Migration an inevitable tendency in humans, one finds sel

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• GOOD AFTERNOON

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 THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR ENGAGING INDIAN
DIASPORA FOR INDIAN CAUSE AND RESPONSIVE ROLE OF
INDIAN AUTHORITIES.

• JEETENDRA D. SONI
• JNU, NEW DELHI, INDIA.

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INTRODUCTION

• Migration - an inevitable tendency in humans, one
  finds selectivity in migration in terms of their
  gender, age and qualification and have great
  impacts on social, economic and cultural dynamics
  in both the places of origin and destination. It
  gives birth to Diasporic community.
• The Indian diaspora - perhaps the oldest diaspora
  in the world, third largest (20 million), spread
  in 110 countries of the world.
  
• In many parts of the world, Indian community has
  become an influential minority, one that is known
  for their professional accomplishments and
  entrepreneurial skills and seen as well-educated
  and well-earning group.

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• In India, Indian diaspora are important agents of
  socio-economic and cultural change. They have
  also acted as catalyst in the process of
  strengthening Indias bilateral relations with
  the countries where they are residing.
• In the long run this segment of the Indian family
  would play a vital role not merely on economic
  front but in activities related to cultural
  dimension, on diplomatic side in strengthening
  Indian ties with foreign nations and in enhancing
  the prestige of India at the global scale.

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• Their role in above stated manner depends on the
  nature of contact between diasporic community and
  state, their families, remittances, investment,
  services and help by sponsoring the further
  migration of relatives and friends.
• India has its current interest in
  the overseas Indians in two ways. For older
  diaspora it is primarily cultural, patchy and
  patronizing and for recent migrants to the West,
  it is largely economic and political with the
  intention of attracting their capital and skills.
  

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DEFINITION OF INDIAN DIASPORA

• Diaspora a Greek word meaning dispersion,
  refers to the various jewie communities living
  in exile outside Palestine consequent to the
  seizure of their homeland by external powers.
• The Jews were subjected to persecution and they
  fanned out to different parts of the world. But
  throughout the centuries they hankered for their
  homeland.
• The term diaspora which is commonly used today
  for the Chinese and Indians scattered abroad is
  unsatisfactory. There was a special relationship
  between the land of Israel and Jewish people.
  However, if one analyses the spread of Indians
  and Chinese abroad, there were several pull and
  push factors, and a majority of them do not
  want to return to India or China (V.
  Suryanarayan, 2001).

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• The term diaspora is now commonly used in a
  generic sense for communities of migrants living
  or settled permanently in other countries, aware
  of its origin and identity and maintaining
  varying degrees of linkages with the mother
  country (L.M.Singhvi Report, 2001).
• The term Indian diaspora describes the people
  who migrated from territories that are currently
  within the borders of the Republic of India. It
  also refers to their descendents. The diaspora is
  composed of NRIs, (Indian citizens not residing
  in India) and PIOs (persons of Indian origin, who
  have acquired the citizenship of some other
  country).

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EVOLUTION OF INDIAN DIASPORA

• The Buddhist monks migrated to Sri Lanka, South
  East Asia and East Asian parts of the globe for
  the cause of preaching and propagation of their
  religion since the 5th Century.
• During the classical age (from 320 to 740 A.D.)
  of the Gupta period trading community flourished
  and trade relations were established with many
  foreign countries in Central Asia and East and
  South East Asia as well as with the Roman
  Empire.
• During the colonial era large scale migration
  took place in the form of indenture labourers,
  under kangani and maistry system and through free
  and passage emigration.

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• Indenture labourers migration Indenture was a
  contract by which the emigrants were bound to
  work for a given employer for a 3-5 year term,
  performing the task assigned to him for a
  specified wage. At the end of the contract, the
  labourer was free to reindenture. After ten
  years, he was entitled to a subsidized return
  passage (Prakash C. Jain, 1993).
• Indenture labourers (after the
  abolition of slavery in the colonies in 1833-34)
  - to colonies such as Mauritius, South Africa,
  Fiji, Malaysia, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago,
  Surinam and Sri Lanka. From Chotanagpur region,
  West Bengal - Hindi speaking zones of Bihar and
  Eastern U.P. - Tamil and Telugu speaking people.
  This however officially ended in 1920.

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• The Kangani and the Maistry System There was no
  contract provision in this system (legally free)
  . Under this system, a Kangani, (himself an
  Indian emigrant) used to recruit the coolies in
  India paying them in advance for expenses. The
  Maistry system was also more or less similar to
  the Kangani system except that the Maistry system
  was characterized by a gradation of middle man-
  employers and the innumerable illegal deductions
  (Prakash C. Jain, 1993).
• The South Indian labourers (Tamil
  speaking Hindus) were supplied through Kangani
  system to Malaysia and Sri Lanka and under
  Maistry system to Burma. The Kangani system was
  abolished in 1938 after more than a century.

