Indian values lure Gujarati NRIs

8220;One of the main worry at this time is to inculcate Indian values and culture in our third generation who are growing up between a foreign culture,8221; President of National Federation of Indian-American Associations NFIA,C K Patel said.

Patel,an eminent hotelier of US is heading the apex and influential NRI body NIFA which not only holds the entire Indian-American community together in that country but is also involved in lobbying for the country as ambassadors on important issues.

8220;As our third generation is growing up amidst foreign culture they are bound to get influenced by it. But what we are trying to ensure is they should have Indian traditions and values and they do not forget their roots,8221; Patel who is here to participate in the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Gujarat,said.

Patel said that they have taken up number of initiatives to ensure that their third generation is engaged in a great way with Indian culture and traditions.

8220;This year when Gujarat is celebrating its Golden Jubilee,we have decided to bring in these third generation of youth to the state in batches of 50-50 during the year to India. The trips will be organised in such a way that they will understand the importance of their country of origin,8221; Patel said.

8220;They Indian-American youths call everybody uncle and aunt in America,but when they will come here they will understand the warmth of relationship that exists between Indian extended families,8221; Patel further said.

In America,earlier,NFIA used to organise functions of Indian-American community but there was no youth participation,Patel said adding after much thought they decided to hold such types of programmes in which youth are interested.

8220;The focus of our programme has changed from old-people oriented to youth oriented and with that participation of third generation Indian-Americans has gone up,8221; he added.

8220;NIFA has also encouraged youth to form Indian Students Associations in US colleges they are studying in.

Such associations have been formed at many colleges where our youth have some presence. They are encouraged to organize programmes related to theme of India in their respective colleges,8221; Patel further said.

8220;The worrying factor is,as per a survey,about 15 per cent of Indian-Americans boys have inter-race marriages while about 19 per cent of girls also have inter-race marriages,8221; Patel further said.

8220;The picture is not so gloom as it appears. If we try we can inculcate our culture and traditions in our third generation. When our second generation was growing up,we were worried about them but,they have come up well and have progressed,8221; Patel added.

President of Gujarati Organisation of United Kingdom,C B Patel agrees that this problem also persists in England.

8220;We are also facing this problem with our third generation. Inter-race marriages are also there but we need not worry much about such things as NRIs in UK have strong family bonding and much of such issues are taken care by the family system.8221;