Hari the Hadron

Monday, January 09, 2006

NRI – NON RESIDENT BUT VERY MUCH INDIAN

We Indians have such a unique and extraordinary culture heritage that where on one hand the characteristics of our culture like tolerance, resilience and integrity during adversity helps us overcome the trauma and damage created by such huge environmental disaster like Tsunami and make us the largest democracy in the world, on the other hand certain negative characteristics like religion, casteism and politics running in our blood and emotions has been keeping us a developing nation even after 50 years of Independence.

One thought that with Globalisation and Indians migrating to all parts of the world creating their own identity wherever they go with their achievements, the negative characteristics in our culture will slowly fade away. But it was all proved wrong in the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards ceremony today, part of the Pravasi Diwas Celebrations, where President of India gave away awards to eminent NRIs excelling in various fields, when an NRI created ruckus on the award being given to an doctor practicing in USA, who he claimed was a staunch supporter of the Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. Ironically the doctor, who was a consultant allergist, could not manage to "stem this eruption" surrounding him in the ceremony. Strangely the NRIs objected to the security personnel evicting the trouble maker, stating it was violation of their right to speech. I wonder if the honourable NRI would dare to do the same in front of a gathering addressed by President George Bush in USA.

Whereas the theme of the event was to celebrate and decorate NRIs all over the world achieving excellence and create a place for Indians wherever they go and still thinking of their home country, but in reality the NRIs were more bound only to their own native state, their individual problems, their own gender and there was not a single selfless, casteless, religion-free, apolitical Indian in that forum.

So even after having travelled throughout the world, learning and understanding diverse cultures, society, ethics and lifestyle, especially in the developed countries, the Indians still remain only developing.

ITS SAD.

23 Comments:

  • Hi everybody.Please feel free to comment. Even criticism would be a compliment.

    By Blogger hari, at 9:24 AM  

  • Hi Hari,

    Well I think u happened to accidently post a comment for Dream Vendor in my blog.

    By Blogger Viewer, at 9:41 AM  

  • Hi Viewer,

    Sorry for the comment at the wrong place, but your posts are really good. Will visit frequently.

    By Blogger hari, at 6:35 PM  

  • Bingo, Hari :-)

    By Blogger Krish, at 10:04 PM  

  • That trully is SAD. Esp after being treated the way 'ethnic' groups are treated every where in the world!

    With great knowledge comes lack of a heart and sensitivity.

    Knowledge and Arrogance that's what the 'learned' now portray!

    But even in that learned group, there are afew humane people ... so there's hope.

    By Blogger Loveena Raj, at 8:36 PM  

  • I have recently become aquainted w/ Indian people in India, thro blogging. I feel so wecomed by indian people, first i talked to the kids (college students) they are lovely young people. Then talking to older Indian people, also wonderful. My friend & I are discussing visiting India for the first time be cause of the 'aura' that seems to surround the Indian people i've met while blogging.

    Your words, 'selfless, casteless,religion free, apolitical....Wow, that should apply to every human being, everywhere! awesome! Very humanist. visit my blog.
    CHOW

    By Blogger concerned citizen, at 9:30 PM  

  • Hari,
    I've said this elsewhere and I'll say it again. We Indians were/are/will be the most divisive people in the world. Past History will show our divisiveness was what made marauders invade us. The present will also show us as weaklings being swayed by illiterate and communal-bent politicians. And the future? Doesn't look too bright too. Hope you have good reasons for me to turn optimistic?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 3:40 AM  

  • I've heard that before but, didn't Inida unite when they fought against British rule & became independent? tho?

    A reason for being optimistic is that human being have the capacity to save themselves if they can rise above 'castes, religions & politics' predujuces, in general, that meake us hate or fear each other.
    appartently , India is more diverse then most?

    I would add to loveena that there are humane people everywhere. Humane peoples must focus on humanity & our common human ideals, NOT on our own partcular pet projects or the thing that makes US better then someone else,
    'caste, religion, politics,etc...'.

    We've got to think as humanists. What can mankind do to rise above predujuce? We have to examine our own selves first, ;
    "If the God I worship makes me better then my neighbor and or gives me a reason to dispise him. Is this right?

