The Indians Abroad

Overseas Living: NRIs & India abroad

Chumma Stuff

Mar 19

Posted by admin in Culture & Society, Entertainment, India, Non-Resident Indian, Short Story, india abroad

Neal had a biology exam that day, right after the lunch hour. So, he was in a rush from the very minute he walked into the cafeteria.

The place was crowded more than usual, it seemed. Looking for a place to sit, so he could gulp down the chicken burger, he scanned all the sitting area. That’s when he saw an empty spot next to her.

She was sitting alone, lost in her own world; eating and reading at the same time.

Their previous interactions were brief, nothing more than ‘hello’, ‘hi’ or ‘how are you’? He mostly saw her in the library, sitting in a corner, minding her own business, always busy with her books. Sometime she would sit alone but most of the time, her American friends surrounded her.

There were only a few Indian girls on the college campus, Henna was one of them.

“Hi Henna”, he said approaching the vacant seat.

“Hi, how are you,” she said with a slight smile. Her eyes went back to the book after a quick greeting.

He started to dig into his burger and fried. She kept reading, and eating.

“What are you reading?” he asked, trying to break the silence.

“Chumma”, she paused, “stuff”, she added without lifting her head.

All confused, he waited but a silence followed. ‘What kind of stuff that might be?’ he thought to him self – ‘chumma stuff!’ Read the rest of this entry »

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Investing aggressively into India? Think twice!

Mar 17

Posted by admin in Business, India, Non-Resident Indian

Okay, first of all, I am not any certified financial advisor, nor do I hold any degree in the field of finance or investing. I am good at math, according to my teachers, but that does not mean anything – almost all Indians consider themselves to be good at math. Bottom-line; take this rant with a grain of salt. On a second thought, may be more like with a spoonful of salt. :)

When it comes to economic growth since early 90s, the whole world is singing praises of India and China. Even the latest predictions estimate Indian GDP growth rate at more than 7%. That is more than double of what is expected in most of the western countries. So, things are not as bad as rest of the world, so it seems.

However, India has seen a tremendous growth in the last decade and beyond. Compared to only 6-7 years ago, the real-estate values have tripled or quadruped in many part of the country. The IT boom has been very significant, to say the least.

So, what is the problem? Exactly that – the long lasting boom. The upward growth has been so good for so long, that it is defying the laws of averages. Every good thing comes to an end, even though the end is hard to predict some times. Read the rest of this entry »

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Import of Gold and Silver into India by NRIs

Mar 15

Posted by admin in Business, Non-Resident Indian, india abroad

Facilities on overseas assets for NRIs returning to India – Gold and Silver import

Below are the general guidelines on Gold and Silver import into India by returning NRIs including maximum limits, duty and other restrictions:

Import of gold by NRIS

  • NRIs can bring into India gold up to 10,000 grams as part of their baggage once in six months provided they have stayed abroad for a continuous period of six months.
  • The gold may be brought into India in any form, including ornaments (other than ornaments studded with stones and pearls).
  • NRIs are required to pay customs duty in any convertible foreign currency. Refer to the Export Import Policy of the Government of India for the latest rate in rupees per 10 grams of gold.
  • NRI can bring gold into India once in six months.
  • NRI should have stayed abroad at least for a minimum period of six months prior to his/her return to India for being eligible to bring gold.

Import of silver by NRIS

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Facilities on overseas assets for Indians returning to India

Mar 14

Posted by admin in Banking, Consciousness & Awareness, Non-Resident Indian, india abroad

R2I facilities on overseas assets for Indians returning to India

Here are some key highlights of the Indian facilities related to overseas assets and financial situations for Indians returning to India:

Retaining assets abroad:

  • Effective 17th July, 1992, the Indian Central Government has granted exemption from the surrender requirement to persons who return to India after a continuous stay abroad of one year and above in respect of funds/assets acquired by them abroad otherwise than in contravention of FERA 1973 or out of foreign exchange earned through employment, business or vocation outside India taken up or commenced while they were resident outside India. Persons satisfying the conditions of general exemption can retain their foreign currency accounts within bank abroad and/or hold, transfer or dispose of their other foreign currency assets such as shares, securities or investments in business, etc. and immovable properties.
  • They are not required to obtain any permission from Reserve Bank for holding these assets.
  • They would enjoy complete freedom for utilization of these assets as well as income earned or sale proceeds received subsequently.

