Today, India is home to the largest number of people in the world. The country is also spreading its roots and culture overseas. As per the latest statistics, over 3.5 crore Indians live overseas — a large diaspora that relies on the Indian administration and entities set up by the government in the countries of their residence. Over the years, for Indians abroad, a lot has changed. Today, they are seen as lifesavers — not a familiar sentiment even in the pre-pandemic era. For Indians abroad, the fact that the India of today is firm and adamant about ensuring the well-being of its citizens no matter what part of the world they live in, is a source of enormous assurance.
In an era marked by global conflict and changing international relations, the need for people to go the extra mile and assist the government in matters of national concern cannot be overstated. To celebrate India and Indians overseas, the idea of commemorating a day dedicated to these Indians was incubated earlier this millennium. This initiative was announced by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on January 9, 2002, on the recommendation of the High-Level Committee on the Indian Diaspora, set up by the Indian government. The divas has become more than just a celebration as it provides a forum for the Indian diaspora to address their concerns and bring a fresh perspective to the table. This was the same day Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from South Africa in 1915; the rest is history. The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, an effort to recognise the contributions of NRIs (Non-Resident Indians) overseas, is one of the features of the celebrations.
As a Pravasi Bharatiya Samman awardee, it gives me immense pleasure and pride to see my nation striving towards being prosperous and viksit. Twenty-four years ago as I boarded a flight with many dreams and aspirations, I never thought I would be instrumental in helping my fellow citizens and serving my country while living in Poland. Today, as the Sharda group touches the skies, we have a very strong position across countries in Europe. However, the one accomplishment that makes me extremely proud is how the Indian diaspora came together to rescue their own after the unfortunate aftermath of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. That day I realised that there were only 400 Indians in Poland the day I landed, but today there were over 24,000 of us who were bound by feelings of patriotism.
Poland shares eight land borders with Ukraine and there was panic not only in Ukraine and India but also in the countries that share borders with Ukraine and have an Indian embassy or a mission. After receiving a call from the embassy, the next few hours seemed like a marathon — we were constantly calling up hotels to make arrangements for stranded students. The endless number of these students made the situation complex. What was most important in my mind was that we needed to ensure their safe return to India. As a father of two, I could relate to and understand their plight and that of their families in India.
After seven hours and countless calls, I was lucky enough to find the right place, but this was not the end of the hurdles. To begin with, some students lacked proper documents, some only had photocopies of their passports. I must commend the administration for their timely support and understanding. The other challenge was to ensure that these students felt safe. One way of ensuring this was making them feel closer to home. We tried to do this by serving them hot Indian food during the chilly Polish winters, but other challenges knocked on our doors, many of them unforeseen. One person suffered a cardiac arrest, another person lost their memory due to post-traumatic stress disorder. However, the youth continued to surprise me. They not only held their own but also helped to bring the situation under control and make things better. I recall how a few months ago I visited India to attend the the IIMUN’s Championship Conference. There, I shared my experience with over 5,000 students who came from 180 cities and 22 countries to understand the true idea of India. After interacting with them, I can safely say that the India of tomorrow has a very bright future. The youth will lead with an international perspective, keeping India in their hearts. This is something that the Indian diaspora abroad had always epitomised, whether by inculcating good Indian values among their children or celebrating every aspect of Indianness overseas. As times change and the world continues to be roiled in uncertainties, India appears on course in its quest to become vishwaguru. The Indian diaspora and the youth of this nation will play a crucial role in turning this vision into a reality. Jai Hind.
The writer is an entrepreneur and an angel investor based in Poland