    If we ask these questions to ourselves & examine our hearts, honestly;
    hari, does that not make you optimistic?

    By Blogger concerned citizen, at 7:48 AM  

  • sorry, I mean ravi is who I put the question on 'optimism' to. :)

    By Blogger concerned citizen, at 7:49 AM  

  • Thank you friends. Your comments have been too qualitative for this post. That would help me post better.

    The whole crux of the story is, if we move out of the concept of "I, Me and Myself", this world would be a whole new place to live in.
    Let us please remove the 'M' which stands for 'Misery' from the 'ME' and replace it with 'W' which stands for welfare. Then WE are the WORLD. A beautiful world.

    By Blogger hari, at 9:51 PM  

  • Hari, I agree whole heartdly w/that last comment.

    Do you have a solution to the problem?

    By Blogger concerned citizen, at 8:14 AM  

  • Hari,

    I totally identify with ur post..but i think that the responsibilty that NRI's carry with them are limited to the money generated by them,and this lowers their value.India will be recognised as developed only when every Indian living abroad,has a role to play in development - either thru participating in spreading the word of India's developemnt or by able to see the changes for themselves, their opnions for development put into action

    Anu

    By Blogger Anu, at 2:22 PM  

  • Hi L>T,

    The solution lies within us, only we have to activate the nobility that lies within.

    We cannot get a ready made solution for this externally.

    By Blogger hari, at 6:36 PM  

  • Hi Anu,

    But the fault lies on both sides. The Indian Government is also more interested in the forex coming in from NRIs.

    And the NRIs too are happy giving the money and getting all the importance to satisfy the ego.

    By Blogger hari, at 6:41 PM  

  • hari, It is nice to hear someone say we have 'nobility' within us.

    That is optimistic.

    Are you going to attach some religion to that?

    By Blogger concerned citizen, at 7:35 AM  

  • hari,

    well, there is freedom of speech and freedom of speech.
    And though you've said it, i too did have the same thought:
    i wonder if our eminent disruptionist would have made similar interventions at a meeting to honour the same doctor called by the American Association of Physicians, or at a function to give the nobel in Stockholm.
    i wonder...
    at the same time, i must express my fascination for the diversity that is india. not divisive, like ravi says, but diverse. reconciliation of diversity is not the solution, in fact it would be a crime, but understanding would be a beginning.

    By Blogger Houseowner, at 5:20 AM  

  • L>t,

    I believe in spirituality and not religion and nobility is above all these petty barriers.

    By Blogger hari, at 6:57 AM  

  • Hi Ramya,

    Well said. Diversity is both our strength as well as weakness.

    As you said to reconciling to the diversity is our weakness and understanding and respecting it is our strength.

    By Blogger hari, at 7:01 AM  

  • Hi Hari,

    Happy new year, its been a long time since I visited your blog.
    About NRIs _ I think what you saw was probably not the cream of NRIs. Being an NRI, I can tell you that many of them change for the better. And some of them for the worse.

    But the ones I have seen here do a great job of representing India abroad (yours truly included). Ours is the unenviable job of coinvincing the West that we do have roads without cows on them or that we can buy anything in India and that there's much more to Bharat than beggars and corruption.
    So think more kindly of us. Not all of us are like those award-winners...

    By Blogger Castor aka Kiwilax, at 6:56 PM  

  • Thanks Ganga.

    By Blogger hari, at 2:55 AM  

  • Hello Golden string,

    Welcome to my blog. There is no second opinion on the fact that there are a lot of NRIs out there not only doing the country proud but infact enhancing its image.

    Unfortunately they are not the ones qualifying for the awards. May be they are above all these honours. I salute them definitely.

    By Blogger hari, at 2:57 AM  

  • Hello Arnold,

    Thanks, will definitely visit your blog.

    By Blogger hari, at 2:58 AM  

  • Thanks Hari. The only reason I didnt put a link on my blog was that I wasn't sure if you'd appreciate it. Will do so asap. Btw, this is Lakshmi, only I just write under a different name now. Cheers

    By Blogger Castor aka Kiwilax, at 11:03 AM  

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