GOPIO NEWS BULLETIN

NOVEMBER 2004

NOTE: This is a monthly newsletter of GOPIO International, based in the USA. If you do not like to receive this newsletter in the future, please go to the bottom and click the unsubscribe URL. If you feel the information contained here are useful, please forward this e-mail to your friends and relatives. One could also subscribe this newsletter by visiting www.gopio.net and type in the e-mail address and other details.

 

CONTENTS

  • MINISTER TYTLER ATTRIBUTES TRADITIONAL ETHOS AND CULTRUAL VALUES FOR DIASPORA SUCCESS
    • EUROPE INDIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE LAUNCHED
    • TYTLER PROMISES TO TAKE-UP NOR TAX ISSUE BEFORE THE NEXT BUDGET
    • RESOLUTION ON TRINIDAD & TOBAGO TRINITY CROSS AWARDS
  • EU-INDIA MEDIA ENCLAVE HELD AT GOPIO CONFERENCE
  • GOPIO CONFERENCE-2005 IS SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY 5-6, 2005, MUMBAI
  • NFIA HOLDS SUCCESSFUL 13TH BIENNIAL CONVENTION
    • NEW ELECTIONS HELD NEW OFFICERS TAKE OVER THE CHARGE
    • NFIA 25th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS PLANNED FOR MAY 2005
  • NRIs/PIOs ACHIVE
    • KARAN BILIMORIA HONORED AS BEST BUSINESS LEADER
    • CHUGH NAMED ANNUAL US BAR LEADER
  • MAURITIUS EXTENDS VISA FACILITY
  • ANNUAL DIAPPORA FILM FESTIVAL IN NEW YORK
  • US NRIs TO PROVIDE MEDICAL AID IN KERALA
  • GOPIO LIFE MEMBERSHIP AND CHAPTER FORMATION
  • EDITORIAL BOARD

 

MINISTER TYTLER ATTRIBUTES TRADITIONAL ETHOS AND CULTURAL VALUES AS THE SECRET OF INDIAN DIASPORA SUCCESS

 

Jagdish Tytler, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs of the Government of India attributed the success of the Indian Diaspora to their traditional ethos, cultural values and their capacity to harmonize and adopt. Mr. Tytler was addressing the GOPIO Conference "NRI/PIO Business Networking for Trade and Investment and Contribution of Indian Diaspora in Europe" on 4th. October 2004 in Brussels as Chief Guest. The Conference was organized in association with the Indian Embassy and in collaboration with the GOPIO International. "Let us work together to involve you in India's growth," said the minister and assured the Indian Diaspora of all help and facilities by his newly-created ministry.

 

Minister Tytler invited the overseas Indian to contribute ideas in making Indian education, infrastructure, healthcare, financial services, tourism and other service sectors world class. He also invited the Indian Diaspora to attend the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas to be held in Mumbai, from 7-9 January 2005.

 

The Conference was attended by more than 200 PIO/NRI business leaders from 24 countries. This was the largest gathering of the NRIs/PIOs from different nations in recent times and offered an opportunity to the Indian Diaspora to promote trade and investment and reach out to the Indian Diaspora in Europe.

 

Earlier welcoming the participants, the Chair of the Conference and the President of the GOPIO Belgium, Sunil Prasad said that the Indian Diaspora is an asset for creating a global network and economic bridges that can provide a useful help for both India and the country of Indian origin. He also said that the Conference was aimed to exhibit the great diversity not only in terms of geography and communities, but also in socio-economic status, educational achievements, political participation and power and strengthening of the EU-India relations in order to help trade networks and effectively and strategically link the Diaspora globally.

 

Ambassador of India to the EU and Belgium, R.M. Abhyankar, noted that it was the first such gathering of the India Diaspora in Europe. "The Indian Diaspora in Europe can play a major role in developing Europe-India ties," he said. Abhyankar hoped that conference would come out with ideas on how to further boost Europe-India economic cooperation.

 

Dr. Thomas Abraham, Chairman, GOPIO International, USA, referring to GOPIO's history said it was formed 15 years ago in New York. He called upon the nations of European Union to adopt an open door immigration policy so as to make it easier for the migration of qualified technologists and scientists from India. "The European Union will not be able to compete well globally in the cutting edge technologies, if the countries still keep closed door immigration policy," said Dr. Abraham.

