From across the shores
AARTI DHAR AND ANITA JOSHUA
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The Indian diaspora constitutes a significant economic, social and cultural force. What are their feelings for this country?
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PHOTO: THE HINDU PHOTO LIBRARY
Making a mark abroad: A scene from New York.
SUBTLY, but surely, President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam set the cat among the pigeons at the closing function of the fifth edition of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) when he said that efforts should be made to take this annual event to the toiling people of Indian origin living elsewhere. "They have gone to other countries for earning purpose and their way of life is only sweat, sweat and sweat. They don't have time to empower themselves to higher education and higher earning potential. There is no method of meeting them or their representatives here... While annually we are meeting in India, we should select 10 places in different parts of the planet and hold a meeting once in two years, where we should invite those who cannot afford to participate on their own."
In saying so, the President articulated the grouse of many Indians living overseas under trying circumstances, particularly the Gulf. Five years into PBD, this effort to "root for people with Indian roots" is yet to touch them. As far as they are concerned, the PBD is just for the rich and the famous Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) or People of Indian Origin (PIO).
Investing in India
Though a member of the rich and famous from the Gulf, M. A. Yusuf Ali, managing director of EMKE Group that runs a popular chain of retail stores under the brand name Lulu, points out that remittances to India from Gulf Indians is close to Rs. 20,000 crore annually. This is in Kerala alone. "Instead of running after multi-national companies, the Government should evolve policies that would allow Gulf returnees to set up small and medium enterprises. Unlike Indians settled elsewhere, those in the Gulf have to return since they cannot buy land there. They want to invest here; only there are few avenues."
While Ali's comments are specific to Kerala, other States are no better as Sunjyev Mahajan, a first generation migrant to the United States who wants to invest in India, found. He has been trying for several months now to start a telecommunications project in Delhi but failed even to get a response from the authorities concerned. "One wants a quick response instead of wasting time with a bureaucracy that is unbelievably indifferent to new ideas. We need a responsive system," says the man who refuses to be a case of once-bitten-twice-shy.
Sometime back he approached the Uttarakhand Government with a proposal to set up a technology park. Unable to extract even a simple "no" from the State Government, Majahan went to Sri Lanka with a similar project that was cleared within "no time". While the process of setting up the technology park in Sri Lanka has begun, this New Jersey resident has now got a letter from the Uttarakhand Government saying that the State would be happy only with a "marketing collaboration" with him.
"In India one has to fight the system and if you are able to do so, you ought to be efficient. That is, perhaps, why Indians abroad are a success because they've learnt things the hard way and know how to make things work," he says. "But let me tell you, I have not given up and will continue to pursue with other projects I have in mind."
Fellow U.S.-based Indian M. Anirudhan echoes similar sentiments. His efforts to bring a child-nutrition programme to Bangalore came to naught when he was duped in a land deal. Then he went to his native place, Kerala, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the State Government to provide computer education in high schools. This was earlier this decade and nothing has been heard of the MoU since. Thereafter, he got an American charitable organisation to ship hospital equipment to India. The first shipment has been lying in Kochi port for several years because apparently he did not entertain some demands from certain bureaucrats.
High potential
Such stories abound. India is already the highest recipient of remittances from overseas Indians ($23 billion in 2005.) But given the profile of the Indian diaspora, the investment by overseas Indians has been far short of its potential. While there is high interest among overseas Indians to invest here, there is a felt need for a market-driven institutional platform that will facilitate a two-way flow of overseas Indian investment into India as well as promote business-to-business partnerships between the Indians here and those settled overseas.
Overseas Indians approach the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs for information and guidance on a variety of subjects related to investment policies, emerging investment opportunities and other financial services. A need has, therefore, been felt for a trusted and neutral body with state-of-the-art facilities to provide a host of investment advisory services efficiently and on a real time basis.
PHOTO: SHANKAR CHAKRAVARTY
Homecoming?: At the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2007.
With this background, the Ministry proposes to establish a centre as a not-for-profit trust, in partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industries as an Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre that would serve as a "one-stop shop" for the Indian diaspora for promoting overseas Indian investment.
"Forget everything the Government might do. It seeks a response from the overseas Indians but there is no mechanism reflecting the Government's feedback," Mahajan points out. "The Indian Government wants us to invest here but where is the infrastructure. Haryana projects Gurgaon as a major attraction but the town runs on generators and there is no public transport."
The Indian diaspora constitutes a significant economic, social and cultural force in the world. Estimated at over 25 million spread across 110 countries, their industry, enterprise, economic strength, education and professional skills are widely recognised. As entrepreneurs and professionals, overseas Indians have dramatically changed the world's perception of India and Indians.
Connecting with family
Yamonee Barboro's ancestors left for Guyana from Allahabad in 1911. More than a century later, Yamonee, now in Chicago, wanted to trace her roots and connect with her family in Allahabad. She succeeded and now comes here quite often. "I have also helped two others get in touch with their families in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh respectively, but sincerely feel that the Government should set up a mechanism for PIOs in tracing their roots. The mechanism should be accessible otherwise it is so difficult even to approach the officers," she says.
Yamonee wants to settle in an Indian village and teach rural children who, she thinks, need to be fluent in English. "But India needs to develop infrastructure and learn to maintain it. Look at the fantastic metro rail network in India and look at the manner in which people board it as if it were a bus. All this needs to change if India is to compete globally." Then there are the fourth and fifth generation overseas Indians who have made other countries their home but still feel an emotional bond with India. Education Minister of Malaysia Komala Devi Perumal is one of them. "I am loyal to Malaysia but I still like visiting Chennai though I have no relatives there," says Komala Devi who continues to wear a sari and sport a bindi. Returning to India is not an option because Malaysia is her home now!
And, she is not alone. As Anirudhan puts it: "I come here 4-5 times a year. So, why should I give up my life in the U.S.?" So what if the Indian Government is bending over backwards to woo NRIs and PIOs; cynics and critics see the PBD as nothing more than a jamboree. "Just because we want to do something for India does not mean we want to give up the life we have built there" is the refrain from across the shores.
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