Nicely argued case, indeed! India is a great country and a fast emerging economy - so it presents an unique opportunity to the NRIs as well as to foreign businesses. However, remember how we came here? Was it not after we closed the gate and pushed ourselves to the brink of disaster that we opened ourselves and engaged with the world - and became a powerful player in it? Why profess to make the same mistake again?
I travel frequently, and wonder about this: Why on earth with my Indian passport, I can travel visa-free to about 10 countries in the world, whereas a British or an American passport gets visa-free access to more than 120 countries? India is indeed a great country, but we have been particularly uncertain when engaging with others, be it NRIs, our neighbouring countries or other countries in the world. The shock of 1990 was not that bad - it shook us a little of our comfort zone, let us lose some babu-fat, and allowed us to reach out to the world.
It will be a tragedy, if emboldened by the limited successes we have so far, we again return to our closed-door illusion, and wait for the world to reach out to us.
RE:Interesting Thought
by shiva on Jan 21, 2008 06:27 AM
Supriyo,
The world has moved on. Let us be wise to avoid the failures of the past.
China is for all practical purposes a capitalist country though they tag the communist label. They learned the lessons quickly after catastrophes. The Long March & Cultural Revolution killed millions and they ended up in abject poverty. A more virulent form of Maosim cost Cambodia two million people, quarter of its population. At the end of the day, they were much worse than before. That tall leader Deng Xiopeng, standing less than five feet, made China change course. He saw in awe Taiwan, Hongkong, Singapore and many others, where Chinese floursished. He saw system failure at home, despite being endowed with huge natural resources. He had the courage, panache and drive to change course. Now Vietnam is rising.
We were ruined by politicians and a bureaucracy, which was worse than Fort Knox. Completely shackled, we were descending into utter hopelessness. The tooth & nail fight against "exploitation" turned the organised unions of the govt employees & big companies into holding the entire population to ransom. The irony, the worst hit was the poorest of the poor, just scaping to survive.
The forerunners of the present NRIs were born. Many landed in Gulf countries, working virtually as slaves, piled up a dozen to a room, sharing the very basics of life with other nationalities and religions.
To repeat the mistakes and expect different results is foolhardy.
These NRI%u2019s and PIO%u2019s shouldn%u2019t be allowed on the shores of the motherland. I like the right wing twinge too, his voice should become a national movement...down with the NRI%u2019s/PIO%u2019s....sounds real good, throw them out of the Indian airports even if they try to come in.
The Pravasi Bhartiya Divas platform should be summarily scrapped.
In 6 years India has come this far and very soon the developed world will be laid to dust and India will emerge as numero uno. U.S. EU China can eat their hearts out.
Bhattacharya are you from West Bengal? A lot of intellectuals are from West Bengal am I right ?
PS: Does anybody know how many hits Rediff gets from outside India?
RE:Good show...Bhattacharya!!!!
by S on Jan 20, 2008 02:07 AM
If yoy read on you will see how many people are talking about NRI's below you will know it.. I haope you have the time to sit and count the numbers...
When we paid the foreign currency, Interest rates were very high.. because Govt of India wanted these funds.. now the interest rates are lower as they have foreign investments and interest rates are lower.. what is the issue of NRI's whether they invest in India or not..
Why has banks like ICICI are allowing for people to invest overseas in shares etc... sitting in India if you do invest outside it is OK and we NRIS's should not decide what is best ??
RE:Good show...Bhattacharya!!!!
by shiva on Jan 20, 2008 11:36 AM
ben kanobee,
Strong words indeed.
I only wish the part that India will be mumero ono comes true. Do you sincerely believe so, especially since you have too much respect for the Bengalies? It should be be for the whole country. Since only Bengal, may many worry as it is linked to our brand of communism, not the practical ones in China.
We are an open country with a closed mind especially our commies, while China is supposed to be a closed country with an open mind.
I again am enthused by your great hopes for India. Count me in. May be you should not exclude Non Required Indians from the celebrations. There is time and so it can heal the wounds and let us all be little forgiving.
Natural human tendency is to seek investments that are beneficial and pull out money when growth risks occur. Its nothing to do with NRI or resident Indian ... for example, will a resident Indian invest in stock market when market is declining to make India's economy sronger?? NO. Any Indian (NRI or resident) or for that matter any human seeks growing economics ... to link economics and patriotism is absurd and smacks of pseudo-intelligence.
