The Indians Abroad

Overseas Living: NRIs & India abroad

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Are you in the right Job or occupation? The Monday morning test!

Aug 28

Posted by admin in Business, career planning, Consciousness & Awareness, Jobs and Occupations, personal development | No Comments

Jobs and occupations – Evaluating your current work options!

Tokyo Women’s Medical University study, published in the American Journal of Hypertension, shows that many workers suffer a significant increase in blood pressure as they return to the office after the weekend.

Other researches show that the most common day for heart attacks is Monday. Statistics spike on Monday mornings, in particular, since heart attacks occur between 4 a.m. and 10 a.m. more than any other six-hour period.

How much do you really like your job or occupation? How you feel on Monday morning may be the real test of your career choice and the occupation. There are very few who enjoy waking up Monday morning, looking forward to the work. After a relaxing weekend, very few want to go back to the job routine. After all, as name says it all, work is just that – work!

Most of us work for livelihood, and there is no choice but finding a way to make the living. There are very few who have combined their work with their favorite hobby. If your work is also your hobby, well then you don’t know much about the Monday morning blues!

How stressed you are on Monday morning may be the real test of your carrier choice – how well you like your job and the work-place. If you feel like having a heart attack every Monday, or every other day for that matter, then you should certainly reconsider your work options – find a way to deal with the stress more effectively or look for a different job. After all, health should come before work, or that is how it should be prioritized.

It is easier said than done, but it is not impossible! Read the rest of this entry »

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The Indian Mangoes abroad

Aug 22

Posted by admin in Business, India, india abroad, Non-Resident Indian, NRI | 4 Comments

The Indian and Pakistani Mangoes in USA!!

In Indian continent, mango is the king of the fruits! Chausa, Dasheri, Kesar, Langra, Haapoos and so on – there is no shortage of the different flavors and mouth-watering varieties as you move from one part of the country to another. This ‘fruit of the gods’ is taken for granted in Indian, Pakistani and many neighboring cuisines.

From king of fruits to just an average fruit – mango is just another fruit in the western countries. As you step outside the Indian continent, you can still find mangoes if you look for them. In USA, mangoes are sold in many fruit shops and grocery stores. However, these are not the mangoes that grow in the Indian orchards; these are not the same mangoes as the ones you once tasted on the roadside stalls in India. Yes, these are mangoes, but not your Chausa, Dasheri or Langra.

The most of the mangoes sold in US and Canada are the locally grown fruits or the ones shipped from Mexico. Many of these local mangoes leave much to be desired. They don’t taste the same as the ones from India, unless you have never had Indian mangoes, or perhaps you forgot the taste of the years. The Indian mangoes are much sweeter, mush more richer and much more… umm… let’s just say ‘tastier’. There are some things that you cannot really describe. You won’t know the difference unless you try them for yourself. Read the rest of this entry »

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Commonsense tips on investing and investment ideas

Feb 6

Posted by admin in Banking, Business, Consciousness & Awareness, Most Popular Stories, Non-Resident Indian, NRI, personal development, Trivial Stuff | No Comments

Commonsense tips on investing while living home or abroad

“It is a wise man who lives with money in the bank, it is a fool who dies that way.” ~ French Proverb

No matter where you live, the financial planning and investment approach is not much different. By end of the day, the general goal is:

  • Spend less that you earn
  • Save for the rainy days
  • Maximize the return on investment without taking huge risks
  • Save for the future and retirement days
  • Enjoy life – money is a mean to live, not the ultimate goal

This article is based on the personal experiences in investing, no formal education in investing or financial planning here. DO NOT base your investment decisions solely on these tips. This is a simple advice from one investor to another. Your situation and circumstances may vary, so this may not apply to everyone.

These are some of the useful and commonsense tips on investing:

1. Save: Yes, the first principle to maximize your net capital or net portfolio is to save. The saving does not always mean being overly frugal or cutting down on the basic needs like food consumptions (while that may not be a bad idea in many cases). Consider eliminating the unnecessary spending and waste. ‘50 tips on saving’ is good article if you are looking for ideas on how to save.

2. Emergency fund: Before investing, it is always a good idea to have emergency fund that you can draw on, in case of emergency – such as loss of employment. Many suggest that you should have enough money readily available so you and your family can live off it for at least six months. Many other suggest having enough emergency funds for a full one year. Based on personal situation, decide on the size of the emergency fund. This money can sit in the savings accounts or other low risk options like short term certificates of deposits or low risk money market funds etc.

