India Empire November 2018

India-Diplomatic, Business, Diaspora and Political Connectivity

Editor’s Desk

iNDiA

empire Volume 14 No. 6 November 2018 www.indiaempire.com RNI No.: DELENG/2005/16693

According to IndiaSpend, a data-driven, not-for-profit public interest journalism platform, more Indian passport holders were stationed overseas in 2017. An estimated 17 million NRIs were living in various parts of the world, up from seven million in 1990. IndiaSpend analysed data culled from reports of the United Nations Department of Economic Affairs.

During the corresponding period the per capita income in India witnessed a rise of 522 per cent (from USD 1,134 to USD 7,055). With more disposable income in hand, a larger number travelled abroad in search of employment opportunities that they were otherwise not able to find at home.

Our cover story focuses on this shift in skilled employment overseas.

The Indian diaspora is in focus in this issue. From the Reunion Island we have an interview with the Maloya musician Maya Kamaty, four-time winner of the Music of the Indian Ocean prize. She provides an overview of changing world music, her fascination with traditional forms of Indian music and her love for the native Creole language. In Japan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the Indian community to invest in India while continuing to maintain cultural ties with its motherland. There are about 27,000 Indians that have made Japan their home.

GLOBAL ADVISORY BOARD Mr Inder Singh, Dr Rami Ranger, Dr Kamalanathan Sappani, Mr Mridul Pathak, Ms Priya Tandon Editor Sayantan Chakravarty Consulting Editor Yogesh Sood (Business and Commerce) Sipra Das (Photography) Kul Bhushan Jayant Borkar (Mumbai Affairs) Sanjay Sharma (BJP Affairs) Paras Ramoutar (Caribbean Affairs) Vishnu Bisram (New York) Premchand Ramlochun (Mauritius) Liladhar J. Bharadia (Kenya) Jay Banerjei (Toronto) Head—Art and Print Jaydev Bisht Additional Contributions From Tish Sanghera, Milinda Ghosh Roy, Yogi Ashwini Registered Office: N-126, II Floor, Greater Kailash I, New Delhi - 110 048.

Contact: +91.11.2923.3647, +91.11.2923.1515.

In Botswana, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu spoke about the contribution of Indians in building the African economy. He was inaugurating the 13th Global Expo Botswana. Mr Naidu also visited Belgium and addressed the Indian community in Antwerp. Mr Naidu spoke about the contribution and sacrifices of Indian soldiers who fought alongside their Belgian counterparts during the WW1. Continuing with WW1, a memorial dedicated to Indians who fought in that war is set to be unveiled in Villers-Guslain, about 200 km from Paris in France. The memorial will have India’s national emblem and is being built by the Indian Government through the USI (United Service Institution of India). It will be the second Indian national memorial overseas, the other being on the ramparts at Ypres in Belgium. Back in Belgium, Mr Naidu spoke on India’s flagship programmes in the areas of manufacturing, digitisation, skills, financial inclusion, urbanisation, startups, infrastructure, clean energy and transportation, which have unleashed a new momentum that is driving organic growth in the country.

Our Associate Offices: Hyderabad: Abhijit Bhattacharjee, Tel: +91.9848033874.

Elsewhere in the magazine there are other articles and features which you’ll find of interest.

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Happy reading.

Sayantan Chakravarty (sayantanc@gmail.com)

Mauritius: 28, Cnr. Jasmins and Lataniers Avenue Résidence Sunsetville, La Caverne, Vacoas 73310 Republic of Mauritius Trinidad and Tobago: 61 Main Road, Caparo, Trinidad, W.I. Canada: Suite 209 885 Progess Ave, Toronto, ON M1H G3G Canada New York: 260, Madison Avenue, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10016 ADVERTISEMENT AND SUBSCRIPTIONS Email: contactindiaempire@gmail.com info@indiaempire.com sales@indiaempire.com M: +91.9899117477, +91.98116.27971 Printed, published, owned by Sayantan Chakravarty. Editor is Sayantan Chakravarty. Published from N -126, II Floor, Greater Kailash I, New Delhi 110 048, INDIA.

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Sayantan Chakravarty is in a select group of 12 writers chosen by Scholastic Education to promote advanced English literature for schools worldwide. Included in the group are Nobel Laureate William Butler Yeats, R K Narayan (Padma Vibushan and Sahitya Award winner), journalist and poet Walt Whitman, writer Saki (Hector Hugh Munro), poet Nissim Ezekiel (Sahitya Akademi Awardee), writer Jerome K Jerome (author of Three Men in a Boat), poet Edward Lear, Roald Dahl (16th on Time Magazine’s list of greatest British writers).

Sayantan Chakravarty’s stories featured in Best of Indian Express of 25 years and among select stories in Best of India Today’s 25 years.

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SKILLED INDIA OUTBOUND .............................. 06 More Indians moving overseas to find jobs

DIPLOMATIC NEWS ............................................ 25 Engaging India with the rest of the world

ZAMBIA UNLOCKED ........................................... 09 Interview with Zambian High Commissioner

DIASPORA .......................................................... 29 Indian Vice President addresses Indians in Belgium

REUNION FOCUS ................................................. 26 Interview with Maya Kamaty

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COVER stORy

GREATER

OUTBOUND MIGRATION As India grows wealthier, more of its citizens are leaving its shores

By Tish Sanghera

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n estimated 17 million Indians were living abroad in 2017, making India the largest source country for international migrants globally, up from seven million in 1990 and a 143 per cent increase, according to an IndiaSpend analysis of data from the United Nations Department of Economic Affairs.

Over the same period, India's per capita income increased by 522 per cent (from $1,134 to $7,055), providing more people the means to travel abroad in search of employment opportunities they were not finding at home.

At the same time, the number of unskilled migrants leaving the country has been falling: An estimated 391,000 left India in 2017, almost half the number in 2011 (637,000), according to a new report by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). However, this does not necessarily mean that an increasing proportion of India's emigrants are likely to be higher skilled or that policymakers should be worried about a rise in "brain drain".

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The above figures refer to unskilled migrants travelling on Emigration Check Required (ECR) passports—passports issued by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs to those leaving for employment in certain countries in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Changes in the government criteria used to class workers as unskilled, leading to more migrants travelling on non-ECR passports, could be part of the reason for the declining trend.

"Over the years India has made internal adjustments to who gets an ECR passport. A lot of people are entitled to non-ECR passports and take that route to migrate instead— this is data which is not publicly available and therefore cannot be analysed," Seeta Sharma, Technical Officer (ILO) for EU-India Cooperation and Dialogue on Migration and Mobility, told IndiaSpend.

International emigration generally rises with economic development as more people acquire the financial means to travel abroad, and only begins to reduce when countries reach upper-middle income status.

Labour demand driven by constrained local employment markets is a key motivation for international migration, with 73 per cent of all migrants globally entering the workforce in their host country, the ADB report found.

India's working age population is currently growing by 1.3 million each month, exacerbating a stagnant job market that is further afflicted by a lack of employment.

Over almost three decades, between 1990-2017, India witnessed waves of skilled and unskilled labour emigration.

Indians living in Qatar increased 82,669 per cent --from 2,738 to 2.2 million—over 27 years to 2017, more than in any other country. In the two years between 2015-2017, the Indian population in Qatar more than tripled.

Oman (688 per cent) and the United Arab Emirates (622 per cent) also feature in the top 10 countries for the largest increases in Indian residents between 1990-2017, while in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, over seven years to 2017, Indian populations rose by 110 per cent and 78 per cent, respectively. These figures reflect the response of Indian workers

to rapidly expanding economies in the Gulf, buoyed by rising oil prices. As these oil-rich nations embarked on largescale development projects, workers from India and other South Asian countries answered the call for the growing number of construction jobs needing to be filled.

However, recent global economic slowdowns have slowed migrant flows from India into the region. Declining crude oil prices and the resulting spending cuts on construction projects and the slowing economies explain the falling numbers of Indians opting to travel to the region, as jobs dry up and wages contract.

While traditional host countries for Indian migrants, such as the Gulf states, US and UK, remain the countries with the highest Indian populations, over the last decade, OECD countries have seen a significant increase in the number of Indians choosing to settle within their borders.

Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, for example, have seen their Indian populations grow by 66, 56 and 42 per cent, respectively, over seven years to 2017. They are

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COVER stORy

cheaper and have better educational opportunities."For example, Germany has free education and there's the potential to land a job in the country after university too, so you're seeing a shift in migration," Sharma said.

Rapidly aging populations across the West will further create a demand for migrant labour, as imported workers fill employment gaps left by falling birth rates in many developed countries. India is well placed to benefit from this demand.

Half of all countries globally now have fertility rates below 2.1, meaning too few children are being born to maintain their population size. In the short term, however, changing political environments and increasingly hostile attitudes to foreign migration may have an impact on the acceptability of Indian migrant workers taking up these jobs.

