Indian News Details | DesPardes.com

JAN 10: President A.P.J Abdul Kalam on Monday saw Indian migrants landing on Mars and the moon. Speaking at the conclusion of the fourth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, the annual convention of Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in Hyderabad, Dr Kalam told the delegates:

�Towards the end of the century, Indians may participate in the planetary civilization that may result in many resourceful Indians inhabit ting Mars and entering the space industrial establishment on Moon.�

This, he said, would be the fifth wave of migration, after those who went in search of knowledge, teachers and traders; the enforced migration of indentured labor to Africa, the West Indies and England; Partition; and to the United States, Canada, the English-speaking European countries and West Asia. Describing Non-Resident Indians and Persons of Indian Origin as �societal ambassadors of India,� he said it would not be an exaggeration �if I say that today the sun truly cannot set on the empire of the Indian mind.�

�Some children of mother India are always working wherever the sun is shining on this planet be it Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe, the Americas and, indeed, on the icy reaches of Antarctica. Twenty million children of India live in various parts of the planet and every year it is increasing, because they are needed,� he said.

The President gave away the awards � a medallion and a citation � to 11 persons of Indian origin for their distinguished services in social service, politics and other arenas. Four other awardees did not turn up.

Congratulating the award winners for their achievements, he asked the delegates two questions: What would you like to be remembered for? What types of difficulties problems have you faced?.

He asked them to reply through email to him and promised them beautiful gifts.

�Problems did not defeat you. You have defeated the problem and succeeded,� he remarked amidst cheers.

Dr Kalam made his address interactive, asking the audience questions in between.

Some 1,200 NRIs from different parts of the world, many of them from the US, are participating in the three-day event which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday. Mr Singh formally launched an overseas Indian citizenship scheme, specially voting rights for Gulf based NRIs who remain Indian citizens due to host country immigration policies.

There are 25 million-strong Indian diaspora overseas, 2.5 million in the United States, based on 2004 survey.

India has jumped ahead of China in the remittances stakes, having posted record inflows of $ 21.7 billion last year.

In Gulf alone, there are 3.6 million Indian migrant workers, almost half of who are from Kerala.

Gulf-based NRIs attending the convention, listed their problems they faced � lack of higher education for children, job insecurity, low wages, long periods of separation from families, poor working conditions and lack of medical insurance.

A 24x7 helpline for Indians working abroad will be set up at 13 missions in the Gulf, Singapore, Malaysia and south-east Asian countries, announced Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs. Smart cards, containing all information regarding employment and insurance would be introduced for all future emigrants is another idea floated by the ministry at the function.

Seventeen eminent NRIs, including Hong Kong-based Rusy M Shroff and US-based Dr Sudhir Parikh, were honored with the prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman for promoting India in their adopted countries. President A P J Abdul Kalam presented the award during valedictory function of the Parvasi Bhartiya Divas 2006 here.

Other prominent NRIs who got the award included Jean-Paul Virapoulle, a French Senator and Mayor of Saint Andre Reunion Island, for his efforts to promote relations between India and the island in culture and economy

Cricket blackout in India

JAN 10 - Doordarshan viewers may not be able to watch the live telecast of India-Pakistan series starting this Friday. The radio waves might not get any bit of the series either. That leaves an estimated 40 crore-radio listeners without any idea of what the score will be.

Ten Sports which had bought the telecast rights of the event from the Pakistan Cricket Board, has however, agreed to give Doordarshan 90 minutes of TV highlights each day.

Dubai-based ARY Digital holds the radio rights to the cricket matches. They want $200,000 for broadcasting rights. All India Radio (AIR) refuses to pay that amount. AIR is refusing to offer more than $80,000.

Advertising industry experts said that All India Radio is estimated to pocket a $1 million if it does get the radio rights.

�We were propositioned in Bollywood�

JAN 08 - Two South African women of Indian origin, one an actress and the other a dance teacher, have revealed that they were propositioned by Indian producers and directors.

Karasi Palium and Smeetha Maharaj have spoken about their experiences with Indian film producers and directors following the reports of the alleged gang-rape of a South African model in Mumbai a week ago.

Karasi Palium of Durban who has played the leading role in a South African-initiated Tamil movie, Naalai, said she was asked by a film producer to perform "sexual favors" if she wanted a role in an Bollywood movie.

�Recently an Indian film director offered me a role in a film. He said I could name my price and the producer would pay it, but I would need to make �some adjustments�,� Palium told the Sunday Tribune. �I needed to be willing to do sexual favors for the producer. I told him that I was not a prostitute and would not accept the role,� she added.

Maharaj, who is in Hyderabad to perform at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, said there were many cases where young actors hopeful to get a career in the tinsel town have been deceived and even raped by smooth-talking, ruthless men who make empty promises. �Not only does this happen in India, but around the world, including South Africa,� she said. �You cannot trust someone who says they have a friend, who indirectly is related to a bid producer or director. Never go to India alone if you intend to get into the film industry.�

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