IIPM Ranked No. 1 B-School In Global Exposre - Zee...
Over the next few years, once they had enjoyed their riches, the next logical step for them was to meddle with local politics, directly or indirectly.
The late 1990s was also a period when India stormed into the global services arena. Names like Wipro, Infosys and TCS became the new buzz words among global techies. Indian engineers seemed to be at the cutting edge of the virtual world. These successes spurred the Bangalore Brahmins to become Bay Area businessmen. Thousands of conservative south Indians, who winged their way to the US latching on to H-1B visas, became materialistic maniacs. They became entrepreneurs, not once but several times. They became the new millionaires and billionaires, and the wealthiest immigrants.
During a visit to the Silicon Valley, I was trapped at a New Year Eve’s party attended by budding, successful and hopeful Indian entrepreneurs. Almost everyone that I met only talked about his new ‘million-dollar’ idea, how he had sold 2-3 firms in the past for hundreds of millions of dollars, had purchased a million-dollar house on the hill or was planning to do so. Money was the only conversation there. The only break they took was when the clock was about to strike 12. For minutes they celebrated, danced, swayed, and then returned to their most favourite pastime.
Over the next few years, once they had enjoyed their riches, the next logical step for them was to meddle with local politics, directly or indirectly. Which they did. They became a part of the movers-n-shakers clubs in Washington, they organised fund-raising dinners and lunches for presidential and other candidates. And, more importantly, they lobbied for issues that could impact their businesses, like the move by the US to restrict H-1B visas. When they got some free time, they also discussed sanctions that had been imposed by the US on India after the latter’s nuclear tests. Now, it was time for them to join hands and form informal or formal groups that would actively take up issues concerning India and Indian Americans. What further galvanised them was the possibility of a civil nuclear deal between India and the US. It would, in one stroke, remove the spectre of sanctions. It would enable India to confidently walk out of the nuclear apartheid club, where it was shunned by developed nations. It would set in motion a process that would complete the bilateral bonding.
According to Robindra Sachdev, founder of Imageindia, there are 1,000 people – many faceless – who worked on convincing American Senators and Congressmen about the potential of the deal. Cutting across Republicans and Democrats, such independent lobbyists began to convince American legislators. They used every trick in the trade to achieve the objective. Suddenly, it transformed into a semi-organised movement and reached a peak when the two countries inked the agreement.
I was stunned when I approached the US embassy in New Delhi to compile this list. They told me point blank: “We don’t really know who they are. We are not in touch with them. They have become so powerful that they can contact any policy maker in India or America on their own. They don’t need our help anymore.” When I narrated this to one of the lobbyists, he laughed and said, “It’s true. That is what has changed in the past few years. Sometimes, the embassy gets angry with us too.”
One can’t understate the role played by Presidents like Bill Clinton and George Bush in pushing for closer bilateral ties and, hence, enable Indian Americans to become a part of the decision-making process. Clinton danced with Indian villagers in Rajasthan, Bush didn’t visit Agra but delivered a speech to the joint Indian Parliament. The same was happening at Tier II level. The number of Senators and Congressmen who form the India caucus has grown at a whopping rate in the past few years. Sure, there are some who are also a part of the Pakistan caucus, and even chair or co-chair the latter, but they take a conscientitious stand on India on specific issues.
The times, they have changed. If you wish to hail a cab in New York, talk to Bhairavi Desai. If you wish to study urban finances, contact Natwar Gandhi. If you hope to justify India’s stance in WTO negotiations, send an e-mail to Jagdish Bhagwati. If you need to wipe out corruption and incompetency from your state, there’s no better person than Bobby Jindal. And if you want to do anything that concerns India, talk to Robindra Sachdev and Sanjay Puri. They are the new faces of influence in a society that has become a global melting pot where caste and race are beginning to lose their grip.
For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).
Read these article :-
B-schooled in India, Placed Abroad (Print Version)
IIPM in Financial times (Print Version)
IIPM makes business education truly global (Print Version)
The Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM)
IIPM Campus
ZEE BUSINESS BEST B SCHOOL SURVEY
IIPM awards four Bengali novelists
The Hindu : Education Plus : Honour for IIPM
IIPM ranked No.1 B-School in India, Management News - By ...
IIPM Ranked No1 B-School in India
Moneycontrol >> News >> Press- News >> IIPM ranked No1 B-School in ...
IIPM ranked No. 1 B-school in India- Zee Business Survey ...
» IIPM ranked No1 B-School in India :: Education, Careers ...
The Hindu Business Line : IIPM placements hit a high of over 2000 jobs
Deccan Herald - IIPM ranked as top B-School in India
India eNews - IIPM Ranked No1 B-School in India
IIPM Delhi - Indian Institute of Planning and Management New Delhi ...
