Leading lights from the diaspora show paths to further progress >From Eugene Correia
MUMBAI: While European Parliament MP, Nina Gill, thought people of Indian origin have “spiced up the world”, UN Under-Secretary, Shashi Tharoor, felt that the term NRI meant “Never Relinquished India” and telecommunications entrepreneur, Sam Pitroda, opined that “corporate successes” is a given but a “generation change” is needed in the social sector. They were taking part in the plenary session of New Initiatives for the Diasora which was chaired by Lord Navnit Dhalakia, with other diaspora panelists, Dato Seri S. Samy Vellu, Malaysia’s Minister of Works, A.R. Bundhun, Vice-President, Mauritius, Dr. Basdeo Pandey, Leader of the Opposition, Trnidad and Tobago, Dr P. Mohamed Ali, MD, Galfar Engineering & Contracting, Sultanate of Oman, and Vijay Amritraj, President, First Serve Entertainment, USA. To show the extent to what level the influence of Indian diaspora has penetrated into the workplace in the world, Shashi Tharoor remarked that British curry houses employ more workers than in the iron, steel, coal, shipping and mining industries combined. It’s one example of how the Empire can strike back, he quipped, drawing a big laugh from the crowd. He said that events like the PBD were necessary for Indians to voice their concerns and share their values. “Sometimes the value of a conference lies in conferring,” he added. Tharoor said that overseas Indians have contributed richly in diverse fields both in India and where they live and that they should be accorded the right to vote. Providing the example of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) as a “brand name” recognized as much as “MIT”, the UN official said India is no longer known as a land of “begging bowls and snake-charmers”. He remarked that for far too long it was believed that the only country Indians cannot succeed is in India He began his address saying light-heartedly but carrying a thought-provoking commentary on India’s secularism that where can one see a Muslim President appointing a Sikh Prime Minister made room for him by a Roman Catholic politician.. Nina Gill urged the overseas Indian youth to get involved in politics and gave brief details of her own rise in politics. “There a few and far in between in politics,” she added. She said she refused to be taken as a second-class citizen because of her race. “I was articulate and I set up an organization to fight back. Indian families encouraged their children to excel in the professions and, therefore, very few of these overseas Indian youth take up public office, she remarked. Sam Pitroda said he was ridiculed as one of the “computer boys” when he tried to usher in the communications revolution, but the state of the country has shown his vision has succeeded. He, however, warned that the technology success shouldn’t make India sit back and relax but work harder to provide similar success in the social sector. Besides the economic reforms, there must be judicial, administrative and political reforms, he demanded. He called upon the government to build at least ten large cities in fresh urban setting, while recommending a 10-point program to elevate poverty and improve growth. ====================== Citizenship for all overseas Indians >From Eugene Correia MUMBAI: The overseas delegates to the third Pravasi Bharatiya Divas burst into a thunderous applause when Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh declared the government’s decision to extend dual citizenship to people of Indian origin living in all countries. As the applause from more than 2,500 delegates and invitees to the opening ceremony at the S.N. Kohli ground in Navynagar, South Mumbai, died down, Singh added a condition to the qualification, saying that only those who migrated after Jan. 26, 1950 would be eligible and if only their host countries allowed. The dual nationality was first offered to overseas Indians in eight countries, including US and Canada, and then eight more countries were added. The immediate reaction to this clause was not seen in the packed audience, but during the following two days of the event, many overseas Indians were not sure how it would work out. The PM asked the government and the bureaucracy be forgiven because “little has happened to implement this declaration of intent” since the dual citizenship was announced at last year’s meet. “I do hope that a day will come when every single overseas Indian who wishes to secure Indian citizenship will actually be able to do so,” he said enthusiastically. He asked for more time and called for patience from overseas Indians till the government creates a user-friendly form instead of the three-layered one. Singh said that the government may consider using “smart card” for security reasons, and that he has requested concerned ministries to “spell out the benefits of registering overseas citizenship.” Despite the differences in religion, cuisine and costume, there is a “unifying idea” of “Indian-ness” that “binds us all together.” He further emphasized, that our “deeply emotional roots” and the process of liberalization and modernization of Indian economy has created an opportunity for the overseas Indians to again “relate in a meaning ful way to their motherland.” The PM said successive governments have made it possible for overseas Indians to invest at home and to travel freely to and from India. By opening the skies in the peak season for Indian private airlines and with efforts to modernize 30 airports across India, the government wants to reduce the troubles faced by overseas Indians wanting to travel to India, he added. He said he was “impressed by the optimism that characterizes the overseas Indian. It is also for this reason that you continue to look back at India with love, affection and longing, though with an understandable degree of impatience without any bureaucratic procedures.” Calling upon overseas Indians to contribute through “inspiration of your example and through investment in our future”, he also asked them to have faith in India. The PM appealed to overseas Indians to invest in India as the country needs $150 billion over the next ten years for infrasture development He invited overseas Indians to support education in India, particularly at the primary level, and also to extend their help to NGOs working in villages. Singh assured that with good economic and social reconstruction of India, he would make the overseas Indians feel proud. He declared that the 21st century will be India’s century. Earlier, the Vice-President of Suriname, Jules Rattankumar Ajodhia, the chief guest, provided the links between his country and India and how people of Indian origin there have contributed in enhancing the social, economic and political fabric of the former Dutch colony. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - Easier than ever with enhanced search. Learn more. http://info.mail.yahoo.com/mail_250