The identity and socio-economic background of Indian emigrants is changing. Southern states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu have been traditional sources of migrant workers to the Middle East and Southeast Asia, departing on ECR passports. However, in recent years, northern Indian and less economically advanced states have overtaken their southern counterparts for the numbers of typically lowskilled male youth leaving for overseas work.

Uttar Pradesh took the lead for the highest number of emigrants since 2011, followed by Bihar and Tamil Nadu,

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while the number of migrants from Kerala declined 69 per cent over six years, from around 80,000 in 2011 and 2013 to under 25,000 in 2017.

"Migration trends have shifted," Sharma said. "For example, if you're from Kerala, it may no longer be so lucrative to go to the Gulf. But for someone sitting in Bihar earning a third of what a Keralite earns, it still makes sense."

However, while these data show the numbers from each state leaving on ECR passports, they do not indicate how many have switched to non-ECR passports. Kerala may still be seeing large numbers of its population emigrate despite a decline in 2016 and 2017 in the ECR category.

Indeed, Kerala received 19 per cent of all remittances (funds sent by an expatriate to their country of origin) received in India in 2016-17, closely followed by Maharashtra (17 per cent) and Karnataka (15 per cent), according to RBI data.

India received the largest remittances globally in 2017, with close to $70 billion landing in the country's banks acâ?? counts. —In arrangement with IndiaSpend.org, a data-driven, nonprofit, public interest journalism platform, with whom Tish Sanghera is a writer and researcher. The views expressed are those of IndiaSpend. Feedback at respond@indiaspend.org

diplOmatiC intERViEw

H.E. Mrs Judith K.K. Kan’goma-Kapijimpanga, High Commissioner of the Republic of Zambia to India

“Our High Commission has been able to maximize economic diplomacy between Zambia and India” In this interview held at the High Commission of the Republic of Zambia in New Delhi, H.E. Mrs Judith K.K. Kan’goma-Kapijimpanga, High Commissioner of the Republic of Zambia to India, focuses on the deep and abiding relations between India and Zambia. She throws considerable light on the waves of Indian investors who are now making Zambia their second home. She spoke to Sayantan Chakravarty, Editor and Publisher, India Empire Magazine

You’ve completed about two years in India. Would it be fair to say that your tenure has witnessed a new high in Indo-Zambian relations?

Yes, indeed to a great extent it has. As you know Zambia and India enjoy warm and cordial relations based on the foundation of mutual trust and respect. The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1964. The relations, however, can be traced back to the pre-independence days. Zambia and India interact actively on several issues under the auspices of several initiatives which are aimed at enhancing relations between India and Africa, and Zambia and India in particular. Indo-African Forum Summit is one such platform which committed over USD 5 billion for projects in Africa with a duty-free trade regime for exports to India.

We have been building upon the India Technical and Economic Cooperation. As of 2017, we have seen an increase of trade volume from USD 650 million in 2016 to USD 950 million as of October 2017. We foresee trade volume at over USD 1 billion by the end of the year 2018.

We are very optimistic, and business has skyrocketed.

This has mostly been due to the injection of money in the Zambian economy through the EXIM Bank-funded projects and the other Indian companies that are using private capital. We’ve quite a number of isolated private sector cases where business investors have gone on their own accord to Zambia to invest. And the increase is also due to the rise in copper prices for which India is one of the major importers. Indians are also especially interested in dealing with manganese importation, apart from copper. Indian investment in Zambia is on the rise. And coupled with trade interaction, the Zambian High Commission in India estimates the amount of additional investment to increase to

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USD 8.5 billion by 2019-2020. That would amount to an estimated amount of USD 12.8 billion. Current investment is estimated to be around USD 4 billion. And this has been due to Zambia’s competitive advantage as one of the best investment destinations in the world.

As you know Zambia has also been voted as one of the most peaceful countries and that is a natural attraction to investment. Zambia is a very peaceful haven for investment.

More Indians have shown interest in establishing specialist hospitals, infrastructure development, for example roads, railways, metros, air services and setting up of satellites for economic use. These have been, of course, verbally and economically expressed through the Mission here. Quite a number of possible would-be investors have travelled to engage with the Government and indeed the private sector.

This is also because of the aggressive marketing by the Mission to position Zambia as a destination of tourism and trade. Tourism figures have tripled while trade figures have quadrupled. We are, you know, on the double as a Mission in terms of ensuring that we advertise our country in all aspects. And this goes to show why the numbers have skyrocketed.

The Mission has also engaged other ASEAN countries.

The Mission was in Singapore to also encourage tourists and investors to look to Zambia—especially that they do not require a visa to enter Zambia. The mission also visited Nepal for a Zambian Tourism and Trade Mission working with the Asian Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs (AIDIA) at which investors were given information on investing in Zambia. Zambian High Commission in India feather-launched the Lusaka-Goa Tourism and Trade Mission in collaboration with Business Networking India (BNI)

H.E. Mrs Judith K.K. Kan’goma-Kapijimpanga, High Commissioner of the Republic of Zambia to India which saw 23 potential investors from Goa visit Zambia in March 2018. A reciprocal visit by Central Province Minister Hon. Sydney Mushanga was also conducted who visited Goa. Goa has two major investors—Mr Narayan Bandekar who has built state of the art pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Lusaka South Multi Facility Economic Zone and Mr Pankaj Jain who has set up a manganese processing plant in Kanona district of Central Province. And to this effect I want to underscore the fact that he started with merely mining of manganese to bring it into India, but he has now decided to move his family and has actually set up a refinery.

So he is actually bringing into India refined manganese. In Hyderabad, Zambia High Commission convinced Prasad Seeds Company to invest in Zambia. Prasad Seeds provides 70 per cent of India’s seed requirements and it has since completed formalities of registering the company in Zambia. And anytime soon they’d be making a third visit to Zambia trying to create further linkages and exchanges. It should be noted that Indian companies at present constitute a huge proportion of Zambia’s FDI estimated to be in excess of USD 4 billion. This is in respect of investments such as Konkola copper mines, subsidiary of Vedanta Resources Group, the parent company trading as Sterlite Industries in India. Vedanta is also registered in U.K. and is Indian-owned. Their combined investment in Konkola deep water copper mining project, sulphuric acid plant, and a new smelter is around USD 2.2 billion. R J Corporation and Varun Beverages invested in the Pepsi plant and are plan-

ning for further expansion.

So, this goes to show just how much interaction is going on between Zambia and India. Also Nava Bharat Singapore Ltd owned by Indians and subsidiary of Nava Bharat Hyderabad has purchased 65 per cent equity shares in Maamba Collieries, and the Government of Zambia has retained 35 per cent. Previously it was a wholly-owned Zambian enterprise. It has also embarked on a USD 750 million project on a coal-fed power plant with a minimum generation of 275 mw using the low-grade coal of Maamba Collieries.

Taurian Manganese Ltd has also invested in manganese mining and plans to invest another USD 300 million in construction of manganese processing plant in Serenje District of Central Province. Serenje District is an area which has huge deposit of manganese and other minerals and the Indians are concentrating there in manganese mining. Bharti Airtel launched its new brand AirTel Zambia in November 2010 and invested in network expansion to provide lower tariff and reach out to rural areas to bridge the digital divide. The other major Indian investments include a joint venture Indo-Zambia Bank with 60 per cent equity held by three Indian public sector banks—Bank of India, Bank of Baroda and Central Bank of India and 40 per cent by the Zambian Government. Indo Zambia Bank has been in Zambia for quite some time, it is a household name. EXIM Bank of India has equity in Development Bank of Zambia (DBZ). After a debt settlement agreement with the Government of India, EXIM Bank’s equity stands at 20 per

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diplOmatiC intERViEw cent. So you can see just how much cementing of relationship is brewing between Zambia and India.

EXIM Bank of India and Indo Zambia Bank also signed an agreement under which the formal credit of USD 5 million has been provided to Indo Zambia Bank to import capital goods from India. Tata India invested in various sectors including the 5-star Taj Pamodzi, a vehicle assembly plant, the ZESCO and Tata Africa Holdings joint venture company Itezhi Tezhi Power Corporation Ltd (ITPC) for a USD 200 million power project. EXIM Bank of India provided line of credit of USD 50 million to Government of Zambia for this power project.

Tata is also collaborating with the Copperbelt Energy Corporation for a power project in the Copperbelt in Zambia. This is the province that has lot of mineral deposits. And there are various mining companies. Tata acquired a leather tannery from Zambia Development Agency and has undertaken to upgrade the tannery. Tata Consultancy is providing consultancy to ZESCO for the power plant and Zambia Revenue Authority for the development of integrated tax system.

Nava Bharat of India recently ventured into a huge sugar plantation. There are also many smaller companies belonging to individual Indians who have gone into Central Province for mining and other issues.

