"We need not just your money and investment but your heart" appealed Minister for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal while addressing a large gathering of NRIs in New Delhi on Wednesday evening.
He was speaking at the Valedictory session and presentation of Pravasi Award at NRI Divas 2007 ‘Strengthening the Bonds’. He said that personally he could have continued in USA in a law firm in Wall Street but decided to come back to the country because he felt he could make greater contributions in India which seemed at that time a land of opportunity.
"When the NRIs of today left India they did so because they found that land to be the land of opportunity, NRIs are today coming back because they see India as the land of opportunity. Twenty five thousand professionals have left Sillicon Valley and come back to India between 2001-04," he said.
Demography of Europe is going to change with decline in population and not many young people, this part of the world is going to provide the workforce for Europe and all other parts of the world. Countries abroad have a stake in the success of India, he said.
No other country has the kind of pluralistic society and racial and religious tolerance as we have. We are very proud to have a president and a prime minister both belonging to minorities. No other country in the world has this, he added.
{{/usCountry}}No other country has the kind of pluralistic society and racial and religious tolerance as we have. We are very proud to have a president and a prime minister both belonging to minorities. No other country in the world has this, he added.
{{/usCountry}}Talking of the challenges India faced he said there is ‘another India’ of 500 million people living at less than 2 dollars a day and 50 million children who are malnourished. This ‘other India’ beckons for you, he added.