blows from visionaries like Aurobindo, Rajaji and Ambedkar were ignored by leaders like Nehru to the detriment of our national aspirations and development. The only decision that brought us relief during the period was the historical blunder of an arch communist like Jyoti Basu in opting out as the Prime Minister of India. We would have been in a complete mess by now if that blunder was not made. 

For India, the pinnacle of missed UHOs’ in recent history was during the period 1945 to 1950. When the unnatural division of Bharat was forced on religious lines by the Muslim League and the British, surgery of the nation could have been carried out in a much cleaner manner. None of those who were involved then would have objected to a more logical, legitimate and reasonable arrangement for the majority in India. The half-hearted, unreasonable and highly idealistic constitutional arrangement that is India today is making life miserable for the majority in many parts of India. Jihad and religious conversion in many forms have already made grave inroads into the essence of Indian nation. But potential instruments for salvage can present itself in many forms and the current attempts for Unique Identity Numbering (UINING for short) of all Indian citizens is one such UHO for the majority in India. All that is required is a proper numbering system that will capture and record the entire truth.

To start with, a ten digit alpha-numeric coding system can go a long way in protecting the interests of all Indian citizens, especially those of the majority who is currently at the receiving end of all government policies. A broad pattern for such a coding system can be as follows:-

1st digit   - Must be “I” that can stand for “Identity” as well as “Indian” 
2nd digit - Born in India or outside
3rd digit  - Must be a religious one at birth - e.g. “H” for Hindus, “M” for Muslims, “C” for Christians etc., which denotes the religion of parents (mother’s if it is different from father’s because mothers should have the first right over any children)
4th digit  - Whether SC / ST
5th digit  - Can be an alpha code referring to the mother tongue
6th digit  - Invalid or normal by birth 
7th digit  - Blood group
8th digit  - Biometric parameter
9th digit  - Biometric parameter
10th digit - Biometric parameter

Since all the basic parameters of an Indian at his or her birth are captured in these 10 digits, he or she will be entitled to all his or her benefits under the various provisions of our constitution by the ID number alone. All that remains to be monitored for this purpose is the economic prosperity of the individual which can vary during his or her lifetime. In any case, all citizens irrespective of their religion and caste, who are economically deprived, must be supported by the state till they climb above the poverty line. UIN must not record the transient states of citizens but only those parameters that form part of their permanent identity. And once UINING of the current population is over, it must be made mandatory for all Indians to get such a number as soon as their birth is registered in the local body as per existing laws of the country. 

In this whole exercise, the salvaging part for the majority community lies in the 3rd digit. Once an Indian citizen obtains a UIN, which also records his or her religion at birth, it will make the whole process of religious conversion and obtaining another UIN transparent and open. Current practices of religious conversion by dubious means and creation of a silent majority of “cryptos" will be rendered difficult for the schemers of such crimes against Indian nation. Millions of cross-dollars and petro-dollars being pumped into India every year by the competing organized religious orders, each for creation of their own versions of paradise for the poor and hapless Indians, will stand exposed in the process of obtaining new UIN for those who are converted. We will also remain aware and vigilant about the number of UINs being changed every year on account of religious conversions in the country.

Once it has been decided to have a database covering all Indians, it is definitely possible to maintain and make available online the ratio of H:M:C on 24x7 basis. This demographic ratio is of vital importance to the every existence of Indian nation. Our false beliefs about and skewed practice of secularism must not make us blind about the catastrophe that is waiting for India once the H:M:C ratio is altered in line with what happened in our neighboring nations. India will no more be India if the combined might of foreignness outweighs our own “Indianness”. With an almost confirmed Islamic Europe by 2050 and aggressive evangelization from US based missionaries there is very little left for hope or imagination. We might have missed many UHOs in the past, but the UHO in UINING can be missed only at our peril.