NRB Group of Goa set up a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Lusaka at a cost of USD 10 million.

And this is investment by them and not from EXIM Bank. All it takes is some-

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[

Let me state that Dr Kaunda was honoured to meet H.E. Shri Kovind who visited his residence. Dr Kaunda was happy to note that some of the biggest investments have come from India in areas such as mining, agriculture, transport, communication, health, and the like, including the improving of quality of lives of Zambian people

body to have the faith in a country to invest hard cash.

Zambia High Commission in India is doing whatever it can to reach out to potential tourists and investors in an effort to maximize our economic diplomacy between India and Zambia.

Kindly apprise us of the high-level visits that have taken place between Zambia and India in recent times…how far have you gone towards strengthening ties between our two nations?

Our President H.E. Edgar Lungu has indicated that he’d like to get maximum benefits from India through the promotion of economic diplomacy. Because of our sound and very brotherly relationships even Zambia in itself has recognized that there are lots of low hanging fruits in India which we can pluck. The Head of State invited his Indian counterpart President Ram Nath Kovind to undertake a State Visit to Zambia. The President of India arrived in Zambia on April 10, 2018 for a three-day State Visit. It is the first time in 30 years that a President of India last visited Zambia. The Heads of States witnessed the signing of formal MoUs between India and Zambia aimed at investment cooperation in various sectors. The first MoU was on avoidance of double taxation which was signed by Foreign Affairs Minister Hon. Joseph Malanji, and India’s High Commissioner of Zambia H.E. N.J. Gangte. The second MoU was signed by Home Affairs Minister Hon. Stephen Kampyongo and India’s High Commissioner of Zambia H.E. N.J. Gangte on visa exemption on diplomatic passports that is allowing the diplomatic passport holders to enter either country without visa. The third MoU signed by Minister of Justice Hon. Given Lubinda and India’s High Commissioner of Zambia H.E. N.J. Gangte on judicial cooperation and training and expedition of judicial matters affecting the two countries and their citizens.

The fourth MoU signed by Commerce Minister Hon. Christopher Yluma and India’s High Commissioner of Zambia H.E. N.J. Gangte seeks for the establishment of an entrepreneurship development institute in Zambia conforming to the vision of 2030 which would help entrepreneurs to access finance and general empowerment.

]

On the other hand, Zambia and India signed a MoU aimed at promoting skills between Zambia’s health experts and those from Apollo Hospital. Our Hon. Minister signed the MoU in Lusaka on behalf of the Zambian Government in the presence of Foreign Affairs Minister Hon. Joseph Malanji and Apollo Hospital Vice President for Corporate Development Dr Harinder Sidhu in the presence of Zambia’s High Commissioner to India, that is myself. The MoU entails that Apollo will help in training Zambians in kidney and heart transplants, among others, and I’m proud to mention that a few weeks ago such a transplant was done.

President Kovind and President Lungu also addressed the historical forum in Lusaka which was key in the promotion of economic diplomacy. The two leaders reaffirmed their commitments towards facilitating smooth trade and investment between India and Zambia. President Lungu and President Kovind also commissioned roadworks to decongest Lusaka City and the long-awaited project to see some flyover bridges constructed, especially for buses. The project is expected to be completed within six weeks with funding from the Government of India through the EXIM Bank. This is to the tune of USD 286 million. During this visit, tourism was also top of the agenda. President Kovind took part of his delegation to Livingstone to appreciate the Victoria Falls. And in the delegation were his immediate family members—his wife and grandchildren. Zambia High Commission in India anticipates that President Lungu would also undertake a reciprocal visit to India as he has been invited by President Kovind. The benefit of President Lungu visiting India is to complete other pending agreements, among others.

Historically speaking could you throw light on the role played by Dr Kenneth Kaunda, Zambia’s first President in forging bonds between India and Zambia…

You know our first President Dr Kenneth Kaunda is looked up to the world over as an icon. He’s still alive and is 94-years-old. Also, I want to mention is that during the visit President Kovind did pay a visit to President Kaunda.

During the time of Zambia’s freedom struggle Dr Kaunda

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diplOmatiC intERViEw drew a lot of inspiration from India’s struggle for freedom, particularly from the legendary Mahatma Gandhi. While India gave support to the economic and technical development of Zambia, Dr Kaunda reciprocated by supporting India on a number of important national issues. During his tenure in power he paid more than 10 visits to India, beginning in 1967. From the Indian side, Mrs Indira Gandhi first visited Zambia in 1964 as Information and Broadcasting Minister, and subsequently in 1970 and 1976 as Prime Minister. Indian Presidents V V Giri and Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy visited Zambia in 1974 and 1981 respectively. Their visit was followed by that of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1986 and President R. Venkataram in 1989. So during those days there was a huge back and forth arrangement between Zambia and India.

Let me state that Dr Kaunda was honoured to meet H.E. Shri Kovind who visited his residence. Dr Kaunda was happy to note that some of the biggest investments have come from India in areas such as mining, agriculture, transport, communication, health, and the like, including the improving of quality of lives of Zambian people. He was further delighted to note that Zambia and India continue to remain beacons of true democracy and uphold respect for the rule of law which is fundamental for the development of human endeavor. I wish to encourage more exchange of ideas and technological transfer and people-to-people contact which has been the spirit behind India-Zambia relations since time immemorial. And I want to underscore the fact that we have a huge population of Indians in Zambia, some of whom are just Indian by descent, and many of them have not yet visited India and have lived happily ever after. For Indians, Zambia is second home.

You yourself have served in ministerial capacities and as Member of Parliament. You bring together vast experience to this job in New Delhi. What is your vision for Indo-Zambian ties, going forward?

We are thankful for the hard work of the Mission and the staff that has managed to work for President Kovind’s visit to Zambia. But, of course, our Vice President did come to India for the Indo-Zambia Summit and before that we had our British Zambian Vice Presidents who also visited India. And he visited Rajasthan where we have a lot of Zambians working in the mines there. We would like to see more of those visits and would like to see several memorandums that we’ve signed take a new pace. We would further like to open up the joint permanent commissions which we haven’t had in a long time. We’re working towards that. And with the advertisements of the expos in the various provinces, the Mission would not leave any stone unturned to ensure that potential investors from India find their feet firmly on the ground on Zambian soil. Also going forward, we as a Mission would like to really ensure that we get a lot of skills-transfer arrangements either through the private sector, or indeed through the Government of India to Zambia. To this effect I want to underscore few months back that we had 20 health personnel come for capacity building for various skills in the healthcare area to

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Artemis Hospital. This was a skills-transfer arrangement between the Ministry of External Affairs India and the Government of Zambia. So we want to see several of those take place.

And the private sector has also been very vivacious. I want to also indicate that Punjab College of Technical Education did award a 100 per cent tuition-only agriculture degree course. So far we have one Zambian who has started his degree programme. Sonalika Tractors has offered us two slots in the agriculture sector with full sponsorship that includes boarding, lodging and tuition for two Zambians from the most vulnerable communities, of course on merit basis.

We’ve also had 200 slots given to us by Shimla University. So you can see that going forward we are setting benchmarks, especially in technical education. We want to cement our relationships with both private and public universities. We have also seen a lot of interest by the Indian private sector wanting to go and cement relations through textiles. I know India is very good in textiles. And several have expressed the need to go and set up something. I see it is to the advantage of India to cement relations in the area of textiles because Zambia grows its own cotton. We don’t have the machinery, we don’t have a lot of factories—for those who put their feet firmly on the ground, it’d be a good thing as it would have creation of employment in that regard.

What according to you has been the role of the Indian diaspora in Zambia in cementing ties between our two nations?

Indians living in Zambia—mostly we call them IndianZambians—have actively participated in fruitful economic activities that are benefitting both countries. And cultural exchanges are also top of the agenda. For example, at a few festivals we’ve had quite a number of invitations. We are just developing that in Zambia in terms of uptake, especially from the youth, in cultural and film promotion.

That is one way we would like to go, and we are slowly gaining ground. Also Indian Zambians are into all sectors—education, transport, communications, farming, you name it. They also do what they know best—trading.

They’ve cemented relations to the extent of even marrying in the community. They have integrated, so most of them live in the community among Zambians. There is no problem at all.

I highlighted the fact that Zambia is a very peaceful country. As long as one is not in conflict with the law, people will live happily without anybody bothering them. And from the time the Indian President visited Zambia, we’ve seen a lot of trading, a lot of tourism, lot of other issues getting cemented between our two nations through IndianZambians living in Zambia. The visit was well covered, and people were happy. We look forward after our President’s visits to a visit by Prime Minister Modi and others. We are looking forward to Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj’s visit to Zambia. If we can hold the JPC, it’d be good. So I see escalation and cementation in terms of relations between Zambia and India. This is what the regime within this Mis❐ sion would like to see.

