The Indians Abroad

Overseas Living: NRIs & India abroad

Posts Tagged NRI

Study India Programme (SIP) for NRIs and PIOs

Jan 15

Posted by admin in career planning, India, india abroad, Jobs and Occupations, Non-Resident Indian | 1 Comment

Study India Programme (SIP) for Non-Resident Indians and Persons of Indian Origin

The Study India Programme (SIP) is sponsored by the Government of India – The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs. The program invites the youth of Indian diaspora living abroad. Think of it as a summer school course in an Indian University, a lot different social experience compared to America or Europe.  The foreign citizens of Indian origin in the age-group of 18-26 years can apply and qualify for the short term courses that familiarize them with the Indian art, culture, heritage, history, emerging economy and overall development of India. Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs websites states, “Such short term courses shall aim at providing an opportunity to the overseas Indian youth to better understand and appreciate contemporary India, foster closer ties with the land of their ancestors and enhance their engagement with India.”

According to the site, “The participants are selected based on recommendations received from Heads of India Missions / Posts abroad. Selected participants are provided with full hospitality in India for the duration of the Programme. 50% of the cost of air ticket by economy class (Direct flight) is refundable to the participants on successful completion of the Programme…” Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Just a job

Nov 23

Posted by admin in Consciousness & Awareness, Culture & Society, Entertainment, India, india abroad, Jobs and Occupations, Non-Resident Indian, NRI, Short Story | 5 Comments

He checked his Gmail account again. There were a few more responses to his online resume submissions, basically acknowledging the receipt of the job applications and a promise that ‘your resume is on file for future openings’. He has been getting these meaningless replies for the last one year, since he arrived in USA.

Back home in India, everyone had told him that it was very easy to get an engineering job in America. “You can make lots of money in a few years”, His future father-in-law told him at the time of his engagement 3 years ago. A year after that, he was married to Anu.

He had big dream; after all, nobody dreams small. Once in US, he was greeted by his wife and her family and they welcome him into their home. His old classmates, now living within driving distance, came to visit him.
He was treated like a guest for many months. However, he soon realized, you cannot be a guest for too long. He had to figure out the next step – the job. With all the expenses and cost of living, he needed a job soon. His parents and siblings back home were already calling to check on him; to see when he might send them some money like every other NRI does.

He was very optimistic about his career in USA, so was the rest of his American family – his in-laws. Just like any typical Indian family, everybody was full of advice:
“You can easily find an Engineering job in your field.. no problem for a smart guy like you…”
“There is no shortage of work for Indian Engineers…this is just the fact…”
“You will find something – something good, very soon….”

After a few months, the tone of the advice changed:
“You just need to try a bit harder, maybe try something in lower pay scale to gain some experience…”
“Find a way to get your foot in the door…”
“My cousin started as a technician; now he is the director of engineering…but they are not hiring…”
“You cannot give up…We never give up…”
“You will find something – may be not that good but something… something good….”

The time went by; ‘something good’ was still illusive after a full year of job hunt. Anu was very understanding all along. She had told him that it would not be easy, but he never thought it would be a slow torture like that.
Then the pessimism kicked in… the justification from every side, from everyone:
“Economy is bad…it is not your fault”
“There are no good jobs in this economy…”
“May be you can try something part time…”
“Have you thought about trying something different?…”
“You can work at McDonald’s for now….”
“just start with something, it is ‘just a job’ after all!….”
Yes, there was no shortage of advice and guidance……. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

An interview with Anna Hazare

Sep 28

Posted by admin in Consciousness & Awareness, India, india abroad, Non-Resident Indian, NRI, politics | No Comments

An Exclusive interview of ANNAJI – ‘Father of the Modern India’

This post is a guest contribution from Shweta Nagpurkar Saxena, based on her recent interview with Anna Hazare.

The video is an excellent glimpse into the mind of Anna Hazare. This is an unbiased interview with no strings; straight forward questions with straight forward answers including a vital message for every Indian – home or abroad. As always, Annaji’s message carry a sincere appeal for everybody – to love and support your Motherland no matter where you live.

Here is the Youtube link to Shweta’s interview with Anna Hazare!

His message is simple yet powerful. The key takeaway points from the interview, in his own words, are:

1] “The one who lives for himself and dies one day…..dies forever. whereas, the one who lives for others and dies……Lives forever”.

2] “Even animals, birds take birth/ live/ eat-drink and die……then what is the difference between them and us? We Humans should use our brains for the constant development of self and the Nation”. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Indian diaspora info – all you need to know!

