NRI = Never Returning Indian

Whenever NRIs who have migrated abroad complain that life abroad is tougher than in India – or – whenever I meet an NRI with a “guilty conscience” who says he feels homesick about India – I remember this article I had written a few years ago.

FAKE HOMESICKNESS

The NON RESIDENT INDIAN (NRI) WITH A GUILTY CONSCIENCE

A Conversation

By

VIKRAM KARVE

A few days ago I met an NRI.

You know what NRI means – don’t you...?

Of course you do – NRI means NON RESIDENT INDIAN.

Of course – there is a “RESIDENT INDIAN” Friend of mine – who jokingly says – that NRI means: “NEVER TO RETURN TO INDIA”. 

In a nutshell – my Resident Indian Friend defines NRI as:

NRI = Never Returning Indian

What my Resident Indian friend says has a ring of truth about it – none of my classmates who went abroad (mostly to the USA) for higher studies returned home to India. 

They all settled down in America. 

I think almost all of them are American Citizens now. 

So since they have relinquished Indian Citizenship and taken up citizenship of their chosen land – and now they consciously and willingly pledge allegiance to their chosen country and not India – it may be apt to call them American Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) rather than NRI.

I met one such PIO the other day. 

I was surprised that after enjoying the fruits of living abroad (in the land of opportunity and prosperity) for more than 30 years – he still seemed to have a guilty conscience about leaving India (and “abandoning” his parents and loved ones – leaving them behind to fend for themselves).

I asked him a simple question: “Why don’t you come back...?”

He gave me all sorts of excuses which were far from convincing (in his heart I think even he knew it).

To cheer him up – I told him the following:

1. No one forced you to go abroad (like the indentured labour sent by the British from India to other colonies when thousands of Indians were transported to various colonies of European powers to provide labour for the sugar plantations). 

You migrated to the USA by your own free will. 

Like so many others you went to the land of opportunity – USA – to realize your “American Dream”.

2. In fact – when we were studying engineering in the 1970s – it was you who was desperate to go to America for higher studies – and you were running from pillar to post to get admission to a good university in the USA and arranging finances (scholarship and loan) despite the fact that you were getting a good job in India in campus placement.

Even if you wanted to study more and do your postgraduation – you could have easily got admission to the best of IITs in India. 

On the other hand – persons like me stayed back in India – despite having an excellent opportunity to go abroad to America – you know that.

3. Obviously – you felt that America is a better place than India to live in. 

Otherwise – you wouldn’t have gone through all the trouble of migrating in the first place. 

If you had really wanted to – you could have come back to India on completion of your studies. 

With your qualifications – I am sure you would have got a good job here in India. 

But – you continued staying there – you relinquished Indian Citizenship – and – you acquired American Citizenship.

4. Till now you have prospered in your adopted country and enjoyed the fruits of living in America. 

The main reason you left India and migrated for “greener” pastures abroad was to have a “better” life since you felt that you could achieve that “better” life by migrating abroad rather than staying back in India. You have achieved your life’s aim. 

So – in hindsight – what are you feeling guilty about?

5. There is no need to have a guilty conscience about leaving India (and your near and dear one’s) for a better life abroad. 

Forget about us. 

Stop feeling guilty and enjoy the “better life” out there (the very reason for which you migrated).

6. And – if you truly love India so much – then –  just pack your bags and come back forever. 

But – remember one thing. 

Come back because you really love India and only if you honestly want to come back and serve your motherland. 

Do not come back for some selfish reasons of your own (materialistic, economic, career ambition, “greener pastures” etc) 

My NRI friend smiled like a Cheshire Cat. 

I knew he was never going to come back. 

He was just faking homesickness.

He was just trying to put on a false pretence of guilty conscience for our consumption. 

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve
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© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Disclaimer:

1. This story is a fictional spoof, satire, pure fiction, just for fun and humor, no offence is meant to anyone, so take it with a pinch of salt and have a laugh.

2. All Stories in this Blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Copyright Notice:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (all rights reserved)

This is a revised repost of my article posted online a number of times earlier at urls: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2012/01/nri-with-guilty-conscience.html  and  http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2012/08/fake-homesickness-nri-with-guilty.html and https://karvediat.blogspot.in/2012/12/foreign-indian-versus-resident-indian.html etc

Do You Want to Migrate Abroad for a “Better Life”...?

DO YOU WANT TO MIGRATE TO A FOREIGN COUNTRY FOR A “BETTER LIFE”…?