UNION MINISTERS INTERVIEWED BY

Mr Nitin Gadkari Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, and Shipping

Mr Dharmendra Pradhan When Minister of State (IC), Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas

Mr Ananth Kumar Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers

Mr Anant Gangaram Geete Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Sector Enterprises

Mr Chaudhary Birender Singh Minister for Steel

Ms Smriti Irani When Minister for Human Resource Development

Mr Radha Mohan Singh Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare

Mr Narendra Singh Tomar When Minister for Steel and Mines

Mr Ram Vilas Paswan Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution

Ms Uma Bharti When Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation

Mr Thawar Chand Gehlot Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment

Mrs Sushma Swaraj Minister for External Affairs and Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs

Mr Shripad Y Naik Minister of State (IC), AYUSH

Mr VIjay Goel When Minister of State (IC) for Youth Affairs and Sports

Mr Babul Supriyo Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises

Mr Rajiv Pratap Rudy (Ex) Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (IC)

Pictures by: siPra Das

(May 2014 onwards)

diplOmatiC intERViEw

Mr Bangwe Naviley Chisenga, First Secretary, Press and Tourism, High Commission of the Republic of Zambia

“There has been a big spike in tourists from India to Zambia” Mr Bangwe Naviley Chisenga, First Secretary, Press and Tourism, High Commission of the Republic of Zambia, speaks to India Empire Magazine’s Editor and Publisher Sayantan Chakravarty at the High Commission in New Delhi

Zambia is blessed with spectacular waterfalls, none more impressive than the famous Victoria Falls. Are Indians showing more interest in discovering these famous falls?

Yes, a lot of Indians are interested in Zambia. As recorded by the Mission, as of September 2018, 200 tourists visited Zambia from India. These exclude the 200 who travelled as part of the Kolkata Club, and those who obtained online visas which pushes the number closer to 500 in the first half of the year 2018. In the year 2018, the Mission reached out to various stakeholders by disseminating information about Zambia. You should take note that our online visa is one of the easiest and user-friendly. The decision by the President of India H.E. Shri Ram Nath Kovind to visit Victoria Falls is a landmark achievement in India-Zambia tourism relations. The tourism section formed part of the delegation when President of India visited Livingstone to appreciate the Victoria Falls which is one of the seven natural wonders of the world.

The Mission took part in an International Kite Festival in Gujarat. At this function promotion of tourism material were distributed to enhance bilateral relations, effectively with various stakeholders in India and countries of extra accreditation. Also the Mission reached out to Kolkata where over 200 Indians through their Kolkata Club had planned to visit Zambia through tourism and this was done.

Two hundred members of this Club went to Zambia. The HC also attended the first ever Goa and Lusaka Trade and Tourism Mission which saw 22 Indians travel to Zambia in the month of March 2018 due to joint efforts with BNI.

16 india empire | november 2018

The Mission has been in North India for tourism promotion, for instance at the Maharishi Markandeshwar University in Haryana where six Zambian students showed exceptional spirit in the promotion of Zambian culture at the third North Indian Zonal Inter-University Youth Festival. A presentation was also made at the Asian Institute of Diplomacy and at international fairs, and at the tourism and trade meeting at Kathmandu, Nepal to market Zambia’s tourism. The Mission also took part in tourism promotion at Ashoka University, Haryana during the students’ international tourism day dubbed Ubuntu.

In all you have over two dozen water falls, some of them of gigantic proportions. Please talk us through the other major ones…

Other than the Victoria Falls, Zambia has the Kalambo Falls which is Africa’s second deepest falls. It is also a rich archaeological resource. Kalambo Falls is said to be second highest free-leaping or single-drop waterfall. It is in high flow in May and June, but this depends on how much rainfall the region gets each year. Zambia has got the lion’s share of water resources in whole Southern Africa. There are more than ten waterfalls in Zambia from the south to the north. And this makes Zambia a tempting place to visit because of the large areas that are untouched by man. The visitor can travel to private tourist sites to see, feel and hear.

Then you have the Kabweluma Falls that comprises of three flatbed waterfalls, each spilling into the next. The first and main cascade is 25-metre high which is followed by two smaller cascades. The locals believe that these falls are home

Mr Bangwe Naviley Chisenga, First Secretary, Press and Tourism, High Commission of the Republic of Zambia

to yet another Snake Spirit that lives under the rainbow which can be viewed at any time of the day. Then you have the Chishimba Falls, Ngonye Falls in the Western Province, waterfalls, and another one at the Serenje District (see section on waterfalls for entire list).

There are opportunities to explore plenty of magnificent wild life in Zambia and Safari Tours are very popular. Can you please mention the top ones, and also throw light on the safety factor?

So there is a saying that Zambia is the birthplace of the legendary Walking Safari. It is untamed area, but very safe because of the highly trained, experienced and professional guides and provides for a perfect adventure. The country has several safari camps and lodges. Walking Safari tours are marked by expert advice, competitive quotes, efficiency in service delivery and warm receptions.

So you can book online or walk in and get quality places where you can spend the night. With a good currency in Zambia which is the Kwacha you can do wonders with your money that you carry for tourism purposes. You won’t be stranded once you carry a dollar. Zambia now has many specialists in Walking Safaris in Kafue and North Luangwa National Parks.

So in terms of safety of the tourists I can guarantee you that for the thousands who do walking safaris in the African bush every year, safety is hundred per cent guaranteed.

For Indian investors interested in the tourism and hospitality sectors what are the best areas to explore?

The areas are totally unlimited. We have all the tourist sites and national parks where you can go and put up your investments and you’ll attract international and local tourists. So tourists and businessmen have an opportunity to partner the Zambian nationals. It is much better if you partner with Zambians. To develop something like the Mulungushi International Conference Centre you can partner with Zambians to ensure there is a development of an ultramodern conference facility in Livingstone. You can also partner to ensure to build more lodges in Kafue national park where an additional 120 beds are required. I’d conclude that Zambia is regarded as one of the most beautiful, friendly, diverse and unspoiled countries in the entire African Continent. The water is fresh, you can drink direct from the river. Our aquatic environment is as it was created

by God. And also the air is clean and pure. It is just a perfect place for you to live. ❐

november 2018 | india empire 17

diplOmatiC nEws

Diplomatic News PM Modi awarded 2018 Seoul Peace Prize Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been named as the recipient of 2018 Seoul Peace Prize, a biennial award instituted to crystallise the wishes of the Korean people for peace on the Korean Peninsula and the rest of the world.

According to a statement issued by the External Affairs Ministry in October, PM Modi has been awarded "in recognition of his dedication to improving international cooperation, raising global economic growth, accelerating the human development of the people of India by fostering economic growth in the world's fastest growing large economy and furthering the development of democracy through anti-corruption and social integration efforts".

After assessing over 100 candidates proposed by over 1,300 nominators from around the world, the Award Committee decided to bestow the Prize on Mr Modi, calling him "the perfect candidate", according to the External Affairs Ministry statement. "The Award Committee recognised Prime Minister Modi's contributions to the growth of the Indian and global economies, crediting 'Modinomics' for reducing social and economic disparity between the rich and the poor," it said. "The Committee lauded PM's initiatives to make the government cleaner through anti-corruption measures and demonetisation. "The Committee also credited the Prime Minister for his contribution towards regional and global peace through a proactive foreign policy with countries around the world under the Modi Doctrine and the Act East Policy."

Expressing his gratitude and in light of India's deepening ties with South Korea, Mr Modi has accepted the award, the presentation of which would take place at a mutually convenient time. He is the 14th recipient of the award. Past laureates include distinguished global personalities like former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and renowned international relief organisations like Doctors Without Borders. Established in 1990, the Seoul Peace Prize recognises those who made great contributions to the harmony of mankind, the reconciliation between nations and world peace on the basis of the ideals of the 24th Seoul Olympic Games held in Seoul, Korea in 1988 in an atmosphere of friendship and harmony of the peoples around the world.

Jolie visits Venezuelan refugees in Peru Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie, visiting Peru in her capacity as special envoy of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), has met with Venezuelan migrants at a shelter in Lima run by volunteers. It was her first official activity as the filmmaker launched her three-day mission in Occtober to evaluate the needs of the Venezuelan refugees "and observe Peru's generous response," the UN High Commissioner of Refugees said in a statement. Jolie went to working-class San Juan de Lurigancho neighbourhood in Lima to visit the Sin Fronteras (Without Borders) shelter which opened more than a year ago to provide lodging and food for Venezuelans fleeing economic crisis in their homeland, Efe news reported. Videos posted on social media showed Jolie chatting with the migrants. Peru has received 4,56,000 Venezuelans in the past 18 months, second only to Colombia.