    • Read the rest of this entry »

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Outsourced happiness

Mar 12

Posted by admin in Jobs and Occupations, Non-Resident Indian, Short Story, india abroad

His house sits in one of the most upper-scale and affluent residential area of Chicago suburbs. As I walked inside the double-door entrance with marble sidings, I quickly realized that the inside of the mansion is even more impressive and pretty that outside view. There are two separate staircases leading to the upper storey; there are multiple bathrooms on the main floor; the open ceiling concept has a catwalk that overlooks the family room; the kitchen alone is bigger than decent size luxury apartment…

If you look at the size of house, you would think that some millionaire lives here. Maybe, he is a millionaire; it is hard to guess his wealth out of his humble disposition and very friendly nature.

After a brief chit-chat, I asked him about his occupation. I knew he was not working much currently, but I was very curious to find out where he got the big bucks to build that big mansion.

“One second, be right back”, he briefly went into the kitchen and came back with two cups of hot tea – steam still floating over the edges.

“It was a good job, a very good job. Only 15 minutes drive from the house,” he reflected on his past occultation, the cup of tea resting on his thigh as he leaned back in the easy-chair.

For 15 years, I found out, Ramesh had worked for an electronics company as a quality controller. He does not have any special technical education –engineering degree or anything else of the sort.
“I started on the assembly line, but I was promoted to the supervisor within years”, there is a happiness in his voice as he walks down the memory lane.
“Everybody appreciated what I did for the company. I used to get letters of recognition all the way from Japan – our upper management headquarters.”
“So, what happened?” I asked curiously.
“Outsourcing!” he did not feel any further need to explain. But then, after a brief pause, he spoke with a sad tone, his voice lowered, “they did not need us anymore, they found cheaper ways to do what we did, in other countries!”
“Oh, I see!” I did not know what else to say.

For the past 4 years Ramesh has struggled to find a decent job. Most of the jobs that need his skills are outsourced. After trying for years, he gave up on the job market, and tried to do what one of his best friends does – real estate agent. Read the rest of this entry »

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New immigrants’ guide to the United States of America

Mar 10

Posted by admin in Non-Resident Indian, india abroad

There are all kinds of links, advertisements and even misleading information about the resources available to a new immigrant in the United States of America. Some of them promise your skies and stars, while others cut and paste from the official website of USA Homeland Security.

Whenever I doubt, always go to the source of the information. The purpose of this article is not to spoon-feed you the guidelines and rules, but share the source of such information.

There is a comprehensive guide issued by the U.S. Government as an official publication. The guide is titled ‘Welcome to the United States: A Guide for New Immigrants, Washington, DC, Revised Edition’ and the information come straight from the horse’s mouth: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Office of Citizenship.

This guide is a welcome document for new immigrants or for those who plan to migrate to USA in the near future. “Adjusting to your new life in the United States of America will take time. This guide contains basic information that will help you settle in the United States and find what you and your family need for everyday life. It also summarizes important information about your legal status and about agencies and organizations that provide documents or essential services you may need.”

The information range from a variety of topics: where to get help, how to get help, information on job search, where to get legal help, necessary contact information for immigration services and so on. The guide rightfully goes on to summarize ‘Your Rights and Responsibilities as a Permanent Resident’, including ‘Consequences of Criminal Behavior for Permanent Residents.’ Just so you know, you have been advised :) ! Read the rest of this entry »

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The Bloom Box –An energy magic box or just a hype?

Mar 8

Posted by admin in News, Trivial Stuff, environment

Every now and then, there comes something that makes you turn you head, that demands your attention regardless if you are ready or not.

Is the world ready for green energy to take over the day-to-day life?

The chatter is getting louder, about the possible next BIG thing. California Silicone Valley is buzzing with the new venture. Backed by the same powerful venture capitalist who once supported the start-ups like Netscape, Amazon and Google, the discussions about alternate power source are everywhere.

If successful, the new energy source can replace the big power plants and eventually transmission line grid over time. Moreover, it is ‘green energy’, completely environment friendly, as there is no burning or combustion.

K.R. Sridhar, the CEO of Bloom Box, is the man behind the concept. The ambitious undertaking is already being trialed by EBay headquarters and many other corporations, as an alternate to the conventional energy.

Basically, in simplistic terms, the Bloom box invention is a fuel cell, a very skinny battery that always runs; that is always on. The slim wafer takes oxygen from one side, and fuel on the other. The two combine within the cell to create a chemical reaction to produces electricity. These tiny wafers or skinny slates are stacked up to compound the energy production.

