Reviving Varanasi; Indians win big in UK migration figures
Bridge India Member featured in an ANI report from Geneva.
Hi there,
Yesterday was National Milk Day in India, to celebrate the achievements of Verghese Kurien (26 Nov 1921 – 9 Sept 2012), known as the "Father of the White Revolution" in India. He was a social entrepreneur whose "billion-litre idea" Operation Flood made dairy farming India's largest self-sustaining industry and the largest rural employment sector providing a third of all rural income. It made India the world's largest milk producer, doubled the milk available for each person, and increased milk output four-fold in 30 years.
He pioneered the Anand model of dairy cooperatives and replicated it nationwide, based on various "top-down" and "bottom-up" approaches, where no milk from a farmer was refused and 70–80% of the price by consumers was paid in cash to dairy farmers who controlled the marketing, procurement, and processing of milk and milk products as the dairy's owners. An invention at Amul was the production of milk powder from buffalo milk instead of from cow milk, which was in short supply in India.
Verghese also made India self-sufficient in edible oils and fought against the "oil kings", who used underhanded and violent methods to enforce their dominance over the oilseed industry.
In other news, as the Confederation of Indian Industry builds up its presence in London, congratulations to Thanu Kurien for joining as Deputy Director. She joins the UK Director Shehla Hasan.
Is Bangladesh a Basket Case or an Asian Tiger? Read Priyajit Debsarkar’s views exclusively on our website here.
And in case you missed other recent articles, read Kaviesh Kinger on the path for Indian torture legislation here and Pratik Dattani on how India’s progressive parties can better engage with the diaspora here.
Member news
Pratap Tambe spoke at Brunel University’s 2023 International Business Week, which brought together students, faculty, and industry experts to discuss the latest trends in digitalisation and AI in the global business landscape. The event was held in collaboration with the Brunel Centre for AI: Social and Digital Innovation.
Priyajit Debsarkar is a human rights activist and author who organised a day-long poster exhibition at the Broken Chair in front of the United Nations in Geneva to mark the 15th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks of 2008. Watch the ANI press coverage of it here.
Ragasudha Vinjamuri spoke last week on Art and Cultural Landscape Under and After Qutb Shahs, with a focus on evidence that performing arts, culture and literature of Telugus were actively patronised under and after Muhammad Quili Qutb Shah, at the Ismaili Centre in London.
Sangeeta Waldron spoke about CSR, climate change and related topics at The Business Show in London last week, as well as exhibited her book CSR Is Not Public Relations.
Pop artist Ketna Patel is continuing to host her latest BRITINDIA exhibition at the Headstone Manor and Museum in London (10 Oct 23 - 28 Jan 24). If you’re interested in free artist guided group tours and talks, please call Ketna on 07982 654310.
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Indians win big: Record migration into the UK
The Brexit campaign promised control over the UK borders. Instead, migration has soared, with long-term immigration for year ending June 2023 at 1.2 million, while emigration was 508,000, meaning that net migration was 672,000. Most people arriving to the UK were non-EU nationals (968,000).
While humanitarian routes such as from Hong Kong, Afghanistan and Ukraine did represent an unexpected surge over the last couple of years, they make up only 9% of non-EU migration.
The biggest winners are Indians, coming mainly for work and study.
The top five non-EU nationalities for immigration flows into the UK were: Indian (253,000), Nigerian (141,000), Chinese (89,000), Pakistani (55,000) and Ukrainian (35,000).
Home Office data show that Indian nationals represented 38% of all dependants issued a work visa alongside main applicants, followed by Nigerian and Zimbabwean nationals (17% and 9%, respectively).
Those immigrating long-term on study-related visas (main applicants and dependants) made up 39% of non-EU long-term immigration at 378,000. This is an increase from 320,000 in the year ended June 2022. This increase is mainly attributed to dependants (from 58,000 to 96,000 ). The Home Office's statistics report, Why do people come to the UK? To study, suggests that this is because of an increase in the number of visas granted to dependants from Nigeria and India.
According to the ONS, the increase in the number of people coming to the UK to study in the last two years may partly be reflected in the attraction of the new Graduate visa route.
Sources: Office of National Statistics, Home Office.
Reviving Varanasi
I’ve just spent a few days in Varanasi, India’s holiest place, celebrating my brother-in-law’s 70th birthday.
Coming back to this city and seeing India’s mightiest river brought back all kinds of memories.
In 1999, 24 years ago, my brother and I said farewell to our father and scattered his ashes in the Ganges. As children, we would come to Varanasi and visit the ghats, the temples and the shrines.
The difference from those days to the present is astonishing. Just to take one example: the Kashi Vishwanath temple – the holiest of the holy places for Hindus – has been completely renovated and is now at the centre of a wide, calm, beautifully-designed precinct and avenue leading down to the river, allowing pilgrims to worship and visitors to enjoy the extraordinary architecture and atmosphere.
Spread over 5000 hectares, the project cost US$95 million and included the restoration of 40 temples along the route, which had been ‘lost’ over the centuries through haphazard development.
Varanasi – or Benares (‘City of Light’) as it is sometimes known – is one of the world’s oldest cities. This is one of its charms. There are layers upon layers of history jostling together next to the holy river.
It had also become a problem. As India’s population rose and ever more pilgrims made their way here, the overcrowding became oppressive, even dangerous. Varanasi is the Hindu equivalent of Mecca: worshippers are encouraged to visit at least once in their lives.
The transformation of the Kashi Vishwanath temple is an example of 21st Indian development at its finest. It welcomes international visitors, who would previously be alarmed by the chaotic bustle. It elevates one of the country’s great architectural marvels to its proper status. And it showcases a new kind of India: clean, orderly, proud of its heritage and appealing to a new generation.
Anyone who has spent time in India knows that there are thousands of amazing places to see. But for those who are yet to come here, the stereotypical view is: let’s go to the Taj Mahal. And maybe the Gateway of India in Mumbai.
Broadening this narrow vision is a great service to India and to its visitors. They could consider visiting the majestic peaks of the Indian Himalayas, the idyllic waterways of Kerala, the Ajanta caves of Maharashtra, the tiger reserves of Tamil Nadu or the ancient ruined temples of Hampi.
Many visitors remark on how much has changed in India in recent years. It’s true and welcome. I would say that the transformation of Kashi Vishwanath is one of the most important and profound changes and I’d urge anyone coming to India to see it for themselves.
Dinesh Dhamija founded, built and sold online travel agency ebookers.com, before serving as a Member of the European Parliament. His latest book, The Indian Century, will be published later this year. Email dinesh@dhamija.org to reserve a copy.
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