20 india empire | november 2018

US Embassy launches mentorship programmes for women entrepreneurs

The US Embassy along with TiE Global launched two programmes in October to provide mentorship to 30 young, innovative women from across India to help them scale up their enterprises. During an event "Women Entrepreneurs Conclave 2.0 - Engaged and Empowered" held in the national capital, the Embassy announced that topthree scale-up fellows will be sponsored for a visit to the US as AIRSWEEE Global Fellows and will be mentored by a host US organisation that will provide them a window to global best practices.

According to the Embassy, the All India Roadshow on

Women's Economic Empowerment through Entrepreneurship (AIRSWEEE) Scale-Up Fellows programme will be funded by the US State Department. "Economies where women have greater equality are those that thrive.

To get there requires a strong, visible push to level the playing field," Ms MaryKay Carlson, Deputy Chief of Mission, US Embassy, said at the event. "AIRSWEEE has engaged members of TiE globally and drawn into sharp focus the significant multiplier effect that can be created by investing in women," said Mr Vijay Menon, Executive Director, TiE Global.

Minister Swaraj calls on Sri Lankan PM External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj called on visiting Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in October and reviewed progress on development projects being implemented on the island nation with India's aid. "Continuing commitment to deepen our partnership with a close friend," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted following the meeting. "Exchanged views on strengthening bilateral relations and reviewed progress on development projects," Kumar said. Wickremesinghe will also hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Sri Lankan Prime Minister arrived here on Thursday in what is his fifth visit to India since assuming office in 2015. november 2018 | india empire 21

diplOmatiC nEws

DIPLOMATS TO InDIA EMPIrE The international travel guide Lonely Planet has picked Copenhagen as the top city on its ‘Top Cities to Visit in 2019’ list. Naturally, I would encourage every reader of India Empire to follow Lonely Planet’s advice because Copenhagen does stand out with its unique design, bike culture, Tivoli Gardens, 15 Michelin-starred restaurants and a flourishing street food scene. More and more Indians are already traveling to Denmark by way of the direct Air India route, which opened in September 2017, and this year the number of Indian travellers visiting Copenhagen has increased by 20%.

Similarly, a growing number of Danes journey east to explore the marvels of India.

This is a significant development because it entails regular people-to-people contact and cultural exchange between Indians and Danes, which is crucial to strengthening the friendship between India and Denmark.

—H.E. Mr Peter Taksøe-Jensen, Ambassador, Royal Danish Embassy to India We would welcome views and comments from Missions at sayantanc@gmail.com

Vice President naidu meets Portuguese, Greek PMs

LEFT: The Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu meeting the Prime Minister of Portugal, Mr. Antonio Costa, on the sidelines of the 12th Asia-Europe Meeting, at the Europa Building, in Brussels, Belgium on October 18, 2018. RIGHT: The Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu meeting the Prime Minister of Greece, Mr. Alexis Tsipras, on the sidelines of 12th Asia-Europe Meeting, at the Europa Building, in Brussels, Belgium on October 18, 2018 Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, who attended the 12th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit in Brussels held bilateral meetings with Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras respectively and called for strengthening Indias ties with both the countries. Mr Naidu met both the leaders in October. During his meeting with Mr Costa, Mr Naidu called for India-Portugal collaboration in new areas of cutting-edge technology. He said that defence, space, infrastructure and startups are areas that offer potential business opportunities. Mr Naidu briefed 22 india empire | november 2018

him about the Modi Government's developmental programmes and said that bilateral trade was on the rise and that Portuguese companies were encouraged by the potential of the Indian market. During the meeting with Mr Tsipras, Mr Naidu expressed satisfaction over the regular high-level contacts between the two countries. Both the leaders agreed to further strengthen the bilateral ties through greater economic and people to people exchanges. Briefing the Greek Prime Minister about India's economic situation Mr Naidu called for greater tourism flows between the two countries.

Lok Sabha Speaker says India, Croatia need to engage more purposely

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Monday said that India enjoyed a warm and friendly relationship with Croatia, and that the two countries needed to engage more purposely. Mrs Mahajan's remarks came after a Croatian delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Marija Pejcinovic Buric met her at Parliament House. Ms Buric hoped that

the ongoing visit would further strengthen the bilateral relationship. She also invited Mrs Mahajan to visit Croatia. Ms Buric earlier met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and discussed boosting cooperation in trade and investment, health and pharmaceuticals, science and technology, and tourism and culture.

India, Myanmar review ties, sign port operator agreement India and Myanmar in October reviewed all matters related to their bilateral ties, including the Rohingya refugees crisis, and signed a crucial memorandum of understanding for the appointment of an operator of port that will boost connectivity. According to a statement issued by the External Affairs Ministry, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale called on Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi during the course of which all matters relating to bilateral cooperation as well as matters pertaining to international and regional matters of common interest, including developments in the Rakhine State, were discussed.

A new crisis erupted in August last year following an attack by a Rohingya insurgent group that led to a violent response by the Myanmar Army in Rakhine. This resulted in an exodus of Rohingya refugees from Rakhine in Myanmar to Bangladesh. New Delhi has sent relief material for the refugees in both Rakhine and Bangladesh.

The Rohingya people do not enjoy citizenship status in Myanmar and are sparingly given refugee status in

Bangladesh. In December last year, India and Myanmar signed an MoU to develop Rakhine state. After meeting Suu Kyi, Gokhale called on Transport and Communications Minister and discussed matters related to connectivity and transport infrastructure being developed by India in Myanmar. november 2018 | india empire 23

Pictures © siPra Das

PHOTO GALLErY

24 india empire | november 2018

DIASPORA NEWS

diaspORa in REuniOn island

Ms Maya Kamaty

26 india empire | november 2018

Indian classical music fascinates me: reunion’s Maya Kamaty

By Milinda Ghosh Roy

M

aya Kamaty, a prominent Maloya musician and singer of Indian origin from Reunion Island, the French overseas territory, thinks good music can transcend all geographical barriers and says she is deeply inspired by Indian classical music and fascinated by the traditional instruments used here. In a freewheeling interview with IANS, Kamaty, four-time winner of the Music of the Indian Ocean prize, talked about her love for the native Creole language, the changing scene in world music and how she feels engrossed by the flavour of traditional Indian music.

“I listen to a lot traditional music from India. I love the way it sounds, I love the instruments and the vocals. In fact, I used to wake up to the compositions of Ravi Shankar every day. My music has a deep influence of Indian classical. I am, in fact, a fifth generation Indian. So, of course, Indian culture is very much a part of me,” said Kamaty who performed in Kolkata with fellow Maloya musicians as part of a tour under the auspices of Alliance Francaise. Maloya is one of the two major music genres of Reunion, usually sung in Creole—accompanied by percussion and a musical bow. “They (Indian artists) influence me a lot but I feel like I want to do more. I want to explore more classical music from India. But it seems to be complex as I do not understand all the Hindi or Tamil songs,” she said.

“I really love the sound of traditional Indian instruments.

I like the sitar, tabla, tambura, veena and dholak. All the percussion, all the chords; this is wonderful because the instruments can tell a lot about the musical culture and people there.

During my performance, I play the kayamba, which is a traditional instrument in my island made of sugarcane tubes,” said Kamaty, who was on her fourth visit to India.

Kamaty, the daughter of famous Maloya band Ziskakana’s lead singer Gilbert Pounia, is considered as one of the finest voices of Reunionese music at present. Her tunes artfully combine traditional Maloya, which is a mixture of poetry, slam, rock, reggae, jazz and dance, along with island blues melodies, French chanson, and Afro-beats.

The singer, who chose to sing in the native Creole language rather than in English or French, which has much larger reach, said she is enthusiastic about the brand of music as it is being appreciated around the world in spite of being a new genre.

“Though I speak in English or French, they are not my

mother tongue. For me, Creole is much easier to express myself. So I thought of singing in my native tongue because if music takes you elsewhere that’s also a part of my job as a musician. The response is really good because music lovers are interested in listening to something different. At the moment people around the world are really accepting it well. So I am looking forward to the international tours we are doing as Maloya singers. But the music is still new, so we have to wait to see how it is being accepted in the long run,” she noted.

Kamaty, whose first album “Santie Papang” released back in 2014, said her second, titled “Pandiye”, meaning suspended in time, will be out in February 2019. The singer said her music is a conscious shift from the traditional political orientation of Maloya, which saw it banned until the 1960s due to its strong association with Creole culture and the Communist Party of Reunion. “The traditional Maloya music was very political but now we work more on the poetic aspect of it. I try to concentrate on my lyrics. I feel my lyrics generally reflect my values in life. It also reflects that I am a woman of 2018. But I do not care if music has a political undertone. It is an open medium for everyone, so if people want to use it for political reasons they can do it. Maybe I will also do it myself sometimes,” she continued.

Kamaty, whose music has been influenced by that of her father’s, said it is more important to her as a musician to be the same person on stage and in real life. “I do not want to be someone else on stage. But I see a lot of artists who say certain things to the press and on stage, but are totally different ❐ back stage. I do not want to be like that,” she added. november 2018 | india empire 27

waR mEmORial in FRanCE

FRANcE TO hAvE MEMORIAl FOR INDIANs whO TOOk pART IN

wORlD wAR I A

memorial dedicated to the poppy as a uniquely Indian symbol of Indians who fought in remembrance,” he said.