RE:Illogical
by S on Jan 20, 2008 01:40 AM
Hi Jaleel
I agree with wit Raj. Look what President Bush is doing now... he is pumping money into the US econmy by giving relief to ensure that there is no recession... Indian Govt went and got investments from Foreign companies and the game plan has worked.
Nobody leaves for pennies.. they leave for a career.. I have seen many people coming back when kids are slightly grown as education etc are still very good in India..
You cant explain behaviour of millions of NRIs in one sentence. There are many real caring, India-loving ones and an equal number of cheats. What you say about those who ditch their business associates and run with their money, knowing well Indian Laws will not reach them? What about those who get 3rd or 4th time married in India and ditch their brides after Indian Honeymoon is over ? They went there for their own success, not on call of Indian Patriotism. It is their social and psychological need that they keep in touch with India, as the family and homely life as in India is hard to find there. Very few speak about it, most speak about the garbage, the dust the dirty country India is !! They are all our Brothers and sisters, as long as they think they are. I have half my relatives abroad, all are not the same. Some close ones broke contacts, other distant relatives are still in contact. A large NIR population conforms to what the article says, else why did anyone had to redefine NRI as 'NON RELIABLE INDIANS' ?
RE:Why did anyone had to say NRI= Non Reliable Indians ?
by Jaleel Chamaruddin on Jan 18, 2008 03:46 PM
Why did these idiot leave motherland for a few dollars more ? Is money more important than mother ? SHAME ON OPPORTUNISTIC LEECHERS CALLED NRI
RE:Why did anyone had to say NRI= Non Reliable Indians ?
by chetan on Jan 18, 2008 10:01 PM
Why do you go out of your home! to earn. This is same as going out of country.
RE:Why did anyone had to say NRI= Non Reliable Indians ?
by Lion on Jan 18, 2008 10:29 PM
No...when you go out of home to work...you are still earning and living for your home and contribute towards the development of your home. But when you of out of country..you no longer earn for it and do not contribute towards its development. Now I know you are going to to give all that crap about how much money you send to India and all. Merely sending money to India does not contribute to development. All the money that NRIs send either lies in the bank accounts of their parents to support them or tied up in real estate. Your money does not generate any jobs.
RE:Why did anyone had to say NRI= Non Reliable Indians ?
by Raj on Jan 19, 2008 05:57 AM
really?? you must be economics expert!! When an NRI sends money and that money lies in banks. It helps liquidity in banks,, helping banks ability to give loans for businesses, agriculture etc, which in turns creates jobs and thats what helps idiots like you.
RE:RE:Why did anyone had to say NRI= Non Reliable Indians ?
by Amit on Jan 20, 2008 10:49 AM
Lions comment sure was inappropriate but you look like even a bigger idiot. India has grown because of its own people who decided to stay back and gave their brain to India and not coz of people like you who drained away the brains. You guys brag about your money in Indian banks!! Money is not a substitute for ur brain. India did not need ur money but you and ur brain which you deprived it off. With economy touching new heights your money does not matter at all. We are capable enough to generate our own wealth and sustain it. It has been rightly pointed out by lion that ur bank accounts back home have bare minimum to support ur family. The amount of money you send is minuscule compared to investments coming in from FIIs. It is coz of our recent liberalization policies and FIIs that we have grown to this scale and you guys want to take undue credit for contributing towards the growth. Your money is peanuts for India. Take it away and our economy will not even feel a slightest pinch. You think Indian banks bank on your money to provide loans to businesses. You must be kidding. We have grown on accord of our own smart work so dont take undue credit that you dont deserve.
With all due respect my friend, you are not the sharpest pencil in the box. But so be it. You should be proud that you get a forum to express your views.
RE:Bhattacharya bhaiyya, tum gadhe ho
by william collins on Jan 19, 2008 08:40 PM
he didn't ask for a certificate from you....as far as I am concerned you are an ass....but does that make you one?
Every NRI had a dream and achieved it. Not to conclude that others dont dream big. It requires some extra amount of effort in individuals to go far. Sitting in India, cozy sofa, you can write anything as you wish. Most NRIs respect their homeland, culture and every moment they spend abroad goes with missing sweet memories of home country. You have to be an NRI to experience this. Author appears to be a role model for those who believe in tall claims that India is going to be a superpower and this kind of economic growth (?) currently existing will continue in the years to come. And take it from me, India is far behind in achieving what developed countries have achieved.