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• Free or Passage Emigration It includes
  emigration of trading castes and classes within
  the British Empire. It was predominant in South
  Africa and East African countries like Kenya,
  Tanzania and Uganda. Most of the emigrants to
  East African countries were Gujaratis and
  Punjabis.
• The workers who emigrated from
  India during colonial period were largely
  uneducated and were from depressed and backward
  classes both socially and economically. Most of
  them were Hindus. They all preserved their
  social, cultural, religious and ethnic
  identities. They were divided on the lines of
  caste and class and because of this did not have
  much political strength to bargain on issues
  related to them.

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• Brain Drain From the late 1960s a strong wave of
  well-educated and professionally competent
  immigrants from India, started towards the
  industrially advanced countries of Western Europe
  and North America and recently in the countries
  like Australia and New Zealand. It was totally
  voluntary in nature. This stream was pioneered by
  Sikhs. The individuals who are migrating to these
  advanced countries representing the cream of the
  crop with respect to educational and professional
  expertise.

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• Labour immigration to West Asia The oil boom of
  1970s had created acute labour shortage in this
  region. A perceptible growth in the construction
  sector and other social and economic
  infrastructure developments, had created a huge
  demand for professional, skilled, semi skilled
  and unskilled workers. About 3 million Indians
  are present in this region with more than half
  from Kerala.

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CONCERN OF INDIAN AUTHORITIES FOR INDIANS ABROAD

• Pre Independence Concern In the various
  sessions of the Indian National Congress,
  resolutions were passed to condemn the indenture
  system and public opinion was mobilized. Due to
  their struggle against the indentured systems, it
  was finally abolished in 1920.
• Post Independence Concern After Independence,
  initially the Indian Government retained their
  stand that the overseas Indians must identify
  themselves with their country of domicile.
  Government decided not to interfere in the
  minority problems of other sovereign countries,
  as India was itself facing the minority problems.
  It was a clear indication that, the Indians
  abroad should not depend on Indian support.

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• In 1977, the Indian International
  Centre, New Delhi launched a project under the
  chairmanship of I.J Bahadur Singh on the Indian
  communities living overseas for an in depth
  understanding of the problems related to them and
  the exploration of the new issues. The center
  held seminars in Delhi in November 1977 and 1979
  and discussed the issue in detailed manner.
• The Government of India, since
  1991had launched various Special Borrowing
  Schemes like Indian Development Bonds (1991),
  Resurgent India Bonds (1998) and India Millennium
  Deposits (2000) in these they had participated at
  the large extent .

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• In the recent years the Indian
  attitude towards oversees Indians have undergone
  important changes because of two primary reasons.
  Firstly, the overseas Indian community is
  neglected for long. They struggled to improve
  their miserable conditions with their hard work
  and entrepreneurial skills and still retain their
  culture and affection for India. So for the
  recognition of their struggles and achievements
  authorities realize a desire to reciprocate their
  affection. Secondly, in the recent past they have
  made sizeable contribution through various
  Special Borrowing Schemes and remittances to
  their homeland.
• In March 1999, Government of India
  launched Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) card
  scheme for all PIOs upto the fourth generation.
  

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• Realising the constructive
  economic, diplomatic and philanthropic role
  played by the Indian Diaspora, the Government of
  India set up a High Level Commission headed by,
  notable jurist and Indian former High Commission
  to U. K., Dr. L. M. Singhivi in 2000 in this
  regard. For the recognition and appreciation of
  the work of Indian Diaspora the committee
  recommended ..
• Pravasi Bhartiya Divas should be held
  on 9th January every year.
  
• Dual Citizenship for Indian Diaspora
  towards forging a broader relationship with
  PIOs, both emotionally and economically.
  Creating transnational.
• Lowering of fee and validity period
  of PIO card and also special reduced fee for
  children below 18 years of age.
  

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• Last year (2004) on May 27th,
  government of India has established a separate
  Ministry, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs.
  This Ministry is responsible for the issues
  related to admission of Non-Residents Indians and
  Persons of Indian Origin to educational and
  cultural institutions, scholarships to NRIs and
  PIOs under different schemes, organization of
  Pravasi Bhartiya Divas and coordination with the
  State Governments on matters related to Overseas
  Indians.