Jul 21

Posted by admin in Culture & Society, India, india abroad, Most Popular Stories, Non-Resident Indian, NRI | No Comments

Sometimes, the answer is right under your nose. Sometimes, actually most of the times, it is better to eliminate the middleman and go straight to source. This post is intended to lead the horse to the water; drink or not, is up to the horse!

Non Resident Indians, the NRIs – home or abroad – always have so many questions about the rules and regulations that apply to them. Quite often, they start by calling some lawyers – the lawyers that are always bombarding the NRIs with their monotone commercial during Indian TV shows – the middlemen!!

If you visit the Nation Portal of India website and go to the Indian Diaspora section, you can most likely find the answer to most of your questions – right there, under your nose!

The questions like:

# Can NRIs and PIOs open an account with Indian banks?
# Is registration of NRI marriages compulsory in India?
# What is the fee for applying for PIO card and OCI card?
# Is there a limit to the number of investments for acquiring commercial properties in India?
# How can an NRI or PIO adopt a child in India?
# What is meant by OCB?
# What are the investment options for NRIs in India?

To introduce you to the website directly, rather than cutting and pasting the answers here – you know, horse and water – use the direct links below for accessing the related info! Pick your own dish – all you can eat, for free!! Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Hinglish – Indian English idioms and phrases – II

Apr 16

Posted by admin in Communication Skills, Culture & Society, india abroad, Non-Resident Indian, NRI | No Comments

As mentioned in many previous posts, spoken English in India is very different as compared to the same language overseas. Our Indian languages have significant impact on English we speak back home. The Indian English – combined with heavy influence of Hindi and other local languages – is also called Hinglish. There are many related posts on this web-site on Hinglish usage and Hinglish words, and here is another one.

Quite a few commonly used Hinglish words and phrases are listed in the article:Hinglish of India – Indian idioms and phrases. This is the follow-up, part II.

Adding to the previous list, here are some commonly used Hinglish words and phrases:

Equation has changed :- Relationship has changed, e.g. “My equation with my brother has changed.”
Road-side Romeo – refer to a boys/man waiting near the street entrances to colleges and universities, or to those cruising the city streets in search of women to impress
Rubber :- Pencil eraser
cent per cent :- 100 per cent
Where do you put up? :- Where are you currently staying?.
Wheatish (complexion) :- light, creamy brown, or having a light brown complexion.
Flat :- Apartment
shirt-pant or pant-shirt :- Shirt and Trousers
tight slap :- hard slap
Out of station :- out of town.
Acting pricey:- playing “hard to get”, being snobbish. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Her Canada size compromises

Feb 22

Posted by admin in Culture & Society, india abroad, Marriages & weddings, Non-Resident Indian, NRI | 5 Comments

She had big dreams, her ideology was based on truth, honesty and kindness. But that was a long time ago, that was when she was seventeen. She thought she was special; she was born to do great things; she was born to make a difference. But then again, that was was when she was in high school. She barely new the world out there. She never knew that the rules of kindness, love and truth apply differently beyond the walls of her house.

Somewhere along the way, somewhere in the process of growing up, she left her house to encounter the real world. She was no longer shielded by her family and her loved ones. It was part of her society, it was part of the traditions to move out. She got married; her family tied her knot to an educated man from Canada. Not because they knew him, or she loved him; they married her in the hope that life would be better in Canada. That is what everyone thought, and that is what they believed – she will be better off in Canada, far better off.

But then again, people are not what they appear to be. In the real world abroad, things are very different. The real world is far different than the one based on dreams; the real world where ideology is often talked but seldom practiced. Most of the people talk big but do little, she soon learned.

In no time, she was exposed to the double standards as she left her father’s house. She saw hypocrisy first hand – day in and day out. The lies, the deceptions, the compromises – everything was at play on the big stage of life. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Plight of a woman in the NRI Marriages

Feb 13

Posted by admin in Consciousness & Awareness, Culture & Society, India, india abroad, Marriages & weddings, Most Popular Stories, Non-Resident Indian, NRI | 4 Comments

For decades, this has been a common practice; it is a part of Indian thinking. Parents in India marry their beloved son or daughter to NRIs visiting from Western counties, with the hope and wish that he or she will settle abroad, and perhaps more importantly, help them migrate as well. While India is enjoying the financial boom, the common man still looks up to the other countries as the ultimate salvation for their offspring.

Yes, arranged marriage is still very common in India, and especially when it comes to marrying abroad. With very little knowledge about a ‘funny dressed’ visitor from the west, people are willing to bond their son or daughter overnight, before someone else steals their opportunity – the opportunity of a golden ticket to go abroad.