RE:Living Peacefully
by Morchak Choohah on Jan 18, 2008 02:27 AM
White countries are far better than overpopulted dirty trashpit India. have you see delhi airport ? Looks like a bus adda . soon you all will be standing on your shoulders upside down like clowns for lack of space.
RE:Living Peacefully
by Lion on Jan 18, 2008 03:53 AM
@Bliss %u2013 I would like to counter argue with your statement that says Most NRIs respect their homeland, culture and every moment they spend abroad goes with missing sweet memories of home country. The only thing thats missing in your statement is PEOPLE. NRIs don%u2019t respect our people who are the actual residents of India. To be honest, I for a fact know that whites are much nicer to us resident Indians than the NRIs. Whites show it by appreciating our country, talking good about it, respecting our culture and our values. There may be stray cases of racism here or there but overall whites are most polite to us when we visit USA for short term purposes for either vacation or business. But NRIs never miss a chance to degrade us morally by calling us a bunch of losers, corrupt masses with no sense of humanity. Our NRIs had for long branded our country in the west as a land of one billion corrupt third world inhabitants without realizing that not everyone in India is as bad. And they do it without the slightest empathy towards our Nation that has passed thru testing times and is now trying its best to improve. For long NRIs gave a perception to USA that they were a few brainy ones left in the country who were intelligent enough and migrated to USA. It was until recently post liberalization when more Americans started visiting India and seeing that we are much different and better than what was portrayed to them. They were taken aback to see the development and lifestyle
RE:Living Peacefully
by Sucheta Das on Jan 18, 2008 05:52 AM
You seem to be sucked into the same generalisations that you accuse the NRIs of following....you say that "ALL" NRIs disrespect India and that "not everyone in India is as bad"......so while you are asserting (and rightfully) that not all Indians are bad you are also stressing that all NRIs are awful... You also seem to believe that all NRIs suffer from this misconception that they are the "intelligent ones"....let me share an anecdote....I came to US as a graduate student in 2000....In an informal lunch, my professor asked me why did I decide to come to US for higher study . My reply was " because i was not good enough for the top Indian schools and it is easier to get admission into an US school". There are always going to be some rotten apples in the basket....but irrational generalisation serves no one's purpose.....rather we should indulge in constructive criticism in an effort to weed out the rotten apples.....
RE:Living Peacefully
by Jaleel Chamaruddin on Jan 18, 2008 03:43 PM
So you will leave your motherland if you cannot make it to so called top institute ? There are 350 universities in India and you couldnt get entry in either of them ?
What an opportunistic leecher you are. SHAME ON YOU.
RE:Living Peacefully
by S on Jan 20, 2008 01:49 AM
All NRI's pumped money when needed... Now foreign invenstors have started pumping money and our remittances to home has become small.. hence we talk against NRI's.. remember NRI's money is still circulating in India - be in property/land or in the bank account...
RE:Living Peacefully
by Jaleel Chamaruddin on Jan 18, 2008 03:43 PM
So you will leave your motherland if you cannot make it to so called top institute ? There are 350 universities in India and you couldnt get entry in either of them ?
What an opportunistic leecher you are. SHAME ON YOU.
I 'm surprised that author knows nothing as to how the returning NRIs & even NRIs while working abroad sometime under hostile conditions, have immensely contributed to bring core technical knowledge and spread here. I only know about my domain: aerospace design. Author should better do some research before writing such absurd article !
There are some people who criticize other sections of Indians as unpatriotic. Indian independence history shwed pan Indian Patriotic struggle. Indian Army Jawans defending the country also dont defend country on basis of region. Read Indian history to learn about patriotism. How many Bengalis, Punjabis, Gujratis, North Indians and South Indians contributed to Indian Independence. May be Subhash Chandra Bose, Khudiram Bose, Bipin Chandra pal, Chittranjan das, Prafull Chaki, Jatindrnath Sanyal and millions other will help you about the patriotism of Benglis. Bhagat singh, Lajpat Rai, Udham Singh and others will remind you about Punjabi patriotism. Chandrashekhar azad and Laxmi bai, Mangal Pandey about North Indian patriotism and Gandhi, Sardar Patel, Tilak about West Indian patriotism, Sarojini Naidu Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan about South Indian patriotism. Patriotism is about nationalism and not about a regionalism and casteism. There are hundreds of other patriotic names I could have written but I am sure people with narrow vision would not have cared still.
