| United States of America (USA) is today home for one of the largest Indian population in the world comprising of a phenomenal mix of professionals specializing largely in the fields of IT, healthcare, education and services, as well as entrepreneurs and students. The nearly 3 million strong Indian American community has grown from small beginnings and over waves of immigration spread across the last 220 years and represents the knowledge and resource bank of India. |
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| In an effort to strengthen the engagement of the resourceful Indian community settled in the USA with ‘Opportunity India’, the Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre (OIFC) in consonance with the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, the Consulate General of India (CGI), New York, and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), hosted an Investment and Interactive Meet, in New York, on 13th September, this year. The Asia Society, a leading global and pan Asian organization in the region, was the official partner of the Meet. |
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| The Meet was organized with the objective to apprise the Indian Americans with a host of engagement opportunities existing in India with a focus to tap into their growing investment and intellectual potential. |
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| A delegation from India, led by Dr A Didar Singh, Secretary of MOIA and Chairman of OIFC, participated in the Meet to invite the Global Indians to partner in India’s emerging growth story and provide them the means to connect with the country. The business delegation included prominent players from the Indian industry such as BNP Paribas in infrastructure, Kotak Mahindra Bank specializing in banking and financial services, Everonn Education Ltd in education, Everonn Medical Education in healthcare, among others. |
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| The Meet was attended by over 100 delegates comprising of professionals, HNIs, academicians and potential investors, of Indian origin, exploring the growing Indian market. |
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| In his opening remarks, Mr Prabhu Dayal, Consul General at the Consulate General of India in New York, welcomed the delegates and appreciated the special initiatives that have been undertaken by the OIFC and the MOIA to expand diaspora’s inter linkages with India. He stressed on India’s growing economic achievements with a stable business environment and urged the diaspora to participate in India’s progress. Dr A Didar Singh, the Secretary of MOIA, informed the delegates about the various MOIA scheme to nurture and sustain the symbiotic relationship of the diaspora with India. Reiterating on India’s emergence as one of the favorable investment destinations globally, he invited the Indian American community to make use of opportunity that India provides to its advantage. |
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| Where Ms Shefali Chaturvedi, CEO of OIFC, spoke about OIFC, the focal point for expanding the economic engagement of the overseas Indians with India, Mr G. Gurucharan, CEO of the Indian Council of Overseas Employment (ICOE), described ICOE’s objectives and programmes to the delegates. Various industry players from India presented the ubiquitous sector specific investment prospects that India has on offer to the diaspora. |
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| In general, the diaspora interests varied from identifying investment opportunities in promising sectors such as infrastructure, manufacturing and services to seeking assistance in finding suitable business partners for their potential ventures and outsourcing opportunities in India. Among other questions, a couple of suggestions were floated by the diaspora regarding the upcoming Pravasi Bharatiya Divas annual Convention 2011 during Q&A session chaired by the Secretary of MOIA. |
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| The Meet was concluded with a special vote of thanks to the Indian delegation by Dr A M Gondane, Deputy Consul General at CGI New York. |
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| The Investment and Interactive Meet in New York was followed by an Interactive Session with the Indian diaspora, held on 14th September, in Washington DC, by the Indian Embassy in Washington. |
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