Taking Indian Virtue beyond India: Meet Dr. Surendra Kaushik

A FRAMEWORK FOR GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE ON AFRICAN AFFAIRS For Immediate Release Taking Indian Virtue beyond India: Meet Dr. Surendra Kaushik Many Indians have been playing significant roles in world development for a long time. Not too long ago, Indians decried the phenomenon of "Brain Drain". At the same time, many Indians have become quite successful and taken visible leadership roles in their fields and industries around the world. What has been remarkable in the wealth effect is the large number of highly qualified and successful Indian professionals returning to support the development of India. India itself is now becoming a land of opportunity.

The role of Indian government in all of this has been remarkable. The Government of India has invested over 500 billion US dollars improving the quality and quantity of education at all levels of the education pyramid. The expenditure on healthcare infrastructure in the country is projected to grow at 5.8 per cent annually. This presents an unprecedented opportunity, including for Indian overseas community to participate and benefit in improving India's economic and financial infrastructure. This includes relaxing the rules and regulation to favor FDI as well as encouraging Indian corporations to make overseas investments up to 100 per cent of their net worth. They also made a cultural move that I thought was genius: the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs started giving annual awards to Diaspora Indians, Persons of Indian Origin or an organization or institution established and run by the Non-Resident Indians or Persons of Indian Origin, who has made significant contribution in any one of the following fields: “(a) Better understanding abroad of India; (b) Support to India’s causes and concerns in a tangible way; (c) Building closer links between India, the overseas Indian community and their country of residence; (d) Social and humanitarian causes in India or abroad; (e) Welfare of the local Indian community; (f) Philanthropic and charitable work; (g) Eminence in one’s field or outstanding work, which has enhanced India’s prestige in the country of residence; or (h) Eminence in skills which has enhanced India’s prestige in that country (for nonprofessional workers).”

This award is known as the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) and is the highest honor conferred by the President of India on overseas Indians. Since its inception in 2003, the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman has been awarded to notable Indians in Diaspora such as His Excellence: Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam - Prime minister Mauritius: , Honorable Sir Anerood Jugnauth former Prime minister of Mauritius, including her Excellency Kamla Persad Bissessar - Prime Minister Trinidad and Tobago, Billy Nair, Member of Parliament, ANC South Africa; Pheroze Nowrojee, Advocate, Human Rights Activist, Kenya; Kenneth S. Benjamin, Founder and chairman of the Guardsman Group Business, Jamaica; Yesu, Persau, Guyana, V. Ramadoss Seychelles, Justice Ahmed Moosa Ebrahim, Zimbabwe; Lord Meghnad Desai, Economist, United Kingdom; Sukhi Turner, Fmr. Mayor of Dunedin, New Zealand; late Kalpana Chawla, Astronaut, United States; and so many more. What’s great about this is the seemingly effortless outreach to connect with a worldwide Indian Diaspora in such a meaningful and cultural way.

Every year the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is celebrated on January 9 to commemorate the return of Mahatma Gandhi to India on this day in the year 1915. During Jan. 9, 2012 award ceremony in Rajasthan, India President Pratibha Patil said the following in her speech: "Indian overseas community is not only large, but is becoming increasingly influential in the economic, professional and political fields in the country in which they are now living. We are proud of their accomplishments," as she conferred the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman awards to 14 eminent overseas Indians.

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A FRAMEWORK FOR GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE ON AFRICAN AFFAIRS

2012 Pravasi award winners (Dr. Surendra Kaushik Standing between the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago Kamla Persad Bissessar

Among this year’s 14 recipients of the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award is a N.Y.-based economist, who has been teaching at Pace University for over 31 years named Professor Surendra Kumar Kaushik. Dr. Kaushik is the founder of Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women’s College in India and chairman of the Helena Kaushik Foundation. The college was strategically located in north of Jaipur and designed to help close the gender gap in rural India. School was founded in honor of his wife who had a stroke at the height of their romantic life and has since 1991 been confined to a wheel chair, paralyzed. The couple is still married and both are committed to women empowerment.