Marriage is supposed to be a sacred bond, based on mutual love and respect. However, NRI marriages are fundamentally based on greed. It is the greed that results into lifelong headaches for many couples, if not heartaches.

Everyone knows that the arranged marriage is no walk in the park, especially the arranged marriages where a couple knows very little about each-other. What follows in a typical NRI marriage is surprises, compromises and then more compromises. There are lucky couples who can adapt quicker and understand each other mush faster. And then again, there are probably more couples who find it hard to adjust, where ego comes into play more than love. What follows thereafter is a life-long misery, constant conflicts and endless arguments on daily basis.

Indian society, even modern Indian society, looks down on divorce. Many families don’t even consider the option of separation. And once you have kids in the mix, it is even more difficult to separate, both sides sacrificing for the sake of the kids.

The situation is especially difficult for the women who marry a man abroad. The women are more eager to adapt, more willing to sacrifice. Very often, the women go beyond the call of duty to satisfy their spouses in the new land. They often have very few relatives abroad to fall back on, they lack the family support, the support of their own blood. Women are less confrontational by nature to start with, and it works against them. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Useful links and helpful sites for NRIs and overseas living

Dec 21

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

Useful Websites for NRIs and Indians Living Abroad

This article is a summary of online information and useful sites related to NRIs and overseas living. Some of this is general information sites that are useful links for NRIs and Indians living abroad.

Most the sites mentioned are government sponsored or official links in USA, Canada and India; similar information can be easily searched for other countries.

Here is a compilation of all the related online links:

Indian Diaspora and NRIs – General info:

NRIs Investments in India and NRI Banking in India:

R2I – Information for NRIs returning to India:

Immigration and Visa information:

Jobs and career related links:

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Pardesi songs! Best Bollywood songs for the NRIs and Indians abroad!

Dec 15

Posted by admin in Bollywood, Culture & Society, Entertainment, India, india abroad, Non-Resident Indian, NRI | 5 Comments

The pardesi songs – Best Bollywood songs with NRIs and Indians abroad theme!

This article is dedicated to all the pardesi souls (foreigners) and NRIs around the world.

The ‘pardesi songs’ in this list focus on the situations and the emotions of Indians living abroad. Being away from motherland, being separated from the loved ones left behind, starting a new life in a new country and the distance itself….a mixture of emotions come into the picture. There are lots of patriotic songs and good ones too. However, the ones included here are more related to the unique situations of living overseas, rather than regular patriotic songs. Here are some of the best Bollywood songs that many NRIs and Indians living abroad can relate to:

1. Chithi Aayee hai (Movie: Naam): One of the best songs that directly connects to all the feelings of Indians who have migrated from India, but still miss their motherland. Beautiful lyrics tell a touching story of an average immigrant.
Tune paisa bahut kamaya
Es paise ne des chhudaya….
Pankaj Udhas’s melodious voice adds to the appeal of this evergreen and super-hit song.

2. Bharat ka rehne walaa hoon (Movie: Purab Aur Pachhim): ‘Hai Preet Jahan Ki Reet Sada / Jab Zero Diya Mere Bharat Ne’ is one of the most memorable song that highlights the virtues of India and the Indian culture, especially for those who live overseas. This number has ideal settings – featured in England with crowd including Indians, hippies and English audience. Mahendra Kapoor’s voice and Manoj Kumar’ acting is a winning combination.

3. Ye dooriyan (Movie: Love Aaj Kal) : The song filmed on Deepika Dadukone and Saif Ali Khan is all about the ‘distance’ from loved ones. Anyone living abroad can relate to this song, a number with great composition and brilliant lyrics.
Aa raha paas, ya door mein ja raha
Janu na mein hoon kahan pe…
It has a natural flow, and is a hybrid of modern folk and classical gazal – a lovely song by any standard.

4. Yeh Jo des hai tera (Movie: Swades): This is one of the most melodious songs from A. R. Rahman. The lyrics and the scenes bring out the emotions of being Indian and being away from home. With SRK in the lead and beautiful filming, the song highlights all the nostalgic feelings often experienced by Indian diaspora.

5. No life without wife (Movie: Bride & Prejudice): Yes, this is not one of those emotional or sad songs, for a change. However, this cleverly performed dance number sums up the feelings and the irony of the situation that NRIs and their spouses go through. The refreshing song has the ever-pretty Aishwarya Rai in the lead. It is a befitting satire on the NRI marriages.
Lonely Mr Kholi from Los Angeles
Came to Punjab on one bent knee
He had a Green Card, new house, big cash
Still made a wish with every fallen lash
…….
Poor Mr Kholi
He has no life without wife… Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Moving Overseas! Is Your Family Ready?

