Five Reasons Why India Has the Largest and Most Influential Diaspora in The World: Lessons for the African diaspora
While we delve into the reasons behind this phenomenon and explore valuable lessons that can be gleaned by the African diaspora, it’s imperative to appreciate the vibrant African diaspora community with all this flaws and beauty marks. The cultural and political transitions that make the African diaspora what we know it to be today, the people and their ways.
The Indian diaspora is a striking example of nurturing some of the world's most potent and influential figures across pivotal domains such as science, technology, and politics. How has this remarkable legacy been built? Herein lie a few compelling reasons.
The Indian diaspora, beyond being a vast and vibrant conglomerate, it serves as the bastion for some of the planet's most influential personalities in areas encompassing business, economics, leadership, politics, and academia.
The sheer expanse of the Indian diaspora ensures the presence of Indian individuals in virtually every habitable country worldwide.
Many of Africa's prominent business figures (many of whom are third or fourth generation business moguls), maintain deep-rooted connections to their ancestors' beliefs and values, fostering enduring legacies that persevere through shifting times.
From whence does this resolute solidarity and drive for excellence emanate? And what insights can the burgeoning African diaspora glean from the dynamic Indian Diaspora to steer the trajectory of growth, cohesion, and value system alignment toward the enhancement of African communities globally?
Well first, we need to take a look at how to be an Indian diaspora.
Indian Diaspora Shoot for the High Ranks
Endeavoring to occupy, if not dominate, the upper echelons of society is an ingrained ethos within the Indian diaspora, it is no surprise that they usually do end up ‘up there’.
At present, a cadre of India's diasporic elite holds sway at the vanguard of policy leadership globally:
Rishi Sunak serves as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Kamala Harris the current vice president of the United States of America was nurtured by her Tamil Indian mother.
Ajay Banga is the leader of the World Bank.
Highly Educated Indian Diaspora.
The pursuit and attainment of elevated educational benchmarks constitute a cornerstone for Indian immigrants, this is something we particularly observe in their propensity for acquiring undergraduate degrees infields such as IT, medicine, finance, and engineering.
In the United States, approximately eight out of every ten individuals of Indian descent boast undergraduate degrees in these lucrative disciplines. This trend is similar in Australia as well, where the Indian diaspora's educational prowess exerts a profound influence on both their adopted homelands and their country of origin.
Indian Diasporas Are in the Driver’s Seat When it Comes to IT.
With such high achievements in education, it is no wonder that many of these individuals have ably secured high ranking positions in the technology world.
Satya Nadella - CEO of Microsoft
Arvind Krishna - CEO of IBM
Sundar Pichai - CEO of Google and Alphabet
Leena Nair - CEO of Chanel
Shantanu Narayen - CEO of Adobe Systems
Laxman Narasimhan - CEO of Starbucks
George Kurian - CEO of NetApp
Pawan Nunjal-CEO of Hero Motocorp
Jayshree Ullal-CEO of Arista Networks
Nikesh Arora-CEO of Palo Alto Networks just to mention but a few, Indian diaspora has had such a huge influence on the economy, policy and has significantly impacted other Indian diasporas perception of the world away from home.
A highly educated diaspora is one of the biggest ways in the Indian diaspora has grown to such heights with such a huge number of elites. The African diaspora has got such a huge task to promote high levels of education.
Indian Diaspora Thrive Financially
On top of being highly educated, the Indian Diaspora do well financially, in fact they do so well as they do earn and live significantly above average in the US, Australia and even Canada.
In the US, the median household income is about $150,000annually which is about twice the national average making it the highest earning migrant group in the Americas.
This financial base makes for better standards of living and overall better diasporic experience than any other migrant diasporic communities.
Indian Diasporas Are United
There is no country in the world where Indian migrants live in solitude or in isolation from each other. These various Indian communities which quickly spread wherever they settle foster networking and this in itself has got vast advantages in enabling financial growth, cohesion and development ultimately.
To really get full context of the solidarity of the Indian migrant and diasporic communities, just take a look at any of the gatherings in any country in the world when Prime Minister Modi visits. It’s a glorious scene with such immaculate energy and not only can you see the unity, you can feel it.
Indian Diasporas Are Revered and Respected
Typically for their religious nature, it is easier for their hosts to do business with them, as they have got great reputation for trustworthiness, hard work and moral great standing.
The Indian diaspora is a beacon of unity, excellence, and resilience, and it offers invaluable insights for the burgeoning African diaspora to emulate. By embracing education, fostering economic empowerment, nurturing solidarity, and upholding moral rectitude, African communities can chart a trajectory of growth and prosperity that could mirror or even supersede the illustrious journey of their Indian counterparts.
