Letters
Letters
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I may not be in the Guinness Book of World Records, but I was elected vice-president of the student government at Nehru Homeopathic Medical College (New Delhi) back in 1980, before Tyler Walker Williams of Jawaharlal Nehru University (“Marx Man,” Dec. 06), was even born. What happened after that is a long story.
I especially enjoyed the interview with Peter Kaestner, head of consular affairs at the Indian Embassy in New Delhi, because it got me reminiscing about sleeping on the barsati in Lajpat Nagar where it was not the peacock, but the nightjar who serenaded us. I bicycled over the Defense Colony flyover many times, especially to shop in Nizamuddin for baans ka ghosht. Little India has high journalistic standards and I find it very informative. Please continue with the cross-cultural content. Though geared for Indian Americans, there is also an audience of American Indians! I am surprised to learn that our Indian editors and publishers are so naive that they don’t know the many ways the West bribes (“Most Corrupt B2B,” Nov. 2006). The West only measures bribery in terms of money, but it bribes with drugs, sex, trips to the casino, free hotel/motel room at tourist places, free food at restaurants, etc. in a zillion ways. You most know this and should not be fooled by false and fabricated data from the West. Pity on you. Peter Kaestner (“Visa Dawn,” Dec. 2006) is a simple, good American and not just an Indophile. There is in him, clarity, brevity, and sincerity. Best in him is his love of nature. He is the reverse of the Ugly American. I wish there were many like him. I’m probably the obscene minority of White Southern Christian Republican men who read your magazine. It is obvious that the magazine leans quite left, but I still enjoy reading it. I formerly worked on cruise lines and worked on board with people from over 70 countries. I have been able to visit 45 countries in my 32 years. I adore India and her people. I plan one day to return to Cochin’s orphanage near Vasco da Gama’s grave and perhaps adopt one of the wonderful children I met there. The abject poverty was devastating to me, however. I still constantly think of the warm people I met who had nothing to eat and it saddens me. Sadly, many Americans think India is somewhere over in the Middle East inhabited by people in swaddling cloth and living in mud huts. We tend to live and think within our borders in the United States and have minimal contact with Indians with the exception of call centers. I work for Indians in Sugarland, Texas, and have many close friends who are Indians. I think a great deal of children from Southeast Asia who come here at a young age or born here sometimes focus far too much on assimilation and perhaps some of them seem a bit embarrassed by their roots. One Indian in particular recently mentioned being embarrassed that India’s railroads have their own God. But let me respond to your commentary that the right wing feel “you should go back where you came from” if you choose to criticize the current administration. My family was one of the few who came across on the Mayflower. This does not give me any more authority to comment on America than any immigrant who has become a citizen of this great nation. But as an American, I do take offense sometimes to things I read in Little India and other publications. I want to live in my country with other citizens who are Americans first. Religion, heritage, politics, these should be secondary. Any citizen of this nation has the freedom to dissent. However those who are not citizens and live in America should appreciate the opportunity to be here and speak of America as any good guest should: with grace, appreciation, and humility. Your editorial “Unwelcome in America” (March 2006) about American visa problems faced by Indian scientists is yet another example of negative reporting. If we do not go into depth of the truth, your views seems logical. But unfortunately the truth was either ignored or purposely put on the back burner. Whatever the case, we should not be judgemental unless the whole truth is analyzed. The American Consular staff does what the safety of America warrants. 9/11 was an eye opener. I am a scientist who worked in Africa, America and India. I was asked several questions and to provide the required verifications when I applied for a visa not only for America, but for other countries as well. There is nothing wrong in answering questions and providing verification. In fact this is for our own safety as well and we cannot afford to compromise on it. If I had been in place of the reported scientists, I would have cooperated with American Consular staff and helped them in asserting my legitimacy. It looks the scientists were under a phobia that they are the only scientists in the world. I have been in prison for 14 years and throughout the first 8 years of my incarceration, it was very hard and lonely, especially being the only Indian in any facility I have ever been in, most of which have close to 2,000 inmates. Whenever I did see an Indian person, it would bring a feeling of connection and oneness. Although I am from Trinidad, I strongly believe that, no matter where we are born or how many different languages we may speak, as Indians our hearts are rooted in India. I have always been very proud of my heritage and I love my culture and people unconditionally. Because we must love each other first before anyone else can love us.
Being in here, gave me the time to identify and take a close look within myself. I’ve read a lot of Indian history and many times my heart felt the pain for the suffering that our ancestors went through as they fought for our liberation. Now whenever I look at an Indian person, I see not only a hreflection of myself, but the pain and suffering of our ancestors. I have been in this country since I was 5 years old, 30 years now, and one thing that I respect and admire most about my parents is that they made sure that we retained our culture. Although my parents were born in Trinidad, my grandparents came from India. I am proud to be an Indian. I also want to thank you all for keeping our generation, culture and heritage alive with your wonderful magazine. Your editorial “Killing Us Softly” and the article “The Killer Belly” (Nov. 2006) are highly informative, beautifully written in simple common understandable language to encourage people to take immediate steps to prevent the killer disease in time. It’s a must-read for a heart patient, would be heart patient and one likely to have high blood pressure or already having it. “Jeena Isika Naam Hai” by Mr. S. Hattangadi is a real treat for an old man like me who is very nostalgic about the good old golden masterpieces crafted and directed by one of the great directors, the departed Rishida and others of his caliber who belong to his time. The article brings forth a very personal touch, with intense feelings towards Rishida’s creations, looking into his personal life very gingerly so as not to hurt his feelings about his past life after marriage. It’s a very intelligent journalistic etiquette while interviewing a great director. Hattangadi’s article is a deeply intense and thought provoking tribute paid to Rishida.K. M. Kamboj, Forest Hills, NY |
