Recently, I see a lot of venom and hatred being pouted against the Indian American community in message boards in response to articles written on the success of the Indian American community, especially at Rediff. It is mostly related to Indian immigrants and their wonderful success (both absolute and vis-a-vis other immigrant groups) in the US in business and high technology industries. The following are the usual rants:

1. “You are trying to portray as if the Indian American community has started business in the US and that they are the most successful business group in the US.”

Here, you set up a strawman, that the IA community has started business in the US and that they are the most successful business group in the US, and then rant and rant against it. However, no one, neither the IA community nor the articles, portrays as if the IA community has started business in the US. No one is claiming that they are the most successful business group in the US. They are only pointing out and celebrating the success of the IA community in absolute terms and vis-a-vis other immigrant groups, a fact that is not an invention but something that is proved by various surveys in the US and in the UK. I dont see anything wrong with it. It should serve as an inspiration and a wake up call to their brothers and sisters back in India instead of a punching bag, an object of mostly negative criticism and a target to vent out frustration.

2. “No big deal. Indians are simply going there as low cost coolies to do hardwork for American companies and institutions.”

Mostly, you find this coming from people who have a Leftist bent of mind. It is very surprising and sad to see that a Leftist, who is usually a champion of labour rights and dignity of labour, is the one who refers to Indian immigrants as low cost coolies. This is very unfortunate. This also has racist connotations. Pure hardwork is being mistaken for low cost coolie work. Only those who have done the supposedly low cost coolie work understand what it means to be successful in the highly competitive environment in the US.

It is surprising to note that those who make offensive, offhand comments against successful and hardworking people like Indra Nooyi themselves are not as successful and are involved in relatively poorly paying jobs in call centres or IT companies in India. Perhaps, these people are simply jealous of the success of other people. That these successful people have worked extremely hard to get there and the fact that they all come from hardworking middle class families who cannot boast of great wealth and prestige doesnt seem to have any effect on the idiots who make comments.

Perhaps, by making such comments, they are simply venting out the frustration they have accumulated on account of the failures in their own lives. They cant stand the fact that an Indian, like you and me, can be as successful as any other businessman in the world. They probably relate their own position with that of these successful people and develop a sense of insecurity. That insecurity leads to lack of self respect and this lack of self respect translates into offensive and prejudiced comments against other successful people. Maybe these people should start looking at and examining their own capabilites and successes before making sweeping judgements on the capabilities and successes of other people. It reflects poorly on their intellect and personal integrity.

The success of Indian immigrants has shown that Indians are a smart and hardworking lot. Given the opportunity, they really excel. Their adaptability, intelligence, emphasis on the value of education, “thriftyness”, hardwork, entrepreneurial spirit, tolerance for other religions and societies and their secularism gives them an edge as compared to other immigrant groups. This fact cannot be disputed. It is proved by various govt. sponsored surveys in the US and in the UK.

Unfortunately, the tremendous potential of the Indian people has not been harnessed in their home country! It has been ruthlessly suppressed by a Nehruvian-Stalinist economic model. The Leftist shitheads who accuse Indians of abandoning their home country and working in a capitalist society like the US are themselves to blame for it. It is only because of the economic policies they espouse that hundreds of thousands of highly-skilled Indians have left their homeland to a country which is far more accepting of their abilities. It is a nation which promises unbridled freedom, both social and economic. Instead of ranting endlessly against the US and its perceived “imperialist policies”, Indians should accept and digest the hard fact that at present, the US has been far more successful in guaranteeing freedom to the individual, both social and economic. It is the lack of opportunities in India and abundance of the same in the US that has led Indian Americans to move to the US.

Of course, the scenario is changing. More and more Indians are returning to India as Indians have realized that earning money is not a bad thing and that “profit is a dirty word” is hypocrisy. But economic reforms are still at a nascent stage and they are vehemently opposed by a section of people who claim to be champions of such high ideals as “freedom”, “tolerance” and “secularism” and who, yet are the most intolerant lot when it comes to economic freedom. It is time Indians reflect on and learn from the experience and success of the Indian American community instead of endlessly ranting against the same. They should stop being hypocrites.