 

President of GOPIO International Inder Singh spoke about the sacrifices of the Indian Diaspora in the economic and social integrity of Europe and services rendered by Indian troops in the first and second world wars. Singh further said that GOPIO chapters have been started in several cities of Europe and urged the participants to help in networking with the Diaspora in Europe by opening chapters in all cities of Europe.

 

Neena Gill, the only Indian-born Member of the European Parliament (MEP), in her speech complimented the 22 million Indians live outside India for their contributions. Gill, a British MEP who hails from the Punjab, advised the Indian community living abroad that "you need to be active participants in the country you live in, and not just active in your business and professional life."

 

Dr. Charles Tannock, MEP and Chairman, Friends of India Group in the European Parliament, described India as an "awakening giant" which offers enormous opportunities to the EU. "Given its shrinking population, Europe will need to outsource" he said noting that the UK National Health Service, which has a large backlog of lab samples to analyze, is considering flying them out to India for analysis, and getting the results back by email.

 

In a special presentation MEP Nirj Deva said that the recent successful elections in Indonesia showed to the world that the largest Muslim populated country in the world could successfully adopt a democratic path and hoped that all Muslim nations follow the suite.

 

Special sessions devoted to business meetings and networking activities gave rare opportunity for entrepreneurs, investors and other key decision makers to form partnerships to benefit from the vast economic opportunities arising from the opening of the Indian economy and also the economy of the countries having the presence of the Indian Diaspora and use GOPIO Belgium for linkages in Europe. Others who addressed the Conference were Dr. Mohan Kaul, Bharat Shah, Malcolm Subhan and Prof. Sid Gautam.

 

EUROPE INDIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE LAUNCHED

 

The occasion was marked by the launching of the Europe-India Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Ajit Shetty, Chairman of the Board of Janssen Pharmaceutica in his launching address said that with the strategic partnership being developed between EU and India, the need for such an umbrella organization is the need of the hour. He also stressed that the chamber should aim to provide technical and logistic help to the business groups to promote trade and investment. Mr. Sanjay Dalmia, Chairman of the Dalmia Group of Industries said that the Chamber should look into facilitating better trade relations and help in understanding the various changes in the trade rules. Dr. Karan Billimoria, Chef Executive of the Cobra Beers, UK said that although the EU is Indias largest trading partner and biggest foreign investor, yet India represents a miniscule proportion of its global trade and investment in the EU. In order to institutionalize a proper mechanism to promote trade and commerce, a Europe-India Chamber of Commerce should liaise with different chambers of commerce in the EU and other such business bodies.

 

TYTLER PROMISES TO TAKE UP NOR TAX ISSUE BEFORE THE NEXT BUDGET

 

Minister Tytler had some one to one exchanges with GOPIO Executive Council, which brought the issue of Govt. of India's policy of taxing Not-Ordinary Residents (NOR) after two years of stay in India. GOPIO urged the minister to restore it to governments original policy of taxing the global income after nine years. Minister promised that he would take this up with the Prime Minister and Finance Minister before the next budget.

 

RESOLUTION ON TRINIDAD & TOBAGO TRINITY CROSS AWARDS

WHEREAS all citizens of Trinidad and Tobago are duly entitled to equal justice and freedom as provided under United Nations charters,


AND WHEREAS there is deep concern in Trinidad and Tobago and elsewhere that the Trinidad and Tobago national annual Trinity Cross awards are symbolically not sensitive to non-Christian groups and persons,

AND WHEREAS there is increasing concern in Trinidad and Tobago and elsewhere that the national annual Trinity Cross awards are not awarded on an equitable basis, in particular to persons of Indian origin,

WE call on the Government of Trinidad and Tobago take immediate actions to remedy the deficiencies inherent in the national awards and render them more equitable and acceptable to all ethnic groups as a true reflection of the diversity of Trinidad and Tobago.