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RELEVANCE OF THE STUDY

• There are two facets of the relationship
  between India and Indian diaspora for the search
  of responsive and productive engagement.
  
• Relevance for Indian state in
  social, economic, cultural and diplomatic
  spheres.
  
• Migration long distances
  selectivity in terms of sex, age, professional
  abilities.
  
• Regional Development Theories
  Hirschman and Myrdal
  

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• Relevance for diasporic community
  to protect an identity and seeking role of
  Indian state as a guardian during emergencies as
  we have seen incidents of Uganda (1972), Fiji
  (2000), France and Iraq recently etc..
  
  
  
  
• Other problems Racial violence,
  Discriminatory behaviour, Social concerns,
  Immigration laws etc.
  
• Inspite of all these above stated
  problems, a high social and economic status,
  comfortable standard of living and opportunities
  for advancements in diversified areas in
  developed countries are attracting the Indians
  and employment in gulf countries.
• 
  
  
  
  

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• The Indian diasporic community is
  important in the areas of bilateral dialogue
  process and to enhance the economic development
  of India with their direct contribution and
  through transfer of knowledge. For the better
  interaction and integration between the diasporic
  community and their motherland, especially with
  young Indian diaspora, strategies should be
  framed to increase their participation for Indian
  cause and to revive their diminishing links with
  India.
• Most of the work in this field has
  been done at macro level only. No doubt it is
  appreciable but there is an urgent need to look
  into this issue with micro perspective.

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• The present study is an endeavour to
  explore historical, cultural, social, economic,
  political and psychological dimensions of the
  Indian. In this study an attempt would be made to
  explore potentials of this community in the
  development of social, cultural and economic
  aspects of their motherland. In this piece of
  work, their opinions would be taken to formulate
  strategy for their more responsible and
  productive engagement with their homeland.

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OBJECTIVE OF THIS STUDY

• The main objective is to investigate
  and conceptualise the causes and consequences of
  migration. Consequences of migration would throw
  light both on the developmental vacuum created by
  the migrants as well as their contribution
  through direct and indirect participation in the
  overall development. This broad objective is
  further translated in the following objectives.

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• Objective 1 To identify the causes and pattern
  of migration.
  
• Objective 2 To draw a social, religious,
  economic and regional profile.
  
• Objective 3 To investigate the occupational
  structure of Diaspora.
  

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• Objective 4 To assess the consequences of
  international migration in terms of
  socio-economic and cultural dimensions on the
  non-migrant family members back home.
• Objective 5 To investigate the potential areas
  in which they can and are willing to contribute
  in terms of their knowledge transfer and the
  suitable mode of sharing of their knowledge and
  experience in their opinion.

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• Objective 6 To find out the changing nature of
  the interaction between second generation
  Diaspora and their homeland .
  
• Objective 7 To identify the role of various
  associations which may be cultural, religious or
  professional in nature in the formation,
  maintenance and sustenance of close links between
  Diaspora and their homeland and role of Indian
  government.

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• Objective 8 To evaluate the problems and
  prospects of financial and knowledge based
  support of this community to their motherland.
  
• This research can be based
  primarily on the receiving countries government
  documents, Indian official documents, books,
  articles, periodicals and newspapers, through
  internet browsing and primary survey.

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METHODOLOGY

• This type of research can be done on the basis of
  field survey.
  
• Purposive sampling
• Mailed questionnaires and Indepth interviews of
  the relevant samples.
  
• Graphs, maps and statistical diagrams.
• For bivariate analysis - Correlation technique.
• For multivariate analysis - Multiple regression,
  Logistic regression analyses.
  
• To examine a series of causal relationships -
  Path Analysis

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Multilevel strategic framework
National level ( IT, Space Tech, Biotech, Ports e
tc)

Regional Level / State Level (Industries, Infrast
ructure, IT etc)
District / Local Level (Small indut, Adopting vi
llage etc)
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SECURITY
REGIONAL STRATEGY
ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS
INDIAN AUTHORITIES
EXPLOITATION
DIFFUSION OF INFORMATION
AREA SPESIFIC UNITS
CULTURAL SUPPORT
PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT
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PROBLEMS OF THE STUDY

• There are several limitations of
  this present study, which may limit or reduce the
  accuracy, precision and predictive ability of
  this research. The most important drawback of
  this study is the unavailability of secondary
  data related to the diasporic community, lack of
  organization of the data sources and the poor
  migration records. Another important problem is
  the diversified language and cultural identities
  within the diasporic community. These differences
  hinder the formation of organizations and groups
  of this community. This type of study therefore
  can fulfil some of the gaps existing in the
  existing literature.

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THANKS