Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs is currently headed by the same Minister who is the Foreign Minister. What is your view on this?

It came as a shock and surprise to all of us. At Regional Pravasi Bhartiya Divas 2015 held at Los Angeles, the Foreign Minister was not even allowed to go. Empty promises are made to the NRI community with no concrete action, so giving two portfolios to one minister is definitely an injustice to the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs and also the NRI community.

You run a foundation that is involved in charity and philanthropic work in India. Many overseas Indians would like to run similar foundations but find it extremely difficult to work with credible NGOs in India. How to get over this trust deficit?

It is a very right question. That is the reality. In the US over 33 billion dollars have been pooled to support NGOs across the globe. It not necessarily Bill Gates, an ordinary employed salaried worker also donates money on seeing the advertisements, but the money is meant for the NGOs that are genuinely working for underprivileged, needy and deserving people. When I set up the Madhu Yaskhi Foundation, I did not take money from anybody. I started with my own income. I had been spending 25 per cent of income in the US on the welfare of families of the farmers that commit suicide. India is the diabetic capital of the world and my wife who is an endocrinologist used to conduct diabetic camps in the rural areas as well as the urban areas. She was working with Apollo hospital also at that time. So, we decided to engage with our foundation and work for health and education activities.