World War I is set to be He said through the course of the unveiled in France. The India Remembers project, marigold was national memorial, widely used by the participating located at Villers-Guislain, about 200 community groups and added that the km from Paris, will have India’s national flower has been widely used in Indiaemblem and is distinct from the Indian related commemorative events around Memorial at Neuve Chappelle which was the world. He mentioned that marigold built by the Commonwealth War Graves was chosen because it is easily and Commission. widely available and also because saffron The memorial is being built by the is often seen as a colour of sacrifice.

Indian government through the USI Chhina said the sculptor of memorial (United Service Institution of India). It in France is Ram Vanji Sutar, who is also will be the second Indian national associated with the world’s tallest statue memorial overseas, the other being on of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. He said the the ramparts at Ypres in Belgium.

USI is helping to promote the niche Squadron Leader (Retired) Rana T.S. concept of ‘Battlefield Tourism’ to Squadron Leader (Retired) Chhina, Secretary of the Centre for Mr Rana T.S. Chhina, Secretary of popularise historical sites where Indian the Centre for Armed Forces Armed Forces Historical Research (USIsoldiers have fought and died over the Historical Research (USI-CAFHR) CAFHR), said at a media briefing in ages. “We realised that local economy of New Delhi that the memorial will have Ashoka Chakra in a lot of places in Europe is sustained by battlefield tourism. bronze and a plaque in French in honour of the Indian People and school children visit these sites and see the places soldiers. A bronze marigold wreath is also part of the where the battles had been fought and there is huge spike in design. The USI, as part of ‘India Remembers’ project, has local economy,” he said. mooted the proposal to have the marigold as a uniquely He said there was nothing about Indians at these places, Indian flower of remembrance. though India made a significant contribution to Britain’s war Chhina said poppy is universally recognised in the UK effort in World War I. “We felt that it needs to be rectified,” and many Commonwealth countries as a symbol of he said. Chhina said the USI is producing ‘Battlefield remembrance and commemoration since the end of World Guides’ focused on the battles of the Indian Army to War I. He said there was a strong need for India to have a enable people to visit many exotic locations where they uniquely Indian symbol that could allow citizens in India, as fought. “It will tell you where to go and what had happened well as the international diaspora, to acknowledge the valour there hundred years ago. It links the present to the past and and sacrifice of the Indian armed forces in the service of the tells the Indian story,” Chhina said, adding that they had nation, including those who fell in the two World Wars. “In also talked to the local tour operators. order to institutionalise a national culture of remembrance, He said such guides were also being produced for places the ‘India Remembers’ project initiated by the United Service in India including Kohima and Imphal and sites associated ❐ Institution of India proposed that the marigold flower join with India’s First War of Independence in 1857.

28 india empire | november 2018

diaspORa in BElgium

Vice President addresses indian diasPora in Belgium

The Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu addressing the Indian Community, at the Jain Cultural Centre, in Antwerp, Belgium on October 20, 2018. The Governor of Antwerp, Belgium, Ms. Cathy Berx, the Ambassador of India to Belgium, Ms. Gaitri Issar Kumar and other dignitaries are also seen

I

ndia’s Vice President Venkaiah Naidu visited the Jain Temple in the Belgian port city of Antwerp in October where he addressed the Indian community.

The event, organised by the members of Indian Association in Belgium and the Jain Culture Centre, was also attended by Antwerp Governor Ms. Cathy Berx.

The function began with a Kathakali performance by Margi Kathakali Group from Trivandrum which presented “Geetopadesham”, a performance based on the Bhagavad Gita. Mr Naidu began his address by mentioning the contributions and sacrifices made by Indian soldiers who fought alongside their Belgian counterparts during the First World War. He praised the Indian community and their contributions to the continued success of Belgium as the hub of global diamond trade and towards the prosperity of the Belgian economy. The Indian Diaspora in Antwerp mostly came from Palanpur in Gujarat and contributes 80 per cent of the Belgium’s global diamond trade.

In his speech to the Indian community, the Indian Vice President also talked about the ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting)

Summit held in Brussels in October, saying the two-day meet was aimed at strengthening Asia-Europe cooperation to promote world peace and stability. He also briefed the community on the transformational changes in India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He referred to India’s inherent advantages, including its expanding workforce and consumer market, rapid urbanisation, growing education and skill capabilities, stronger technology adaptation, and potential for driving exports through greater local manufacturing, among others.

He spoke at length on India’s flagship programmes in the areas of manufacturing, digitisation, skills, financial inclusion, urbanisation, startups, infrastructure, clean energy and transportation, which have unleashed a new momentum that is driving organic growth in the country. Mr Naidu also mentioned about India’s fight against climate change, terrorism and efforts taken against economic offenders and to tackle corruption and black money. After the community event, the Vice President visited the Office of the Governor of Belgium to pay floral homage to the bust of Mahatma Gandhi. ❐

november 2018 | india empire 29

diaspORa in Canada

Indo-Canadians pledge USD 7 mn to build hostels for poor children in India

I

ndo-Canadian expatriates have donated more than USD 7 million dollars to a Torontobased non-profit organisation which builds and runs education hostels in rural India. The non-profit AIM for SEWA (Canada) builds hostels in far-flung, rural areas of India to educate children from poor families.

At this year’s annual gala dinner here attended by former Miss India Pooja Batra, many Indo-Canadians pledged donations to AIM for SEWA to take its collections to over USD 7 million dollars to promote education of poor rural kids in India. The nonprofit, started by famous Toronto dentist Terry Papneja, has already built 26 hostels in rural India.

“At these hostels, we are taking care of over 4,000 children—from the age of eight to 18—on an on-going basis.

For full 10 years, these children are given free accommodation, food, clothing and education so that their families get out of the cycle of poverty.

We also cover all their other expenses,” said Mr Papneja.

Hailing from a Punjabi family which settled in Kareli, Madhya Pradesh, after they were uprooted from Pakistan during the partition, Mr Papneja said: “As a young boy, I saw poverty at close quarters in my hometown and read how Gandhi made service to God’s creation as his mission after reading the holy Gita. I always wanted to do something for the needy.” According to Mr Papneja, they have just opened a chapter in Montreal to raise money from the local Indian community.

Indo-Canada Economic Council president Mr Arun Srivastava and his wife Anu also announced almost half a million dollars to build a girls-only hostel near Kanpur to educate girls from poor rural families. “Our donation is the continuation of my family’s long tradition of serving the underprivileged. My grandfather Mahashai Chitra Sen Nigam was a great freedom fighter who worked with Lala Lajpat Rai. He was also the founder-member of DAV College in Kanpur and instrumental in setting up the local

30 india empire | november 2018

Dr Terry Papneja with wife Nimmi

orphanage, widows’ home and the Hindu temple,” said Mr Srivastava, who also heads Panorama India which is the umbrella organisation of over a hundred Indo-Canadian associations.

Each hostel costs about USD 290,000 to build and most donors sponsor hostels in the areas of India where they come from. Toronto businessman Mr Inder Sharma has committed to donate USD 2 million dollars to build many hostels in rural India. Another Indo-Canadian couple—Neelam and Kris Shah—announced to give scholarships worth USD 100,000 to 20 children over a ❐ period of 10 years.

diaspORa in BOtswana

I

vIcE pREsIDENT NAIDU OpENs GlOBAl ExpO BOTswANA 2018

ndian Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu has said that India and Botswana were amongst the fastest growing economies in the world, with growth rates of over 7 per cent a year, adding that their bilateral trade had increased by an impressive 27 per cent over the period of one year. He was speaking at the inauguration of the 13th Global Expo Botswana, the largest business meet in the southern African country organised by the Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC), in November.

Mr Naidu was accompanied by his Botswanian counterpart Slumber Tsogwane and Botswana’s Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Bogolo J. Kenewendo, who, at 31years, is the youngest woman member of Botswana’s Parliament and also the youngest member of the Botswana cabinet.

“We are quite impressed by Botswana’s political stability and its consistent status of being the fastest growing economy in Africa. We have about 25 Indian companies present at this forum to look at investment opportunities, the largest-ever delegation from India to Botswana,” Mr Naidu told the gathering. Most of the companies from India came from the state of Gujarat and from south India and cover sectors such as health, ITC, food processing, energy, textiles, education and manufacturing. “India and Botswana already collaborate in terms of security, defence, trade, business, health and the bilateral trade has grown to USD 1.75 billion in 2017-18—an impressive growth of 27 percent over the previous year,” Mr Naidu added. The Vice President also spoke of the contribution of the Indian diaspora to the development of Africa. “Lots of Indian diaspora have been based in Botswana since its independence and they contribute to employment generation and to the local economy,” Mr Naidu added.