3. Understand your risk tolerance: Now, you may see advertisements boasting something like “double your money in x months with no risk”. Well, there is no such thing as ‘no risk’ when it come to investing. There are low risk alternatives or what many call ‘conservative approach’ to investment, but there is always some sort of risk. There is always a possibility that you may lose your shirt in many investments. So, make sure you understand the downside; make sure you can tolerate the short term or long term fluctuations in your investment choices.

4. Diversify: Diversification is one of the main methods used to minimize the overall risk of an investment portfolio. In other words, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Stocks, mutual funds, real estate, precious metals like gold and silver – there are different choices to investments. Even within stocks and mutual funds, there are categories based on different company size and different countries etc. Before investing, it is not a bad idea to understand the diversification options that suits your situation. Read the rest of this entry »

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Price of True Love is up again in 2010!!

Dec 2

Posted by admin in Business, Entertainment, News, Trivial Stuff | 3 Comments


Thanks to the rising price of gold and the soaring birds, the price of ‘true love’ has gone up again. This is based on the price of all the gifts mentioned in the old Christmas carol – ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’.

Just to to refresh your memory, the carol is a cumulative song, adding the gifts AGAIN as the days go by. The first day starts with one gift from the true love, repeating the same gift next day and adding one more every day. So, on the 12th day, the true love receives 12 gifts. Now that is …ummm…. true love!!

The first verse:

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me
a partridge in a pear tree

In the second verse, another gift gets added for the second day:

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Two turtle doves
and a partridge in a pear tree

In the third verse, there are total 3 gifts for the 3rd day:

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Three French hens
two turtle doves
and a partridge in a pear tree

And so on….

The last verse of the carol for 12th day obviously includes all the 12 gifts:

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Twelve drummers drumming
eleven pipers piping
ten lords a’ leaping
nine ladies dancing
eight maids a’ milking
seven swans a’ swimming
six geese a’ laying
five gold rings
four calling birds
three French hens
two turtle doves
and a partridge in a pear tree

Since 1986 every year, PNC Wealth Management has entertained the banking world and rest of us by calculating the cost of the items in this song, if purchased at current prices. According to the bank, the cost of 12 sets of gifts for 2010 is $23,439. They call it PNC Christmas Price Index. Compared to 2009, the CPI has gone up more than 9%. Read the rest of this entry »

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Employment Picture for US Families

May 30

Posted by admin in Business, career planning, Jobs and Occupations, Non-Resident Indian, NRI | 1 Comment

USA Employment Characteristics of Families Summary, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Release; May 27, 2010

As the country struggles with high unemployment rate, more and more families are impacted by the current economic downturn. Here are some interesting facts from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (US Department of Labor) on family level employment in USA:

  • More and more families have at least one of the family member out of work.
  • The share of families with an unemployed member rose from 7.8 percent in 2008 to 12.0 percent in 2009.
  • The proportion of families with an unemployed member in 2009 was at its highest level since the data tracking began in 1994.
  • Of the nation’s 78.4 million families, 80.4 percent had at least one employed member in 2009, down by 1.8 percentage points from 2008.
  • There were 9.4 million families with at least one unemployed member in 2009, up from 6.1 million in 2008. in 2009.

    • 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, NRI | 2 Comments

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, india abroad, Non-Resident Indian, NRI | 2 Comments

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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Run your business like a Kids’ Lemonade stand

Jan 24

Posted by admin in Business, personal development | 2 Comments

Kifds' Lemonade Stand

They say – if life gives you lemons, make lemonade. I say, start a lemonade stand; or start a business that runs like a lemonade stand.

Why? What is there to learn from a bunch of kids sitting on a street corner or in front of their house, selling lemonade to the passers-by on a hot sunny day?

Well, quite a lot. The lemonade stand has some of the most commonsense at display, when it comes to operating a business.
See it for yourself, some of the common characteristics of a kids’ lemonade stand:

1.Simple and straight-forward: Nothing complicated or flashy – one table or desk, disposable glasses, a piggy-bank or a container for cash and lemonade making supplies- that’s all. That is all the kids need to run their business. Simple but yet so complete, as if nothing is missing.