Musings

By

VIKRAM KARVE

WHY DO PEOPLE MIGRATE…?

People migrate for multifarious reasons. 

In a nutshell – the various reasons for migration can be categorized into “Push Factors” and “Pull Factors”.

Push Factors = Survival Migration

“Push Factor Migration” is “Survival Migration” – where people are “forced” to migrate – due to danger to life/limb because of war/conflict – or – inability to survive due to lack of food and bare necessities of life.

Such migrants who seek asylum in other countries when their life is endangered – or persons who migrate to escape from extreme poverty and deprivation – are called “Refugees”.

The present European Migrant Crisis is an example of “Push Factor” migration where refugees are fleeing from war-torn countries and seeking asylum in peaceful countries.

History is replete with examples of such “push factor survival migration” due to war, religious/political persecution, genocide, ethnic cleansing, safety/security issues, natural disasters/calamities, famines, droughts, floods etc.

Pull Factors = “Better Life” Migration

“Pull Factor Migration” is “Choice Migration” – where people “choose” to migrate for a “better life”.  

These people migrate to more developed countries because they want to enjoy a Higher “Standard of Living” and live a Better “Quality of Life” –  to put it “metaphorically” – they migrate to realize their “American Dream”.

In this blog post (and a few more) – I will explore this type of “pull factor migration” from India – where people migrated abroad for a “Better Life”.

MIGRATING ABROAD FOR A “BETTER LIFE”

In the 1970’s – many of my classmates migrated abroad (mainly to the USA) for a “better life”.

They first migrated for “higher studies” – then – they took up jobs – and – they permanently settled down in the US – and later – in due course – they acquired American Citizenship.

A few settled down in England, Europe and other prosperous nations like Australia.

By migrating abroad – they certainly achieved their aim of a “Better Life”.

If not – they would have returned back to India.

But – no one returned – all of them became citizens of their “host” countries and have happily settled down there. 

(One classmate did come back to India after a few years to take up a research job – but – he got frustrated by the working culture here and returned back to America. Another came back for the “sake of his children” – but – his children could not adjust in Indian schools – so even he went back to the US after 2 years of “experimenting”…)

Now – all of them are Foreign Citizens –and – of course – since our government is magnanimous to NRIs (Non Resident Indians) and PIO (Persons of Indian Origin) settled abroad – they have all acquired PIO cards – and – they taunt me that – even in India – a PIO with a Foreign Passport is treated better than an Indian Citizen.

When I observe their prosperity – and I hear about their fabulous lifestyle abroad – I too wish I had migrated abroad for a “better life” rather than spending my life “serving the nation” in uniform.

But – that is all in the distant past.

Recently – I visited New Zealand – and – I had the opportunity to interact with many Indian youngsters studying/working in New Zealand.

And yes – just like my “migrant” classmates in the 1970’s – even today – not even a single youngster wanted to return back to India – all of them wanted to settle down in New Zealand for a “Better Life” – or – use New Zealand as a stepping stone to migrate to Australia, America, Europe or other modern developed nations.  

This phenomenon seems quite common – once they have got used to the “Better Life” abroad – no one wants to come back to India.

(Only two types of youngsters who go abroad for higher studies want to come back to India – children of politicians – and – children of businessmen – since – they can aspire for a much “Better Life” back home. Of course – there may be an odd “academician” who comes back to teach – but – these are exceptions to the rule)

Today – after “liberalization”, “globalization” and the “IT Boom” – it is even easier to migrate abroad – and – a large number of youngsters are desperate to migrate abroad for a “better life”.

Many developed countries encourage immigration because it helps them both economically and intellectually – economically – due to the huge fees paid by migrant students – and – intellectually – since they get skilled migrants to fill up their own skill shortages and augment high-tech domains with highly qualified/motivated migrants.

So – on the surface – it seems to be a “win-win” situation – especially for youngsters who want to migrate abroad for a “better life”.  

MOOT QUESTION – IS LIFE REALLY “BETTER” ABROAD…?

Is life really “better” abroad…?

Are these young migrants really enjoying a “better life” as compared to the life they were living in India…?

Of course – they think so – otherwise – wouldn’t they return home…?

What do I think…?

Well – Dear Reader – in the next few posts I will tell you about my recent interactions with “migrant” youngsters – and – I will leave it for you to decide whether the “grass” is really “greener” on the other side… 

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Disclaimer:

All Stories in this Blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Copyright Notice:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (all rights reserved)