Pravasis hum with love for India and the rest is love from India

Gurdip Singh
New Delhi

If the feelings of the Indian diaspora, many of whom were here in connection with a recent national conference, are to be summed up then this can best be done by quoting two popular songs from the Bollywood-- 'I love my India' and 'Maa Tujhe Salaam.' Even third or fourth generation people of Indian origin speak with as much passion about the country of their origin as those who left the shores of this continental dimensional country not too far back. Neverthless, the patriotic fervor and the feelings for its prosperity and development, with which they are nourished is universal among the diaspora. India never dies inside them, no matter where they go and what they do. In a sense, the umblical chord never breaks. So intense is the power of this country over human beings who have links with it, notwithstanding the many pitfalls it has. This was all too apparent from conversations with the diaspora who were in the capital to attend the 'Pravasi Bhartiya Divas' and another conference on the sidelines entitled 'Pavasi Divas' organised by the New Delhi based NRI Institute.

"India is our motherland. We have a blood relation with India," says Mr Mukeshwar Chonee, High Commissioner of Mauritus. Mauritius, a small country in the Indian Ocean, has 70 per cent of its population which is of Indian origin. Of its 12 lakh inhabitants, eight lakh are from India. Mr Chonee says India is viewed with admiration by Mauritians and as a country which will be a formidable force in future. He feels that Indo-Mauritian relations are poised to leapfrog in future into a formidable force. ''Maa Tujhe Salaam'' is a popular song by A R Rehman from his album 'Vande Matram'. 'I love my India' is another popular number from Subash Ghai's 'Pardes.' It's music was directed by Nadeem Shravan and the song was sung by the four powerful voices-- Kavita Krishnamuthy, Hariharan, Shankar Mahdevan and Aditya Narayan. The songs have a hair raising quality about them and fill one with immense patriotic zeal and emotional feelings relating to the wonder that is India. 'I love my India' says that one has seen London, Paris and Japan, but there is no country like India. Mr Chonee quotes a story relating to Mahatama Gandhi's visit to his country. In 1901 on his way back to India, Gandhji had a stopover in Mauritius.

During his three-week visit, he acquainted himself with the local conditions of that country and the constions of the Indian indentured labour. He then requested his friend, Manilal Doctor, a lawyer by profession, to work for the political and social emancipation of the Mauritian workers. Mr Chonee is not alone in expressing these sentiments towards India. The large number of people from across the globe who joined him in this chrous at the NRI conference were as passionate. Here are some other names. President GOPIO International, Sri Lanka P P Devraj, The Chairman GOIO International, Mauritius, Mr Mahen Utchanah, Baroness Sandeep Verma from the United Kingdom, Editor-in- Chief New Global Indian, United States, Mr Kanchan Banerjee, Ms Ela Gandhi from South Africa, and Mr Mahyendra Utchana, Chairman Gopio International. GOPIO International stands for 'Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin(GOPIO),' whose aim is to unite people from diverse fields and diverse countries and to highlight their problems to the global community. Says founder of the NRI Institute Jagmohan Singh the one big message that the conference sent out was that they expected the Indian government to play a more pro-active role in projecting the problems faced by the diaspora to international bodies and eliminating the hurdles which will enable them to better invest in the country. Some of the issues that were highlghted at the event included the problem of Sikhs not being allowed to wear turbans in France, the problems that Indians face in Malaysia and the attack on Indians in Australia. They wanted the Indian media to play a more responsible role in projecting these and were of the view that reporting has often been lop-sided. The other message that emerged from the conference is that Bollywood has spread to every nook and corner of the world, women want a better deal for themselves across the board, India's prestige has been enhanced not only by its high growth but also by the credible work that Indians are doing everywhere, especially the scientific and professional work that they are doing in the country of their adoption, that every thing is not honky dory about Indians settled abroad and that there are a large number of Indians who are involved in low value jobs like masons, carpenters, small time traders, shop assistants and what have you. Then there are rags to riches stories like Mr Gurdial Singh from France, who started from a scratch some three decades ago and after an intiial stint as a builder, he now has a string of institutes dedicated to imparting management. He still wears a dark blue turban and carries a 'kirpan'(sword) with him always. His dress code reflects his adherence to the principles of Sikhism in pure form. Mr Gurdial Singh is now in the forefront of getting justice for Sikhs in France as in official documents they are pictured without the turban. Students have been thrown out of schools as they refused to attend their teaching institutes without the turban. After the French courts did not give a judgement in favour of the Sikhs, Gurdwara Singh Sabha in Paris, in which Mr Gurdial Singh is an important member, is now knocking the doors of the United Nations. Mr Gurdial Singh regrets that the Indian government has done little for the cause and charges that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, despite being a Sikh, has not even given them an audience. Who will be their Godfather then? The diaspora wants more organisations like the NRI Institute to help build networks and muster support for their problems with the Indian government. The diaspora is impacted by the culture of the countries they adopt, but they also give something to the culture of the country they adopt. A case in point is the centrality of Southhall, a place dominated by Indians, in the United Kingdom. The locals begin to like Indian foods and music and admire the discipline parents impart to their children. The British visit Hindu temples and sing 'Bhajans' (religious songs) like the Hindus. The diaspora faces problems of assimilation in many countries and there are frequent reports of Indians being treated as second class citizens. In a way the melting pot has nowhere melted. Many years ago, Indian women had to undergo a virginity test to get visas for the United Kingdom. The practise was given up after much hue and cry in the Indian media. The colonial hangover never goes. In countries like South Africa, the black population considers India as a friend for the frontranking role that India played in getting rid of the apartheid regime and liberation from the oppressive regime. It is a well known fact that Nelson Mandela is an ardent admirer of Mahatama Gandhi and like him, he became an apostle of peace. The one figure that is universally reverred is the Mahatma or the father of the Indian nation as he is popularly known. The diaspora also faces a problem in finding grooms and bridegrooms for their children and fears that they may lose their culture and their traditional value system. Says Mr Chonee whether the subsequent generations will or will not lose their value system will depend upon the 'sanskar'(values) that parents impart in their children. Says Mr Utchanah, ''the year 2010 will be a very big year for GOPIO International, as we will be celebrating the 10th GOPIO Convention in Durban, South Africa, from March 28 to April 2. This is also to mark the 150 years of the arrival of Indians in South Africa. It is a year of celebration of South Africa." The diaspora has many marks left on its body. The ships from Calcutta, now known as Kolkata, which brought indebentured labour to Mauritius. The similar tragic immigration of Indians to countries such as British Guiana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. People from Trinidad and Tobago sing 'Ramayana' in a manner that it will touch the soul at its deepest--as much of traditional Hindus as modern Indians with an equal force. "It is India's century. India is all over the globe as are its people. The one common fabric which joins them is their relation with this democratic and fast growing nation. Life is not all material, many things are matters of the heart," says Mr Jagmohan Singh, the veteran figure who continues to be the force behind the NRI Institute. Relationship of the country and the diaspora is not a one way street. The paradox is that Indian parents want their children to go abroad to make hay. Once gone, they lead a miserable life without them, especially when they are old, often with no one to care for them. To be or not be is then the question. Nevertheless, their imbibing and everlasting song of all is; 'I love my India,' for who lives if India dies.