A home away from home: India reaches out to diaspora in a variety of ways
INDIAN External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, while addressing members of the Indian diaspora during her February visit to Saudi Arabia, coined a new slogan, “Indian Embassy: Home away from Home”, implying the role played by Indian diplomatic outposts for members of Indian diaspora the world over.
India enjoys strength and comfort in its diaspora around the world. An official estimate puts the number of overseas Indians, which includes non-resident Indians (Indian passport-holders) as well as persons of India origin (PIO) to more than 31 million in 208 countries and territories around the world.
South Africa is home to one of the largest Indian diasporas in the world with its 1.5 million-strong Indian-origin community. The migration of Indians to South Africa started from 1860 onwards – 2010 marked the 150th anniversary of the first arrival of Indians in South Africa.
The most famous Indian to have lived in South Africa – Mahatma Gandhi – made this land his Karmbhoomi (land of action) from 18931914.
He returned to India on January 9, 1915; the date is now commemorated annually as Pravasi Bhartiya Divas (PBD – Overseas Indian Day) in a tribute to Gandhi and to mark the contribution of the overseas Indian community to the development of India.
The PBD conventions have been held every year since 2003. These conventions provide a platform to the overseas Indian community to engage and interact with the government and people of the land of their ancestors and enable them to share their experiences in various fields. The event also provides a forum for discussing key issues concerning the Indian diaspora.
In order to allow participation of the Indian diaspora who are unable to attend annual PBDs in India, a regional PBD is periodically organised outside India to connect with the Indian diaspora in specific regions, familiarise them with the policies and programmes of the government of India, enable them to contribute to India’s development and growth, and address their concerns.
So far, regional PBDs have been held in cities including New York, Singapore, The Hague, Durban, Toronto, Mauritius, Sydney, London and Los Angeles.
While the vehicles of the PBDs, or regional PBDs, provide a platform for diasporas to connect on an annual basis, the endeavour of the Indian government is to engage with the overseas Indian community on a continuous and sustained basis.
Both institutional mechanisms and practical action plans have been devised to this end.
The overseas citizenship of India (OCI) scheme is the most important mechanism to build a permanent connection with the members of the Indian diaspora. The OCI scheme was introduced in August 2005 and launched during the PBD Convention in 2006 in Hyderabad.
The scheme provides for multiple-entry, multipurpose, lifelong visas for members of the Indian diaspora to visit India, and exemption from registration with authorities for any length of stay in India.
An overseas citizen of India is entitled to general parity with non-resident Indians in respect of all facilities available to them in economic, financial and educational fields, barring a few areas.
One could even practise professions like medicine, law, architecture, chartered accountancy, etc, and could choose to study in Indian educational institutions.
This scheme has been a trailblazer in the cementing of ties with the Indian diaspora by eliminating the rigmaroles applicable to non-citizens. Evidently, the scheme has been very popular among members of the Indian diaspora.
A Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra (Overseas Indian Centre) in New Delhi was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 2, 2016, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
The centre has developed into a hub of activities for sustainable, symbiotic and mutually rewarding economic, social and cultural engagement between India and its diaspora.
In order that the ties do not get diluted withthe passage of time, the Know India Programme (KIP) aims to familiarise Indian-origin youth (18-30) with their Indian roots and contemporary India through a three-week orientation programme in India. So far, a total of 1 460 PIO youths have participated in this programme.
An online portal (kip.gov.in) had been launched in 2017 exclusively for the KIP; Indian-origin youth can now submit their applications online for participation in the KIP to the Indian missions/posts abroad. During their tour in India, the PIO youths interact with NGOs, political leaders, faculty and students at an educational institution, and also visit villages, historical sites, industries, etc.
A programme of scholarship for diaspora children has also been in place for more than 12 years with the aim of making higher education in Indian institutes in different fields accessible to the children of overseas Indians.
Under the scheme, students from the diaspora are awarded scholarships covering admission and tuition fees, as well as post-admission services for undergraduate courses in a variety of streams.
In an initiative to strengthen engagement with young overseas Indians and encourage them to know more about their country of origin, the Bharat ko Jaaniye (Know India) online quiz was devised for young overseas Indians of 18-35 years of age in 2015-16.
The online quiz saw young diaspora members from more than 96 countries participating enthusiastically. The top 10 achievers were invited to participate in the final round in New Delhi, with three winners in each category receiving medals from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 2, 2016.
In January this year, the first PIO-Parliamentarian Conference was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi in New Delhi.
The conference aimed at strengthening the linkage with diaspora parliamentarians and recognising their achievements in a befitting manner. The conference was attended by South African parliamentarians of Indian origin.
The Indian government has also instituted an award, Pravasi Bharatiya Samman (Overseas Indian Award), conferred by the president of India as a part of the PBD Conventions, to recognise the contributions of individuals and organisations in furthering ties with India and enhancing the understanding of India.
Prominent South Africans of Indian origin like Professor Fatima Meer, Amina Cachalia, Ahmed Kathrada, Sisupal Rambharos, Billy Nair, Prema Naidoo, Pravin Gordhan, Dr Tholisiah Perumal Naidoo, Dr Khorshed Noshir Ginwala-Rustomjee, Ismail Ebrahim Ebrahim, Ela Gandhi and Dr Essop Goolam Pahad have been conferred this award since its conception in 2003.
India cherishes its diaspora; it is a home away from home for the diaspora.