The college was originally started in a rented space with the aim to give rural women of neighboring farming community an opportunity for their development, economic betterment of their families and simultaneous growth and development of the area through investment in education, infrastructure and industry. Thanks to the effort of Helena Kaushik foundation which funds the school through its non profit empowerment advocacy effort -- today, the college owns its buildings which are on par with global standards. The college is situated in a 30 acre plot and is looking to acquire more space based on the need. The main academic building supports class rooms, administrative offices, labs, center for music and contemporary arts, and a well stocked library with more than 30,000 books from the United States, supplemented by books from India. There is a guest house, and a residence hall on campus. The college has extensive sports facilities including basketball, field hockey, soccer, Olympic-size 8 lane track, tennis courts, volleyball, etc. Rainwater harvesting has been added in 2009. New facilities, plantings and gardens are added each year. During a fund raising event in Forest Hills, Queens New York on June 8, 2012, His Excellency Mr. Prabhu Dayal pulled out a poem that he had written for Dr. Kaushik and read it.

His Excellency Mr. Prabhu Dayal, (left) reading a poem that he had written for Dr. Surendra Kaushik (Right) at the HKWC Fundraising Gala in Queens

Dr. Surendra Kaushik is connecting the world with India in a new way. He has opened up the College in Rajasthan India to offer its quality, affordable, and higher education degrees and certificate programs in arts, science, technology, commerce, education, nursing, etc -- to international

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A FRAMEWORK FOR GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE ON AFRICAN AFFAIRS female students as part of its commitment to women’s education and empowerment in the world. Below are pictures taken during the Gala celebration of Dr. Kaushik’s Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award on June 15th at the Indian Consulate, midtown in New York:

Ms. Marie Claudine Mukamabano, Dr. Surendara Kaushik, His Excellency Prabhu Dayal, Ms. Kadiatou Fadiga Miss Guinea USA

Group picture with musicians who made the ceremony even more memorable: Far right with Kora instrument, Yacouba Sissoko from Mali, Sheng-Ching Angel Hsu with Violin, Sarod and Tabla players, center: Dr. Surendara Kaushik, His Excellency Prabhu Dayal next to Honorable chairman William Verdone (Master of ceremony) and many other prominent figures.

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A FRAMEWORK FOR GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE ON AFRICAN AFFAIRS When we put string instruments from three continents together, a program that is an initiative of African Views Organization, the world came together in harmony when Violin, Cello, Sarod, Tabla, and Kora players came together to give an improvised spectacular performance to with the world. The audience appreciated it so much that they gave 10 minutes standing ovation after the performance. Dr. Kaushik gave each of the musicians flower bouquet and the consul general said there would be no wars if musicians ruled the world. This event marks Dr. Kaushik’s interest to take Indian Virtue beyond India with the hope that young women who want to study and teachers who want to teach are given the opportunity wherever they may be.

The College recognizes the importance of preparing students to be successful citizens in the global society of the 21st century, and it prioritizes comprehensive and value based education programs that intentionally prepare students to be active and engaged participants in an interconnected world.

Guest of honor at the India Consulate on June 15th Gala include:           

Excellency Mr. Prabhu Dayal Honorable (Mrs.) Mamta Sharma Chair person, National Commission for Women in India Honorable Upendra Chavukula, New Jersey Assemblyman and candidate for US congress 2012 Mr. William A Verdone, Board Member Helena Kaushik Women’s College, and Board Chairman African Views Mr. Wale Idris Ajibade, Executive Director African View organization and president of Cultural Diversity Foundation Sire Dione Conde, President African Women for Good governance Kadiatou Fadiga, MISS GUINEA USA youth Ambassador for UNESCO Marie Claudine Mukamabano, President - Why do I exist? Kukindiho Kaissa Sheng-Ching Angel Hsu Bharat Rana, Commissioner Housing Authority of Passaic

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