H.R.Bapu Satyanarayana, NRI parent now visiting the US, for the third time. He shares his thoughts with N D Bhagavan on the NRIPA initiative, in an e-mail from Portland, Oregon.We carry excerpts that might interest NRIs and their parents alike.

1) NRIPA can play a role in disseminating ideas and serve as a forum to remove certain cobebs of misunderstanding, and to restore realism. It canl help better understanding between NRIs and parents.

2) NRI parents who visit America for the first time should not get surprised to see their daughters/daughters-in-law taking to wearing pants, cutting their hair short, discarding
kukuma (refer dot buster phenomenon) and some, perhaps, even jettisoning mangalsuthra.

3) They should be prepared to hear grand children speaking in strange lingo hard to
understand.

4) As for Indian festivals, increasingly, I find the balance for maintaining their spirit and sanctity is shifting to America. NRIs evince keen interest in festivals because they have developed a high sense of attachment, being away from their motherland. Also being in America specially their sense of reasoning and logic is highly developed and bring to the for their questioning attitude.They want to know more vigorously the genesis and purpose of each festival. ( Meenakshi Shastry's book 'Varusha-Harusha' addresses the issue)
5) In sharp contrast most youngsters back home take to these festivals as a ritual handed down, without questioning. Besides, with impact of western influence fast catching up they are taking to the 'Coca cola' culture and even becoming cynical and dismissive of our festivities. .
6) Very many NRIs who come on a visit to India are rather critical of many things - fraud, corruption, the unending queues, poor state of infrastructure etc. My own reading is, America is, in no way less culpable. Corporate fraud, hospital fraud ( In New York itself in a decade the medical fraud was about $41.5 billion) Lot of people die in hospital infection in the US as well. . Police attrocities and pension fraud also happen. Yes, one basic difference is that there is no visible corruption at grassroot level. Which must be a great relief. The difference is the frauds including political frauds at macro-level in America are of monumental proportions.NRIs who visit India would do well to refrain from sporting holier than thou attitude.

7) Road infrastructure, respect for traffic laws , facilities for walking etc in America are worth emulating. .

8) Another curious fact I have come across is that Indians in US glibly ask me why we don't you do some thing about it (roads, transport etc). My answer is, 'come back, to live in India, and change the system'. .
9) Most NRI kids take to junk food too quickly, they eat all sorts of sweets (courtesy multi-billion food advertisements), to the despair of parents. Maybe some NRIs can excange ideas and give tips on how parents can persuade kids to develop taste for wholesome Indian foods and delicacies.
10) I believe the amount they give in charities in America is substantial. I do not know how it
compares with Indian charity efforts. In 2003 private and corporate charity in America was of the order of $203 billion (Corporate effort measly $11billion about 1.4% of pretax earnings) I think NRIs can do a lot in this field and I know qiite few who are doing their bit aleady.
11) There are cases of Indians getting back to India after staying for many years. Some go through a very difficult stage of adjustment and for some, it has become traumatic and some have even returned to the US. In this area a lot can be done by NRIPA, by some counseling, so that transition can be smooth.