it is a very well written and expressed article. glad that the author didnt become preachy and just said it as it is...it is a very relevant issue in this age. each might have his or her view but still such write ups are sensible and make us all think abt it. take a bow !!
I enjoyed reading this article and comments. This article opened many doors for discussion. Well i think, India is behind in many sectors because of:100 years of British Raj which had forever changed the face of India and Indians;we Indians hate(in some way or the other) with each other,on basis of race,religion,place(north,south,east or west), bankbalance and of course language,unless we stop this we can never progress n who can forget CORRUPTION.i ve experienced the language hate, in my graduate studies in US,as many students (from India) isolated me because i didnt know their regional language.Anyways,coming here knowing how a developed nations operates,we must go back and changed the situation because the people back home dont know much how to resolve things in an efficient manner.Compare to Chinese students of whom majority go back to china and develop their nation, look to Japan raising from ashes after world war2,look how much their students have changed their country.I think our identity is Indian no matter where we go or either change citizenship on paper, but still Dil Hain Hindustani. We NRIs should forget things like citizenship, must go back home and serve. I myself is planning to develop freeway road system, introduce the housing system for the poor;other things like standardize each and every thing like Federal Requirements. I will plan to do this by making proposals to the Chief Ministers of atleast 2 states in india and working with IAS. I hope things w
RE:Common NRIs lets serve our country !!!
by frend flower on Aug 08, 2008 01:49 AM Permalink
Contd : I hope things will work if WE really want to CHANGE.
I have been in India all my life and have occasionally traveled to US on work, but have always rejected the option of staying there and making my living there. I just cannot make myself pay my taxes to another country than my beloved India. To be honest, I have met many Indian professionals in the US and have found quite a few of them quite ordinary except for their urge to earn money and make US their home (no offense intended, but its the reality). There effort to do MS or a PhD in the US may be lauded, but that doesn't make them brighter than the kids back home. And, it pains me no end to see an Indian kid speaking in an American accent, struggling to speak in his own mother tongue, man it pains me no end. How could that happen? I can never imagine myself doing that to my kids. Whenever I travel, my heart wants to go back to India, and my love for her grows. I want to learn more about the rich culture, be part of the bright future and make my contribution to that. Most importantly I want to raise kids (when I marry and have one :-)) that are true Indians and hold their heads high doing that. For me nothing beats India, and not even anything comes close to it. India is beautiful with all the chaos and defects. I love India. I hope the "NRIs" love India too.
RE:Nothing like being in India
by RaNjiTh on Aug 08, 2008 07:21 AM Permalink
I am in melbourne , australia, just landed here a month ago to do Masters in professional accounting after doing a Bcom in India thinking that i would get international exposure and go to US and settle out there and live like the hollywood stars out there..But now i can feel, that american or australian all the same, their culture is not for us, Atleast for me, I am feeling the Urge to go back to India and drop this masters degree which i just started as even if i do this degree here, there is no value for it back in india, And that is true bullshit. I want to get back to india and live my life there, and no way will i go out of india to settle and live anywhere. India is my country, and i would be greatfull to apply my skills and serve the country by any ways possible.. isnt this the correct thing to do.? i really want to kno.!!
I see the emotions here. I have been living in the east coast of the US since 1995. I do like to be called an Indian. But truth is, NRI's are not Indians. They are, well, legal or illegal aliens in the countries in which they currently live. Some are citizens in this "foreign" land - and now they are Americans or British or Japanese or anything else - but Indians.
People who left India are not Indians anymore. Why? Because, most of us do not like India. Plain and simple. Once we move out, we think of India as an underdeveloped country, overally populated and poor. We go back there once in a year, or two - sometimes. But we vacation there. We attend marriages, we drink coffee at Barista, the only water that suits us is Bisleri or Aquafina, and the only way we travel is either when there's a driver, or a pilot. We suddenly become susceptible to dust and smoke, and cannot think of spending a few hours in Summer without A/C. Yes, we may be Indians by birth. We may be Indians by traditions and culture. And we may be trying our best to make our surroundings more "Indianized". But, we are not Indians. Hate to say this, but we left India with a choice, and we won't go back there even if there's a chance. Let's not call ourselves Indians. When we say "NRI", the emphasis is more on the "N" and the "R", and much less - almost non-existant - on "I".
RE:NRI are not Indians
by RaNjiTh on Aug 08, 2008 07:25 AM Permalink
However, This is true for indians who leave india to come to Japan, US or Australia etc. But i have seen that NRI's in the MiddleEast do have a sense of coming back to india , as they have all left India in the first place to earn the high amount of foreign money and live the Upper Middle class life..Thats all. Thats' what they all just want, And after their service of time is over, they would get back to india, settle there, But sure, They never contributed their worth to india, But they atleast make a few families live a decent life back in india , reducing the burden of poverty , poorness and sadishness which prevails with a lot of ppl who live in india, work in india.
I am a PIO, and according to my place of birth, citizenship, etc. I don't qualify to be an Indian, though ethnically I am an Indian. It makes no difference to me, for I am more Indian than Indians in India as I have not forgotten my heritage.
I love this topic...as I am myself a confused about this issue.....!I have been experiencing a very similar dialogue with myself....and i think i know the answer and I have rested my quarels !
I am Indian!An Indian is actually a more global concept,than actually thought of....though I beg to differ from the traditional view of the Indian middle class,who feel belonging to the traditions formed god knows how many years back!
An Indian is 1 who belongs to all,loves all....mixes tradition, n does nt sticks to it! He forms tradtion,every generation....bt does nt abhore other tradition.....unlike todays middle class...who just loves its own!
An Indian is happy to not bind myself to eating tradition,dislike of differnt meat,dispenses stupid traditional belief ,reasons n throws them out of the window,and actually sees n believes....as nothing is bound to be bad.....n I guess reform of ideas r as crutial as the change and update of technology!
So Im happy to be an Indian, the concept of which even the best of European and American (u may say), are quite traditional and backward!
So no regrets sayin.....I m an Indian...as he is belongs to the global village!
RE:Incredible subject
by Vijay on Aug 08, 2008 01:27 AM Permalink
I think this is just a way to reduce the guilt feeling of not being in India. So, what makes you leave India and make a foreign country your home? Is it the money? Is it the career? Is it the clean environment? Is it the intellectual challenge? All these can be very much had in India, but with a tinge of a dusty environment, sweaty people and a crowded place. I will show you successful people who have stayed in India by choice and have had all these. Finally, the richness of India is in India and it can never be felt anywhere else, no matter how many Indian bazaars you have, or attend numerous Indian community parties, or attend Indian satsangs :-) Her beauty lies in India.....
