1. Why did you leave India?
To do my Ph. D.
2. Do you plan to return to India to settle down?
Undecided - still exploring options either way.
3. What do you like most about being abroad?
Comfortable life.
4. What do like least about being abroad?
Sterile atmosphere.
5. Would you be concerned about raising your family outside India?
A little bit but not any more than in India.
6. What are your thoughts about marrying outside your immediate community, someone who speaks a different language or practices a different religion?
It works for some people.
7. What would be the first thing you would do if you became the Prime Minister of India?
Introduce and implement 1 family - 1 kid rule. People without kids would get lucrative monetary benefits!!.
8. What do you think are India's greatest strengths?(max 3)
Tolerance, emphasis on culture and education.
9. What do you think are the biggest problems facing India? (max 3)
Population, population, politicians.
10. Do you think that a presidential form of government would better serve the needs of India's democracy?
Not really - you would still have the same people in charge.
11. For whom do you have the highest regard amongst living Indians?
Baba Amte.
12. Do you think that the national obsession with Cricket has helped or has it hurt India as a sporting nation?
Sure - we need something to take our minds off the mess the politicians are dragging us into.
13. What do you think are India's greatest achievements since Independence? (max 3)?
Self-reliance of the economy to a certain extent.
14. What is your favourite pastime?
Music and movies.
15. What is your happiest memory?
Getting married to my wonderful and beautiful wife.
16. What's your most memorable journey?
Bombay to NY 7 years back.
17. What is your ultimate food dish?
Anything with paneer.
18. What are your favourite movies? (max 3)
T2, Star wars.
19. What are your favourite books (please list authors as well)? (max 3)
Nanosytems - Eric Drexler. Anything by Agatha Christie or P.G. Wodehouse.
20. A message from you to other NRIs
Be yourself - don't try to become something you're not.
Meet Ganesh Iyer.He currently lives in the New York.
Published - April 2001
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The views of this column are the author's own, and do not necessarily represent the views of NRI Online.