Critics have flayed the inaugural Indian Grand Prix as an instance of misplaced priority in the world’s second most populous nation with an abysmal malnutrition rate and skewed economic growth.

But does not mean India should not host events such as the one being held on the $450 million Buddh International Circuit on the outskirts of Delhi.

In every country, there are passionate and non-passionate, adventurous and non-adventurous and privileged and under privileged people and as a nation, we do have people on the other side of the fence which are in opposition of this kind of sporting events because according to them, it’s just wastage of money. But that does not mean the country must be bogged down or weighed down.

“India is a progressive country, we have a strongly growing economy, a large economy. The government is doing all it can to address the need of the poor or the under-privileged people, but India must move on. People want to host the cricket world cup, IPL T-20, Commonwealth games because all these things adds to the pride of the nation but when it comes to F1, it’s just another sport which is not correct even when we have a Indian F1 team on the grid since 2008 and Indian F1 drivers right on the starting grid ready to prove their metal and show the world that they can also burn the rubber.

The memories of the organizational disaster that the Commonwealth Games was, were drowned in the noise of the Formula One cars racing at over 300kph at the Buddh International Circuit during October last year.

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone confessed that he feared if the race will happen at all because the construction work continued till the last minute but took a flight back by saying that “India delivered on all counts”.

A marvelous racing facility, the famed warmth in hospitality there to be seen, and passionate fans filling up the stands, it all came together perfectly to make India’s Formula One debut a blockbuster which proves one thing only that India has moved on from garage to the pit lane.