According to Sridhar’s interview on CBS’s ‘60 Minute’, 2 boxes of these batteries – each box slightly bigger than Rubik’s Cube – can power up one US house, or 2 European house, or 4-6 houses in India around the clock.

If the promise holds true, this invention in the field of green energy could be one of the biggest breakthroughs of modern days. Read the rest of this entry »

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Top 20 Bollywood Movies of 80’s

Mar 4

Posted by admin in Bollywood, Entertainment

Samita Patil was still alive, Dilip Kumar still in action, the Big B showed no signs of grey hair, Naseeruddin Shah was in his prime, Pran was still the bad guy to beat…..you got the idea…

Choosing top 20 movies from 80s is almost an impossible task. Should you go with the mega hits from mega stars like Big B and Dilip Kumar, or should you go with the artistic movies supported by Naseeruddin Shah, Samita Patil, Shabana Azmi…? The list below is not perfect by any means, but a good mix of the both styles. Depending on your tastes, likes and dislikes, the choice may vary, but here are my top 20 movies from 80s, arranged in a chronological order, by the year of movie-release date:

1. Aakrosh (1980): This is an acclaimed art film. The star power comes from all around brilliant acting of Naseeruddin Shah, Samita Patil, Om Puri and Amrish Puri. The movie is a satire on the corruption in the Indian judicial system, and power abuse of the rich against the poor.

2. Qurbani (1980): A very entertaining family movie, also known for an ensemble of super-stars, excellent music and great songs. The film stars Feroz Khan, Vinod Khanna, Zeenat Aman, Amjad Khan, Shakti Kapoor, Aruna Irani, Amrish Puri and Kader Khan.

3. Sparsh (1980): Not a movie for uplifting atmosphere, but if you are looking for a movie with realistic acting, this is the one for you. It stars Naseeruddin Shah and Shabana Azmi playing the characters of a blind principal and a teacher in a School of the Blind.

4. Ek Duje Ke Liye (1981): This movie is among the most popular films of early 80s. The songs and the music support the romantic storyline. Kamal Haasan and Rati Agnihotri lead the cast.

5. Lawaaris (1981): This is a super-hit movie of the 80s – a story of an orphan in search for his parents – with twists and turns. The film stars Amitabh Bachchan, Amjad Khan, Zeenat Aman and Raakhee Gulzar. Read the rest of this entry »

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Welcome to the world of Holi festival – without colors

Mar 1

Posted by admin in Culture & Society, Entertainment, Non-Resident Indian

Today, India and Indian communities around the world are celebrating Holi – the festival of colors. However, there is a one big difference in the celebrations – the presence or absence of the colors depending upon where you live.

If you live in India, we all know, you can go crazy with the colors if you want to. Dry colors, wet colors, sticky colors, shiny colors, or just plain water if you run out of the colors – everything is a fair game. Friends, foes, families, strangers – everybody is a fair target, well, most of the time. No one minds, or to be politically correct, no one is supposed to mind, if their all dressy outdoor wear is smudged with colors. No one is supposed to hold a grudge if their best dress is messed up from the Holi colors. Why? Because it is Holi, the festival of colors – no other explanation is needed. A rainbow of colors is the expected scene everywhere.

However, in overseas, the scene is quite the opposite; or should we say, quite normal like any other day. You can celebrate the festival within the walls of your own home, or in your own backyard, or with some desi friends if you are lucky to find those who understand the Holi spirits. That’s about it. Your choices are limited. Even within Indian circles, no one bothers to celebrate Holi! At leats not like we used to in India. The Westernized Indian kids may want to enjoy it, from a distance, as long as the colors don’t touch them. Why would you want to look ridiculous in the middle of the day! Read the rest of this entry »

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Desi ideas but foreign winners – Jai Hind?

Feb 26

Posted by admin in Bollywood, Consciousness & Awareness, Entertainment, Non-Resident Indian

American Skaters deliver Hot Bollywood delivered on cold ice !  

American Skaters in Desi Costume

Olympic Ice Skating pair Meryl Davis and Charlie White is a hot topic of discussions among Indian social circles for their spell-bound performance to the tunes of Bollywood music. Dressed in Desi costumes, the American skaters delivered a spectacular presentation on the ice. 