2. No tricks, no guises: Everything is on the table; there are no tricks and no hidden agenda. Everyone passing by knows what to expect from a kids’ lemonade stand. Read the rest of this entry »

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Wal-Mart shops for IT in India

Dec 4

Posted by admin in Business, India | 2 Comments

Three Indian IT firms get $600 million Wal-Mart deal

The trend – Buffalo to Bangalore – continues. The foreign wind continues blowing toward Indian IT. Everyday there are new IT outsourcing from Western countries to India. But, this one is BIG:

The Business Standard reported on Friday that American Wal-Mart (Walmart) has selected three IT vendors in India to outsource its IT needs. The company has selected three prominent IT vendors from India — Infosys Technologies, Cognizant Technology Solutions and UST Global — for multi-year contracts worth over $600 million (around Rs 2,750 crore).

In the start, each firm is expected to earn Rs 250 crore to Rs 300 crore annually. The figure will likely grow as Wal-Mart increases outsourcing of work from its main merchandising division. Infosys and Cognizant are expected to get a larger share of the contract.

According to this new mega contract, Infosys and Cognizant will be responsible for application development and support, while UST Global will owe the testing of these applications. Read the rest of this entry »

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All that glitters is Gold – 200 tons!

Nov 6

Posted by admin in Business, India | 1 Comment

India Buys 200 tons of Gold to diversify its assets!

It was the summer of 1991, times were tough – well, for India. The country was struggling to make the payments on its international loans. With the fear of default on upcoming payments, India pawned its hard asset, the gold – 67 tons of it. To raise badly needed cash, India sold 47 tons gold to the Bank of England and 20 tons to the Union Bank of Switzerland. The total price -$600 millions.

For a person, or a family or a nation, the tough times always bring some tough tests, some tough choices. It is during the down times when resilience, endurance and willpower are tested. The real character – the real character of a person, a real character of a nation – emerges from the behavior and actions during challenging time.
So, what are the results of such tough tests? It is either a downward spiral that could lead to complete devastation, or a rise to glory from the ashes of down days.

The test of 1991 economic crisis fell on the shoulder of the newly appointed finance minister. Luckily, this time, it was not just another politician. It was someone who knew a thing or two about finances and economics. For a change, a man with financial vision took over the economy of a beaten down country. This man with a vision – the new Finance Minister – was none other than Dr. Manmohan Singh. Read the rest of this entry »

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Commonsense tips for a successful business start-up

Sep 10

Posted by admin in Business, career planning | 2 Comments

Business is a combination of war and sport. ~Andre Maurois

A large number of businesses fail soon after the start. Many of us don’t know what we are getting into; or the market conditions are very different than what we imagined. A sound business case involves thorough planning, in-depth understanding and good knowledge of market conditions for the related products or services. Anyone can open a business anywhere. People start it from their kitchen-tables or garages. A simplest business is the kids’ lemonade stand on the street corner. Staring a business is easy, sustaining a profitable operation is a different story.

Here are some of the key factors to consider for a successful business start-up:

Know what you are doing: A good business case requires understand of your niche, services or product. With today’s competitive world, one needs specific expertise, knowledge and ability to provide a seamless and reliable product or service.

Business Plan: Planning is the most important aspect of a new start-up. A thorough and robust business plan includes the overall business strategy, market analysis, financial aspects, risk analysis etc. If you have a good business plan, most of the following elements in this article could be part of it. A business plan could be dynamic and flexible that could evolve and change based on changing business needs or market conditions.

Find a Niche: Finding a niche with unique and focused appeal is very important. If possible, find something -product or service- that specializes in a key area to attract certain clients, and with very little existing competition. Look for a way to set yourself apart from others by focusing on specific customer needs and interests.

Location, location, location: Every street vendor in New York City knows the importance of prime location. For a brick and mortar business, the location is everything. The location alone can make or break a business. The business site should be easy to access, in a good neighborhood, and should make a good first impression on customers and walk-ins alike. Read the rest of this entry »

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Tips on buying a house in USA or Canada!

Sep 8

Posted by admin in Business, india abroad, Non-Resident Indian, NRI | 3 Comments

Tips on house hunting abroad – in USA or Canada!
969325_house

Have money? Like shopping?…

When it comes to housing today, it is a ‘buyer’s market’. ‘House for sale’ signs are multiplying in every neighborhood; with lots of sellers eager to sell. It is a good opportunity for those who are looking for house.