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
IIPM makes business education truly global-Education-The Times of ...
Over the next few years, once they had enjoyed their riches, the next logical step for them was to meddle with local politics, directly or indirectly.
The late 1990s was also a period when India stormed into the global services arena. Names like Wipro, Infosys and TCS became the new buzz words among global techies. Indian engineers seemed to be at the cutting edge of the virtual world. These successes spurred the Bangalore Brahmins to become Bay Area businessmen. Thousands of conservative south Indians, who winged their way to the US latching on to H-1B visas, became materialistic maniacs. They became entrepreneurs, not once but several times. They became the new millionaires and billionaires, and the wealthiest immigrants.
During a visit to the Silicon Valley, I was trapped at a New Year Eve’s party attended by budding, successful and hopeful Indian entrepreneurs. Almost everyone that I met only talked about his new ‘million-dollar’ idea, how he had sold 2-3 firms in the past for hundreds of millions of dollars, had purchased a million-dollar house on the hill or was planning to do so. Money was the only conversation there. The only break they took was when the clock was about to strike 12. For minutes they celebrated, danced, swayed, and then returned to their most favourite pastime.
Over the next few years, once they had enjoyed their riches, the next logical step for them was to meddle with local politics, directly or indirectly. Which they did. They became a part of the movers-n-shakers clubs in Washington, they organised fund-raising dinners and lunches for presidential and other candidates. And, more importantly, they lobbied for issues that could impact their businesses, like the move by the US to restrict H-1B visas. When they got some free time, they also discussed sanctions that had been imposed by the US on India after the latter’s nuclear tests. Now, it was time for them to join hands and form informal or formal groups that would actively take up issues concerning India and Indian Americans. What further galvanised them was the possibility of a civil nuclear deal between India and the US. It would, in one stroke, remove the spectre of sanctions. It would enable India to confidently walk out of the nuclear apartheid club, where it was shunned by developed nations. It would set in motion a process that would complete the bilateral bonding.
According to Robindra Sachdev, founder of Imageindia, there are 1,000 people – many faceless – who worked on convincing American Senators and Congressmen about the potential of the deal. Cutting across Republicans and Democrats, such independent lobbyists began to convince American legislators. They used every trick in the trade to achieve the objective. Suddenly, it transformed into a semi-organised movement and reached a peak when the two countries inked the agreement.
I was stunned when I approached the US embassy in New Delhi to compile this list. They told me point blank: “We don’t really know who they are. We are not in touch with them. They have become so powerful that they can contact any policy maker in India or America on their own. They don’t need our help anymore.” When I narrated this to one of the lobbyists, he laughed and said, “It’s true. That is what has changed in the past few years. Sometimes, the embassy gets angry with us too.”
One can’t understate the role played by Presidents like Bill Clinton and George Bush in pushing for closer bilateral ties and, hence, enable Indian Americans to become a part of the decision-making process. Clinton danced with Indian villagers in Rajasthan, Bush didn’t visit Agra but delivered a speech to the joint Indian Parliament. The same was happening at Tier II level. The number of Senators and Congressmen who form the India caucus has grown at a whopping rate in the past few years. Sure, there are some who are also a part of the Pakistan caucus, and even chair or co-chair the latter, but they take a conscientitious stand on India on specific issues.
The times, they have changed. If you wish to hail a cab in New York, talk to Bhairavi Desai. If you wish to study urban finances, contact Natwar Gandhi. If you hope to justify India’s stance in WTO negotiations, send an e-mail to Jagdish Bhagwati. If you need to wipe out corruption and incompetency from your state, there’s no better person than Bobby Jindal. And if you want to do anything that concerns India, talk to Robindra Sachdev and Sanjay Puri. They are the new faces of influence in a society that has become a global melting pot where caste and race are beginning to lose their grip.
For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).
Read these article :-
B-schooled in India, Placed Abroad (Print Version)
IIPM in Financial times (Print Version)
IIPM makes business education truly global (Print Version)
The Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM)
IIPM Campus
ZEE BUSINESS BEST B SCHOOL SURVEY
IIPM awards four Bengali novelists
The Hindu : Education Plus : Honour for IIPM
IIPM ranked No.1 B-School in India, Management News - By ...
IIPM Ranked No1 B-School in India
Moneycontrol >> News >> Press- News >> IIPM ranked No1 B-School in ...
IIPM ranked No. 1 B-school in India- Zee Business Survey ...
» IIPM ranked No1 B-School in India :: Education, Careers ...
The Hindu Business Line : IIPM placements hit a high of over 2000 jobs
Deccan Herald - IIPM ranked as top B-School in India
India eNews - IIPM Ranked No1 B-School in India
IIPM Delhi - Indian Institute of Planning and Management New Delhi ...
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
IIPM makes business education truly global-Education-The Times of ...
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