 

EU-INDIA MEDIA ENCLAVE HELD AT THE GOPIO CONFERENCE

 

The GOPIO in association with the EU-India Media Hub had organized a Media Conclave on October 3rd, in Brussels before the GOPIO Trade and Investment Conference. Minister Jagdish Tytler addressed the meeting attended by many Brussels based journalists.

 

GOPIO presented several resolutions urging European Union to ease on the migration of qualified people from India, issuing Schengan visa for longer duration as well as as eliminating visas for permanent residents of USA, Canada, Australia and European countries who are not members of European Union. The resolutions were presented to Members of European Parliament present at the conference

The Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, Jagdish Tytler, called for a better projection of Indias present image by the western media. "India is going to be a very powerful nation. Nobody can deny this."

 

"We are not projected. You are not projected," the Minister told a gathering of Indian and European journalists and community leaders of the Indian Diaspora. "What we are producing no country in the world is producing. We are producing millions of educated children, scientists, computer and software engineers," said Tytler.  "When Rajiv Gandhi encouraged the software and computers among the new generation, we in turn took the business of the Americans. That was one-mans dream.

 

Mrs. Gandhis dream was a green revolution. Today we are feeding half the world where we were starving," he noted.

 

Tytler assured the Indian Diaspora that his newly-formed ministry will seriously address the problems of PIOs (Persons of Indian Origin).

 

The media meeting was organised by GOPIO-Belgium (Global Organization of People of Indian Origin) and the Brussels-based India News in Europe Programme (INEP). Aidan White, General Secretary of the Brussels-based International Federation of Journalists, called for balanced reporting both by the European and the Indian media. He said there was "tremendous ignorance from both sides." Very often European information on India is stereotyped... but recently there has been a shift in Europe, he noted.

 

"Europe is now focused on the capabilities of India (technology, outsourcing and computer software development). There is a clear distinction between how India is portrayed in financial pages of a paper and how it is portrayed in the regular pages," said White. White said the EU-funded INEP which was formed in September is a significant opportunity to provide information from Europe with an Indian angle.

     

Speaking on the "Perspective of EU in Indian Media," K.N. Gupta, a distinguished media personality and President of GOPIO-New Delhi, noted that there is a huge new divided between the EU and India. "Its rather odd, he said, "that while the EU is Indias largest trading partner, hardly even half a dozen news items about Europe (minus UK)appear in a week in Indian newspapers."

 

Nawab Khan, editor-in-chief of the EU-India news hub, outlined the aims and goals of the India News in Europe Programme (INEP) which was recently established in Brussels to promote EU-India media cooperation. INEP is being supported by the EU.

 

Inder Singh, President of GOPIO International, USA, said "GOPIOs mission cannot be spread without medias help."

 

GOPIO International in its meeting in Brussels expressed deep concern among Indians living in Europe over increasing incidents of intolerance and targeted attacks on Indians based on solely racial motivations. Dr. Thomas Abraham, Chairman GOPIO International, read a resolution which called on the European Union and on all countries of Europe "to promptly take all necessary steps to remedy the continuing violation of human, social, economic and cultural rights of the Indians living in Europe"

 

The GOPIO resolution further noted that more than 3 million Indians living in Europe contribute substantially to the economic prosperity of the respective countries of residence in Europe. GOPIO called on the EU to allow legal immigration of Indians to countries of Europe. GOPIO also urged the EU authority to extend Schengen tourist/business visa to five years.

 

GOPIO CONFERENCE-2005 SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY 5-6, 2005

GOPIO CONFERENCE - 2005

IN CONJUNCTION WITH

PRAVASI BHARATIYA DIVAS

THEME

INDIA AND NRIs/PIOs ROLE, RELATIONSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY

Place: Taj Mahal Hotel and Taj Presidency Hotel, Mumbai

Date and Time: Wednesday, January 5th and Thursday, January 6th, 2005, 9.00 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.