Representing 40 per cent of Botswana’s GDP and 70 per cent of its exports, diamonds remain the principal sector of collaboration between India and Botswana. “We want the Indian companies to invest in Botswana and set up their units for polishing, cutting and innovative processing of diamonds in here. This will be the best way to forge a long, stable and a win-win relationship,” Minister Kenewendo, told IANS. About 8,000 persons of Indian origin currently live in Botswana and nearly 3,000 of them are believed to have taken the Botswanian nationality.

“I came in 1988 from Chennai. I was hired as a teacher and soon after I started a business in the manufacturing sector. In the span of 30 years, a lot of investors have come in the country and it has modernised tremendously. We are mainly into imports but since it is a landlocked we rely on countries like South Africa and Namibia where there are seaports,” said Mr Rajamanickam Baskar, Director of Madura Enterprises that is in the FMCG and healthcare sector. Mr Jagadessan Naidu, who hails from Coimbatore, set up his business, Nira Holdings that is active in the

The Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu addressing the gathering after inaugurating the Global Expo Botswana 2018, in Gaborone, Botswana on October 31, 2018

fields of borehole pumps, electrical installation and maintenance and fluid control systems, in 2000. He says that he made profits quite quickly and has grown his business tremendously within 10 years. “The growth rate of Botswana is just like in India; I never faced any corruption issues. Also money is safe; banking is strong and a number of Indian banks like SBI, BOI and Bank of Baroda are also present here. What we need though is to develop logistics but everything is to be done and this is what makes it exciting for investors from India,” he explained.

With a population of barely 2.3 million, the need for skilled personnel is high in the country, explains Mr Vijay Naik, Managing Director at Flotek Pipes Tanks and Irrigation, who migrated from Surat in 1983. “We are probably the largest manufacturing company in private sector in Botswana. We manufacture pipes and tanks and fittings used in water projects, sanitation and agriculture. We need easier ways to receive work permits and resident permit for staff from India. Government is quite flexible but we hope that with the stronger links between the two countries and the official visit of Mr Venkaiah Naidu, doing business will be even easier,” Mr Naik said.

Another attractive aspect of investments in Botswana is that it offers immediate and duty-free and quota-free access to several key markets including the European Union and the Southern African Development Community, a group of 15 Southern African nations with a population of nearly 300 million and a combined GDP of nearly USD 600 billion. ❐

november 2018 | india empire 31

COlumn: yOgi ashwini

mind and BOdy

BEWArE OF THE PISACH

By Yogi Ashwini

yogi ashwini

W

e are not alone. Earth is a dimension of existence and has within its fold various other dimensions, some perceivable, some not.

The entire creation is interdependent— something like the food chain, in which humans are supposed to be at the top. But are we at the top?

It’s a little complex to understand, it was not easy for me also, but then the devlok helped me clarify a lot of things. When a yagya is performed, devas get nourishment. The samidha, ghrit, mantras, samagri and bhaav, with the blessings of guru, release an energy which directly affects the devlok and in return, devas shower blessings upon us. Devas get food through yagyas and have a symbiotic relationship with humans, but what about the world of spirits–bhoot, preta, pisach? Who feeds them and from where do they get their nourishment?

They also have to survive and co-exist with us. Them, their food, the mechanism, I will detail now... These negative energies look for vulnerable individuals. Take the example of a household which is happily carrying out the process called ‘life’, there is happiness and fulfilment. The pishach needs food, he is hungry. This is not the place where he can find it, as he feeds on negativity and negative emotions. He thinks, if he could somehow convert this happy household into an unhappy chaotic one, the fresh negativity so-generated would be organic healthy food for him! So the play begins...after all humans too till fresh soil and disturb it for their food, so why can’t the pisach do the same with humans?

Stage 1. The pishach picks on the weakest link in the family and enters him/her through a weakness—food or drink or sex, a sensory pleasure. He ensures that this person meets a human who could pollute him through one of the basic vices.

The pishach then convinces the person that this human is an excellent person, visions are shown and slowly trust is built up.

When the two become very close, the pishach slowly starts to distance the friend from the person—by showing him as a devil in visions, or by whispering negative things about him/her. A conflict develops, there are minor arguments, the pishach feeds on this and gains health, the person and the friends become weaker.

Stage 2. When the person goes home, he carries with him a vice and negative emotion. This immediately creates a clash in the family, arguments start, alcohol is introduced, fights begin. The pishach becomes stronger, he now starts controlling the brains of the family members. Slowly he whispers in their ears negative things about each other, distrust is built, egos

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clash, fights increase, as does the negativity in the house. The more the clashes, the more the negativity, more the food for pishach. Pishach feeds on this and becomes very strong, the family on the other hand becomes weak. The law—energy cannot be created or destroyed but it only changes form—is at play. The happy positive energy of the household has changed into food for the pishach.

Stage 3. The family members meet more negative people outside—new friends, drinking bouts, fights, clashes, emotional turmoil, unhappiness, unfulfillment, chasing the unreal, trusting corrupt gurus and getting upayas, resorting to black magic in the name of pujas, chasing money, thinking it to be the finality, becoming intolerant, deriving tamasic pleasure out of another human or animal’s pain, feeding egos—all this now is a daily affair. The pishach gets more food and becomes so strong that he now controls more and more households...societies, countries, leading to utter chaos and finally destruction.

What is the way out?

So the signs of pisach entering your life are clear—chaos, fights, shouting/screaming, mistrust, doing strange things, trying to buy upayas off-the-shelf from fake gurus. Pisach will whisper things in your ears and you will act it all out, moving towards disaster. It’ll tell you to trust the most untrustworthy people, steering you towards people with low consciousness levels and at times to people with animalistic consciousness. It is uncanny but the favourite weapon of the pisach is influencing the people closest to you! Pisach ensures that you move away from your guru and trust crooks. It does so gradually by feeding on your negative emotions and negative thought process, showing unreality as reality and avidya as vidya. As you become negative and weak, pisach gains strength. You remain perpetually sick and/or attached to vices, drifting away from spiritual people and moving towards so-called spiritual people, taking unreality and maya as the final goal and drowning your soul. It is actually unbelievable how it gradually changes your persona and you don’t even notice it.

Bhoots, pretas and pishachare all over. So watch out....avoid negative thoughts and negative people completely. Favourite spots of pisach: clubs, bars, discotheques, gyms, gossiping people, heavy foods and fights. It derives energy from all this. ❐ —Yogi Ashwini is the Guiding Light of Dhyan Foundation and can be reached at www.dhyanfoundation.com

Business and

Governance

BusinEss and gOVERnanCE

Queensland unveils India trade strategy India by 15 per cent over the next five Australia's northeast Queensland years, which translates into $1.5 billion state has unveiled its India trade and benefit to the local economy. "This investment strategy to spur the econstrategy identifies five key initiatives omy, a Minister has said. "The that will benefit both Queensland and Palaszczuk government's first QueensIndia into the future," Jones said. The land-India trade and investment stratinitiatives will enhance the profile of egy is set to deliver a $1.5-billion trade the Queensland-India relationship, boost to our state economy," Queensbuild business capacity, develop market land Minister for Innovation Kate intelligence, foster relationships beJones said in a statement in Bengaluru. tween businesses and facilitate collaboJones, the ruling Labour Party's Memrative projects in both states. In 2017, ber of Parliament, also holds the portQueensland sold goods valued at $9.4 folios of Tourism Industry and billion to India, a 34 per cent jump over Commonwealth Games in the state.

Ms Kate Jones 2016 and represented 60 per cent of Outlining the five-year (2018-23) stratAustralia's exports to India. egy, Jones said as India was Queensland's third largest merchandise export market, innovation India is also Queensland's second-largest source of inwas key to strengthen the bilateral trade and investment ternational students with 11,700 student enrolments in 2017.

Jones, who is on a trade mission to India, attended the inrelations with India.

"It's crucial to tailor our strategy to build the market," augural of the three-day Bengaluru Technology Summit, Jones said, adding her state had advantages to be an ideal being held in the Palace grounds. She also participated in the trade and investment partner for India. According to the 7th edition of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)latest data, Queensland has potential to increase exports to Yi Entrepreneurship Summit in Bengaluru in November.

6,500 charging stations

Electric vehicles start-up EV Motors India in November said that it plans to install over 6,500 charging outlets in the country over the next five years. According to the company, it seeks to install over 6,500 charging outlets, each with multiple charging stations, spread across cities, businesses and residential complexes of India, over the next five years with an estimated investment requirement of $ 200 million. In November, the electric vehicles start-up along with DLF, Delta Electronics India and ABB India launched its first public EV charging outlet 'PlugNgo'.