The process of finding and purchasing a house can be fun or a headache, depending on the circumstances or how you approach it. In most of the cases, the main reason for a house purchase is:

  • upgrading to a house from an apartment,
  • moving into a new area due to job or business or family reasons,
  • buying a house for renting out, or as an investment.

Regardless the reason, the house buying process is quite similar in all such cases in USA and Canada. Many of these steps or commonsense rules also apply for rest of the world as well.

Here are the key factors and main steps to consider before and during the house purchasing process:

Selecting the real estate Agent: The house hunting in itself is an adventure. Some people try it by themselves, while others hire a real-estate agent – the realtor. A good real-estate agent is instrumental to finding the right house and closing the deal smoothly and efficiently. A real-estate agent can simplify the whole process to an art. So, it is very important to hire a good and reliable realtor. Make sure to interview -yes, interview- multiple agents and ask all the appropriate questions including:

  • their qualifications, experience and background,
  • do they work alone or in a team?
  • their track records or success rate,
  • knowledge of the area,
  • overall chemistry or easy to work with,
  • Any other factors that are important to you: For example, possible issues of the language barrier etc.

Many Indians hire a realtor from their own community while others prefer a professional strictly based on the qualifications.

Know your budget:How much are you willing to spend, or how much can you afford, is always a good question to ask. There are many online tools that can help with calculating the monthly mortgage amount, and other expenses related to house buying and maintenance.

Mortgage pre-qualification: It is important to make sure that you are able to secure the financing for the house. Talk to your bank or a mortgage expert/broker, and find out how much mortgage you can get. Make sure that you feel comfortable with the loan amount, and the resulting monthly payment. Read the rest of this entry »

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Shahrukh Khan is god; so is US Immigration Office: The lessons learned

Aug 19

Posted by admin in Bollywood, Business, Entertainment, India, india abroad, Non-Resident Indian, NRI | 4 Comments

Shahrukh Khan

Shahrukh Khan

“It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” ~ Mark Twain

This incident of SRK’s additional questioning and detentionis in Newark is still getting so much coverage in the news. Actually, this was the main topic of discussion during Independence Day celebration.

Here are the lessons we learned from the whole thing:

USA Immigration and Customs Office is god:Yes, god, but still with a lower case ‘g’. Nobody worship them, but they don’t care. So lets not tangle with someone with this kind of attitude. We can admire them or hate them from a distance. When going through the customs,  if you are over-friendly or over-nervous, they will suspect something is wrong. ‘Suspicion’ is their middle name.

Shahrukh Khan is god:Many worship SRK, so no quarrel here. Problem starts when our Desi god collides with a foreign god, like an Immigration personnel in this case. While you can decide which one of the two would be villain (I think I know your answer :) ), you don’t have to. This is no epic battle of Mahabharata where good and evil are already defined; sometimes nobody wins in these battles of today. In this incident, I think both sides won, in their own words of course.

VIP Treatment not everywhere: VIP treatment in US is very limited. Actually people get very upset when they see a VIP getting special treatment in a public place. Totally different culture, let us not fuss about this. Remember, most of immigration officers don’t know much about our big shot celebrities. Read the rest of this entry »

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The fastest growing jobs and occupations in USA!

Jul 26

Posted by admin in Business, career planning, Jobs and Occupations | 4 Comments

The Bureau of Labor Statistics, a division of US Department of Labor, has a very interesting and comprehensive study on the jobs and occupations projections. The report titled ‘Tomorrow’s Jobs’  is quite telling in terms of expected growth in employment over the period of 2006 to 2016. 
The chart/graph here provides a snap-shot of the fastest growing occupations in USA – the change in the total employment by occupation groups projected over 2006 – 2016.chart 6_99
The top occupations that are expected to enjoy the highest percentage increase are:

Professional and related occupations: These occupations cover a wide range of skilled professions. Professional and related occupations are expected to increase by 16.7%. Among the top beneficiaries include:
-Computer and mathematical occupations,
-Health-care practitioners and technical occupations,
-Education, training, and library occupations

Services: Employment in service sector is projected to increase by 16.7%, tied with professional and related occupations for the fastest rate of growth. The services occupations that are expected to grow the fastest include:
-Food preparation,
-Serving related occupations
-Health-care support occupations
-Personal care and service service occupations

Management, business, and financial occupations: The employment is expected to increase by 10.4% by 2016 in this category. Among top growth projections are:
-Construction managers
-Accountants and auditors and business operation specialists
-Financial analysts and personal financial advisers Read the rest of this entry »

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