At a panel on “Overseas Indians and India” on the last day of the 11th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas held in Kochi, Kerala, from Jan. 7-9, high profile participants discussed how to boost economic, social and holistic engagement of the diaspora in India’s development. Speakers included top Indian officials as well as Dr. Sudhir Parikh, publisher of News India Times and winner of the Padma Shri award; Aryadan Mohammed, Kerala's minister of power; Malaysian Sen. G. Palanivel; Indian lawmaker T.N. Seema; Yusuff Ali, managing director of the EMKE Group, a retail venture based in Abu Dhabi; and Dr. Vinod Shah, former president of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin.
Parikh proposed the creation of a “Parliament of Indians Abroad” and suggested ways to attract diaspora youth by developing links with higher education institutions and voluntary organizations.
According to Indian government statistics, there are some 26 million nonresident Indians living in 200 countries around the world -- and that is larger than the population of a few countries, Parikh noted. Wherever they go, Indians tend to be model citizens, assimilating seamlessly while retaining their distinct identity. They have led governments in countries such as Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago, as well as in states in the United States; set up industries in East Africa and Fiji; and generally been achievers wherever they live. “With our diversity of languages, customs and cuisines, Indians have enriched the cultural landscape of their adopted countries and redefined what multiculturalism means in a modern and globalized world,” Parikh said.
The creation of a Parliament of Indians Abroad could specifically target the children of the diaspora. “We need a formal structure that represents, articulates and symbolizes the collective strength of the diaspora -- a diaspora parliament, drawing representatives from Indian communities across the globe,” Parikh suggested, to identify issues and interests that concern the NRI community, aggregate its resources and execute its agenda, while also advocating on behalf of NRIs to the government of India. On the flip side, having a formal, representative and accountable body will help India to deal expeditiously and effectively with issues like voting rights for Persons of Indian Origin, and representing them in the Indian parliament.
Parikh reflected on his own example of advancing Indian interests through the Indian-American Political Forum of which he is president. The forum helped build support for the U.S.-Indian civil nuclear agreement in the U.S. Congress, and worked to impede the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan etc. A parliament of Indians abroad could solicit support globally for India’s permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council, Parikh suggested.
Harnessing the energy of the second generation of Indians abroad is another important goal, one he has been engaged in for years through his publishing business, Parikh said.
One way of achieving that is to engage the youth through educational institutions and voluntary organizations. Ivy League universities such as Harvard, Yale, Cornell, Columbia and Duke would appreciate the chance to expand their association with India. “These institutions would love to be in India, the world’s largest democracy, and a nation poised to be a global power player,” Parikh said. Similarly, the second generation can connect with India through their interest in service and global health, something the Indian government should encourage and facilitate.
“Numerous young people in clinical medicine or public health, including my own son, have spent substantial amounts of time working in clinics and health projects across India. We should promote these opportunities,” Parikh emphasized.