 

Program

Wednesday, January 5th, 2005

10.00 to 12.00 a.m. GOPIO Executive Committee Meeting (Not Open general Public)

12.00 noon to 1.00 p.m. Lunch

1.30 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. PIO/NRI COMMUNITIES AREA REPORTS (Open to Everyone)

3.30 p.m. 4.00 p.m. Coffee Break

4.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. INDIA-NRI/PIO MEDIA ENCLAVE

6.30 p.m. to 7.30 Formal Inauguration of GOPIO Conference 2005

7.30 p.m. to 8.3 0 p.m. Reception

Thursday, January 6th, 2005

9.00 a.m. to 10.00 a.m. Registration/Coffee/Tea

10.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. Inauguration of GOPIO Academic Council

11.15 a.m. to 12.30 a.m. Session on Indian Diaspora Social, Political and Economic Issues

12.30 p.m. to 2.00 p.m. Lunch

2.00 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. Session on GOPIO.Connect Helping in Developmental, Philanthropic and Educational Activities

3.30 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. Tea Break

4.00 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. Session on Business, Technology and Investments

5.30 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. Adoption of Resolutions

7.00 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. Reception and Grand Awards Banquet with Presentation of PRAVASI BHARATIYS COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARDS

GOPIO is seeking suggestions for speakers at the various sessions. Please contact GOPIO Convention Program President Inder Singh in USA at 818-708-3885, E-mail: gopio-intl@sbcglobal.net. The convention in Mumbai will be coordinated by GOPIO-Mumbai Coordinator Mr. V. Balachandran, E-mail: smisan@vsnl.net. Sponsor opportunities are available for Indian businesses interested to reach out PIOs/NRIs. Contact Mr. inder Singh or Mr. Balachandran.

PRAVASI BHARATIYA COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARDS GOPIO is seeking nominations from the Indians communities from all over the world to honor those who stand up in providing services to the NRI/PIO community. Send the nominations with background information by December 10th to GOPIO Inc. P.O. Box 1413, Stamford, CT 06904, USA, or E-mail to ramsaran@aol.com The awardees will be honored on January 6th evening at the Awards Banquet.

Convention Registration Fee: $25 or equivalent foreign currencies or Rs. 1,000. Total registration will be limited to 200 delegates. So contact early to avoid disappointment.

 

NFIA HOLDS SUCESSFUL 13TH BIENNIAL CONVENTION


The 13th Biennial Convention of the National Federation of Indian American Associations (NFIA) was held from October 29-31, 2004, in Cleveland. The event was hosted by the Federation of Indian Community Associations (FICA) of Cleveland. FICA president Satish Parikh served as the convener of the convention. The venue was the SHeraton Cleveland City Center.

 

Speaking at the Awards banquet, Ambassador Ronen Sen, Indian Ambassador to the US lauded the efforts of the NFIA and other Indian
American Associations for building a strong relationship between the two largest democracies of the world, India and the US. Cleveland Mayo Jane L. Cambell welcomed delegates to Cleveland and thanked the Indian American community for contributing to the economic development of Cleveland.

 

The luncheon speaker was Richard Celeste, former Governor of Ohio and former US Ambassador to India. Celeste also complimented the Indian Americans for serving as the building block for better Indo-US relations. A special guest at the lunch was Mr. Vayalar Ravi, Member of Rajya Sabha. Ravi was specially recognized for his service to NFIA as an advisor.

 

NEW ELECTIONS HELD NEW OFFICERS TAKE OVER THE CHARGE

 

Dr. Rajen Anand of Southern California (also stays in Virginia) took over as the President. President-Elect is Radha Krishnan of Detroit. Outgoing president Niraj Baxi (San Jose) will serve as the Chairman of NFIA Foundation. People elected to other positions are as follows:

 

Executive Vice President Pramod Kamdar (San Diego, CA)

Secretary Satish Parekh (Cleveland, OH)

Vcie Presidents Sohan Joshi (Chicago), Lal Motwani (New York) and Antoy Thaliath (Atlanta)

Treasurer Ramesh Patel (Detroit)

Joint Secretary Sateesan Nair (Chicago)

Directors-at-Large Ajoy K. Dube (Los Angeles), O.C. Koshy (Detroit), Varghese Palamalayil (Chicago), Anna Prasad (Los Angeles), Dhirendra Shah (Atlanta), Harish shah (Washington, DC), Era Singh (Denver),

Regional VPs Gope Gidwani (New England), Ann Pillai (Capital) and Amitabh Sharma (South East)