Oct 10

Posted by admin in India, india abroad, Non-Resident Indian, NRI | 1 Comment

The world has become a very mobile place now-a-days. Nobody spends the whole life at one place, or even in one country. Traveling has become a necessary part of everyday living. Going abroad, trying new places, visiting new countries, exploring new cultures….all this has become a common undertaking.

When you move to a new country for a long studies or for a job, you have to leave behind so much. The family, the friends, the home, your own country…this all becomes a part of the endless memories of living in India. Those childhood days, college fun, home food, Indian culture and tradition …. all this can never be replaced or forgotten.

Moving overseas brings its own excitement. You are eager to see new places, make new friends and explore your things. However, it is a fact that you cannot ignore your loved ones far-away who are going to miss you and feel your absence day and night. Just like you, your family and friend are left behind with your memories alone to remember you by.

Every family is different and so are the reactions to the departure of a family member. Nobody is ever ready to separate from the loved ones. However, there are a few simple things that you can do to help your family accept the fact that your overseas move is not so bad after all. These commonsense and easy-to-follow tips can make this separation more tolerable, for your family as well as for you:

1. Discuss you decision to go abroad: Once you have decided to move abroad, share the news with your family well in advance, and then with the rest of the world. Some family members and relatives might discourage you from leaving the country. Especially in the beginning, they may be against your idea of going away. It takes time to accept such a big news. It may also help if you have a calm and collected approach to the whole thing. Explain to them your reasoning or purpose for doing so; share the positive factors behind your decision to go abroad.

2. Family Time: The days and months before you leave are always very hectic. You are bound to get occupied in your packing, passport/visa formalities, shopping, insurance, health checkup, etc. You may not realize how the time could fly by. Spend some quality time with your loved ones; set aside some family time before you head overseas. This will surely result in some good memories for rest of your life. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Citizenship and Immigration Canada – CIC Website

Sep 30

Posted by admin in Consciousness & Awareness, Culture & Society, india abroad, Non-Resident Indian, NRI | No Comments

CIC – Canadian Government Source of Citizenship and Immigration

Have a question about immigration to Canada? Interested in Canadian Citizenship? Any question on migrating to Canada? Almost all the time, you can get your answer from the official website of Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Commonly know as CIC, the site is maintained by the department of Canadian Government that deals with Immigration and Citizenship. It also links immigration services with citizenship registration.

The site is the true Bible for any information on Canadian Citizenship as well as immigration to Canada.  It offers a variety of resources on the related topics including general information, commonsense tips, guidance for potential immigrants, latest news on the subject, the new laws affecting the immigrants and so on. There are different sections addressing different aspects of immigration and citizenship.

Getting to know Canada: For an outsider, this section offers lots of general information about the country. All kinds of basic topics are covered:

  • The weather
  • The Land and geography
  • The People
  • Education system
  • Medical system….etc.

Prepare to Move to Canada:
Once you know about the country, and may want to immigrate there, the next logical step would be the preparation to migrate. The information in this section pertains to the planning for the move:

  • The cost of living
  • Where to live in Canada
  • Learning the language
  • What documents you need for immigration
  • What you can bring with you…etc.

    • Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

India through the eyes of my American Classmates

Aug 28

Posted by admin in Culture & Society, India, india abroad, Most Popular Stories, Non-Resident Indian, NRI | 4 Comments

“So how do you like it here, in US?” This is a common icebreaker they use with new classmates from other countries.
“I love it; it’s fun!” is my general response. After all, I don’t need to complain about my homesickness to everybody.
“I would love to go to India, but am little bit worried about the safety and stuff over there; ….”  Some hesitation about a new country is far away is quite normal among Americans.
“Stuff like what?” I like to explore what they think about India.
“Well, it is a new place; plus I don’t speak Indian.” Some say this as a joke, while other are clueless to the Indian languages.
And sometimes, the things get slippery after such small talk! And sometimes, that’s where the snakes, the elephants and other wild animals jump into the picture. Some questions, asked even with the utmost seriousness, beg for a chuckle, if not a full blown laugh! :)

I like my American classmates and friends just as much as my desi colleagues, well almost. At least, that’s what I would like to believe and that’s what I try anyways. Many of these firangs are my close friends. We eat together, we study together and we goof-off together. It’s a fun bunch of people I am surrounded by.

