Empire strikes back
Your June cover story (The Empire Strikes It Rich) summed up what Indians can achieve when the power of free enterprise is unleashed. Just about every entrepreneur in the rich list started off as an immigrant that had a few pounds and nothing more. It’s amazing how these people started small but with big dreams they built businesses worth billions today. Such success stories should be part of school curriculum so that Indian children get inspiration to achieve the best.
Anish Balram
Seattle
Coming shortly after the story about Indian companies gobbling up firms worldwide, the June cover story is truly an eye-opener. We Indians are finally getting back onto the world’s centrestage. Let’s not forget that India was a reasonably prosperous and free country just 250 years ago. The peaks of the Gupta or Maurya periods may have been distant memories but despite the raids by the Arabs, Afghans and Turks, India’s economy was still largely intact and Indian manufactured goods were in great demand.
However, the British came here simply to colonise and enslave and it was they who ruined our economy. Because they wanted to make India a nation of indigo growers who would supply Britain with raw material and be a market for its textiles and other goods. Imagine, the finest textile producer in the world was reduced to importing Manchester trash. Now, that very Britain is seeing the rise of Indians, albeit in a positive way. Today it is Indian entrepreneurs who are adding zing to their economy. What an irony!
Vinay Sharma
Brussels
If Indian sportsmen too emulate their businessmen peers, India would win most of the gold medals at the Olympics. I wish you would start a campaign to kick-start Indian sports which is in such a bad state.
Ajay Makan
New York
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Manufacturing Growth
It’s good to know that Indian manufacturing is following the same growth pattern as its software sultans. Traditionally plagued by government controls, manufacturers have been a harried lot. They had to deal with production ceilings, export duties, import controls, taxes, power cuts, corrupt inspectors, expansion curbs and sundry other problems. The fact that they survived all these problems is indeed commendable. But for these controls, India corporates like Tata would have been as big as LG or Samsung. However, there’s still time to catch up and it isn’t far when the world’s supermarkets are flooded with Made in India tags.
Sonia Kapoor
Singapore
Yoga is best
Yogi Ashwini’s column keeps me ticking like clockwork. The benefits of various poses are described lucidly plus he explains things in clear language. But the fact is they are extremely natural and once you get into the act, they are easy.
Kapil Dev
Chicago
Parting Shot
INDIA EMPIRE is indeed the NRI’s voice. Please carry on in your inimitable style and take our voice to Indians and other fellow NRIs and PIOs.
Amit Gupta
Mumbai
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