 

NFIA 25th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS PLANNED FOR MAY 2005

 

NFIA was formed in New York in May 1980. to commemorate is 25th Anniversary, NFIA plans one year long celebration with its first commemorative event scheduled in New York City on the Memorial Day Weekend, i.e. May 27-29, 2005. Mark your calendar. More details will follow. NFIA is seeking more volunteers to put together this program. Contact: NFIA VP Lal Motwani at 718-470-1026, E-mail: lmotwani@nyc.rr.com

 

NFIA can be contacted as follows: President Dr. Rajen Anand, E-mail: ranand2@csulb.edu; President-Elect Radha Krishnan, E-mail: RK4155@aol.com or Executive Vice President Promod Kamdar, E-mail: pkamdar@san.rr.com

 

 

EAST AFRICA TO ATTRACT INDIAN FARMERS

 

Andhra Pradesh plans to send hundreds of farmers to East Africa to cultivate farmland in countries such as Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. According to Andhra officials, the state is holding talks with the Kenyan government to lease 50,000 acres of land and send about 1,000 farmers there to work.

 

Hundreds of debt-ridden farmers in the state have committed suicide this year. At least, 502 farmers have killed themselves since May, when YSR Reddy's Congress party government took power in the state.

 

About 500 farmers have already agreed to take up the offer and to leave a state so far better known for sending thousands of engineers to work in computer software firms in western countries, mostly the United States. The Andhra government and Kenyan officials are working on an memorandum of understanding (MoU) that will flesh out details. Talks were also being held with representatives of the governments of Tanzania and Uganda to send farmers to those countries as well, officials said.

 

Under the plan, state agriculture officials will accompany the farmers to help establish cooperatives and coordinate with the Kenyan government. The cooperatives will be run by the farmers themselves and will grow sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, groundnut, millet, chickpea, fruits and flowers.

 

Under the relocation plan, the Andhra government will pay the East African countries to lease the land for cooperatives, which will employ the farmers and pay back the lease costs through earnings from farm output. The Kenyan envoy to India held talks with Andhra officials last week and the two sides were expected to sign an agreement soon, officials said.

 

INDIANS TO BENEFIT FROM AMENDED SAUDI LAW

 

More than one million expatriates including Indians, living for over 10 years in Saudi Arabia, can benefit from an amended naturalization law which offers them citizenship of the kingdom and related rights.

Expatriates of all nationalities, who have been living in the kingdom for over 10 years, are entitled to apply for Saudi citizenship and their travels abroad with re-entry visas will not disqualify them, a senior official said.


More than one million expatriates would benefit from the amended naturalisation law, which was passed by the Council of Ministers in October. There are nearly 8.8 million expatriates, mostly Asians and Arabs, in the Kingdom.


Referring to the job requirements mentioned by the new law, holders of degrees in medicine, computer science and other branches of science and technology would be given priority. The amended law increased the applicants' period of stay in the Kingdom from five to 10 years in order to help them acclimatize with the Kingdom's culture and traditions, he said. However, the law would take at least four months to come into effect.

 

NRIs/PIOs ACHIEVE

 

KARAN BILIMORIA HONORED AS BEST BUSINESS LEADER

 

UK based Cobra Beer Founder and Chief Executive Karan Bilimoria has been honored with Best Business Leader award by the Sage Business Awards 2004, in partnership with The Daily Telegraph. Up against stiff opposition, the judges agreed that Bilimoria is certainly a man who is passionate about his business and that he encompasses all the key skills vital to good business leadership: vision, influence, dedication, an ability to communicate at all levels and, above all, treat employees with fairness and respect.

Bilimoria, whose company has previously been recognised as a Top 50 SME to work for by the Sunday Times 2004, "remains a true entrepreneur and is known to be an inspirational and charismatic leader".

Bilimoria was one of the speakers at the recent GOPIO conference held in Brussels on October 4th.

Awards have indeed been pouring in for him. In a year Bilimoria has been voted "most inspirational entrepreneur". His product was awarded a fourth Gold Medal in succession along with two Grand Gold Medals at the 2004 Monde Selection Awards.

