NRI Businessman Found Dead in Delhi’s Taj Palace Hotel July 22, 2019 11:11
A 35-year-old Non-Resident Indian (NRI) businessman was found dead at the five-star Taj Palace at Chanakyapuri in Delhi, the police said on Sunday.The incident became known on Saturday morning when the deceased, identified as Munni Jaitley, an India-born United States citizen, didn't respond to his father's phone calls."His father called the hotel reception and requested them to check his son's status. The hotel staff tried to connect with Jaitely through the landline, but didn't succeed," Additional DCP, Eish Singhal, told IANS."Later, the hotel manager went to the sixth-floor room of Jaitely and knocked at the door. When he didn't get any response, the room was opened with the duplicate key. Jaitely was laying unconscious," Singhal said."They took him to the nearby hospital where doctors declared him brought dead. The police were informed by the hotel manager," the officer said.At the time of the initial investigation, no foul play could be identified since there was no sign of anyone, including the hotel personnel, visiting the room between Friday night and Saturday morning as per the CCTV footage. "The deceased's mother didn't suspect murder," he added.A medical board would carry out autopsy today to find out if he consumed any drug, causing the death, the Additional DCP said.The deceased, who was single and stayed with his family in the United States, was a regular visitor to the national capital owing to his business. He had come to stay at the hotel on Thursday, the officer said.By Sowmya Sangam
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NRI Reconnects with Sister After Four Decades Through Facebook July 22, 2019 07:24
For some Facebook is a bane, but some it is a boon. But for this Andhra Pradesh-origin NRI, now based in the United States, the social media giant turned into a stroke of luck as it helped reconnect with her long-lost sister after almost four decades. The non-resident Indian Jyothi Edla Rudrapathi never met or got word from her sister Kamala after the latter married a Mizoram Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) constable in 1980 and moved to Mizoram. On July 15, she posted a request on Mizoram News, a Facebook group, seeking help from its members in locating her sister. She also attached her photo as a five-year-old with Kamala and her husband Hmingliana. (Image source from: Aldrin Meco Arthassy Lalnunsiama) Kamala was located at Lawipu on the outskirts of Aizawl hours after the post was widely shared on social media. Rudrapathi told local publications that her brother-in-law, from Mizoram’s Sialsuk village, married her sister when he was posted in Andhra Pradesh. The family lost contact after the couple moved to Mizoram and efforts to track down them for 39 years did not work out. In 1993, her parents Edla Joseph and Edla Karunamma went to a CRPF camp near their village but were told that their son-in-law had left the service. Rudrapathi said her father died in 2010. Her mother, now 86, has been beside herself after speaking to Kamala. Kamala said her husband died of cancer in 2013. They had four children, the eldest of whom died in infancy. The other three are now married. “I made several attempts to reconnect with my parents and sister but could not do so because of financial constraints,” she told reporters in Aizawl a couple of days ago. By Sowmya Sangam
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28-Year-Old Indian Origin Woman Convicted of Robbery in London July 22, 2019 05:13
An Indian origin woman including three others has been found guilty of a robbery at commercial premises in Lambeth, South London, in August last year.The 28-year-old Harpreet Kaur, from Hounslow, was found guilty at Inner London Crown Court on Friday of false imprisonment and possession of articles to commit fraud.Her accomplices, Monica Pashias, 42, and Tyrone Waugh, 40 had previously pleaded guilty to robbery.All three are due to be sentenced on September 19, Scotland Yard said in a statement, recalling that the police were called into reports of a burglary at commercial premises at St George’s Wharf shortly before midday on August 2, 2018.Officers attended and were informed that the thieves had stolen a laser hair removal machine and accessories, and had locked a member of the staff inside the store.Kaur and Pashias were arrested on August 14, while Waugh was arrested on August 31, the statement added.By Sowmya Sangam
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Better Career, Enhanced Salary, Sense of Fulfillment Attracting NRIs to India: Survey July 20, 2019 06:57
If you think a large number of Indians are showing keen to moving abroad, then you are to a little extent mistaken because a survey found that India emerging as a popular landing place for expats as working in the country improves their careers, provides enhanced salary and sense of fulfillment. The survey, 12th Annual League Table of Best Places to Live and Work, was commissioned by HSBC and conducted by YouGov on 18,059 expats and 163 markets through an online questionnaire in February and March 2019. About 48 percent of overseas experts became aware of the benefits of working in India, having achieved a whopping great sense of fulfillment after relocating, as compared to the global average of 42 percent.More than 29 percent of international professionals said they have been promoted more rapidly as a result of relocating to India. Around 58 percent also think India provides a good place to pick up new work-related skills.International professionals said their gross annual personal income rose by around 24 percent since relocating to India.Interestingly, 32 percent of those who moved to India said they are receiving a salary of USD 100,000 (around Rs 69.5 lakh) or more per year, far above the global average of 18 percent.Also, 49 percent of respondents said they have more disposable income in India than their home country, for the most part owing to