NRI's - "Who are they ? " - or "Why are they so ? "

I have constantly been plagued by many thoughts during my initial years of growing up, and I am sure that this not something unusual. However one thought or issue that keeps bothering me is the repeated times people have suggested or commented about my true identity, "you are not from India, so how can you be an Indian ? ", jee's !!! 

NRI's are probably the biggest consumers for hindi cinema today and the market is definately growing with time. I guess it just goes to show why we get to see typical filmi situations about the quintesential NRI boy coming to India for a bride. Or perhaps the over emphasis of a typical NRI thinking. I am sure many of us will probably laugh at the exagerated format of how NRI's are presented in our very own hindi feature films. To name a few films with a NRI plot if not the entire storyline would be : Karan Johar's - Kabhie Alvida Naa Kehnaa,  Nikhil Advani's Salaam - E - Ishq, Manoj Kumar's - Purab Aur Paschim, HELLO - By Sohail Khan and more recently Main Aur Mrs Khanna.

The more deeper question however arises as to who are NRI's. Or should I ask myself, "who am I ?" the answer to this maybe debated by a few but to me, I have always been an Indian, ever since I was born. At first it sounded abit wierd to be acknolwedged as an "NRI" but then gradually I understood that it is a term used by the billions of desi's residing in the offshore base camp's of USA, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, MIDDLE EAST, AFRICA, FAR EAST - I think I have covered the major geographical regions, if I have missed any then I am sorry we are a population that loves to germinate and spread ;) - hehehehe. 

It's a good thing that the country has risen its status from the previous stereotype of being backward and governed by corrupt and lazy politicians. Although which so much of advancement the traditional idiosyncrasies of going abroad to make money is still very very prevelant and constantly pervasive. I am sure that each individual have their own perspective of being successful and how they want to lead their lives. Then again is it correct to try and diseminate from cultural bindings and simple upbringing ? Probably this is the single most reason why NRI children are probably alot more conventional in thinking and practice than the people of India, which in effect is a blurred vision of cultures.

Being born in a traditional bengali household does enable me to view this and to be honest there is no right or wrong answer for this "cultural blurr".Bengali's traditionally from Kolkata have always liked to rant about their family members residing in the United States or United Kingdom and if they com across anyone residing in Africa or the Middle East then these inhabitants are seriouslly looked down upon. Thus you can imagine my plight- Heheheeheh - some feeling of being alien in my own country. Mind you this mindset has still not changed, people are still worshiped like "GODS" if you belong to "belaithe" - bengali term used for England. It sincerely does make me laugh because a stereotypical mindset is so hard to break amidst today's fast paced computer savvy generation. I have always been termed that wierdo cousin from a distant village like country in the Arabian Gulf; but it never bothered me one bit because I always had a good conscience that helped to guide me and suggest the "right" from the "wrong". Offcourse with the growing acknowledgment of sovereign wealth funds coming to the rescue of many battered banks does help to clear a certain amount of public miss conception.  

I am sure all of us at one point of our time have either idolised that quintisential NRI life or probably shunned many of the NRI's for either being too flashy with their success away from home or perhaps just plain simple wierd and boring. It is impossible to cope with the enormity of opinions that people have. For some, leaving home is their their only route to make a name for themselves, as they may feel that rewards for work are not sufficient at home. For some going abroad is for the different way of life, for a few it is a choice of profession and I am sure there are many other individualistic choices and reasons. It is thus obvious and humanly natural for people leaving home to miss their homes more which results in a possible regeneration of life.with a traditional touch, in their foreign settlement. This is furthered by bring up offspring with certain inherent values and traditions. At the onset, these same traditions might be a rememberance of one's own childhood but then value judgements have all evolved and changed, thus the "cultural blurr" seems more apparant. I am sure many would agree that some NRI's are a laughing stalk to some degree back home; in India. hehhehe. Why is this the case though ? is it because that a little devil inside the others screams of "envy" or is it the fact that "non returning indians" of India are people who are not happy with what they have had to deal with during their initial careers. It makes me laugh because "NRI" is just a lawful use of terminology which depicts temporary residency status...how can it mean to be so big ?

People not returning back for tax implications is something that probably has a valuable debate, which each individual with their own justification. Or is it a sort of aggression and anger for not having an opportunity in India during their time of opportunity ? or is it that destiny has always had a different ruling for people.

Ever since the IT boom in Bangalore, Pune and Hydrebad things have changed dramatically. India has transformed much of its workings and way of life to the tailored ways of workings of the west. Now this is probably something that has enabled India to become more forwardward looking than before. Today there is a new term bein coined and that is : "NRI - Return" -hehehehehe - so, I am guessing that this is because of the filmi tagline used "non reliable indian, or non returning india".

As for me - "INDIA" it is baby ! Someone recently asked me where I was from as they seemed confused and was oblivious to my true identity,(as I am born in Bahrain, educated in America and England and I still carry my Indian passport !!). Guess what my answer to this person was :)

Legendary filmaker; Satyajit Ray had said in his 1990 classique "Aguntuk" - "this passport proves nothing" !

Cheers -
Soouviek :)

Hehehhehehe -

Soouviek :)