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The Expatriates
My Dad would often say that Indians and potatoes are found in every part of the world, right from Japan to distant Bermudas (read extreme east to extreme west). Inherent in the statement is the fact that we Indians are extremely adaptable and get easily amalgamated with the mainstream in any part of the world. At times we even outshine the mainstream in every sphere of life and grow strong roots to firmly entrench ourselves in the alien soil.
However the vice versa seems rather implausible. An article on expats in TOI Ascent caught my attention today. According to the article there are around fifty thousand expats working in India. Most of them are placed in higher end positions in multinationals. Very few of them are in middle or lower rung positions. What the expats have to say about their experience in India are the oft repeated and typical facts. Lack of infrastructure, red tapism, lack of straightforwardness and thus roundabout way of doing things etc.are the usual handicaps that perplex them. Here I would like to share the experience of a Russian tourist. The communist Russian became a staunch theist after his return from India. One of his friends enquired about the reason, which had brought such a dramatic change in him. The answer he had was everything to do with the way this subcontinent functioned. The way things moved in India, he said, was only possible with the help and existence of God. Nothing else can sustain the chaos that pervades the Indian life and yet make it move forward.
But it’s not all negative that these expats have to say about India. Nobody can remain untouched by Indian hospitality and generally good nature of people.
Times are changing fast. If the present trend of hike in salaries continues the brain drain might be arrested and there may be a reverse trend of world’s best brains being absorbed by India.
Notwithstanding the heat and dust India has some unique features, which might make it the most priced destination for the upwardly mobile globetrotters. The cost of living is far cheaper as compared to other countries and if coupled with salaries in dollars there cannot be a better proposal. Infrastructure facilities are improving by the day with improving means of transportation and communication. The hottest brands are entering Indian markets for its sheer size and thus everything is readily available in India.
With the burgeoning population and brilliant native brains, whether we need the extra expatriates is another question.