the lower cost of living in India as compared to their home countries.The survey also revealed that more experienced Indian professionals are moving abroad, for career progression, chiefly in the fields of financial services (24 percent), health (11 percent), engineering/ design and architecture (11 percent).The United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates and the United States remain popular destinations for Indian expats and foremost reasons for the move include improved quality of life, boost in career, and improved net income."Our study shows that more professionals are choosing to work abroad, helping them achieve their ambitions and long-term financial goals, from improving their job prospects and access to better education for their children to buying the property or saving more for retirement," HSBC India Head of Retail Banking and Wealth Management Ramakrishnan S said.Ramakrishnan further said "this year's survey reveals that better career prospects and a higher sense of fulfillment are attracting expats to India. At the same time, there is a large NRI diaspora of about 30 million Indians living outside India".By Sowmya Sangam
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Indians Received 67-72% of Total H1-B Visas in Last Five Years July 18, 2019 11:48
The United States has issued between 67 and 72 percent of the total H-1B visas to Indian nationals in last five years, the Ministry of External Affairs said Wednesday. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant…
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Telangana State Police Set up Safety Cell to Safeguard Rights of NRI Women July 18, 2019 09:59
Taking into account the safety of women from Telangana who are living abroad, the state police inaugurated a Women Safety Cell for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) on Wednesday.The NRI women safety cell aims to provide legal guidance to aggrieved women in NRI marriages with the support of NILA, an NGO."The cell will guide SHOs during the investigation of cases related to harassment of NRI spouses and relatives. Training in the investigation and various procedures will be given to the SHOs. Also, legal guidance to victims for further approaches and contacts, liaison with agencies like embassies, Ministry of external affairs, National Women Commission, NGOs will be given as and when required," Swati Lakra, IGP, Women safety, said in a press release.Speaking at the event, Telangana DGP Mahender Reddy said, "Sensitization of the women should be at grassroots level to encounter the problems from fake NRI marriages. The stakeholders should work for the long term goal of achieving and influencing lawmakers to provide justice for the victims."Sri Vishnu Vardhan Reddy, Regional Passport Officer, Hyderabad said that the Ministry of External affairs was sensitive to the cases of women, who complained of harassment by their NRI spouse."The MEA has established an Integrated Nodal Agency with all stakeholders to help such victims in fighting a legal battle. The prosecution is a challenging task, where the case details should be strong enough to get positive court orders. The embassies in the various countries have been allotted a budget to support the victims in emergencies and also has the support of 193 NGOs for counseling and legal advice," he said.Tripuraneni Venkataratnam, former chairperson, State Women’s Commission, said that Acts like Registration of NRI marriages should be brought into force. The dignitaries also launched posters on precautions to be taken before marrying an NRI, like knowledge on citizenship status, caution on matrimonial agency and other important parameters for carrying out verifications on the NRI groom’s personal information.By Sowmya Sangam
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Bill Introduced to Allow Dual Citizenship for Indians July 17, 2019 07:49
A draft legislation has been brought before the Indian parliament seeking to allow dual citizenship for millions of foreign nationals of Indian origin who currently have to renounce Indian citizenship once they become citizens of another country.Indian National Congress Member of Parliament from Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor introduced a Bill last week to amend Article 9 of the Constitution of India that provides for automatic termination of the Indian citizenship upon acquiring citizenship of another country.“We have the largest diaspora in the world, many of whom have migrated abroad for better opportunities. Taking a foreign passport for convenience does not make them any less Indian,” said Tharoor. 1/2 Today I introduced a Bill to amend the Constitution of India to allow dual citizenship. We have the largest diaspora in the World, many of whom who have migrated abroad for better opportunities. Taking a foreign passport for convenience does not make them any less Indian. pic.twitter.com/sSyaRPIDUZ — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) July 12, 2019 According to the United Nations World Migration Report 2018, more than 15.6 million Indians are living in other countries, making it the largest diaspora in the world, followed by the Mexicans and the Russians.A large section of India’s global diaspora has been urging India to allow dual citizenship. The government of India, to cater to some of the demands of Indians living overseas, introduced the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card. The OCI has been further streamlined and extensively promoted under the Bharatiya Janata Party government.By Sowmya Sangam
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Trump Administration to Propose Major Immigration Reform to Attract Meritorious People Globally July 17, 2019 05:24
The Trump administration, in a much solace announcement to Indian IT professionals, said it is proposing a nearly five-fold increase in merit-based legal immigration and half those based on family and humanitarian system, to overhaul…