If you have not heard, the same pair received a second place Silver medal in the ‘Mixed Figure Skating’ Olympic competition.  

The Indians areproudly passing around the Youtube videos of this performance and claiming a victory of Indian culture of folk music. While the pair basks in the Olympic glory, their performance to the Bollywood tunes is a water-cooler topic of Indian pride and how great the Bollywood music is.  

Yes, the pride of Indian folk music deserves the applause, but we forget that it took an American couple to deliver the performance worth the Olympic consideration.  

If you think, we have been watching Shammi Kapoor for ages,dancing on the mountains and in the gardens alike, followed by the modern day heroes who are addicted to the on-screen dance – a necessity of Bollywood movies. 

No doubt, the Indian dance is a world recognized art and is progressively exposed in the western society. However, one wonders, a country of one billion Indians cannot produce a pair of ice-skaters who can represent India in the winter Olympics. We need an outsider to utilize Indian art – the Indian concept of folk music – to reach the medal podium! Read the rest of this entry »

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Extra polite or not so…?

Feb 23

Posted by admin in Consciousness & Awareness, Non-Resident Indian, india abroad

The shopkeeper is extra polite when he does not understand the customer.
The listener is extra polite when she doe not understand you and says, “Could you repeat that please!”

People are just normal polite when they can relate to you. But if you are getting lots of ‘extra polite treatment’, that may mean many things, including some of the things like:

  •  they don’t get you
  • they don’t understand you
  • they don’t relate to you
  • they find you different than their own kind
  • they don’t know how to interact with you…

Or, in rare cases, they are just extra nice people being extra polite, but you can always tell the difference.

The modern day social disassociation is not a slap in the face, a rude remark, or an outrageous action such as asking you to leave. Instead, it is the actions with extra care, with extra politeness that convey the message.

Most of the times, extra politeness is just extra caution people use when dealing with someone different, someone who does not fit in. Read the rest of this entry »

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Unmourned Death of a Mother Tongue

Feb 21

Posted by admin in Consciousness & Awareness, Entertainment, Non-Resident Indian, Short Story, india abroad

The dusk crawls on the suburban town of Fairfield. The evening chill of February is starting to feel on his wrinkled hands.

Arjun sits on the park bench, watching over his grand-daughter playing on the swings nearby.
“Let us go now, Pooja” he paused, “It’s time to go home”. He speaks with a broken English accent. Over the years he has adapted to the foreign tongue, the only language his grand kids understand.
“Not yet Grandpa! Can you push my swing please – one more time,” says the little girl with big black eyes, as she struggle with the slow-down of the swing.
“We have to go now, Pooja; the sun is going down.”
“It’s still light. One more push grandpa, please!”
Her delay tactics continue; she winning the every round of the bargain to go home.

After a few more swings and a long bargaining, they finally walk off the park. She skips along the sidewalk; their long silhouettes dragging behind them.

“Mom said you are making us a big kite. When can we fly it?”
“Soon. As soon as the winter is over and spring arrives.”
“Cool!”
“Look at the beautiful sunset, beta!” he points to the sun on the far western horizon as they turn the corner, their two story bungalow within the sight now.
She casually looks at the sunset. Unimpressed, she skips along. Read the rest of this entry »

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Desi fundas 101: Education a fundamental driver of Indian success abroad

Feb 19

Posted by admin in Consciousness & Awareness, Non-Resident Indian, india abroad, personal development

The big red letters on the front of our school used to read, in two languages:
In Punjabi: “Vidhya insaan di teesari akh hai!”
In Hindi: “Vidhya insaan ki teesari aankh hai!”
Meaning: Education or knowledge is the 3rd eye of a person.

Growing up, we all knew that some of the rules should not and could not be questioned; rules like:

  • Respect your books. Stepping on a book, even by mistake is a sin. A book never belongs under your feet.
  • Education is your priority number one.
  • Respect your teachers….

If you look around, you can always find many neighbors or colleagues that sacrifice so much to educate their kids. Many of them may not have enough to afford three meals a day, but they damn make sure that their kids go to schools – good schools, including the prestigious schools or colleges abroad.

The same priority on education is equally true for Indian Americans, British Indians, Indo Canadians….and other Indian families overseas. Read the rest of this entry »

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Indian head wobble – the desi nod

Feb 16

Posted by admin in Consciousness & Awareness, Culture & Society, India, Non-Resident Indian, india abroad

The way many Indians and nod their head is often described as the ‘Indian head wobble’ or ‘Indian head bobble’. If you live outside India, it is not a widely understood body gesture.