I am one of the three Indians in our class. There are students from everywhere – Canada, European countries, Australia, Kenya, Mexico and Korea…to name a few. They all come from a very diverse background, not to forget in all colors – white, brown, black, yellow, pink, dark pink…well, sometimes it is hard to tell the real color with all the makeup on. :) Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

INDIA CALLING – US Job Fair 2010

Aug 4

Posted by admin in India, india abroad, Jobs and Occupations, Non-Resident Indian | 5 Comments

This is a guest post submitted by Rahul Ghandi on behalf of Shine.com and Hindustan Times, the organizers of a Job Fair for NRIs aspiring for career opportunities in India

India has a multi-dimensional economy growing on all fronts, including the knowledge base. Intellectually, India represents one of the most stimulating environments. As many as 60,000 Indian professionals working and settled in USA have returned to India in the last year.

The set of challenges and opportunities are becoming very mundane in the developed countries abroad. For those in higher management positions, India offers career advancement and provides opportunity to gain multi faceted experience. Obviously, this is an attractive proposition for NRIs who want to grow in terms of their experience and overall career advancement.

The global recession over the recent years has affected most of the developed countries, while India shows no signs of major slowdown. During this recessionary phase , there is definitely an upsurge in reverse migration to India. Many employees in leadership positions are coming back to India from markets like US, Hong Kong and Singapore. All of this is set off by the improving infrastructure facilities in India and the maturing market, which promises competitive and challenging career opportunities.

To help more home-bound NRIs realize their dream of a job in India, Shine.com is organizing a two-day Job Fair each in New Jersey and in Santa Clara, California. The Fair brings together the recruiters from India and potential NRIs looking for work. Shine’s India Calling – US Job Fair 2010 will be a unique opportunity for experienced professionals in the US who will be able to look at the suitable assignments in India in the field of IT, Research and Development, Finance, Infrastructure, Retail and Business Development. For recruiters it will be a great opportunity to bring home a high quality talent. So, it is a win-win situation for both parties – the NRIs looking for work as well as the recruiters. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

The hidden social classes abroad – the Fabs, the FOBs, the ABCD

Jul 16

Posted by admin in Culture & Society, india abroad, Most Popular Stories, Non-Resident Indian, NRI | 2 Comments

You think you left the social class system back home, when you left India? Think again! :)

Perhaps, classes are part of our social life. May be this is how society works – one group of people trying to put down the other group while struggling to prove its own superiority.

The Indian society in the foreign lands has its own social classes, its own divisions. From outside, these divisions are not very visible, not very noticeable. This should come as a no surprise to those who have lived abroad amongst other Indians. You may see these partitions less if you are very isolated from rest of the Indian society overseas.

These classes are not based on your last name, cast or creed. Rather, the division is based on your social acceptance among the Indian diaspora. This somewhat hidden division is less visible an outsider – those who are not Indians or not a part of Indian community.

These classes or groups have their own way of looking across this social division. The locals – those who grow up abroad among the foreign culture, have their derogatory term for these new comers: FOBs. Similarly, first generation desis and these new-comers have their own name for the local Indians – ABCD. By end of the day, it boils down to how you look across the pond.

The ABCD:
This class or subgroup comes from the westernized desi society, mainly the second generation of Indians. This social group is much more in-tune with the local (the foreign adopted country) ways of living – their language, the slang and the dress-code follows the local trends. Their life-style is less desi or Indian, and much closer to the western ways of life.

This self-styled ‘cool’ group of Indians is mostly born and raised abroad. They are much more adapted to the society of the adopted country and the local ways of life. They often have a social circle of their own. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

After-school daycare

Jul 9

Posted by admin in Entertainment, india abroad, Short Story | 1 Comment

The daycare facility closes at 6PM. It was already 5:20PM, and the traffic is stop-and-go. His GPS navigation system estimated ‘the destination arrival time’ of 5:40.
“I will make it”, he said out loud, to himself.
“Come on, keep moving! My daughter is waiting for me!” As if the cars in front of him could hear him.
He had recently read somewhere that speaking English more often helps with improving the English accent. Instead of Hindi, he now tries to speak English as much as he can, even when he is alone.

“I don’t wanna go to the daycare after school”, she had told her mom again last night.
“We will pick you up soon after you get there. I promise.” Mom tried convincing her.
“I don’t like it there.”
“I am sure you will make new friends.”
“I already made two new friends – Hailey and Shira,” she said in a less complaining, and more of a bragging tone.
“See, I told you! Now get some sleep.”
“Goodnight mom. Love you.”
“Goodnight Isha, love you too.” Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,