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Now NRIs Can Get Home Loan from State Bank of India - Eligibility, Documents Required July 16, 2019 10:59
India’s multinational bank, the State Bank of India is now open to provide home loans to Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) with a maximum home loan repayment tenure being fixed at…
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NRI Suicide in Kerala over Red Tape Highlights Returning Expat Problems July 16, 2019 10:39
The recent suicide by a Non-Resident Indian (NRI) businessman in Kerala has highlighted the stumbling blocks faced by Indian expats returning home after working abroad for many years. From corruption to self-serving political parties and politicians, there are various matters in question in India that make lives of returning NRIs on edge. NRI Sajen Parayil who committed suicide in Kerala’s Kannur district in June had worked in Nigeria for many years before making up his mind to go back to his home state with a purpose to begin construction business. (Image source from: The News Minute) However, he struggled to beat the red-tape in the state and did not get an occupancy certificate for a convention center on which he spent a whopping INR 180 million, nearly all his savings after his stint in Nigeria. His efforts didn’t stop. The hapless person made 19 visits to the Anthoor Municipality to seek permission but each time he was sent back by the officials. According to reports, he has turned down approvals because of infighting within the political party that controlled the municipality. Sajen’s suicide triggered massive uproar in Kerala’s state assembly suspending four employees of the municipality. Besides, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan assured the Assembly that things will be sorted out before long. The project was then given the necessary approvals. Some observers blamed Kerala state’s miserable ease of business ranking for the tragedy while others thought it revealed a systemic problem. Overall, about 270,924 Indian expatriates returned home from Gulf countries in 2018 maximum number being from the United Arab Emirates, as per the latest figures mentioned in Parliament by former Indian Minister for State for External Affairs VK Singh in 2018. (Image source from: Sputnik International) Last year, about 91,995 workers returned to India. The figure touched a high of 154,957 in 2017 while the number of returnees in 2016 was 88,647. Saudi Arabia was another country from where Indian workers returned in large numbers owing to the imposition of levies on the workers and ban on the recruiting of foreign workers in certain trades and professions due to dip in oil prices and following the policy of providing more jobs to its citizens. In the year 2018, Saudi Arabia, to provide more jobs to its citizens, imposed a ban on foreign workers including Indian expatriates from working in outlets selling watches, eyeglasses, medical equipment, electrical appliances and electronics, car spare parts, building materials, carpets, automobiles and motorcycles, furniture and ready-made office materials, ready-made garments, children’s clothes and men’s wear, household utensils and pastries. Earlier, these jobs were mostly done by Indian and South Asian expatriates. Due to the policies and escalation in cost of living, a record number of 151,611 Indian workers returned from Saudi Arabia in 2017 followed by 79,666 people next year. Proper assistance is also provided by the Indian government to get these workers home. But then, India’s state governments, which is so far struggling to provide basic amenities to people already living in their state, feel to be challenging to now invest time and money to deal with the expat returnees. The returnees as such are regrettably forced to adapt to the realities of a hard Indian life very quickly with little state help. Appealing Life Story of Indian Expats Mohd. Shakeel, a trained barber who once worked on the outskirts of Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia before returning to India, earned INR 70,000 to INR 80,000 which was enough for him and to send back remittances back home. However, a government levy on foreign workers was increased to SRA 200 (INR 3682) in 2018 which ate into Shakeel’s savings and had a huge impact on his living situation in Saudi Arabia. (Image source from: www.connectedtoindia.com) Left with no choice, he returned to India in 2018. In the absence of any governmental support, he spared no effort to eke out a living and then found work at a barbershop at Allahabad (now Prayagraj) where he earns just INR 8,000 to INR 10,000 per month. Mukhtar Ahmad was a catalog designer making different types of readymade garments for the last 25 years in Saudi Arabia. Though initially, he made a decent living nevertheless things turned resentful in the past few years. He had to pay his sponsor each month irrespective of profit or loss. The introduction of levies on foreign workers was also a financial jolt for him. He also returned to India in 2018. However, he is not fully settled and managing his affairs with the savings he made during the times spent in Saudi Arabia. By Sowmya Sangam
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Indian Origin Stranded Restaurateur in Dubai, Whose Shelter was a Car for 3 Months, to Head Home Finally July 16, 2019 04:44
An Indian origin restaurateur in Dubai, who accidentally threw away cash worth Dh100,000 in trash four years ago, is finally coming back home after paying off his debt. Several people came to the rescue of…
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Ending Country Cap on Green Cards Would Help in Attracting Best Talent: Congressman July 12, 2019 10:23
Days after the United States House of Representatives passed legislation to remove seven percent country-cap on Green Card applicants, the top American lawmakers said the move would help in attracting and retaining the best talents…
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