This needs due attention. According to a survey conducted by Merrill Lynch, over 200,000 Indians are multi-millionaires in the U. S. A. This study was undertaken in 2000 but its results have recently been made public. The survey revealed that the average yearly income of an Indian stood at around $ 60,000. Against this, an average native U. S. citizen earned about $ 38,885 a year.

This raises a legitimate question that has often been asked but never answered satisfactorily. How could expatriate Indians succeed so well in a distant land, and why they didn’t, or rather couldn’t do likewise in their country of birth? A host of reasons are cited for this.

The pull factor is the lure of Western civilisation. Images of a glamorous life in the U. S. A. are being continuously flashed every moment in
U. S.-controlled TV channels. This may have cast a magic spell on our young professionals and enticed them away from their own land.

The second factor is the availability of greater opportunities for research, existence of a work culture in which hard work and intelligence are appreciated and adequately rewarded. In such a milieu the intelligent and industrious Indian expatriates found the U. S. A. the right soil to take root in and flourish.

In contrast, the employment situation for these professionals at home was not attractive at all. The work culture in which excellence alone mattered did not exist to a large extent. In matters of employment, one’s connections mattered more, rather than talent.

Thirdly, opportunities were not available for research work in India. On the other hand, what drew them to Uncle Sam’s land were an excellent research infrastructure, guidance for making progress in their chosen field and, above all, unlimited funds.

All this has been confirmed by the statements of Indians who migrated to the U. S. A., rose to the highest positions in their research or technological fields and won top laurels, including the world’s topmost honour, the Nobel Prize. They openly stated how they were discriminated against in India in getting jobs in universities and elsewhere. In such a situation, they preferred to migrate to the
U. S. A. to fulfil their dreams.

Whatever be the reasons for the Indians who made it to the U. S. A. and struck gold, one thing is sure: they still have a soft corner for India. They also want to do something for its development especially in their own area of work. This can be seen in many instances where some of these NRIs (Non-Resident Indians) have personally participated or donated funds for the development of villages or towns. Some have opened free schools and dispensaries and contributed money for developmental projects. Keeping this in mind, if some of the organisations of these NRIs in the U. S. A. are approached to raise money for managing developmental projects anywhere in India, the response would be excellent.

A traveller to the U. S. A. happened to meet lots of well-to-do Indians, now U. S. citizens. Many of them wanted to lend a helping hand, especially in the scientific and technological progress of India. But they desist from doing so for many reasons. The most glaring is the existence of too much red tape and official interference in launching any project.

They said that it was not the top-level bureaucracy which placed hurdles in the execution of any project, but only the middle rung and lowest level officials. Even when this is brought to the notice of the top bureaucracy, most often they show their helplessness in tackling such situations. In many cases, by the time the hurdles are removed, too much precious time would have been wasted. In the process, their enthusiasm vanishes. Of course, all these so-called hurdles are methods of extracting money from the NRIs. Corruption seems to have taken deep roots in the bureaucratic and political set-up.

There is only one remedy for making the NRIs come and invest their money and skills in the country in specific projects related to their expertise. It lies in creating a special department with wide-ranging powers, so that the NRIs can contact the department concerned to sort out small or big bureaucratic hurdles.

Next, since there are varied groups of Indians settled in the
U. S. A., they have too many umbrella organisations of their own. The Government of India should have a liaison officer in the U. S. A. to contact these organisations and place before them those areas of developmental work where their participation could prove extremely helpful and fruitful.