What is Indian head wobbling?
For those who are not familiar with the term, the head wobbling is a motion that is somewhere in between the up-and-down nod, and the sideways head shaking. So, it is somewhat rotational motion of the head – a light head shake combined with a head roll.

What does it mean?
Does it mean yes, or does it mean no?

Simply put, it means ‘yes’, but is it really that hard to understand??

Well, for those who are not exposed to Indian culture and desi body language, it is a confusing response. Read the rest of this entry »

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Love defined

Feb 14

Posted by admin in Entertainment, Trivial Stuff

Love is the glow in a mother’s eyes, as she admires a little soul in her arms.
Love is the father’s pat on son’s back as he catches his first fish
Love is what makes you day-dream the possibilities, and impossible
Love is what brings out your best, and the worst alike
Love is the pinch in the heart at the time of the departure
Love is the song of joy from the depths of the heart Read the rest of this entry »

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Snow sledding misadventure

Feb 14

Posted by admin in Trivial Stuff, india abroad

Today, my neighbors taught me how to sled down the snowy hill like a pro. They told me last night about their plan and I could barely sleep – with all the excitement.

This morning, me and my three neighbors headed over to the snowy hill across the park. Covered with glistening white snow, it is majestic view of a snowy hill in the morning sun. More than a 100 yards of slope, waiting to be exploited. Below freezing temperature did not affect our enthusiasm, or the plan.

Many little kids were already sledding down the hill, in all kinds of creative ways. I saw a young boy standing on a fast paced sled, hands free and looking backward, go down the hill. Another little girl using a small round plate that looks like a flying saucer, was flying down the slope in style, her feet firmly planted inside the fast moving fancy looking alien object.

“You cannot back down now!” Ravi said to everybody.
“This is gonna be so much fun!” Mel, his girl friend giggled
“Lets go!!” Shouted Steve. Read the rest of this entry »

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The Snowy Mess

Feb 12

Posted by admin in Non-Resident Indian, Trivial Stuff

It is 6 in the morning; I am standing inside my nice and warm house, looking at my front yard. The front porch, the drive way to the garage – the whole thing is covered with snow again.

Hurray! Not really. Seriously, this is thirds day in a row that I am dealing with snow removing and shoveling. It is 3, well, at least 2, more days  than I wanted to snow-shovel.

The first day was fun. The nice fluffy snowflakes everywhere, glistening with the sunlight from the far horizon. I even thought of making a snow-man after the shoveling was done, but gave up on the idea thinking I am not a kid and it is too cold to deal with snow any longer. Instead, I came inside and had a warm cup of steaming tea, while looking outside and admiring my own work.

The second morning – yesterday, I woke up to another 3-4inches of new snow coating. I ventured outside and did my thing again – shoveled the driveway and the porch; cleared the side street where neighborhood kids walk to (and from) the school-bus that makes a stop in front of our house every morning and every afternoon.

I was all done, and was about to come inside, that is when a big snow plow, that was clearing the streets in our area, dumped a big wall of snow in front of my drive way. That is the most annoying thing about this big snow plows, they push the snow off the street to the sides, but in the process, end up creating more headache for every household. I hate snow plows – just for the record. Read the rest of this entry »

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Lies from overseas – Maanji and the computer

Feb 10

Posted by admin in Non-Resident Indian, Short Story, india abroad

He bows; reaches down to touch his grandma’s feet – to show respect.
She puts her right hand on his head. Her wrinkled hands shiver, the tears moisten their eyes. They embrace and hug outside the gate of the haweli. The driver drags two suitcases, from the trunk of the car, into the house.

“How was the flight?” she asks in a weak but firm voice.
She speaks in pure Punjabi – the only language she has ever spoken in her last 80 years of a well-lived life. She has not been to big cities, unless to attend some wedding, or a funeral. Her daily world is mostly limited to the few streets of her village, or up and down the family farm.

She is glowing with the excitement of seeing her grandson again, after so many years.

“The flight was good”, he replied without thinking. He looks around to take a stock of the dramatically changed neighborhood.

“You look old. The 5 years have aged you more than a decade”

“I know, maanji” That is what he always called her. In fact that is what the whole village calls her – Maanji, the mother.

