Mohan Bhargava, a Penn State graduate, was an accomplished scientist working for NASA, living in Washington DC and driving a luxurious Jaguar. With an impending US citizenship on the horizon, Bhargava was apparently "going places."
Drawing parallels to the real world, Mahesh Mokire, 25, has worked on a masters' degree in Mechanical Engineering from a reputed American institute. Currently, working for Caterpiler in Illinois, Mokire believes, that he will "go places" living in United States.
An utterly similar NRI way of life adeptly reflected on the movie screen.
However, the similarity between fact and fiction, ironically, stifles here. While it was resolving for Swades's Mohan Bhargava to go back home to "light a bulb," for thousands of young NRIs like Mahesh Mokire, the cliff-hanger whether to go back to India or not, remains "a million dollar question."
What makes an NRI, a Non-Returning Indian, anyway?
"The number one reason for that I would think is "GREED"- a combination of money and good reputation" says Mokire, who admits that his family, home and sense of greater altruism do call him to his Swades.
For 25-year-old Swadeep Patil, who is working as a IT professional in US since an year, however, issues like out of control corruption will keep him away from India. "There are larger and important issues than just money, and unless and until these issues are sorted out the definition of an NRI is still going to be Non-Returning Indian" he says.
{{/usCountry}}For 25-year-old Swadeep Patil, who is working as a IT professional in US since an year, however, issues like out of control corruption will keep him away from India. "There are larger and important issues than just money, and unless and until these issues are sorted out the definition of an NRI is still going to be Non-Returning Indian" he says.
{{/usCountry}}