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The real crossovers!
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"Roshni - The Light of South Asia" brings together the biographies of 101 Indians who have made it big in the U.S.
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THE FRUIT OF LABOUR Rashmee Sharma and Ramesh Acharya Photo: V. Sudershan
In the recent years, Indian Diaspora is making a lot of sound in its homeland. Now it's time to make its presence felt in the country they chose for a better future. Some call their flight escapism but Rashmee Sharma and Ramesh Acharya, authors and publishers of "Roshni - The Light of South Asia", term it "a matter of opportunities." The duo has put together biographies of 101 people of South Asian (mostly from India) origin, who have made it big in the U.S.
"The book is an effort to demystify stereotypical perceptions about the Indian community. For years we have been considered as people coming from the land of cattle and snakes," says Rashmee.
"It is registered through the Library of Congress and will be available in schools across America for reference," says Ramesh. He says Chinese and Japanese groups already have such reference books.
Success stories
Doesn't it show Indians are still considered outsiders? "We are just one per cent of the population so we have to do something for the society to take note of us. People come across South Asian cabbies and gas station attendants every day, but they hardly see success stories such as Didar Singh who came with eight dollars but today owns 40 parcels of land in 13 counties."
Categorised under pioneers, entrepreneurs, visionaries, inventors and artists/authors and other disciplines, the book includes names such as Deepak Chopra, Mira Nair, Vijay Amritraj, Anand Jon, Vikram Chatwal and Chitranjan Ranawat.
"We wanted diversity, otherwise just doctors could have filled the book."
Both agree the book has become all the more relevant post 9/11.
Ramesh, son of a postmaster, migrated to the U.S. in 1969 and worked for 50 hours a week to earn a degree in engineering. "The first generation immigrants just wanted to be successful. Then we came with such values that we didn't believe in being `seen'. Now that the Indians have achieved a degree of success, they want to branch out, give something back to society and also to the country of their origin. Some like Bobby Jindal have moved into politics. Indians have been donating handsomely for various causes, whether it was the recent flood relief in New Orleans or tsunami relief in India."
Advantage of language
As for the outcry over the outsourcing business, Ramesh says outsourcing is going to continue, for Indians have the advantage of language. "And aren't American multinationals spreading their wings the world over?" But can he say that in American society? "Not in as many words but since the American economy is doing well despite outsourcing, I don't think it is an issue."
Now the two want to bring a collection of biographies of people who made a difference to the country without taking a flight.
ANUJ KUMAR
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