 

CHUGH NAMED ANNUAL US BAR LEADER

 

Los Angeles attorney Navneet S. Chugh has been named annual Bar leader for 2004 by the American Bar Association (ABA), the largest association in the US.  This is for the first time that the award has gone to a South Asian American.  The award recognized the significant contributions of a bar leader who has truly made a difference in the course of his leadership, ABA said. Chugh is also the founder of Foster India Foundation, an organization that funds a boarding school for destitute children in India.

 

MAURITIUS EXTENDS VISA FACILITY

 

Mauritius has decided to extend visa on arrival facility to Indians visiting that country for a stay of less than 15 days under a new visa policy, which comes into immediate effect.

ANNUAL DIASPORA FILM FESTIVAL TO OPEN IN NEW YORK

 

The Fourth Annual Indian Diaspora Film Festival, showcasing the cinematic creativity among the non-resident Indian community is scheduled to open in New York city on November 4 with the screening of Gurinder Chadha's Bride and Prejudice. The screening would be followed by post screening discussion with Chadha and Bollywood actor Anupam Kher moderated by Richard Pena, director of the Lincoln Centre Film Society, and a gala opening night benefit dinner. The gala would include a live auction and a ceremony honoring writer Salman Rushdie, filmmakers Ismail Merchant and Mira Nair and Bollywood actress Shabana Azmi. The festival is slated to conclude on November 7, with the screening of Jagmohan Mundhra's Backwater

 

US NRIs TO PROVIDE MEDICAL AID IN KERALA

 

US-based NRI community hailing from Kerala will provide free medical treatment worth $ 5 million to selected patients through some private hospitals in the state. This is the second year in succession that the community is providing medical assistance to patients in the state, said Jiji Thompson, secretary in the department assisting the state's NRIs, here on Thursday.


The assistance program to be inaugurated by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy will be provided through several private hospitals in southern Kerala from November 6 to 12. The program would be extended to hospitals in northern Kerala next year.

Last year, 116 plastic surgeries were done under the program. A 12-year-old girl was also taken to Houston, US, and treated with a limp replacement surgery under the programme.

 

Contact: Zach Thomas, chairman, Non-Resident Kerala Affairs in North AmerIca (NORKANA), E-mail: norkana@yahoo.com

 

GOPIO LIFE MEMBERSHIP AND CHAPTER FORMATION

 

GOPIO Individual Life membership is open to all who believe in the mission of GOPIO. The one time fee is $1,000 for those from developed countries and $500 for those from developing countries.

 

GOPIO welcomes its new life members

 

Gulab Watumull (Hawai, USA)

Raj Lakha (Daryford, Kent, England, UK)

Sohan P. Joshi (Chicago, IL)

 

GOPIO is looking forward to opening chapters in all major cities of the world so as to network people of Indian origin all over the world. If you do not have chapter in your city, please visit GOPIO website (www.gopio.net) and get details of chapter initiation (visit http://www.gopio.net/chapter_initiative.htm). Process involves sending a letter of intent to start a chapter by a committee of five people or more. For more information, contact:

 

GOPIO President Inder Singh, Tarzana, California, USA, Tel: 818-708-3885, E-mail: gopio-intl@sbcglobal.net

 

GOPIO Secretary General Ashook Ramsaran, Fresh Meadows, New York City, Tel: 718/939-8194, E-mail: ramsaran@aol.com

 

To become a Life member of GOPIO, visit http://www.gopio.net/membership_form.htm, print and fill up the form and send it with a check to: GOPIO, P.O. Box 1413, Stamford, CT 06904, USA.

 

EDITORIAL BOARD

 

Dr. Thomas Abraham (Stamford, CT, USA)

Prashant Gupta (Chicago, IL, USA)

Sunil Prasad (Brussels, Belgium)

Sunny Kulathackal (Bahrain)

 

GOPIO NEWS welcomes NRI/PIO related stories from all over the world. Be a volunteer correspondent or reporter. Contact Dr. Thomas Abraham, Tel: 203-329-8010, E-mail: gopio@optonline.net

 

Visit GOPIOs Official site at www.gopio.net or www.gopio.com