‘PBD helped accelerate reverse brain drain’

Chennai: “We NRIs are Number 2 citizens in any country we work. So we are always looking for an opportunity to come back to India. The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) which the government of India has been organising from 2003 has helped many of us know the opportunities here and decide whether we should return or continue abroad,” says Dr Shrigopal Sharma from the US.

Dr Sharma, who is in Chennai to attend the PBD 2009 being held in the city from January 7 to 8, believes many NRIs have come back and settled in India, thanks to the PBD. Sharma, who has attended all the past editions of the event, believes that reverse brain drain is the most important impact of the event.

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As the NRIs/PIOs flock to Chennai for a common cause, the city is in a festive mood with hoardings welcoming the guests and portraying the rich culture of the ‘land of opportunities.’ It is for the first time that the city is hosting the grand get-together of NRIs/PIOs from all over the world.

The success of each PBD can be gauged from the fact that most of the delegates have attended the previous events. Most of them are satisfied with what the government is doing for them.

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“The government of India is doing a good job. We don’t expect anything more,” says Prof Dasarath Chetty who is the pro-vice chancellor (Corporate Relations) of University of Kwazulu-Natal in South Africa.

Prof Dasarath, who is attending the PBD for the second time, finds it the only opportunity for NRIs/PIOs in South Africa for collaboration in business, academic and cultural fields.

Ramamurthy Kodur, whose R K Civil and Environmental Engineering Consultants is taking up government contracts in Australia, finds the PBD an excellent opportunity to explore partnerships here. Ramamurthy, who is attending the PBD for the third time, feels the first edition, held in 2002 was the best. “That was a fantastic event. Most of us felt like that,” he says.

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As the curtain is set to rise for the PBD 2009, Ramamurthy and delegates like him hope the Chennai event turns out to be a fruitful, and hence, memorable one.

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