She inquired about health, and the rest of extended family abroad. He, in return, talked about trivial stuff – like how the peepul tree near the pond has grown so old, how the streets are paved now….how it is so foggy even in the middle of the day…

They eventually got inside the house. The servant pulled a cot out of the veranda, into the dim sunlight breaking through the thinning fog. The winter day of February seemed warm – as if the chill has suddenly disappeared.

“so what do you do in America”. She asked again, the same question she has asked before on the phone many time.
“ I am .umm….Engineer”, he gave the same answer he had always given.
“I know, you told me that before. But, what do you do?”
“I work with the computers”
“How big are the computers in America? The one our Jeeta has is smaller than even a television.”
“They are small, small like that foot-rest”, he pointed to the small foot-stool next to the cot.

She got silent, perhaps thinking, or may be imagining him working with a small computer
She paused, and then spoke in a subdued tone, “After spending all your life in dorms and now abroad, you could not find a better job?” Read the rest of this entry »

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10 Best Movies with NRIs and India Abroad Theme

Feb 7

Posted by admin in Bollywood, Entertainment, Non-Resident Indian, india abroad

There are lots of movies – many made in Bollywood, some abroad – that explore the lives of NRIs and Indians living overseas. There are lots of films with ‘India Abroad and NRIs’ theme. However, not all the NRIs stories of overseas are well told, well played or worth the time. Some of the best movies that actually leave a lasting impression of the life abroad include:

1. Monsoon Wedding:Directed by Mira Nair, this is romance, comedy and drama – all together – depicting the lives of NRIs and the NRI weddings. An extravagant Punjabi wedding and the family traditions are beautifully directed throughout this movie. The touch of folk music is very refreshing. Naseeruddin Shah’s acting is solid once more, and plays a father who is organizing an enormous, chaotic, and very expensive wedding that involves NRI families coming together from different parts of the world.

2. East is East:This is a very comic and funny movie with a dark side of NRI story based out of England. Om Puri delivers one of the best acting of a conflicted father with double standards. Married to a white woman, the father forces his kids to live the traditional and strict desi lifestyle. The children, born and grown up in UK, see themselves as British and reject their father’s rules on dress, food, religion and arranged marriage.

3. Bend it like Beckham:Starring Parminder Nagra and Keira Knightley, the title comes from the soccer player David Beckham’s skill at scoring from free kicks by “bending” (curving) the ball past a wall of defenders. It is a beautiful depiction of a Punjabi family’s life in England. The film explores the lives of Indians abroad and how NRIs ‘bend’ the social and traditional rules to adapt to the local culture. It has a lively music, with a touch of folk genre, including ‘Rabbaa Rabbaa Meeh Barsaa’.

4. Bride and Prejudice:This is a Bollywood style adaptation of the novel ‘Pride and Prejudice’ by Jane Austen. It is filmed primarily in English, with some Hindi and Punjabi dialogue. The lead cast of Aishwarya Rai, Martin Henderson, Nadira Babbar, Anupam Kher and Naveen Andrews plays well in the desi adaptation of an old classic story of west. The wedding and party scenes, the complicated feelings of love, the dance numbers and culture depiction….are all nicely integrated. Read the rest of this entry »

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R2I Surprises await the returning NRIs

Feb 5

Posted by admin in Culture & Society, India, Non-Resident Indian, india abroad

Everyone abroad talks about r2i – returning to India. Sooner or later, every Indian settled overseas considers returning home. Regardless how much you plan and how much you look forward to it, the real life experience always brings its own surprises – good and bad ones.

Most of the NRIs romanticize about the life in India. However, those returning to India have their own complaints about life back home:

Traffic: After living in American or Europe for a long time, we get used to the smooth flow of traffic and the traffic rules. Don’t expect the same after r2i. There are just way too many cars and bikes on the road, compared to what we are used to abroad. And remember, the more aggressive drivers make their own traffic rules, most of the time.
Not the same old neighborhood: I wrote a full article on this recently, the home we left behind many years ago is not the same, neither is the neighborhood.

Kids hate it: many parents return to India to raise their kids in Indian culture speaking Indian language. However, the whole experience is very hard on kids. The language, the new place, the new surroundings, the power cuts, the crowd….the whole thing overwhelms them. They like India for vacationing, but forget the permanent living part.

Faded bonds of Family and friends: Many of us return home to be with family and old friends. However, once you go back, it does not feel like the good old days. Everybody is on a different wavelength; they have their own lives to live. Read the rest of this entry »

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