From: mallya@octel.com (Satyanarayana Mallya)
Subject: Re: WITHER PATRIOTISM ?
Organization: Octel Communications Inc., Milpitas Ca.
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1992 03:23:43 GMT

In article <1b4o9eINNnv3@charnel.ecst.csuchico.edu> vivek@ecst.csuchico.edu (Vivek R. Prabhu) writes:
>In article <1992Oct9.123451.15698@cbfsb.cb.att.com> sphanda@cbnewsf.cb.att.com (surinder.phanda) writes:
>>In article <1992Oct8.223436.19533@news.clarkson.edu>, rajat@sunny1.che.clarkson.edu (Rajat Kapoor) writes:
>>
>>Would you?? The fact is, a lot of Indians do actually choose not to 
>>go back.....
>
>That was some time ago. In fact now the trend since the 90's started has been 
>for more Indians to go back and work in India than stay here.

	Actually, I think indians have not yet been going in hordes but 
more like a trickle (src: india abroad). However they have been investing
in india big time(land and business ventures). One item of interest is 
that most of the indians who go back, tend to do so as they do not want to 
bring up their kids in american environment. This is slightly different from 
other asian communities( koreans, taiwanese etc) who go back to their home 
countries bcoz of a feeling of non-assimilation in the u.s.a.	

>
>>Why? surely to talk from experience is the best example.
>
>I agree, but not from the experiences of others who may have a self-centered
>selfish motive in coming back after just facing some problems in India after
>not having tried to overcome them.

	I would not accuse those dissappointed indians who return back to U.S
as selfish and self centered. Most of them go with dreams to eke out a honest
living but find for some reason that the indian system has failed them. I do
agree that most of the problems are surmountable. But countries like
India have terrible beurocracy involved. Though it has been existing for a
long time, most returning indians have got accustomed to the well oiled 
american system (well almost! Americans here complain of lax federal
organisations like the postal service. But are they wrong ?!). 
It just means that they are not cut out to succeed in India.
>
>>To some it does appear inhospitable - you have to accept that.
>

	I guess most indians expect the indian system to have changed.
Some even expect to have oppurtunities laid on a platter. I guz these
expectations lead to disappointment. Most returning indians do not expect
to stand in huge lines, face apparent beurocratic quagmires and corruption
(mordidas for those who had been to mexico for h1 ;). What most returning
indians need to understand is that India is highly overpopulated, has always
been corrupt and beurocratic and will not change suddenly for the better, and
they will have to compete with intelligent and long time residents who have 
the same aspirations and have no qualms living  with such a system. The net
result is that most nri's with plans of settling back in India give up with
a false sense of despair. 
	
>>Well, are'nt they?? The MAJORITY (who do not have the comforts or haven
>>of a Western country) do live in a "cesspool of misery". They don't
>>have the luxury of making tough decisons about which private school
>>to send their kids.... or whether to change jobs and move into 
>>another (luxury) home....etc..
>
>The same situation occure here. The only reason why Indians here are'nt able 
>to recognize it is due to the fact that a majority of them are affluent, and
>are away from these problems that the common American faces.

	I beg to disagree about the affluence part. Most indians are at best
middle class. One of the other reasons why indians plan to go back to india is
in the hope of better fortunes(well, patriotism is not the sole factor). Most 
indians  who came here to U.S (I am drawing on many informal discussions and my
experience) have been from middle class families. Considering that most indians
are technocrats working as engineers to managers, they live a middle class life
in the U.S. After the initial hopes kindled by the high dollar-ruppee rate, 
indians realize that they have made a transition from middle class indian life
to a middle class american life(not a very high incentive to stay back. uh!). It
is during this realization that us injuns have these (apparent) noble urges to 
move back to India. We see that the high dollar-rupee rate as a sure fire 
initial push to a upper class life in India. Given the additional trappings 
of being with the ancestral culture, being accepted  and the rest of M 
triangle, most indians attempt to give it a try. Based on their resolve and/or 
connections they come back with varied degrees of success/failure! Actually
this is true for indians, pakistanis and most third world countries like india.

		Well most of the comments here are based on experiences 
narrated to me by "returning" indians, but ofcourse I can be accused of
stereotyping every disappointed/successful "returning" patriotic indians.
If so please accept my apologies. Happy landings. 
>
>
>Vivek.
>

						Satya Mallya
**********************************************************************
Satya Mallya                       
 ___    _____  ____  .                       
|   |__   |   |      |
|  ||     |   |----  |
|__||     |   |____  |____    		
   |___
**********************************************************************

Disclaimer: This article represent my opinion and not my employer's.

Xref: sparky soc.culture.indian:33838 soc.culture.pakistan:15717 soc.culture.bangladesh:5176