Heard the Budweiser [aka. aRivu kozundhu].

Yesterday I had chance to watch a program called Sandhipoma on Sun TV anchored by Mr. Shahul Hameed. Usually his interviews are very interesting and his language is very pleasant to hear. Guests are often experts from various fields who clearly knew what they are talking about, a very interesting, simple and pleasant talk show.

But yesterday there was person whose name I missed as I tuned in little late. They were talking about IT in general. Hearing first few lines, I wanted to hear more. Soon I realized the person who was talking did not have any clue in what he is talking.

Yes, he was mere Budweiser [aRivu kozundhu].

First he opened up his can of worms on computer consultants going aboard to work. Slowly he started to justify people instead of going aboard and working can make same money and live much happier life in the home land itself. He mentioned that today IT is the hotcake in India hence people can stay here and work instead of going to London or New York. Oh yaw! Why India become a major outsourcing port of USA? First the cheap labor – the Dollar conversion then? Why everyone is forgetting the good will so many of our consultants created here. When it comes to our work force here we are very sincere and we implement projects on perfect schedule. Our knowledge in the subject is quite remarkable. Let me tell you, thousands of Indian consultants living here have proved and clearly created a base in the past 10 years. Quality of work, this is another main reason why US companies are going to India for outsourcing.

Forgetting all this Mr. Budweiser gave another dazzling statement, it seems Indians here in the US are struggling to survive after the dot com bubble and most of them today are living on food stamps, totally ludicrous. Who gets food stamps? Frankly I never know a fellow Desi who makes lower than 40k a year. Mr. BW did not have clue on what he was talking about. Here go to this link and check for yourself.
Click here.

Next pearl he dropped was about fellow Indians killed during 9/11. It seems when they died here, they were no soul here to take care of them. Indians here it seems suffered lot of emotional problems and they don’t have anyone here to empathize with them.

Now during this Tsunami, entire India has come to help every citizen that never happened during 9/11.? It seems this kind of support is never there for people working abroad. What a great comparison?

He also simply and very convenient forgot one factor. I can pin point many Indian relief and social service organization here that have collected and collecting funds to help our people back home during every calamity. There are many Indian consultants here who have pledged their monthly pay.
Today India’s foreign currency reserve is at very respectable level. Where did it come from? Simply NRI investments; the world we are living is something different, we are not wood. Dear Mr. Shaul Hameed Please don’t get such half boiled nuts to talk about NRI in your shows.

Mr. Hameed Why don’t you travel here and get Tamil folks here in your show. Many have made remarkable things for the language, culture, Art or Business? Or why not get some real Indian entrepreneurs operating here to discuss about it.

I like to close down with comments from last week Visu’s Aratai aragam which was about NRIs. “M.K. Gandhi, father of our nation was also an NRI”. He came to work for India after studying and working aboard. "Thiruvilaiyadal", when Lord Murga can go around the world to honor his parents for getting the Knowledge Mango [Gana Pazam], why can’t his devotees do the same for their parents? whats the problem?

Today, World is not small anymore, Indians cannot be ignored;. We got to take part in the world activities sitting at home we cannot do it; we are working for India from aboard. Period.

Please you need not appreciate us, at least please don’t insult our good intentions. Remember you are not giving your TV shows free for us. We are willing to paying even to watch your craptaculor TV channel. There are many more things that came out of this interview. It is high time to stop this NRI bashing. I really don’t know how Mr. Shaul hammed can let him continue to give absurd opinions clearly hurting the sentiments of thousands of Tamilans working hard here.