34 india empire | november 2018

AI to reap rs 2,000 crore benefits Debt-ridden national carrier Air India has commenced a 'cost-cutting and revenue augmentation' plan to garner 'financial benefits' of Rs 2,000 crore per annum. According to Civil Aviation Secretary R.N. Choubey, cost cutting and revenue augmentation plan was recently implemented by the airline. Mr Choubey Mr R.N. Choubey spoke to reporters on the sidelines of a curtain raiser event for the Global Aviation Summit, which will be held on from January 15-16, 2019 in Mumbai. Subsequently, the plan was presented to an inter-ministerial panel--Air India Specific Alternate Mechanism--which has been formed in November to look after the divestment of the national carrier. Mr Choubey told reporters in New Delhi that the airline will work on 10-12 items under the plan, which if implemented in entirety, is expected to result in financial benefits of Rs 2,000 crore per annum. However, these benefits will be over and above the financial relief that the airline will get by lowered interest payments on its legacy debt.

BusinEss and gOVERnanCE

Over 50 Indian firms explore investing in UAE economic zone

O

ver 50 major Indian companies have shown interest in expanding their operations to the Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ) in the UAE, one of UAE's seven emirates and a free economic zone offering comparatively attractive incentives, RAKEZ Chief Executive Ramy Jallad said in November. Briefing reporters prior to the second RAKEZ Business Investment Forum in New Delhi, Mr Jallad said the first such forum held in Mumbai last year had resulted in firm commitments from 20 large Indian companies, as well as over a hundred small firms to set up businesses in RAKEZ. "More than 50 high-profile Indian business leaders have discovered the advantages of expanding their operations to Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone," Mr Jallad said.

A RAKEZ release said this special economic zone, less than an hour's drive from Dubai, offers a strategic geographical location that helps companies easily take advantage "of the trade flows between East and West".

"RAKEZ currently houses over 14,000 multinational companies and thousands of freelancers from from more than 100 countries, covering over 50 industries, making it one of the largest economic zones in the region."

He also said RAKEZ has the highest level of industrialisation in the UAE. Mr Jallad added that several meetings are lined up at the second RAKEZ business forum here with companies like DCM Shriram, MSN Lab and LT Foods. "India is very important for us. The bilateral ties between India and the UAE are excellent and out of the over 14,000 multinational companies present at RAKEZ, 22 per cent are Indian. We are looking for more from India and other countries," he said.

Indian majors like Ashok Leyland, Dabur and GK

Mr Ramy Jallad

Technologies are already operating in RAKEZ, he added.

Elaborating on the business opportunities in RAKEZ, the CEO said companies can invest in various areas like manufacturing units, back offices, call centres and sales offices, among others. One of the UAE's 45 free economic zones in the UAE, RAKEZ offers clients easy access to markets in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, and South and Central Asia through major logistical hubs available in the emirate. It is well connected to various countries through road and its five ports.

This economic zone also offers finance facilities, whereby an investor who commits to bear the 60 per cent cost of setting up at RAKEZ, can avail the balance 40 per cent financing from the hosts, he said. "To smoothen the process, RAKEZ offices have been set up in India, Turkey, Germany and the UK where investors can go to have queries addressed. If an investor wishes to start business, RAKEZ will help him in start operations within 24 hours after getting all clearances and approvals," Mr Jallad added. â?? november 2018 | india empire 35

phOtO Essay

sAhIl’s JOURNEY wITh AIDs T Pictures and Text by Sipra Das

here was a time in the 1990s when the words AIDS, new to India, made most people gulp in horror. Sahil, affected by this deadly disease as a young boy, emerged from the back of beyond of rural India to transform not only his own

life, but that of thousands of others. His journey is one of courage, trust and discipline. These qualities have helped him overcome major social and personal obstacles and become who he is today—head of an NGO called OPNP + A Support Group in Delhi’s Uttam Nagar that counsels thou-

Sahil, Henna and their 3-year-old son form a happy family

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Pictures © siPra Das

sands of AIDS victims in and around the national capital.

When Sahil was 11-years-old he was hit by a car near his village Ram Nagar Bhundsi in Bihar’s Darbhanga. In dire pain and with severe bodily injuries, Sahil was rushed to Patna, the capital city of Bihar. After a few days in hospital in Patna he was moved to another one in the more modern metropolis of Mumbai on India’s western coast. He had to be given blood, and soon after his condition began to deteriorate. He had recurring fever that refused to subside. He could hardly digest what he ate. No amount of medication was good enough. Three years passed by, and Sahil had become extremely weak.

At the age of 14 he tested positive for HIV—the human immunodeficiency virus that leads to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). The unthinkable had happened and a most testing time in Sahil’s life began. His entire village feared that he would transmit the deadly disease and kept away from him. Ignorance was widespread about AIDS and no one knew that Sahil could not have ordinarily transmitted the disease since it was not a contagious one. But those were the early days of the AIDS scare in India, and misconceptions and baseless rumors flew thick and fast.

Not entirely unexpectedly the village decided to ostracize him. Sahil’s distraught mother was forced to move him a safe distance away from the village and had a mud hut built for him. She would personally reach him his food which was left at distance from the hut. After all even his mother was not allowed to go near him.

One day a village teacher came along and advised him to go to Delhi for treatment. Besides, he would not be subjected to the daily stigma and taunt that he encountered in his village. The teacher wanted Sahil to get a life and move on. Sahil followed his teacher’s advice. When the train he had taken chugged into the Delhi platform Sahil knew he’d would have to live by the railway tracks. He knew no one in this city. All he had with him was 1500 rupees which his mother and some well-meaning village elders had managed to place in his trouser pocket. Almost immediately after reaching the capital city his life as a rag picker began. At 15, by the railway tracks, he began to eke out a meager existence and survive. Because he had not run away from home and had none of the usual problems associated with those who do so, he did not fall into the company of gamblers and alcoholics. He was determined that he would have none of those in his life and steered clear of all those who indulged themselves.

A month later he noticed a poster that said that for dealing with AIDS one could reach out to the Lady Hardinge Medical College, not too far away from the railway station. Below the announcement was a telephone number which he scribbled on his palm. When he dialled that number from a phone booth a lady picked up. Soon he was at the hospital wearing an impoverished and bedraggled look. His clothes were unwashed and stinking. He hadn’t had a proper bath in a month. But the lady who had received the call met him with compassion in her eyes. She could relate to the suffering of the boy. She held out a cup of tea and biscuits and Sahil was clearly taken aback. He had been accustomed to constant rejection back in his vil-

Sahil kissing his son to show that the HIV virus causing AIDS cannot be transmitted this way

Displaying the numerous awards he has won for his work

Sahil at a counselling centre

Distributing nutritious food to AIDS patients

november 2018 | india empire 37

phOtO Essay

Sahil during an awareness campaign with AIDS affected villagers displaying red badges on the Delhi-Haryana border

lage and this affection made him very emotional. He felt a mother’s pull in the lady’s gesture. He asked her why she was taking a chance with a boy like him, and she replied gently that AIDS was not contagious and could recover.

She bought him two pairs of shirts and trousers from a vendor nearby and asked Sahil to take a bath. Soon he was sent to a doctor and went through a series of tests. The lady found a small place in a hotel where he could stay. He later learnt the woman she’d met was Mrs Vijay Lakshmi, a social worker. She was like a river of empathy in spate and Sahil’s eyes moist up even today when he talks about her, some 22 years down the road.

Sahil remembers that his journey of receiving affection and getting medical attention from well-known doctors in Delhi completely turned his life around. An AIDS patient from the west regularly came to meet Sahil and a small group of HIV affected men and spoke about his own life and how he was working hard to change things around. One day the westerner asked Sahil and others to meet him near a Cathedral where a job opportunity was waiting. Two men got jobs, one of them was Sahil. His task was to be a counselor on nutrition for AIDS victims and encourage them to try and turn their lives around. He was earning about Rs 15,000. The money and the work infused much needed con-

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fidence in Sahil. He started holding workshops outside Delhi. He was making proposals for the NGO. Soon he was asked to lead a team, and grow the organization.

Since 2007 he runs his own NGO—the Om Prakash Network Plus—which has thus far helped 40,000 AIDS patients by not only counseling them, but also planning their diet, exercise and yoga regime. In turn many of the patients have helped him to start door-to-door campaigns to exorcise the ghost of AIDS and telling people that not only is the disease not contagious, but can be overcome as well.

One day while holding a workshop in Parliament Street he came across a girl whose name he later learnt was Henna.

The two fell in love and much against her parent’s wishes Henna and Sahil married. He was thirty and she was nineteen. A child was conceived through in vitro fertilization (IVF)—a series of procedures used to treat fertility-related issues and genetic problems. Today the onceostracized Sahil, 37, has a three-year-old son and he loves him like no other.

Sahil the young boy from Darbhanga who came to Delhi on a train with his life in a complete mess has managed to bring things back on track. His disease today is under control. ❐