Jain Digest 2004 11 Vol 23 No 4

Author(s): Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA

Page 29

ASIAN INDIANS (NRIs) IN U.S.A:
ROLE OF 'LEADERSHIP
FJ. Dalal, Lanham, MD
A QUARTER CENTURY REVIEW:
4. AAPI: American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin
founded by Dr. Ujam Kothari. It pains a lot to read and hear about futile and persistent feud 5. AAHOA: The powerful and well funded organization of Asian among Leadership Cliques of Indian Community Organizations. American Hotel Owners Association predominantly led by During last twenty-five years, the population of Indian Immigrants the ingenious Patel Community. to U.S.A. has been gradually increasing at a faster pace. Now, it has reached over 1.8 million. With this, the need for Community
On the top of National organizations, there are two Special Organizations grew by leaps and bounds. The growing need for Organizations: Community Organizations has now been more than fulfilled. The time is just ripe for consolidating and re-phasing them.
1. IANF: Indian American National Foundation was formed in The unwieldy and mushrooming growth of religious, Washington, D.C. for lobbying purposes by four (# 2 thru 5 linguistic, cultural, professional, business, social, and political above). I understand that it has turned dis-functional due to organizations have led to considerable overlapping. A vehement un-resolvable dispute for Leadership. unhealthy destructive rivalry has obviously resulted among the leadership. The ugly face of squabbles have resulted due to
2. GOPIO: Global Organization of People of Indian immaturity, lack of proper perspective and Futuristic Vision. Many Origin founded to bring together the entire prosperous and thriving good intentioned leaders who pioneered the national organizations Indian Community (NRIs) around the world. It was, once again, could not cope, guide, or direct. Before bickerings among a few led by Dr. Thomas Abraham's vision of unifying the Indian Diaspora ambitious leaders(?) and misguided cliques explode to negate the of all Indians outside India to enhance the pre-eminence of India high achievements of the entire Indian Community, it is high time and Indians in the emerging and realigning Global Village. Last we take right course of action.
year, it had a grand inauguration in New Delhi where eminent
personalities from the world over participated. This organization TYPICAL ORGANIZATIONS:
needs full nourishment. The great Report of Government of India's We have umpteen Religious organizations of Hindus, Muslims, Dr. Singhvi's Commission on Historical Indian Diaspora has been Sikhs, Christians, Jains, and others with their sects and sub-sects. a valuable document to carry forward the stature of India and We have organizations of almost all conceiveable Languages. We Indians all over the world in the 21" Century. have many organizations of Professionals and Businesses such as Hotel/Motels, Doctors, Lawyers, Pharmacists, Engineers, and THE PROBLEM: others. Many have their regional/national and sub-specialists Many organizations have been stuffed with a few ambitious and organizations. We have many regular National Conventions, except resourceful leaders who are able to manipulate them for power, of Gujaratis. I am told and have noticed that the initial euphoria prestige, position, and control. Lately, we hear and read about the of massive Tamashas(?) with movie and political persona have infighting between cliques at the expense of smooth working for recently receded slightly.
the noble goals and purposes. I personally do not doubt about the
sincerity and sacrifices of some of them with whom I came in PREEMINENT NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS: contact during the crucial foundation-laying initial formative On the top of all the above, we have National Organizations and period of early seventies. their Chapters, such as - 1. AIA: Association of Indians in America founded by Dr. THE WAY OUT: HUMBLE SUGGESTIONS: Manoranjan Dutta.
Let us not fritter away the wealth of Grace and Experience. 2. FIA-NFIA: (National) Federation of Indian American The First Generation is fast aging. This is the Right Time to Associations founded by Dr. Thomas Abraham.
Rethink and Re-organize the entire (Cob) Web of Organizations. 3. IAFPE: Indian American Forum for Political Education 1. To start with, let us not formulate any more organizations, founded by Dr. Joy Cherian.
including Temple Building, etc.
JAIN DIGEST-Fall 2003 / 27
Jain Education Intemational 2010_03